San Diego CityBeat • Dec 11, 2013

Look and

Touch Collective Magpie’s participatory artwork awakens the audience

by Kinsee Morlan • P. 19

Taken P.6 Gloria P.7 Walker P.22 Icona P.24

2 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 3

The case for compassion In May, CityBeat associate editor Kelly Davis wrote about Robin Reid, a woman with terminal cancer who’d been sentenced to four years in jail on charges stemming from her erotic-massage business.

Reid had been granted a “special” sentence by the District Attorney’s office: She was jailed Mondays through Wednesdays and allowed to leave Thursday mornings to receive chemotherapy.

Reid died on Oct. 15 after entering hospice care in late September. With help from the ACLU and the cooperation of the county sheriff, she’d been released to home detention in July—after spending nearly nine months checking in and out of jail weekly—but under conditions required of all inmates in the county’s alternative-custody program: She was confined to her home except for medical appointments and to run certain errands, had to wear a GPS ankle monitor at all times and was forbidden from using medical marijuana, which had previously helped alleviate chemotherapy side effects.

Reid was grateful for the amended sentence, but home confinement and the ankle monitor made her last few months difficult. Reid’s daughter told us that after her mother fell into a coma, she and her aunt cut the ankle monitor off. Reid died the next day.

Reid had hoped that SB 1462, a state law that took effect on Jan. 1, 2013, would help her. Right now, terminally ill and medically incapacitated prison inmates can request what’s known as “compassionate release,” but inmates in county jails don’t have that option. Under realignment, Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to reduce prison overcrowding, certain low-risk inmates are serving out their sentences in county jails, instead of state prisons. Prior to realignment, the average jail stay was 75 days; now, it can be several years, meaning jails will be housing—and providing medical care to—more critically ill inmates. SB 1462 allows sheriffs to grant compassionate release.

But, SB 1462’s implementation has been delayed while the state sets up a process to ensure that indigent inmates released under the new law will have Medi-Cal coverage. Reid got caught up in that delay even though she had private insurance. Currently, two counties, Los Angeles and Orange, are running SB 1462 pilot programs, and beginning next month, other counties will have the option to implement the law.

Realignment requires the statewide corrections system to be smart with how limited resources are used—who should be held on bail, who should be released to probation and under what conditions.

L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca, whose office co-authored SB 1462, estimated that while only around 10 inmates would qualify annually for compassionate release from his jails, the savings on medical costs—$7.3 million—is substantial.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors must approve full local implementation of the law at the earliest opportunity. Reid’s is a unique case, but as more people are sentenced to longer jail terms, there will be more inmates like her.

Stick to the plan On Dec. 17, the San Diego City Council will choose either to rescind its approval of an update to the Barrio Logan Community Plan or to place a referendum on the ballot that, if approved Kelly Davis by voters, would nix the long-awaited plan update.

We strongly urge the council to stick to its guns and refuse to rescind the plan update, which was years in the making and a product of a proper public process and compromise. The council should not cower, as U-T San Diego would have it do, in the shadow of the business interests who don’t like the way the update turned out.

Robin Reid Those interests and their supporters—including Kevin Faulconer, a candidate for mayor—have been misleading the public, or flatout lying, about what the plan update will mean for Barrio Logan and the adjacent shipyards. Just this week, City Councilmember Lorie Zapf said in an email to prospective donors to her 2014 campaign that in approving the update, the council “voted for the… termination of thousands of jobs at the port.”

That’s a brazen lie, and Zapf ought to be ashamed.

Because the shipyard lobby managed to get the required number of petition signatures, the council is legally obligated to place the referendum on the ballot, but before they vote to do so, the five Democrats on the council who support the plan update should call out and condemn the deception that helped bring us to this stage.

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

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4 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

It’s not all-white Regarding your Nov. 13 “Art & Culture” story on the city’s edgier arts groups: You are aware that there are alternative art spaces outside the of white community, right? Don’t those count?

Rodrigo Mesa, Valencia Park

a boiling art scene Regarding your Nov. 13 “Art & Culture” story on the city’s edgier arts groups: First and foremost, great article. The roller-coaster activity and popularity of an art scene in San Diego is something that I feel has always been an elephant in the room amongst every local contributor, but it really is true. San Diego isn’t recognized as a hotbed for innovation; it’s the prequel or the conclusion to a career or, even worse, complacency manifested.

However, the main problem I can see is that everyone involved in covering the art scene is always so focused on the same things, over and over—the same locations, the same galleries, the same forms of art, the same exhibitions—there’s no coverage on innovation, there’s no coverage on someone doing something new. How do you expect to encourage new ideas, innovative breakthroughs or even a glimmer of vitality when all those that strive for it are ignored for the next article on a white-walled gallery in Downtown? The San Diego art world practically runs out anyone who breaks the mold, and what do they do? They settle for another major city, and our city gets left behind.

San Diego isn’t recognized for its vital and raw art culture because, unlike Los Angeles, New York or any other cliché major art city, we shun those who don’t fit the mold of a “respected” artist. That’s the major problem.

Whether it’s kids in their late teens / early 20s who are setting up warehouse parties / art shows for the sake of expressing their art outside the confines of a dim curator, such as The Travelers Club, Acid Jive, etc., or even the street-art movement that is exploding at Eighth Avenue and G Street. There’s no coverage, because in comparison to a white-wall gallery, a group of kids and young adults thriving off their experimentalism just aren’t nearly as credible—or so is the main misconception.

Maybe it’s a generational gap,

maybe it’s a lack of coverage, maybe it’s just because the media can’t find a way to turn a story on it, but as we speak, the underground San Diego art scene is exploding with talent, and the real tragedy is that no media outlet is talking about it. These people are raw and gritty photographers, visual experimentalists, street writers and painters of all kinds, musicians exuding a leaning edge and more.

I could list various events and shows that have happened, are happening and will happen that could blow the noaudience theory out the water.

These kids feed off the energy of their peers, and the waters are continuing to boil.

Andres Murillo, Chula Vista

Peters’ ‘little wedgie’ Thanks for that very clear explanation of the effect of Scott Peters’ vote for the Republicans’ little wedgie of an insult bill to the Affordable Care Act [“Editorial,” Nov. 20]; in other words, Peters simply was out to poDavid Rolland sition himself toward what he perceives to be “the middle.” I think he probably is unafraid of appearing to be ineffectual and of no real Scott Peters consequence to thoughtful Democratic voters, whom he probably believes form a minority within his own party.

That sort of “Go along to get along” is a bank shot from yesterday’s Democratic playbook.

Nathan Fletcher’s loss to David Alvarez as the Democratic representative in the mayoral runoff (and Filner’s 2012 election) reveals where the party is moving, and it’s not in Peters’ direction.

Clearly, if he loses his Congressional seat to DeMaio, he’ll have only his own gratuitous indifference to his party’s values to blame for the loss. In the long run, that loss would help solidify the Democrats’ move back toward their historic center.

Again, you should feel good for having made clear Peters’ disregard for his base through this examination of what he didn’t do for the nation’s health, and what he did for his own.

Bob Dorn, North Park

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 5

Lindsey Voltoline

bonus

news The unsettling settlement

Use or abuse?

Families say social workers unfairly snatched their kids because of marijuana

by Joshua Emerson Smith During a telephone conversation with her husband, Wendy Jones heard a loud bang through the receiver right before the call went dead. On her way back from a work trip to Anaheim in early 2012, she’d called her husband Mark to say she was less than an hour away from their East San Diego County apartment.

After several failed attempts to call him back, she arrived home to find their apartment ransacked. Mark and their 6-year-old son John were gone. She frantically dialed 911 and described to the dispatcher what looked like the scene of a burglary.

Then Wendy saw a business card of a county social worker lying on a table. Ending the emergency call, she dialed the number on the card. A social worker picked up and told her that San Diego County Child Welfare Services had removed her son and placed him at the Polinsky Children’s Center in Kearny Mesa. The social worker refused to provide additional information.

Only later would Wendy learn that San Diego police officers had held her husband and child at gunpoint for an hour while they searched the home. Despite Mark having a government-issued medical-cannabis identification card, police arrested him for possession of 10 pounds of marijuana and called Child Welfare Services to remove the Joneses’ son.

To this day, Mark is fighting charges of child endangerment for the bags of cannabis he kept in a closet. Both sides dispute whether the closet was locked. The child tested negative for any drugs and told social workers he’d never seen anything resembling cannabis.

(CityBeat agreed to a request by the family’s lawyer, Lance Rogers, to withhold their true names to protect the minor.)

This situation may be more common than many people realize. Regardless of criminal charges against a parent, a child’s custody is determined by a judge in Juvenile De-

6 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

pendency Court. In many cases, parents have their child removed without facing any charges.

Since 2011, San Diego County Child Welfare Services has taken custody of children, based on the presence of medical cannabis in a home, from at least five families, according to information available to CityBeat by press time.

In all cases, the parents say, social workers pressured them into discontinuing their use of medical cannabis in exchange for the return of their children.

While county officials would not provide the total number of cases in which children were removed from their homes as a result of parents using medical cannabis, advocates have increasingly voiced concerns about such situations.

Based on the number of people who seek legal advice from local advocacy organization Americans for Safe Access, San Diego Chapter President Eugene Davidovich estimated there have been at least 35 cases during the last three years.

“I think that number’s a conservative estimate,” he said.

“It comes up constantly. Every month, someone comes to a meeting that tells us about it but doesn’t want to go public.”

Child Welfare Services maintains that in all cases, it establishes abuse or neglect in connection with the medical-cannabis use. The county’s policy states: “Medical Marijuana cases are to be treated the same as cases that have alcohol as the primary substance of choice when it comes to abuse or addiction. The [Child Welfare Services social worker] must be able to document the impact of the Marijuana use on the child(ren) in the case where its use is an issue.”

Children are not removed based solely on the use of medical cannabis, said Connie Cain, spokesperson for Child Welfare Services. “If a parent is using medical marijuana, and they’re using as authorized, and there is no negative im-

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has reached a $225,000 settlement agreement with the family of Tommy Tucker, a schizophrenic inmate who was killed by a swarm of San Diego Central Jail guards during a use-of-force incident in 2009, about a month after he was booked on a domestic-violence charge.

As CityBeat reported in its “60 Dead Inmates” series [“Wheels of force,” April 3], sheriff’s deputies applied extreme takedown tactics to subdue the mentally and physically disabled inmate. The combination of methods that cut off the oxygen to Tucker’s brain included a chokehold, pepper spray, a spit sock and holding Tucker’s face down with his hands cuffed behind his back.

Tucker’s fatal act of disobedience was leaving his cell during a lockdown to get a glass of water.

The settlement was significantly lower than the $600,000 received by the family of Jeffrey Dewall, who died under similar circumstances a year before Tucker. One difference is that lawyers for the Dewall family filed suit six months after his death in 2008 and resolved it within two months.

Lawyers for Tucker’s family say they didn’t have that option because the Sheriff’s Department delayed the release of information until the statute of limitations under California wrongful-death laws had expired. Instead, Tucker’s family could pursue action only under federal law, which is more favorable to law enforcement.

“In this matter, the family was not told that the death of Tommy Tucker was as the result of an altercation with deputies until approximately 1 1/2 years following Mr. Tucker’s death,” attorney R. Stan Morris said in a written statement. “Hopefully, in the future the County will choose not to delay such release of critical information to families and allow a free field of play with victims of wrongful police activities.”

Morris’ statement outlines several areas where it believes the Sheriff’s Department will adjust policy as a result of the suit, including paying “special attention” to the needs of disabled inmates like Tucker and relying on nonviolent measures when there’s no threat of imminent danger. The statement also notes that the department will change its internal investigation process for in-custody deaths to prevent witnesses from meeting to get their stories straight before providing official statements.

“We believe that the department now understands and appreciates that an investigation, in order to be credible, must be based upon individual, and not collective, recollections,” Morris writes.

His full statement can be found at sdcitybeat.com.

—Dave Maass pact on the child or children in the home, then that’s great.”

In order to determine harm, a social worker will interview a wide range of people who have regular contact with the family, such as teachers, neighbors and relatives, Cain said. “You really just have to look at all the indicators around,” she said. “You have to look at the big picture, talk to many different people.”

However, whether cannabis leads to harm in any particular situation is rarely challenged in court, said San Diego

Snatched CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

John R. LAmb

spin cycle

john r.

lamb Todd Gloria’s three-job plight “My advice to you concerning applause is this—enjoy it but never quite believe it.”

—Robert Montgomery You might ponder the intestinal makeup of someone embracing three jobs while only getting paid for one, but newly reappointed San Diego City Council President Todd Gloria seems to be basking in the inconvenience.

Fresh off a “humbling” jobperformance gush-fest courtesy of his council colleagues on Monday, Gloria brushed off a jab from council provocateur and recent mayoral candidate Hud Collins, who fretted over Gloria’s growing political power. The city charter allows the council president to fulfill the duties of the mayor when the office is vacated, and Gloria stepped in with gusto.

“You are not King Gloria! Although I’m sure you would like that title,” Collins bellowed, protesting a council decision that effectively puts Gloria at the head of both the legislative and executive sides of upcoming labor negotiations.

“Believe me, Mr. Collins, there would be no one happier to do one job than this guy, and doing three at the moment is a bit much. I only get paid for one. I need a union!” Gloria responded in typical firm-butpunch-line-centric fashion, counting council member as a third job.

Then came the soliloquy: “The fact of the matter is the city charter… provided me with the opportunity to serve as mayor because I’m the council president. I can’t resign that position and continue on with the duties of mayor.”

Gloria noted that important discussions with city employees regarding issues like healthcare, disability and death benefits and managed competition cannot wait until a new mayor is elected sometime in February.

“So, we’ll continue to do that work, and, obviously, when the new mayor is selected by the voters, this responsibility will go to that person, and I will happily go back to doing two jobs instead of one,” he concluded.

The verbal exchange may have flustered Andrea Tevlin, the council’s independent budget analyst, who, on a later matter, opened with, “Thank you, Council President Gloria. Interim council president. Council president, interim mayor,” before surrendering to a laugh.

“Todd’s fine,” Gloria interjected with a smile.

The city charter doesn’t specifically rule on how one is to address a council president who also keeps the Mayor’s office functioning and the seat warm for a future elected mayor. Gloria’s sharp and dedicated team has settled on “interim mayor,” or “iMayor” for short.

He possesses fewer weapons than an elected mayor, most notably no veto power over council decisions. But the perks remain, including a security detail, sweet chauffeured travels in a bulbous black SUV and the ribbon-cutting / speech-giving circuit.

Monday’s itinerary included the unveiling of the much-anticipated new trams now available—for free!—at Balboa Park.

The sleek, bright-green shuttles will run daily from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on a loop from the Inspiration Point parking lot east of Park Boulevard into the park interior.

Spin Cycle joined Gloria on the inaugural—and somewhat jerky—tram ride into the park, along with a few dozen other city officials, park enthusiasts and Ace Parking employees who will operate the tram system under a contract with the city.

Before Gloria could hop on a tram, a voice from the bank of media cameras asked about that day’s big news: the home-confinement sentencing of departed Mayor Bob Filner, the man whose ouster created the additional workload— and notoriety—for Gloria.

The iMayor noted the ongoing fallout: “We are in litigation for at least one case at this point in time,” Gloria said. “We’ll deal with it appropriately in a way that’s respectful to both the victim [former Filner Communications Director Irene McCormack] and to the

Todd Gloria, after his royal tram ride city’s taxpayers.”

While the driver was getting a feel for the challenges of the undulating roadway along Presidents Way, Spin asked Gloria about the surreal nature of presiding over a city on a day when the media airwaves buzz with the courtroom fate of the previous mayor.

“I didn’t watch it,” he said of the morning’s frenzied coverage. “It’s just a relief, because we couldn’t have gone on that way. I mean, as progressives, this was not the way to go.”

The conversation naturally turned to council colleague and fellow Democrat David Alvarez, the progressive who is actually running to replace Filner, and the

perplexing hesitancy Gloria has demonstrated in endorsing him.

What’s the holdup?

“Well, I think part of it is, well, I haven’t made up my mind,” he sputtered uncharacteristically as the tram lurched. The statement frankly blew Spin’s mind, so much so that a follow-up question—about whether the decision involves choosing between a Democrat or Republican Kevin Faulconer or just to remain neutral—never materialized.

Gloria seemed to indicate the former when he added, “I think we should just see how they campaign and what issues they’re going to focus on.” He said he’s made it clear he wants to know

how the candidates would “maintain fiscal discipline—that was one area where Bob was terrible,” prioritize infrastructure needs beyond mere talk and address homelessness.

Is Gloria looking for something specific from the candidates? He scrunched his face and shook his head.

Should his quick denouncement of shipyard interests seeking legal disembowelment of the council-approved Barrio Logan Community Plan update championed

by Alvarez be a signal of his holiday intentions? Gloria wouldn’t bite, instead simply noting about Alvarez on this issue, “He’s right.”

Gloria then pivoted back to the previous question. “Listen,” he said. “If this was about my own ambitions, I’d have run for office.

Part of the hesitation on the endorsement was to try to spend this time running the city in a way that’s sort of devoid of politics.

“The best thing I could do was come in, fix the mess and run the city confidently as a progressive to show that a progressive can run the city,” he added.

That sounds like an endorsement to Spin!

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

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 7

Snatched CONTINUED from PAGE 6 attorney Gerald Singleton, who specializes in child-custody cases.

This allows social workers to exploit their position, he said. “I don’t want to over-generalize because there are a lot of times social workers do follow the law, but in the times that people have come to me—medical marijuana patients—there has been absolutely no evidence of abuse or neglect.”

Parents overwhelmingly waive their legal rights and submit to monitoring in order to regain custody of their children, Singleton said. A child is often returned within weeks or months if a parent agrees to submit to regular drug testing and inhome inspections.

In recent months, Singleton has represented Michael Lewis, a Gulf War veteran and medical-cannabis patient who fought Child Welfare Services in court after a social worker removed his 2- and 4-year-old sons. Although a Superior Court judge upheld charges of neglect, a regional appeals court overturned the decision and returned custody to the father after nearly a year.

Lewis is now suing the county for violating his civil rights.

“It seems to me what happened here, and what has happened in some other instances, is that social workers were not interested in whether or not people were

using medical marijuana legally,” Singleton the attorney representing the Joneses in said. “They went ahead and removed the their lawsuit. children or threatened to remove the chilChild Welfare Services declined to dren as a way to force people to stop.” comment.

The San Diego County Counsel’s office, Not everyone has experiences as trauwhich represents social workers in such matic as the Jones family claims to have legal cases, did not respond to CityBeat’s had. However, San Diegans are not the only request for comment. ones expressing concern that social workThe Jones family has also filed a civil ers treat medical-cannabis patients unfairlawsuit against the county, alleging offi- ly. In recent years, several cases around the cials not only unlawfully detained their state have made headlines. son, but also failed to protect him while “There’s been pretty atrocious behavin custody. ior in other parts of the Believing their son state,” said Dale Gieringhad been physically and er, executive director for “We get complaints sexually abused by chilthe California chapter of about this all the dren at the Polinsky Chilthe National Organizatime—kids being dren’s Center, they eagertion for the Reform of ly agreed to waive their Marijuana Laws. “We taken away, rights to fight the case in get complaints about this especially when Juvenile Court and suball the time—kids being mitted to monitoring. taken away, especially people are growing Their son was rewhen people are grow[cannabis] at home.” turned after about a ing [cannabis] at home. month, but at the facility It’s one of the leading —Dale Gieringer an older boy forced the concerns that patients Joneses’ son to kiss, usexpress to us.” ing tongues, among other acts, according In a precedent-setting case, an appeals to the family’s lawsuit, which also claims court decision in Los Angeles County ruled that Child Welfare Services officials tried last year that child-welfare agencies must to conceal the abuse. After that incident, establish abuse of medical cannabis before the Joneses’ son was assaulted by another removing a child from a home. In opposiboy, the family alleges. tion to a lower court ruling, the appellate “It turns out, our client was at much judge found that use of medical cannabis greater danger at Polinsky than he would alone is not akin to substance abuse. have been at home,” said Shawn McMillan, This case and others like it have prompt-

8 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

ed counties, such as San Diego, to change their protocol for dealing with medicalcannabis patients and their children, McMillan said.

“Up until recently,” he said, “it’s been [Child Welfare Services’] position that marijuana use is essentially illicit drug abuse, and the fact that you have a doctor’s recommendation doesn’t really matter— your children are in danger because you’re essentially an unlawful drug abuser.”

While some social workers have started coming around to the idea that cannabis has legitimate uses, many continue to struggle with the idea, McMillan added. “There’s a big difference between drug use and drug abuse, and Child Welfare Services is having a problem emotionally drawing that distinction. It’s really a systemic problem on their side.”

Cain, of San Diego County Child Welfare Services, denies that medical-cannabis patients are targeted unfairly, arguing that the only goal is to protect children.

“Clearly, we don’t want to have any marijuana within reach of young children,” she said. “We look at different factors to determine—if it’s marijuana, if it’s alcohol, if it’s prescription drugs, whatever it is—we really look at that and determine if that particular use or abuse is negatively impacting the child and, therefore, making the child unsafe in the home.”

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

edwin

sordid tales

decker The most-right definition of manhood There’s an excellent piece by Mike Freeman at If you read between the lines, what Sweetie is bleacherreport.com called “The Inside Story of saying is, “Look, man, I’m no homo. And the way How the NFL’s Plan for its 1st Openly Gay Player you know I’m no homo is because I’m so repulsed Fell Apart.” It’s about a closeted gay free agent and fearful of gays that I need a full 10 years before in the NFL who was considering going public.

I can even cope with the idea of one being in my With the help of a small group of friends and colvicinity—that’s how not gay I am!” (To which his leagues, he sent feelers out to several teams to see teammate, Mongo “QueerCrusher” Jones, says, if any would be agreeable to signing a soon-to-be“Oh yeah, well I need 15 years before I could accept openly-gay football player. And lo, several teams the idea of a former gay teammate, so I am way not actually said they were open to the idea. One gayer than you!”) team was even enthusiastic: Talks ensued, hands And while it’s true that definitions of “manwere shook and it looked as though history was hood” differ from person to person, and nobody’s about to be made—the NFL was about to have its definition is more right than anyone else’s because first openly gay player. every man defines manhood for himself and—blah, Then it all fell apart. And the reason, in a nutblah, blah, bullchips! The fact is, my definition is shell, was the concern over how other players the most-right definition. would react. Management was afraid that, at best, To me—and therefore, to everyone (because I’m a gay player in the locker room would disrupt team the most right about this)—being a man means not cohesiveness and, at worst, would be the victim of feeling threatened by people who are different than extreme hazing and outright gay bashing. you. It means not threatening them because you feel And the sad part is, they’re probably right. As a threatened. Being a man is having the confidence to football enthusiast, I have long abhorred how proallow those you don’t agree with to coexist. That’s fessional sports culture remains mired in the dark why I think there’s nothing manly about the hoages of homophobia. So medieval is this institution mophobic nature of sports culture. What it is, is that I often wonder if, when a gay player finally cowardice. I hear about these big, badass football does come out, the team doctor will put leeches players being skeeved-out by the idea of a queer on his gonads to suck the fag in their midst, and all I can out of him. think of is a 350-pound lineOf course, not all jocks are man standing tiptoe on the I have heard some homophobes, but a relatively locker-room bench, screamdumbass shit in my day, high percentage are. Like that ing, “Eek! A mouse!” and but that is the dumbassiest. nimrod ’Niner cornerback, frantically swatting them Chris Culliver, who told Artie with a broom.

Lange during last year’s Super Whether it’s gays in the Bowl media day that if there were any gays on his NFL, the military or the Sons of Anarchy clubhouse— team, they “can’t be in the locker room” and that you always hear the same concerns from the macho they need to “get up outta here” because they, um, men who don’t want them there: “But what if he “can’t be with that sweet stuff”—meaning they can’t looks at me all googy-eyed in the shower?” be with Culliver, who’s apparently unaware that re“Yeah, so?” ferring to yourself as “sweet stuff” is way more gay “Well, what if he shows his aroused wiener than literally being gay. to me?”

My favorite part of that interview was when “Yeah, so?”

Lange asked if active gay players should keep their “What if I like it?” sexuality a secret. Culliver responded by saying that “Ah. Now I understand the problem.” they shouldn’t come out of the closet until 10 years Look, I don’t care how yoked any of you NFL after that player leaves the NFL, which is like— jocksuckers are; I don’t care how many career tackwow, I’m speechless. les you have or how many plates you can bench. If Just think about that for a moment. Sweet Stuff you’re afraid of gay people, then you are a straightis not only horrified to be around gay guys; he can’t up pussy. Manhood is in the heart, not the heavy bag. I’m not all that manly of a man, but I’m a even stomach the thought of having been around thousand times more-so than guys like Chris Culthem in the recent past, and in order for him to wrap liver, because if a gay guy ever flashed his hot dog his homophobic little head around the idea of a gay d’amour at me, I’d just chuckle and say, “I’m flatteammate, he needs a full decade between when tered, honey, but I like seafood.” And if I liked it— that person leaves the NFL and when he comes out well, sheeit! I guess I’d have to shrug my shoulders of the closet. I’ve heard some dumbass shit in my and follow him to the equipment locker. How’s that day, but that is the dumbassiest. for a definition of manhood?

Guys like this, and these things they say, it’s like they’re posturing to make sure everyone knows— Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com especially the other manly men on the team—that and editor@sdcitybeat.com. they’re not down in any way with the gays because Listen to “Sordid Tales: The Podcast” being down in any way with the gays could be conat sdcitybeat.com. strued as gay.

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 9

by michael a. gardiner Michael A. Gardiner

Kingdom but was cut off following the Franco-Siamese War of 1893. There are important differences between Isan cuisine and that of the rest of Thailand. Isan food is brighter and less sweet than that of Bangkok, for example. It emphasizes the sour, the pungent and the bitter.

Som tom is a classic Isan dish and one of Sab-E-Lee’s signatures—a spicy papaya salad featuring shredded green papaya, green (or long) beans, tomatoes, peanuts, lime, dried shrimp, garlic, chiles, fish sauce and palm sugar.

The ingredients are pounded together in a mortar, yielding a salty, funky, sour, slightly sweet and spicy salad. At SabE-Lee, you can pick the spice level, but keep in mind that the scale is punishing. I like spice—a lot—and a 5 on their 10-point scale is enough for me.

Sab-E-Lee’s som tom Perhaps the best dish on Sab-E-Lee’s menu is the larb, ground meat in lime juice, fish sauce, herbs, spices and ground toasted rice. Both the pork and duck versions are excellent. The balance between the inherent spiciness, the cooling mint, the acidity and a deep meatiness put this dish into a complete balance of spicy, sour, sweet, Spicy, sour, sweet, salty, salty, pungent and bitter elements. Though, what pungent, bitter and good puts this dish over the top is the crunchy textural contrast from the ground rice.

Tuscan cuisine is different than Sicilian—we Isan dishes are not the only ones on the Sabknow that much. Normandy’s food is unlike E-Lee menu. There’s a terrific pad see ew and an Provence’s—we know that, too. So, why do we excellent central-Thai-style red-curry tofu. The seem to assume that there is only one “Thai cuilatter is built around large chunks of fried tofu sine”? Why does a single word—“hot”—come to with a bracing red-curry sauce, bamboo shoots mind when someone wants to go out for Thai? and eggplant. The tofu cubes are fried to perfecThai food is a lot more than that. tion with a caramelized exterior and a pillowy, In fact, Thailand has four distinctly different light interior. At a 7 on Sab-E-Lee’s 10-point heat regional cuisines: central, southern, northern and scale, it featured incendiary heat, yes—with that Isan (northeastern). Each of the regional styles addictive sensation of a watering mouth—but the shares some ingredients, flavors and techniques balance was so exquisite that the rest of the flawith the food of neighboring countries. There’s vors remained at the party. also a fifth style, “Thai royal cuisine” (similar But it’s the Isan dishes that make Sab-E-Lee in origin to Chinese Mandarin cuisine), sharing special. If all Thai restaurants focused on their some elements with the central regional cuisine. particular regional styles as much as Sab-E-Lee At Sab-E-Lee (2405 Ulric St. in Linda Vista, does its Isan roots, perhaps we’d appreciate the originalsab-e-lee.webs.com), which is under difdistinctive differences in Thai cuisine rather than just its heat. ferent ownership than the Santee spot with the same name, the food is Isan in style and bears Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com the unmistakable mark of next-door Laos. Inand editor@sdcitybeat.com. deed, the Isan region was once a part of the Lao

the world

fare

10 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

BY KELLY DAVIS

cocktail

tales

Gifts for cocktail enthusiasts Bitters: A bottle of bitters is a perfect stocking stuffer. If you want to support a small local company with a damn-fine product, get a bottle or two of RX Bitters (facebook.com/RxBittersCo), currently available in two flavors— Aromatic #7 and Sarsaparilla. Cost is $18 per bottle, shipping included.

Email ryan@goldenstatespirits.com.

The selection of bitters at K ’n B Wine Cellar (6380 Del Cerro Blvd. in Del Cerro, knbwinecellars.com) kicks ass. Some bottles that caught my eye included Bar Keep’s Chinese bitters ($15) and two by Scrappy’s Bitters: cardamom and lavender ($20 each). On the same shelf, you’ll find Bittermen’s shrubs ($20), bright flavorings that add depth to cocktails. Grab the Hellfire Habanero for someone who’s a fan of heat.

Books: The bookstore at the new San Diego Public Library in East Village carries Scout Books’ (scoutbooks.com) Cocktail Hour Series, a three-pack of pocket-sized paperbacks

($11.95), each of which focuses on a different spirit. One pack is rum, gin and vodka, and the other is whiskey, brandy and tequila. Scout Books is based in Portland, and the books contain recipes from mostly Portland bartenders. They’re cleverly illustrated, and, as the packaging attests, “100% awesome.”

If you’re looking for something a little thicker, there’s Amy Stewart’s The Drunken Botanist.

Published this past March, the book explores botany’s ties to booze—how plants and such have, throughout history, been (literally) intoxicating.

The cover is gorgeous, and the book includes recipes and gardening tips.

Booze: In addition to the large bitters selection, K ’n B has a stunning booze selection, stretching 12 shelves up. If you’re looking for it, they likely have it. My home bar’s running low on vodka and gin, so I wouldn’t mind getting a bottle of Prairie Organic Vodka— made from organic-grown Minnesota corn—under the tree or some Leopold’s Small Batch Gin, with its delicate flavor and well-balanced spice. I also dig whiskeys that lean sweet, so a bottle of Sortilege, a blend of Canadian whiskey and maple syrup, might be fun to try.

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

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 11

by jenny montgomery Jenny montgomery

north

fork Bratwurst and beer

The folks at The Regal Seagull have a good thing going. After the success of their first location, Mission Hills’ The Regal Beagle, the “sausage and ale house” has expanded northward to beachy Leucadia (get it? Seagull?), opening in the location formerly occupied by Leucadia Sushi (996 N. Coast Hwy. 101, regalseagull.com).

These days, the intersection of good food and good alcohol usually means you’re eating at a “gastropub.” We’ve all had enough with baskets of chicken strips, sure, but not everyone wants fussiness when it comes to bar food. How about food that’s hearty, unpretentious and just a little bit greasy—all the better to go with your beer buzz, my dear. The Regal Seagull has carved out that nice little niche.

I’ll admit that I felt a twinge of hipster-hate when I first walked in and saw trucker hats and ear gauges on my fellow patrons. Then I remembered that I’d accidentally put my underwear on inside out that morning, so I thought, Maybe just shut it, Judgy Inner Monologue.

12 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

Since I’m not the beer columnist, I usually just glance appreciatively at most places’ beer selections, noting that it’s more challenging these days to find a restaurant that doesn’t carry a respectable selection of craft beer. The Regal Seagull has a legit selection—it is a bar, after all—with sips from locals Monkey Paw, Mother Earth and Societe, along with bigger faves like Ballast Point and Green Flash.

But beyond the great pours is great pork. And veal. And lamb. All put into sausage form, and all crafted by “sausage meister” Jacob Kappeler of T&H Meats in San Marcos.

The traditional pork brat was exceptional, with the telltale snap of the casing when you bite into it and luscious, flavorful juice oozing from the tender meat. For traditional sausage, this is as good as it gets.

If you’re craving something a little less traditional, check out the Moroccan-style lamb link, heavy with herbs and just a touch of heat from peppery spices. The meat was slightly less juicy, but no less moist and flavorful than the bratwurst.

You can’t go wrong with any of the toppings, from peppers and onions to cheese and sauerkraut. The ’kraut is on the mild side. There’s just enough pickling to cut the grease of the sausage without overpowering everything. Each link is wrapped up in a Sadie Rose buttermilk roll, a delicious and buttery bun, but on the weak side when it comes to holding up all that goodness.

My bun’s bottom fell out mid-meal.

Oh, and if you can’t decide what beer to order (it can be overwhelming when you’re faced with so many delicious choices), they have a wheel o’ beer you can spin that makes the decision for you.

The Regal kids have figured out a great formula. Along with terrific beer, they’ve brought together quality meats and breads to create a simple and well-edited menu, perfect for soaking up booze and putting a smile on your face.

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

no life

offline

by dave maass

Geek gifts: what to buy for the technophile in your life I have a horrible habit of waiting until the last minute to order gifts online and, as a result, I have to chunk out more change for quick shipping. Unsurprisingly, the same goes for this column, which I cobbled together the night before it was due. As a result, this gift guide isn’t for everybody. Actually, it’s pretty much just for me, or techno-geeks like me (since I already bought myself a few of them for Hanukkah): Power present: I’m a heavy mobile user and so my iPhone is in a constant state of battery drainage. I’m also really bad at remembering to pack my cable when I leave the house, even though I now carry a portable external power source everywhere.

So, topping my list this year is a phone charger than can attach to my keychain. Bluelounge’s Kii (bluelounge. com) fits the bill Kiis from Bluelounge and costs between $20 and $40, depending on your model of phone. There’s also the ChargeKey from Nomad (hellonomad.com), which finished up a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign earlier this month. It costs $25, but won’t ship until mid-January.

Gift apped: What’s draining my battery? Figure from Propellerheads (propellerheads.se) has become my favorite music-making app for ioS. It allows users of varying skill—from never- even-learnedthe-recorder to Mozart-class virtuoso—to create complicated electronic loops that are easily shared online through Soundcloud. For 99 cents, you can’t really go wrong gifting this. If the obFigure ject of your generosity loves literature and interactive puzzles, then definitely buy them Device 6 for $4 (simogo. com). The ioS app masterfully combines concrete poetry, paperback thrillers, multimedia and closed-room puzzles into a stylish, brainbuzzing, phone-twisting game.

Console prize: Speaking of games, a few columns back, I wrote about my Playstation 4 quandary: The game I wanted was postponed to June, and I didn’t know whether I should still go through with my pre-order. In the end, I bought it and haven’t regretted it. If you’ve got a next-gen gamer in the house, there are two games to get them. On the expensive end

(about $60 or so), Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag (assassinscreed.ubi.com) is the ultimate pirate game, with an awe-inspiring open world in which a player can explore the Caribbean and incredibly detailed versions of Havana, Nassau and Kingston. There are assassinations, cannonand-mortar battles with warships, harpooning missions and treasure hunts. Every night for the last three weeks, I’ve chased my murderous swashbuckling with Flower (us.playstation. com), a $7 game that allows you to control a gust of wind in six or so blissful environments by tilting and turning the control, rather than pressing buttons and joysticks.

Art in the cart: Since I’m pretty obsessed with my mobile devices and gaming consoles, my laptop hasn’t gotten a lot of love, and I don’t have any recommendations for peripherals. However, one thing I would love is a thoughtful piece of art for the back of my laptop to replace the piecemeal stickers I’ve slapped on for the last year. Two sites I’m eyeing for designs: gelaskins. com and decalgirl.com.

Snapshots in a snap: While we’re on the subject of art, as much as I love shooting digital photographs, something is indeed lost when you no longer have the physical object of a print. For $300, The Impossible Project (dijitalfix.com) is offering a crazy new device, Impossible Instant Lab, which transfers images Impossible Instant Lab from iPhones to Polaroid film using a bellows system.

Santa’s Little Makers: On the theme of using technology to turn online artifacts into physical objects, let’s talk about 3-D printers, the gift that allows the receiver to create even more gifts. If you’re willing to spend a small fortune, MakerBot (store. makerbot.com) offers a complete package (printer, two spools of filament, a digitizer and warranty plan) for $3,800. If that’s a bit steep, The Portabee GO then check out the Portabee GO (portabee3dprinter.com), a portable 3-D printer available for pre-order for $395. Although it won’t ship until Jan. 1, you won’t receive any complaints if you leave a Portabee IOU in a card under the tree.

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

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 13

the

SHORTlist

ART

COORDINATED BY KINSEE MORLAN JIM BAROSS

smART: The Art of Jewish Educators at San Diego Center for Jewish Culture, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla. Over 15 educators release their inner artist, showcasing jewelry, paintings, mixed-media, sculpture and photography. At 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 11. sdcjc.org HKim Niehans at Eighteen o Five Gallery, 1805 Columbia St., Downtown. Niehans discusses her installation, When Words Fall Away. From 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12. 619-888-8288, EighteenoFiveSD.com HCraftwork at SDSU University Art Gallery, 5500 Campanile Drive, College Area.

The SDSU Woodworking and Furniture faculty and grad students will display their designs, which include everything from intricately detailed sculpture to craftsman furniture. From 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12. 619-594-5171, artgallery.sdsu.edu In Living Color: The Paintings of S.C. Mummert at O’Dunn Fine Art, 8325 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. View Mummert’s landscapes and figurative work, meet the artist and hear the guitar stylings of Jose Molino Serrano. Opening from 5 to 9 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 12, on view through Jan. 19. 619-337-8342, odunnfineart.com

1

HOLIDAY REVOLUTION

Kids both naughty and nice will be tricking out their bikes with seasonal flare and rolling to East Village for the Third Annual Holiday Joy Ride on Thursday, Dec. 12. The night begins around 5:30 p.m. with a festive “light your bike” ride through Downtown, starting and ending at SILO in Makers Quarter (753 15th St.).

“We’ll roll out for a three- to five-mile, slowpaced ride,” said Andy Hamshaw, executive director of the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition. “It’s festive. There’s a lot of people with decorated and lighted bikes. We had a Santa and a Grinch last year.

We highly encourage creativity.”

The after-party includes beer, gourmet food trucks, a DJ, a silent auction and a number of speakers. The 1,500-member coalition will also announce its annual Golden Gear Awards, given to those who helped make the San Diego region more bike-friendly.

2

PACKED ROOM

For the Fast Forward exhibition, curator Meegan Nolan didn’t want any conceptual or stylistic themes. Her objective was to simply pull together as many of the region’s best artists and pack them under one roof. She’s seemingly done just that—the roster is as long as it is impressive and diverse. See everything from urbaninfluenced art by UBE and Neko to oil paintings by Dan Adams and Richard Messenger. PJ Fidler, an L.A. artist whose narrative paintings are beautiful and captivating, will have a piece on view, as will Krissy Fernandez (aka Junk & PO), an emerging artist producing stunning work. All the art is small, which probably means it’s affordable. The show opens from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, and will be on view through Jan. 14. lowgallerysd.com

“Messages Without a Code” by Lawrence Freeman

14 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

Winners include Randy Van Vleck of the City Heights Community Development Corporation, as well as volunteers of the year Julie Hocking and Robert Leone.

“This is a chance for the coalition to talk about accomplishments for the year, the progress of bicycling in the region and recognize individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond to advance bicycling,” Hamshaw said.

The keynote speaker this year is Charlie Gandy, a nationally recognized expert in bicycle planning.

Gandy founded and served as the first executive director of the Texas Bicycle Coalition before moving on to national advocacy. Most recently, he worked as the coordinator for the Bike Long Beach campaign.

“Every year, we try to feature a speaker from somewhere else so they can share what’s happening in other parts of the country,” Hamshaw said. “It shows the developing bike culture that’s happening all over the country to accommodate bike transportation as a smart thing to do.”

The event is for those 21 and older. A $15 ticket includes a beer courtesy of New Belgium Brewing. sdcbc.org/holiday-joy-ride

HAmbition at Voz Alta, 1754 National Ave., Barrio Logan. Curated by artist Sergio Hernandez, this group show features works by dozens of local artists, all priced at $100 or less. The Prayers and DJ Keith Stone will perform. From 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. 619-230-1869, facebook. com/vozaltaproject

HOLIDAYS IN THE ’HOODS

HFast Forward at Low Gallery, 3778 30th St., North Park. Small works by over 50 local and international artists including Max Kauffman, Eric Wixon and Junk & Po. From 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. 619348-5517, facebook.com/lowgallerysd

3

La Mesa is the new North Park. The burg to San Diego’s east is attracting young, hip families with its low(er) home prices and quaint downtown area. Check out the city’s vibe at Christmas in the Village, happening from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and SatLOIS BACH urday, Dec. 13 and 14.

There’ll be a parade down La Mesa Boulevard (at 5 p.m.), carolers, food and gift vendors, Santa, live music and ponies. Yes, ponies. If La Mesa’s too far east, stay within city limits and head to Holiday on Adams on Saturday, Dec. 14. Retailers will stay open late and offer in-store specials and, from 2 to 5 p.m. in both Kensington Park and Adams Park, you can visit with Santa, make arts and crafts and browse for gifts made by local artisans. lmvma.com, adamsavenuebusiness.com

HViewing the Landscape at Noel Baza Fine Art, 2165 India St., Little Italy. Evocative landscape paintings from artists including Kim Reasor, Larry Groff, Theresa Donche, Brad Maxey and Bronle Crosby.

From 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. 619876-4160, noel-bazafineart.com HLateralization at Visual Shop, 3524 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Works by local street-inspired artists Matt Land, Acamonchi and Invisible God. From 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. 619-501-5585, visualshopsd.com Seen Between at Kettner Arts, 1772 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy. In conjunction with Kettner Nights, see works by Lindsay Duff, Amber Jahn, Anna Kassel and Ginger Louise, plus furniture by Andy Cook and Sascha Eiblmayr. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. 619-269-6900, kettnerarts.com

Julia S. Rasor at Spanish Village Art Center, 1770 Village Place, Balboa Park. Rasor will display large-scale sculptures and artworks from her “Transformation” series.

From 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. 619702-8006, sandiegosculptorsguild.com Ray at Night Art Walk Ray Street, North Park. The monthly art walk features dozens of galleries, shops and artisans. From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. 619-7028006, northparkarts.org HPop Art Inked at ArtLab Studios, 3536 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. SD-too.com presents over 25 tattoo artists who’ll show their interpretations of the world of pop culture. From 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. 619-750-3355, sd-too.com HHigh on Fives at Thumbprint Gallery, 920 Kline St., #104, La Jolla. New works

by MR. DVICE, who draws inspiration from pop culture and artists such as Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol and Schoph, whose painting style was inspired by graffiti, action sports and surrealism. From 5 to 10

p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. 858-354-6294, facebook.com/events/241392306025515 Bad Santa Art Show at Basic Urban Kitchen & Bar, 410 Tenth Ave., Downtown.

The name says it all. Also, a fashion show and pop-up boutique by Vixen, live art and DJs. From 7 p.m. to midnight Tuesday, Dec. 17. thumbprintgallerysd.com

BOOKS HEn Ville 37: Tijuana/22000 Book Launch at Upstart Crow, 835 West Harbor Drive, Seaport Village. Celebrate the release of the latest in this coffee-table book series about the urban regions of San Diego/Tijuana, San Francisco and Tokyo.

At 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. 619-232-4855, facebook.com/envillepublishing James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell at Barnes & Noble Mira Mesa, 10775 Westview Pkwy., Mira Mesa. The authors will make two stops in San Diego to sign Innocent Blood, the latest in The Order of the Sanguines series. The first signing will be at Barnes & Noble in Mira Mesa at 3 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 15, and the second will be at Mysterious Galaxy at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16. 858-684-3166, mystgalaxy.com

COMEDY HMitch Fatel at American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. The most requested comedian on Sirius Satellite Radio performs his stand-up set. At 8 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 12, and 7:30 and 9:30 Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13-14. $24.

619-795-3858, americancomedyco.com John Reep at Mad House Comedy Club, 502 Horton Plaza, Downtown. The winner from the fifth season of Last Comic Standing will make you laugh. At 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. $15. 619-702-6666, madhousecomedyclub.com HSam Tripoli at Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St., La Jolla. The former star of Comedy Central’s Premium Blend will make you laugh. At 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13-14. $20. 858454-9176, lajolla.thecomedystore.com

DANCE HThe Nutcracker at Spreckels Theater, 121 Broadway, Downtown. Awarded the “Best Nutcracker” in San Diego by the Tommy Awards, this version of the classic includes accompaniment by the City Ballet Orchestra conducted by John Nettles.

Various times through Dec. 22. $29-$69.

858-272-8663, cityballet.org The Nutcracker at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown.

The California Ballet production features accompaniment by the Classics Philharmonic Orchestra on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14-15, and the San Diego Symphony Dec. 18-24. Check website for schedule. $40-$90. californiaballet.org HMoscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. Moscow Ballet’s North American tour featuring an elaborate performance of the timeless classic. At 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 16-17. $39-$105. 619-235-0804, nutcracker.com

FOOD & DRINK HTastes & Toasts at Wine A Bit, 928 Orange Ave., Coronado. Explore new wines, enter raffles for art, wine and more. Proceeds benefit ArtReach, which offers free workshop that takes professional artists into K-6 schools throughout San Diego County.

From 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. 619365-4953, wineabitcoronado.com

Matthew Land’s “The One That Got Away No. 1” will be on view in Lateralization, a group show opening with a reception from 6 to 10 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 13, at Visual’s new North Park location (3776 30th St.)

HOLIDAY EVENTS Garden of Lights at San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. The garden transforms into a dazzling winter wonderland with over 100,000 sparkling lights From 5 to 9 p.m. through Dec. 30. $6-$14. 760-436-3036, SDBGarden.org Park, Shop, Celebrate at Convivio Center, 2157 India Street, Little Italy. The new venue’s first annual holiday open house event offers unique shopping experiences, a cabaret showcase, appetizers, desserts, and beverages. From 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11. 619-573-4140, conviviosociety.org HHoliday Joy Ride at SILO in Makers Quarter, 753 15th St., East Village. The annual event encourages festive costumes and features a “light-your-bike” ride, where bikes decorated with Christmas lights and wrapped like presents parade through town followed

by a reception with beer donated by New Belgium Brewing. At 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12. 619-7025655, sdcbc.org Holiday Sing-Along at Taylor Branch Library, 4275 Cass St., Pacific Beach. Grab a seat around the piano and join in for a sing-along of holiday songs. At 11 a.m.

Friday, Dec. 13. 858-581-9934, pblibraryfriends.org HHandcrafted Holidays at Mingei International Museum, Balboa Park. Savor delicious food from Cafe Chloe while you browse a range of special, handcrafted items by local artists and designers including jewelry, ceramics and clothing. From 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 13. 619-239-0003, mingei.org Hawaiian Christmas Concert at Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St, La Jolla. Get into the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 15

Christmas spirit the island way at this 15th Annual concert featuring headliners Makaha Sons, joined by Patrick Landeza, Waipuna, and hula dancers. At 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 14. $45. 760-207-8212, tulaproductions.org

HMattson 2 at Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Dr., Encinitas. Jazz-surf duo Mattson 2 and indie-folk threesome Second Cousins perform. From 7 to 9 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 13. $13-$15. 760 436-2320, leucadia101.com/library-concerts/

HCrafts for a Cause at Union, 2191 Main Street, Barrio Logan. High Tech High Media Arts students and nonprofit Hope Through Health team up for a holiday craft bash to benefit individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Artsy, craftastic, and unique pieces will be on sale throughout the day. From 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. 858-349-0547, hthglobal.org

HAndre Thierry & Zydeco Magic at Balboa Park Recital Hall, President’s Way, Downtown. The leader in the Los Angeles zydeco scene has been around almost two decades. Show up before 6:20 p.m. for dance lessons. At 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. $10. icajunzydeco.com

HHoliday Bazaar at Bay Hill Tavern, 3010 Clairemont Drive, Clairemont. Local artisans showcasing repurposed bottles transformed into striking jewelry, up-cycled wine barrel furniture, wire-wrap body adornments, vintage holiday collectibles and hip ocean wear. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 14. 619-276-3462, facebook.com/ElevenChatelaineCourt HGreen Flash Holiday Marketplace at Green Flash Brewing Co., 6550 Mira Mesa Blvd., Mira Mesa. More than two dozen vendors will be selling handcrafted and artisan goods. Sip on a Green Flash brew while you shop. From noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. facebook.com/ events/596143427099588 Hillcrest Wind Ensemble at San Diego Woman’s Club, 2557 Third Ave., Downtown. The ensemble will present holiday classics along with music of Vienna celebrating the New Year and “Rockin’ Around the Water Cooler,” a holiday musical play. From 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. $15-$20. 619 692-2077x814, hillcrestwindensemble.com Feeding the Soul Holiday pARTy at Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside. Feeding the Soul, which promotes creative endeavors, presents this holiday party with appetizers, desserts, drinks and music by Bushwalla, Lee Coulter, Michael Tiernan, Andy Powers and Jack Tempchin. Proceeds benefit the Oceanside Museum of Art. At 6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 14. $45 with art supply donation; $50 without. 760-967-7886, feedingthesoulfoundation.org HHoliday on Adams Avenue Enjoy snow, carolers, and Santa Claus in Kensington Park. There will also be a tree lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. In addition, there will be a crafts fair and movie at Adams Park at Mansfield. A free trolley will be available along Adams Avenue during the event. From 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. adamsavenuebusiness.com San Diego Bay Parade of Lights at San Diego Bay, Downtown. The parade featuring boats decorated in holiday lights proceeds from Shelter Island past Harbor Island, the Embarcadero, Seaport Village, and the Ferry Landing in Coronado. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. 619-224-2240, sdparadeoflights.org

MUSIC MCC Choirs & Symphony Orchestra at MiraCosta College, 1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside. Enjoy a variety of music from Handel’s Messiah to favorite holiday classics. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 11-12. $10. 760-4353065, miracosta.edu Bronfman Plays Beethoven at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown.

Yefim Bronfman returns with conductor Jahja Ling to perform Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto. At 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13-14, and 2 p.m. Sunday Dec. 15. $20-$96. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org

HGlobal Spotlight: Pan Summit at Museum of Making Music, 5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad. Join Emmy-winning composer and producer Allan Phillips and an all-star band for an evening of Caribbean music. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. $20. 760-4385996, museumofmakingmusic.org HThe Nutcracker: Men in Tights at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Downtown. The San Diego Gay Men’ Chorus is back with its annual holiday show featuring singing and dancing and, yes, actual men in tights. At 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. $27$70. 619-570-1100, sandiegotheatres. org/the-nutcrackermen-in-tights Holiday Concert in Memory of John Bergamo at Villa Musica, 10373 Roselle Street, Ste. 170, Sorrento Valley. Music featuring compositions by John Bergamo, Thelonious Monk and Christmas Tunes, all in remembrance of the late percussionist and composer Bergamo, who passed away in October. At 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. $10-$15. 858-550-8100, villamusica.org San Diego Youth Symphony Inspiration Series Concert at Coronado School of the Arts, 650 D Ave., Coronado. Youth Symphony’s “Inspiration Series” features their introductory and intermediate winds and strings ensembles performing as part of a large ensemble. At 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. $5. 619-233-3232, sdys.org/ events/inspiration-series-concert HMainly Mozart Youth Orchestra at New Children’s Museum, 200 W. Island Ave., Downtown. The next generation of gifted musicians will perform a “Holiday Favorites” concert with help from the Mainly Mozart orchestra. At 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. $15. 619-233-8792, thinkplaycreate.org/fundraising-events San Diego Mixtape Society at Station Tavern, 2204 Fern St., South Park. Whip up 60-90 minutes of favorite songs with a location in the title and slam them on a CD or flash drive. Everybody who brings in a mix will receive somebody else’s per random draw while enjoying food and beverages with fellow audiophiles. From 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. 427-6289, facebook.com/sdmixtapesociety Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along at Spreckels Theater, 121 Broadway, Downtown. New this year, the City Ballet Orchestra and Choir will offer Handel’s “Messiah” as a sing-along. Bring along your own score or scores are available for rental at the theater. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17. $25. 858-272-8663, cityballet.org San Diego Chorus at Torrey Pines Christian Church, 8320 La Jolla Scenic Drive, La Jolla. The chorus presents their annual holiday performance, plus, an appearance by the cast of “Scrooged” from C3 Performing Arts Center. From 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18. $15-$10.

619-796-5162, sdchorus.com

PERFORMANCE Gypsy Night at World Beat Cultural Center, 2100 Park Blvd., Balboa Park. A night of tribal and cabaret belly dance and live Middle-Eastern music by San Diego’s

16 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

THEATER

Pretty potent lesson in love from Ion Theatre Co. Talk about planting foot squarely in mouth. When Greg (Steve Froehlich), after a brew or two, opines among friends that his longtime girlfriend, Steph (Rachael VanWormer), has a “regular” face, all hell breaks loose. The very first scene of Neil LaBute’s Reasons to be Pretty explodes in f-bombs (more like Steph-bombs), with clueless Greg the recipient of all the invective. And this is nothing compared with the laundry list of Greg’s physical deficiencies, including those below the belt, that Steph loudly recites in a painful café scene later in the play.

Isn’t love a wonderful thing?

LaBute’s sharp-edged candor and thinly veiled misogyny are on vivid display in the San Diego premiere of the 2008 play, directed for Ion Theatre Company by Claudio Raygoza. Its big-picture commentary on the question of beauty seems in Act 1 largely a case of semantics. It isn’t until the second act, when Greg experiences a few crucial moments of clarity, that Reasons to be Pretty becomes more about people than about relationship philosophy. Froehlich, a newcomer to Ion productions, brings empathy and insight to bluecollar Greg in Act 2, demonstrating the character’s growth from earlier when he thrived on sarcasm and indignation. Greg’s maturation effectively underscores the lack of same in fellow box-lifter Kent (Jorge Rodriguez, all physicality), who remains in Stanley Kowalski mode throughout. Kent’s pregnant security-guard wife, Carly (Lynnia Shanley), gets the chance, courtesy of Greg’s conscience, to escape victim mode (horndog Kent’s cheating on her). And Greg nobly steps aside when his ex gets engaged to another guy. (That was fast!)

The action is crisp, full-throated and unapologetic in its adult tantruming, of which all but Carly are guilty. Having seen the light of his own childishness, the reformed Greg is actually a likable dude, and you hope he follows through on his intention to go back to school and make something better of himself. He may get Wonder Woman and the Bionic Woman mixed up, as he does in an Act Amarain band and Cairo Beats. Vegan/ vegetarian food will be served. At 8 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 13. $12. 619-230-1190, worldbeatculturalcenter.org Hanukkah Hannah’s Holiday Burlesque Extravaganza at Queen Bee’s, 3925 Ohio St., North Park. Indulge in a little naughty before all the nice. Hanukkah Hannah (aka Keyhole Cabaret’s Lady Borgia) is your hostess for an evening of burlesque shenanigans inspired by the holidays. See sexy snow-women, dancing leg lamps and much more. At 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. $25-$45. hanukkahhannah.eventbrite.com Super Awesome Showdown: Cosmic Comeback at Victory Theater, 2558 Imperial St., Logan Heights. A version of wrestling where the galaxy’s strongest heroes and villains battle for control of the Quasar Qrystals. All ages. At 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. $5-$10. 619-236-1971, technomaniacircus.com Art of Process at Art Produce Gallery, 3139 University Ave., North Park. This indoor/outdoor performance showcases the year Erica Buechner spent diving into the art-making process. The results, which include visual art, dance and theater, includes performances by Nikki Dunnan, Molly Puryear, David Wornovitzky and Buechner herself. At 7 and 8:30 p.m. Sat-

RON LOGAN

Jorge Rodriguez (left) and Steve Froehlich 1 quip, but he learns fast—and the hard way—that no woman wants to be called “regular.”

Reasons to be Pretty runs through Dec. 28 at BLKBOX Theatre in Hillcrest. $17.50-$35. iontheatre.com

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

OPENING A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant: The life story of L. Ron Hubbard is satirized, in musical form. Opens Dec. 12 at OnStage Playhouse in Chula Vista. onstageplayhouse.org Dickens Unscripted: An improvised, comedic show inspired by the various characters in the books of Charles Dickens. Runs Dec. 16 and 17 at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. northcoastrep.org The Humbug Holiday Spectacular: A world-premiere musical comedy revolving around Horatio the Humbug and his quest to satisfy the Spirit of Christmas. Opens Dec. 11 at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. northcoastrep.org Scrooge! The Musical: The title explains it all. Opens Dec. 12 at C3 Performing Arts Center in Grantville. c3pac.com White Christmas the Musical: The stage adaptation of the classic 1954 film about a couple of Army buddies who become a music duo and fall for a pair of sisters. Presented by San Diego Musical Theatre, it opens Dec. 12 at the Birch North Park Theatre. sdmt.org

For full listings, please visit “T heater ” at sdcit ybeat.com

urday, Dec. 14. $10 suggested donation.

619-584-4448, artproduce.org

a $50 gift certificate towards the purchase of art. At 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. $15 with toy donation. partyingforapurpose.com

POETRY & SPOKEN WORD

HBoulevard Nights at Media Arts Center, 2921 El Cajon Blvd., North Park.

Check out the small businesses and restaurants along this stretch of El Cajon and enjoy a homebrew showcase, live music and dance performances, food and more.

From 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. facebook.com/events/555292201229890

HHome for the Holidays Vol. 4 at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights. So Say We All presents its annual holiday reading where notable names will share true stories of what it means to be surrounded by family and loved ones during the holidays. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. $10$15. 619-851-4083, sosayweallonline.com

SPECIAL EVENTS HTaste ’N’ Tinis at Hillcrest. Restaurants around Hillcrest will be offering tastes of their food while retail shops will have holiday-inspired cocktails that you can sip while you shop. From 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12. $20 pre-sale, $25 day-of. fabuloushillcrest.com Partying for a Purpose at Chuck Jones Gallery, 232 Fifth Ave., Downtown. A Looney Tunes-inspired toy drive where all proceeds benefit It’s All About the Kids Foundation. Guests will receive two complimentary drinks, food and desserts and

HMingei Holiday Events at Mingei International Museum, Balboa Park. From 2 to 4 p.m., peruse the museum’s library at a special open house. From 4 to 5 p.m., spend an hour with Allied Craftsmen Jeff Irwin, who’ll discuss his art on display.

And from 6 to 8:30 p.m., head to The Collectors’ Gallery for the “Handcrafted Holidays” event featuring gifts by local artists and designers. From 2 to 8:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 13. Free with museum admission. 619-239-0003, mingei.org SEAEscape at Bloom Natural Health, 264 N. Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas. Adopt a seahorse and support the Seahorse Hawaii Foundation’s efforts to replace parts of the natural reefs that have been damaged by releasing new species of seahorses into marine protected reserves. Featuring the underwater photo art of Sarah Lee, live

music, gourmet food and cocktails. At 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. $85. 760-230-4982, bloomnaturalhealth.com SDMA Jewelry Trunk Show at San Diego Museum of Art, Balboa Park. This oneday-only trunk show features new jewelry

by LFR Designs. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 14. Free with museum admission. 619-232-7931, sdmart.org HBikes, Boards and Brews at Catamaran, 3999 Mission Blvd., Mission Beach.

Surfboards, beach cruisers, beach-inspired art and craft-beer tastings. Ticket includes 10 tasters from San Diego’s best craft brewers, food pairings from local restaurants, live entertainment and more.

From 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. $25$30. 800-422-8386, pacificbeach.org

HCraft & Draft at Blind Lady Ale House, 3416 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Local artisans and craftspeople selling their wares, holiday beers, food, plus the release of the 2013 BLAH Holiday Sweater T’s. From 11:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. 619-255-2491, facebook.com/ events/645465002162693 HMonsters of Radness Trunk Show at Gang Kitchen, 345 6th Ave., Gaslamp.

Molotov Gallery teams up with local designers for a pop-up trunk show. From 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. 619-5501600, molotovgallery.com Spirit of Sharing Benefit at Jitters Coffee Pub, 510 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside. Musician Cody Lovaas teams up with Feeding the Soul Foundation for this dual concert and charity event/toy drive . From

3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. $25 with toy donation; $30 without. 917-8609118, feedingthesoulfoundation.org

day, Dec. 14. $3 and toy donation. 619OWA1, odditywrestling.com

Voices Out Loud Poetry Jam & Fair at Malcolm X Branch Library, 5148 Market St., Valencia Park. Local artisans will be selling their wares, while local poets and spokenword artists perform throughout the afternoon. From 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. 619-527-3405, sandiegolibrary.org

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS

SPORTS This Nightmare B4 X-Mas at Centro Cultural de la Raza, 2125 Park Blvd., Balboa Park. Oddity Wrestling Alliance will have five action-packed matches, plus food, music and a clothing and toy drive for the homeless. From 4 to 7 p.m. Satur-

HInnovation by Design at New School of Architecture & Design, 1249 F St., Downtown. A panel of international product designers will share some of their favorite products and product experiences.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12. 800-4907081, innovationbydesign.eventbrite.com The Holocaust and Churches in Nazi Germany at Coronado Library, 640 Orange Ave., Coronado. Rev. Canon Jack E. Lindquist will discuss the complicity of the Lutheran and Catholic churches in

the Holocaust, and the courageous few among the Christian clergy who resisted the Nazis. At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18. 619-522-7390, sdcjc.org Walking the Camino at Taylor Branch Library, 4275 Cass St., Pacific Beach.

Local art historian Amanda Schaffer will discuss the Camino, a network of paths in Europe that lead to Santiago, Spain, and what it’s like to make the journey. From 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18. 858-5819934, pblibraryfriends.org

For full listings,

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

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 17

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18 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

Awakening the

audience

“Crystal” installation by Collective Magpie at Agitprop

Collective Magpie enrolls everyone and turns everyman materials into ephemeral art

by Kinsee Morlan Amid all the hubbub on opening night of La Jolla Playhouse’s provocative WithOut Walls Festival in October, Collective Magpie quietly captivated an audience by constructing a sculptural wall composed of hundreds of handmade geometric paper birds, many created onsite by festivalgoers.

“What was really fascinating about this project was how interested people were in doing everything and participating in every part of the process,” says Collective Magpie’s MR Barnadas. “It took about 15 minutes to put together just one bird and there was a lot of competition that night, so we were surprised by how many people were interested.”

Barnadas and Tae Hwang consider themselves just two-thirds of Collective Magpie. The last third of the

collaborative-art project is the participant. Not only do the artists operate in the realm of site-specific work; their projects are all audience-specific, too—carefully planned, orchestrated and executed with participants in mind.

Collective Magpie’s first-ever project involving audience participation was in 2008 at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto. The duo created a 40-by-6-foot “Giant Paint by Numbers” mural and asked the footwear museum’s guests to follow the directions and finish the piece. In just one night, more than 20,000 people helped paint the mural.

The overwhelmingly positive response hooked them on the emerging genre of participatory art.

“The thing is, with all the projects we do, there’s no policing,” Barnadas says, her enthusiasm for the project so intense that she doesn’t notice that the sleeve of the sweater on the back of her chair has fallen into the orange glow of the nearby space heater.

“We do give them the basic infrastructure,” Hwang adds, swiftly sweeping the sleeve out of harm’s way.

“And it’s always fascinating to see what people do and how they respond to things,” Barandas finishes, laughing Lyndsay Bloom

Collective Magpie’s “Migration: After Flight” installation at the WithOut Walls Festival

as she thanks Hwang for saving her sweater.

Nearly 18 years ago, Barnadas and Hwang submitted a strange job application to the Chicago art school they were attending, suggesting they both be hired as director of student galleries and split the salary. The school hired the duo, and the experience launched their unique collaboration. Currently, they’re the only two people ever to be accepted into UCSD’s MFA program as a collective rather than an individual.

“It’s a tricky thing because the university has its protocol for authorship and individual accountability for grades and academic progress,” Barnadas says. “So, it’s been a continuous challenge to not sacrifice the fact that we absolutely share authorship.”

The aesthetic of Collective Magpie’s work is ethereal and ephemeral, their pieces purposefully made delicate because of the temporary and mobile nature of their art.

They’re interested in traveling to myriad places and putting themselves in front of diverse crowds, briefly interjecting their interactive work into a space then moving on to a new and different set of circumstances.

The nomadic art collective’s projects have taken them to places like Arcosanti, the famed experimental community in Arizona, where they worked with the so-called Arconauts to construct a temporary monument made of balloons, plastic and LEDs. In 2009, they traveled to Tucson, Ariz., for the city’s popular All Souls Procession parade and festival, where they collaborated with architects and a pyrotechnic circus on a piece that involved a large-scale chrysalis-shaped weatherballoon-and-paper sculpture stuffed with hundreds of handmade paper kites (many constructed at public workshops in Tucson). The sculpture was hoisted 200 feet into the air, where aerialists did a performance that ended in the eventual

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 19

rupture of the structure and release of the kites.

A recurring theme in Collective Magpie’s work is their determination to use everyday materials such as paper, balloons or repurposed plastics, no matter how large or complicated the resulting structure.

“The work we do exists in everyday; it’s not only in galleries or museums,” explains Hwang.

“So, if we’re asking people to participate and make and build things, it’s important that they feel comfortable with the material they’re working with,” Barnadas adds.

Collective Magpie’s body of work is further defined by the forms they construct, which are often inspired by shapes, structures and even mathematical equations found in natural systems. They do a series of recurring urban interventions, for example, that involve building sculptures mimicking nucleation, the process by which crystals are formed. The sculptures, made of drinking straws and strings and built with help from invited participants, have been installed in the streets of San Diego and Tijuana.

“I think their work raises interesting questions across

Tae Hwang (left) and MR Barnadas, the duo behind Collective Magpie

20 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

the fields of participatory-art practices and both scientific and artistic conventions of representation,” says David White, the curator and owner of the experimental Agitprop gallery, which has hosted workshops and exhibitions

by Collective Magpie.

There are artists who borrow from the science world and, likewise, scientists who borrow from the art world, both with the hope of making art and science more accessible, White explains. Collective Magpie, he says, better achieves that goal by inviting hands-on participation.

In August, Collective Magpie traveled to the Chicago wedding of a couple who’d invited them to create a work of art with guests’ help. They constructed a large dome from hundreds of folded index cards and asked the nearly 300 guests for their definitions of a wedding and marriage.

The duo will repurpose the dome and use what they learned from attendees for “The Labor of Love,” an immersive installation that opens at A Ship in the Woods (1660 Lugano Lane, just east of Solana Beach) from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. The show is part of HELM, a series of exhibitions curated by art historian Lara Bullock. The series will feature various artists and run through the end of February, just a month before A Ship in the Woods is scheduled to be demolished.

The venue—a house in an affluent neighborhood—provides the perfect context for the piece, which follows the movement of a married couple from wedding to home. Attendees will navigate through the installation and be asked to think about the index cards as all the little bits and pieces that merge when two people enter into marriage.

“We wanted to take the notions around weddings and marriage and translate it into something you can touch and feel,” explains Barnadas.

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

An early iteration of the “The Labor of Love” installation that will be on view at A Ship in the Woods

Seen Local Art without attitude Many in San Diego’s arts community are grieving the death of independent curator Angela Sahyoun, who lost her battle against breast cancer on Dec. 1. Sahyoun was a founder and director of Arte Fresca, a roving arts project that held art and music exhibitions in nontraditional venues throughout San Diego. She was also the curatorial director of FIGMENT San Diego, an annual community event that celebrates participatory art.

“Art was her passion, pretty simple,” says Nikkie Stars, Arte Fresca music director and Sahyoun’s coworker at a local school for children with special needs, which was Sahyoun’s day job. “She loved putting shows together and bringing people together.”

Sahyoun saw a need for venues and opportunities for artists who weren’t scoring gallery shows.

She and artist Jason Acton, her friend and roommate, started Arte Fresca in their apartment in Ocean Beach in 2010. They cleared out all the furniture, filled the walls with art, put a DJ inside and a band outside and kicked off what became a popular and valuable resource for emerging artists and musicians. The project has since averaged one event every month, including a recent Day of the Deadthemed show at Hillcrest bar The Merrow and an art exhibition and community mural currently on view at The Broker’s Building Gallery (402 Market St., Downtown). Sahyoun had been battling breast cancer since 2011, but she didn’t let the disease or all the time-consuming treatments keep her from doing what she loved.

“She was all about just giving people opportunities to show their art in the community and getting their voice out there,” says Acton, who’ll try to keep Arte Fresca going. “‘Art without attitude’—that was the main mantra of Angela. It was always about the

Protea Gallery drew crowds in North Park.

Protea Gallery closes storefront

Angela Sahyoun (center) at an Arte Fresca exhibition art and just having a good time.”

A celebration of Sahyoun’s life will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, at Mosaic Wine Bar (3422 30th St. in North Park). Attendees are asked to wear pink and, in lieu of flowers, make donations to The Cancer Society or participate in the Relay for Life or Bark for Life events.

Sahyoun’s lasting legacy, say friends and artists who’ve worked with her, is the many connections she made among people in the arts community.

“She made me feel super-comfortable, relaxed and introduced me to other artists,” says Michelle D. Lubin-Ferrera, an artist who moved to San Diego last year and credits Sahyoun with getting her involved in the scene. “The one thing I got about her right away is her huge heart and immense love for the arts and helping others to meet and interact. It’s a shame we’ve lost a beautiful spirit like hers.”

—Kinsee Morlan whose work is on view through Dec. 22.

“My gallery, I hope, counters stereotypes of people,” says Bittar, who also sells Proteas, or South African flowering plants, at the gallery space.

But the current show will be the last for the gallery, which will close its doors for good at the end of the month.

Bittar says she’s been barely breaking even during the past year and cites a recent hike in rent as one of the reasons for closing. Opportunities to curate shows in other venues is another reason she says she’s giving up the physical space, turning Protea Gallery into a curatorial project without walls and continuing to pursue her passion for mounting interesting and challenging exhibitions on topics she feels are too often overlooked.

Bittar says she and the rest of the local arts community have some work to do before projects like hers can be sustained.

“San Diego and its artists have to define themselves as a group,” she says. “They have to work collectively to establish their rights, get state funding and attract and grow collectors. That is the task at hand. Protea and I will continue that job. I don’t need to be in a storefront to do that.”

Since opening Protea Gallery in November 2012, artist and curator Doris Bittar has thoughtfully pieced together eight art exhibitions—plus poetry readings, book signings and music performances— in a small storefront space at 3780 30th St. in North Park. Each show has featured artists from myriad ethnic and cultural backgrounds in an attempt to introduce diverse work to San Diego.

The first was a group exhibition of Arab artists, —Kinsee Morlan and in the current show, Lebanese and Palestinian cultures are explored in an exhibition featuring art- Write to kinseem@sdcitybeat.com ists Helen Zughaib and Ibrahim Al Nashashibi, and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 21

Never quit Determination was Paul Walker’s specialty

by Glenn Heath Jr. No matter the film, actor Paul Walker always played the most determined character onscreen. Sometimes his seemingly possessed drive to be heroic or romantic was ridiculed by critics and audiences, especially in his early films, like 2001’s The Fast and the Furious and 2003’s Timeline. At that point, though, Walker had not yet learned how to use his face to convey anything other than hollow intensity. But like some of his best fictional incarnations, the actor didn’t quit.

The late Paul Walker If his promising performances in 2006’s Running Scared and 2013’s Pawnshop Chron- poignant sequence takes place in a hallway isolated icles (a pair of insane Wayne Kramer-directed neo- from all the chaos, an eerily calm environment for a noirs) were any indication, Walker was finally figur- man with such internal turmoil ready to spill out. ing out how to circumvent his pretty-boy looks and The impact of Abigail’s death is so powerful that give his extreme determinism some human conflict when Nolan sees his baby for the first time, his initial and emotional weight. In the latter film, his amazing words are “I don’t know you.” But Hours will spend turn as a meth-head country rube going through a its often-thrilling duration proving how quickly that hallucinatory breakdown is superb. perspective can change.

All of this hindsight is particularly relevant beEvacuations occur, but Nolan can’t leave due to the cause Walker was suddenly killed on Nov. 30 in a hor- ventilator’s weight and need for power. When the lerific traffic accident at the age of 40, along with his vees break, the electricity goes out for good, and he’s business manager, Roger Rodas, who was apparently left with a crank-action generator that only instills the driving the high-octane Porsche at machine with charges of three minan unsafe speed. utes. This constant exertion not only Hours The actor’s death has halted takes a physical toll on Nolan; it also production on the seventh Fast and tethers him to the location, limiting Directed by Eric Heisserer Furious entry, a major blip on Holhis options for survival.

Starring Paul Walker lywood’s commercial radar. But it No matter the dramatic conflict and Genesis Rodriguez also gives added resonance to a film (everything from dwindling supRated PG-13 Walker had reportedly completed plies to looters threatens Nolan’s and felt especially connected to as safety), Hours always stays firmly both a father and professional. rooted with its character’s personal tumult. Walker Hours, which opens Friday, Dec. 13, at AMC Plaza instills a fundamental sense of resolve in Nolan that Bonita, is set on the eve of Hurricane Katrina in a city deepens over time, showing without a doubt that the hospital where multiple stories seem to be colliding actor is at his best when dealing with the hazy space at once. The film quickly focuses on Nolan (Walker), between fantasy and reality. a father-to-be arriving with his pregnant wife Abigail There are flashbacks aplenty and multiple sequenc(Genesis Rodriguez), who’s already bleeding heavily. es that don’t ring true, but Hours is mostly a telling While his wife is whisked away into the delivery showcase for an actor finally discovering his potential room, Nolan sits in the hospital waiting area, seem- for nuanced expression. That Walker will never get to ingly frozen with shock. Even when 100-mph winds realize his true potential is deeply saddening, but we break down windows, causing chaos in the ward, he shouldn’t forget that he was already becoming somedoesn’t move. The world may be going to hell outside, thing special, a performer of sheer determination intent on helping others, onscreen and off. but so is his, albeit in an altogether different way.

Moments later, a doctor informs Nolan that his wife has died, leaving their premature baby daughter Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com breathing with the help of a ventilator. This short but and editor@sdcitybeat.com.

New traditions

Gremlins

22 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

Everyone has traditions during the holidays, especially when it comes to choosing which films will play as the family gathers to celebrate the season.

Sure, It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street are classics, but I’m going to play devil’s advocate for a second: Instead of going through the motions and

watching A Christmas Story for the umpteenth time, invigorate your yuletide viewing habits with some fresh cinematic experiences. Consider the following a starter kit: Gremlins is one of the great films about the Reagan era, but it’s also one of the best subversions of the Christmas-film genre. Hilarious, rambunctious and dangerous, Joe Dante’s

satire slices through the façade share with this hypocritical film of commercialized Christmas writer? Some new discoveries to reveal what’s really impor- would be a present indeed. tant: family and tradition, which —Glenn Heath Jr. should be respected instead of perverted by capitalism.

Opening If we’re going pure comedy, holiday films don’t get much bet- 20 Feet from Stardom: Backup singers ter than Home Alone, still one of for today’s superstars finally take center the great slapstick acts of cinemat- stage in this music documentary featuring a range of inspirational stories about artisic rebellion. Yet, Chris Columbus’ tic endurance and passion. This is a return mega-hit also confronts the real engagement at the Ken Cinema. possibility of isolation and fear Hours: The late Paul Walker stars as a during this season of giving. conflicted father who attempts to wait out Still clamoring for a classic? Hurricane Katrina in a city hospital while Try Ernst Lubitsch’s lovely The protecting his newborn daughter, who’s breathing with the help of a ventilator.

Shop Around the Corner, which Screens at AMC Plaza Bonita in Chula finds Jimmy Stewart and Mar- Vista. See our review on Page 22. garet Sullivan swapping anony- Paradise: Love: The first segment in mous letters and falling in love Ulrich Seidl’s trilogy, the film follows a under the twinkling sky of Buda- middle-aged woman who travels to Kenya to partake in sex tourism. Screens pest in winter.

Dec. 13 through 18 at Digital Gym Cinema But the pièce de résistance of in North Park. holiday films is John McTiernan’s Paradise: Faith: Religion and repression action extravaganza, Die Hard. form the central struggle at the heart of Nothing says Christmas cheer like Ulrich Seidl’s second film in the Austrian a smart-ass cop from New York director’s trilogy of modern-day emotional Screens Dec. 14 through 19 at DigiCity taking down a squad of Euro- angst. tal Gym Cinema in North Park. pean baddies on the eve of Jesus’ Hope: Set at a camp for overbirth. My family has been watch- Paradise: weight teens, the third film in the Austrian ing it for years, and, let me tell you, auteur’s trilogy concerns a 13-year-old who falls in love during a summer of emoit never gets old.

But wait. Maybe I need to start tional revelation. Screens Dec. 14 through practicing what I preach. Dear 18 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park. reader, do you have a few new The Hobbit: The Desolation of holiday-film recommendations to Smaug: Bilbo (Martin Freeman), please

meet Smaug, fire-breathing dragon and protector of all things gold. Have a nice three hours together.

million-dollar disaster you have to see to believe. So see it. Screens at midnight Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Ken Cinema.

The Last Days on Mars: Sci-fi film about a disobedient scientist who leaves his team of astronauts on a Mars mission in order to follow a lead that could potentially reveal an astounding discovery. Screens through Dec. 19 at the Ken Cinema.

Meet Me in St. Louis: Vincent Minelli’s masterpiece is a brilliant Technicolor gem about four sisters who encounter lessons of love as they prepare to move to New York City from their hometown of St. Louis one year before the 1904 World’s Fair.

Screens at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, at Arclight La Jolla.

Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas: Filmmaker Tyler Perry’s wildly popular fictional creation, the titular massive and sassy grandma, wreaks havoc on a small rural town during the holiday season.

One Time Only Prince Avalanche: Two men (Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch) escape the hustle and bustle of the city, living for a summer in rural Texas and repaving roads after a devastating wildfire. Screens at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the Mission Valley Library.

Elf: Everybody’s favorite elf, Buddy (Will Ferrell), gets a rude awakening when he escapes to New York City and realizes not everyone loves Christmas in quite the same way. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

Love Actually: Eight couples in varying stages of romantic entanglement navigate the holidays in different ways. The glimmering lights of London at Christmas provide a cheery backdrop to the flirtatious shenanigans. Screens at 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at Arclight La Jolla and Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13 and 14, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

The Room: Tommy Wissau’s film is supposedly the worst film ever made, a multi-

Beginners Guide to Endings: Three brothers find out they have only a few days left to live and decide to make amends with all the people they’ve wronged. Screens at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16, at the San Diego Public Library in East Village.

The Willow Tree: Majid Majidi’s 2005 drama follows a blind professor who’s diagnosed with a fatal disease and travels to France for treatment. Screens at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, at the Scripps Ranch Library.

Christmas Vacation: Join the Griswald family as they try to survive multiple pitfalls during the holiday season. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma.

Now PLaying August. Eighth: Reality and fantasy clash in this war film about a single mother trying to find her son during the South Ossetia conflict between Russia and Georgia.

Screens at Reading Gaslamp Cinemas.

Bettie Page Reveals All!: Sit down with the world’s greatest pinup model in this doc featuring found footage and interviews. Ends Dec. 12 at the Ken Cinema.

on the best-selling book, an after-school meet-up group is formed so that students of varying sexual orientation can discretely share their feelings, concerns and plans for the future. Ends Dec. 12 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Narco Cultura: The rise of corridos, folk songs that celebrate narco culture and violence, is juxtaposed with the real-world consequences of the bloody drug war in Mexico. Screens at AMC Palm Promenade in Ocean Crest.

Out of the Furnace: The hills of Appalachia are alive with the sound of violence in this mountain noir starring Christian Bale as a blue-collar worker attempting to find his kidnapped brother (Casey Affleck), who’s being held by a local gangster (Woody Harrelson).

The Punk Singer: This music documentary about punk-rock icon and activist Kathleen Hanna, who formed the band Bikini Kill and pioneered the “riot grrrl” movement in the 1990s, contains archival footage and rare interviews. Screens through Dec. 12 at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

Black Nativity: Angela Basset and Forest Whitaker lead this ensemble dramedy about a young man who visits his estranged relatives for the holidays, only to discover a newfound sense of family and inspiration.

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

Geography Club: In this comedy based

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 23

The cure for a bad day Swedish pop duo Icona Pop deliver carefree electro anthems • by Peter Holslin It’s been a long, unproductive day. Nobody’s responding to my emails, and nobody’s favoriting my tweets. One of my Facebook “friends” just announced that he’s taking an awesome new job, and I can’t help but feel a little jealous and pathetic about that, because it seems like my own life is in the lurch. A publicist is blowing me off, loneliness is creeping in and my diet regimen is flagging in the face of so much leftover Thanksgiving pie.

On days like today, I just want to get in the car and drive away. I want to get in a plane and fly to Cape Town or Cairo or Timbuktu. I want to climb into an iron submersible with a giant, convex windshield, like something out of a Jules Verne novel, and plunge to the bottom of the ocean, to explore mysterious byways and scientific wonders. I want to quit altogether, to be alone with myself—anywhere but here, doing anything but this.

But I don’t have a plane ticket, and I sure as hell don’t have a submersible. What I do have, however, is Icona Pop’s new album, This Is… Icona Pop. And, honestly, that’s all I need.

Pull that puppy up on iTunes, and in a matter of seconds, I’m exactly where I need to be: spinning on a merry-goround of dubstep bass and oonce-oonce drums, smiling wide as two sparkling angels of the night cry three magical words into my ear: “I. Don’t. Care!”

Icona Pop—a duo composed of Caroline Hjelt, 26, and Aina Jawo, 27— hail from Sweden, a nation famed as much for its functional home furnishings as its polished pop music. This is the land of ABBA, Robyn and The Knife, and a discerning listener can pick up on hints of all three artists in the music of the Stockholm electro-pop duo—whether in the quirky electronics of their 2011 breakout single, “Manners,” or in the timely production and sassy lyrical destruction of their more recent smash hit, “I Love It.” Of course, most everybody knows Icona Pop—who’ll play House of Blues on Sunday, Dec. 15—only by that one song, “I Love It.” A blazing breakup banger written by British songwriter Charli XCX with an assist from Swedish producers Patrik Berger and Linus Eklöw, it’s ruled the airwaves for two summers in a row, showing up in everything from Girls to Glee.

Bristling with talk of flaming cars and proud ’90s bitches, it’s the very definition of up-tothe-minute dance-floor fodder, but one could

24 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

still make the argument that it stands up in the grand pantheon of empowered pop tunes.

Alas, a success this big is often impossible to replicate, and when I first heard the song in the summer of 2012, I assumed Icona Pop would end up a one-hit wonder. Thankfully for these ladies, though, they have more than one good song to their name. This Is… Icona Pop—their debut international release, which came out on Big Beat and Record Company Ten in September—is full of bright moments, from the runawaytrain pop-rock of “Then We Kiss” to the eccentric abandon of “On a Roll” (“You go with me / there will not be drinking of tea”) to the cheerful EDM sisterhood of “Girlfriend,” which hinges on a hooky lyric borrowed from 2Pac. Unsurprisingly, “I Love It” is still the best song on the album. It’s the opening track, and by the time the next song comes around, Hjelt and Jawo have already moreor-less dispensed with their most thrilling, destructive tendencies. Where “I Love It” is full of details you could sink your teeth into (cars being crashed into bridges, shit being thrown down the stairs), follower “All Night” relies on cheesy wordplay (“smash the club,” “make the pop go rock”) and a relentless EDM beat that wouldn’t sound out of place in an X Games commercial.

And yet, when I bump “All Night” on headphones, I still find myself wanting to dance in public. Indeed, though the album’s most Spice Girls-esque moments might make some listeners pine for a track like “Manners”—far more outré but no less infectious, with a visually striking, dayglo-streaked music video—the album still carries a liberating vibe. A hipster has to listen to Carly Rae Jepsen in secret or pretend he only likes “Call Me Maybe” ironically. But Icona Pop offers carefree, guilt-free listening; only a fool or a curmudgeon would be embarrassed to admit to being a fan.

The two ladies of Icona Pop met at a party in Stockholm in 2009 and started writing songs the very next day. They’ve been friends all the while, and you can feel the positive vibes in the way they sing in unison, their two voices coming together in a lovely call to the dance-floor heavens.

One day, this duo might reach out from beyond their party-hearty comfort zone and explore deeper nuances.

But whatever happens, these voices will still be the ones I turn to on a bad day. Because if there’s one thing Icona Pop is great at, it’s making you feel that, hey, maybe life isn’t so crappy after all.

Write to editor@sdcitybeat.com.

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 25

Notes from the Smoking Patio Locals Only Rocket From the Crypt have been honored with their own beer.

The recently reunited band is now in the company of other locals like The Burning of Rome in having their own branded craft brew. Just don’t expect to find it in local brewpubs anytime soon.

Despite Rocket hailing from the craft-beer capital of the United States, the Rocket from the Crypt Double IPA is being brewed in the United Kingdom by Kirkstall Brewery and has yet to make its way across the Atlantic.

Kirkstall brewed up a batch of the Rocket-themed ale in advance of the band’s performance at Brudenell Social Club in Leeds on Dec. 4. The special-edition beer turned out to be a hit with fans.

“We’re good friends with the venue and decided that we’d need to mark the momentous occasion with something special,” says John Kelly, sales manager of Kirkstall Brewery, in an email to CityBeat. “It was only supposed to be a one-off but we’ve already had to brew it again due to popular demand.”

Kelly, who says he’s a “huge Rocket fan,” explains that the Rocket beer is a hefty American-style double IPA brewed with five different U.S. hops. So far, it’s only available on draft in the U.K., but “if Rocket are cool with it,” Kirkstall might bottle the next batch.

In other Rocket news, the band will play at The Casbah on Friday, Jan. 31, with The Styletones and The Downs Family as part of the venue’s 25th-anniversary celebration. However, those expecting to grab tickets are most likely out of luck, unless they plan to

trawl craigslist or call in some favors. The Casbah announced that the show sold out in one minute.

No word on whether or not The Casbah intends to import Kirkstall’s Rocket from the Crypt Double IPA to mark the occasion.

Meanwhile, another show likely to sell out has been added to the Casbah calendar: X. The legendary Los Angeles band will play on Thursday, Jan. 16.

•••

Tropical Popsicle’s new album, Dawn of Delight, which was originally released in March, has finally been put out in a physical format. It’s now available in limited-edition green vinyl, as well as black vinyl via Volar Records. The band (tropicalpopsicle.band camp.com) will play a record-release show on Friday, Dec. 20, at Soda Bar.

—Jeff Terich

In Ears We Trust A semi-regular feature in which we ask local musicians about the music they’ve been digging lately.

Parker, Parker and The Numberman: “Lost” by Chance the Rapper (feat. Noname Gypsy). The entire Acid Rap album is really impressive, but I keep finding new angles to the lines. “Oooh, I’m in so deep, girl / prolly cause your empty.” Muy impressive.

The Numberman, Parker and The Numberman: “Stolen Youth”

by Vince Staples has been on repeat for awhile. I’m a big fan of his stoic delivery and streetwise persona. “Live from delusion / die in the street or reside in the ruins / running high from police / throw the 9 in the sewer.” Dude just seems wise beyond his years!

hard to trump BOC’s classic, but the high priestess / dark prince of no wave have given it a run for the money on this 1991 cover. ... Check the Krampusthemed YouTube vid. ’Tis the season.

Ryan Hand, Tropical Popsicle (No. 2): Christy/ Lube, Bandcamp releases. A teenage riot put to tape. If renaissance teen Julian Klincewicz and his precocious peers don’t blow up by the time the Fukashima plume hits the West Coast, I’ll eat my shoe, à la Werner Herzog.

Daniel Gallo, Hills Like Elephants: Lately I’ve been geeking out out on Death Grips’ The Money Store album. I work retail and ride the bus to work and back, so after an epic, 10-hour holiday shift, the only thing Chance the Rapper that makes me feel at ease while Douglas Thompson, The Marsupials: Carlton being stared at by random folks on the bus is blasting Melton, Photos of Photos; YOB, Catharsis; Boyd these awesome, chaotic, repetitive vibes that this alRice, Music, Martinis and Misanthropy; Morchee- bum delivers on my headphones at full volume. ba, Who Can You Trust?

—Jeff Terich

Ryan Hand, Tropical Popsicle (No. 1): Lydia Lunch / Clint Ruin, “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” It’s

26 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

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

if i were u

BY Jeff Terich

Wednesday, Dec. 11

Saturday, Dec. 14

PLAN A: “It’s Gonna Blow!!! Fundraiser” with San Diego’s Finest, Octa#grape, Ghetto Blaster, Mudhead @ The Casbah. The Casbah is hosting a show to raise money for It’s Gonna Blow!!!, an upcoming local-music documentary, and it’s a little out of the ordinary. Rob Crow put together an all-star band of scene musicians to play a full set of classic San Diego jams. Get nostalgic and rock out! PLAN B: The Royal Concept, American Authors, Misterwives @ House of Blues. Sweden’s The Royal Concept has been likened to bands such as Phoenix and The Strokes for their supercatchy indie-pop tunes, which are buoyant, bright-eyed and lots of fun. BACKUP PLAN: Rainbow Jackson, Deadly Birds, The Heavy Guilt, Sadie and the BlueEyed Devils @ Soda Bar.

PLAN A: Lee Ranaldo and The Dust, Bill Orcutt, Jacob Felix Heule @ The Casbah.

Two members of Sonic Youth came by San Diego earlier this year during San Diego Music Thing (in separate bands), and now former Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo is paying a visit to treat us to some of his new band’s expansive psych-rock tunes. It’s not as experimental as Ranaldo’s past work, but you can be sure there’s a lot of great guitar work happening. PLAN B: Dangers, Calculator, My Iron Lung, Frameworks @ The Che Café. If you’ve got a spare 20 minutes to do some bruising, catch the headlining set from California hardcore group Dangers, who throw down loud, fast and recklessly. No ballads, no frilly stuff, just punk-fucking-rock. BACKUP PLAN: The Burning of Rome, Le Mutant, Gloomsday, Figs Vision @ Soda Bar.

Thursday, Dec. 12 PLAN A: Slow Magic, Illuminauts, Mystery Cave @ The Casbah. Slow Magic actually use “glo-fi” as a tag on their Bandcamp page. If you haven’t run screaming yet, then I can assure you that the group’s electronicpop nuggets are much better than a dead trend would imply. With Illuminauts and Mystery Cave opening, the show’s sure to be a non-stop dance party. PLAN B: Amigo, Camacho, Eardrum Gluttony @ Brick by Brick. But maybe you prefer more of a head-banging, fistpumping, stoner-rock party. That’s exactly what you’re going to get with Amigo, who have more riffs and swagger than will possibly fit into one hour-long set.

Friday, Dec. 13 PLAN A: Wild Wild Wets, Amerikan Bear, Shiva Trash, Marqay @ The Casbah. Awwwwww—freak out! That is, San Diego Freak Out, in its first-ever event, will take over The Casbah, headlined by the always trippy and definitely rockin’ Wild Wild Wets. But come early to soak in a full evening’s worth of garagey, psychedelic sounds and feel the vibes. PLAN B: BowiePhonics with Diana Death, The Replacement Replacements @ Bar Pink. There are a lot of cover bands in San Diego—probably too many. But I’ll happily recommend this double feature of The Schitzophonics in their Bowie-inspired alter ego personas and The Replacement Replacements, a Cover Me Badd offshoot playing their second show in 10 years. BACKUP PLAN: Youth Code, Death of Lovers @ The Void.

Sunday, Dec. 15 PLAN A: Icona Pop, K. Flay, Sirah @ House of Blues. See Page 24 for Peter Holslin’s story on Swedish duo Icona Pop, whose 2012 breakthrough hit “I Love It” will turn that frown upside down. PLAN B: Bleached, Northern Tigers, Kera and the Lesbians @ Soda Bar. Los Angeles’ Bleached is the project of two sisters—JenLee Ranaldo nifer and Jessie Clavin—and they give fellow Californians Best Coast a run for their money when it comes to bright, mega-catchy garage-pop.

It’s the Golden State distilled into threeminute pop gems.

Monday, Dec. 16 PLAN A: St. Cloud Sleepers, Northamericans, Sundiver @ The Griffin. St. Cloud Sleepers are playing a Monday-night residency through December at The Griffin, so this isn’t your only chance to catch them.

But this week’s as good as any to soak in their vocal harmonies and sink into their sweet, sweet grooves.

Tuesday, Dec. 17 PLAN A: Inc., DJ Mario Orduno @ Soda Bar. Indie R&B duos like Inc. have a tendency to get slapped with labels like “PBR&B,” a derogatory way of singling them out as not being a genuine soul outfit. But that’s pretty much nonsense when you consider the smooth, bedside funk the group turns out. There are definitely elements of indie rock in what they do, but that doesn’t mean someone’s not getting lucky tonight.

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 27

HOT! NEW! FRESH! X (Casbah, 1/16), Johnette Napolitano (The Griffin, 1/17), Mint Condition (Jacobs Center, 1/22), Kisses (Soda Bar, 1/23), Mutual Benefit (Soda Bar, 1/26), Public Service Broadcasting (Casbah, 2/18), Slaughter and The Dogs (Soda Bar, 2/28), Nicole Atkins (Soda Bar, 3/6), Cut Copy (HOB, 4/2), Slaughterhouse (Porter’s Pub, 4/11), Tiger Army (HOB, 4/16), CunninLynguists (Porter’s Pub, 4/25), Lady Gaga (Viejas Arena, 6/2).

GET YER TICKETS Andrew WK (Epicentre, 12/20), Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (HOB, 12/22), No Knife (Casbah, 1/8), Janelle Monae (HOB, 1/13), The Penetrators (Casbah, 1/17), Buck O Nine (Casbah, 1/18), Sound Tribe Sector 9 (HOB, 1/23), Skinny Puppy (HOB, 1/25), OFF! (Casbah, 1/29), Mayer Hawthorne (HOB, 1/30), The Menzingers (Che Café, 1/30), MXPX (The Irenic, 1/31), Yuck (The Casbah, 2/2), Oneohtrix Point Never (The Irenic, 2/8), Young The Giant (SOMA, 2/9), White Denim (The Casbah, 2/9), Brandon Boyd and Sons of the Sea (HOB, 2/11), New Politics (HOB, 2/17), Marissa Nadler (Soda Bar, 2/23), The Wailers (BUT, 3/2), Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings (HOB, 3/22), Xiu Xiu (Soda Bar, 3/25), Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks (Casbah, 3/29).

December Wednesday, Dec. 11 The Black Crowes at Balboa Theatre.

28 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

Thursday, Dec. 12 The Mowgli’s at The Griffin.

Friday, Dec. 13 Transfer at Belly Up Tavern. Slightly Stoopid at SOMA.

Saturday, Dec. 14 Lee Ranaldo and the Dust at The Casbah. Cherie Currie at Brick by Brick.

Sunday, Dec. 15 IconaPop at House of Blues. Kitten at The Casbah.

Monday, Dec. 16 Tristan Prettyman at Belly Up Tavern.

Wednesday, Dec. 18 Orgy at Brick by Brick. Polica at Belly Up Tavern.

Thursday, Dec. 19 NOFX at House of Blues. Pere Ubu at The Casbah. Perfect Pussy at Soda Bar.

Friday, Dec. 20 Andrew WK at The Epicentre. Holograms at Soda Bar.

Saturday, Dec. 21 U.S. Bombs at Soda Bar. The Greyboy Allstars at Belly Up Tavern.

Sunday, Dec. 22 Dick Dale at Belly Up Tavern.

Monday, Dec. 23

Kut U UP at Belly Up Tavern.

Thursday, Dec. 26 The Growlers at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, Dec. 27 John Oliver at Spreckels Theatre. Cash’d Out at Belly Up Tavern.

Saturday, Dec. 28 Get Back Loretta at The Casbah. Donavon Frankenreiter at Belly Up Tavern.

Sunday, Dec. 29 Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven at Belly Up Tavern.

Monday, Dec. 30 Donavon Frankenreiter at Belly Up Tavern.

Tuesday, Dec. 31 Candye Kane at Belly Up Tavern. Scarlet Symphony at Soda Bar.

January Thursday, Jan. 2 Matthew Sweet at Belly Up Tavern.

Friday, Jan. 3 Pato Banton at Belly Up Tavern. Poison Idea at Brick By Brick. The Paladins at The Casbah

Saturday, Jan. 4 Tower of Power at Belly Up Tavern. The Dragons at The Casbah.

Sunday, Jan. 5 Califone at Soda Bar.

Monday, Jan. 6 Corrections House at Soda Bar.

Tuesday, Jan. 7 Three Mile Pilot at The Casbah.

Wednesday, Jan. 8 No Knife at The Casbah.

Thursday, Jan. 9 No Knife at The Casbah. Sea Wolf at Luce Loft.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave, Pacific Beach. 710bc.com. Wed: Open mic, open jam. Thu: SoCal Vibes, Keep It Lit. Fri: Casey Turner (5 p.m.); Lady Zep, Nuns N Moses (9:30 p.m.). Sat: Hey Ho Lets Go, Geezer. Tue: ‘710 Bass Club’.

98 Bottles, 2400 Kettner Blvd. Ste. 110, Little Italy. 98bottlessd.com. Thu: ‘To Brazil and Back’ w/ Stefanie Schmitz, Gilbert Castellanos.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave, Downtown. americancomedyco.com.

Thu-Sat: Mitch Fatel. Sun: ‘Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction’.

AMSDconcerts, 4650 Mansfield St, Normal Heights. amsdconcerts.com. Sun: Cris Williamson.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St, Downtown. facebook.com/BangBangSanDiego. Sat: Mako.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St, North Park. barpink.com. Wed: DJ Grandmasta Rats. Thu: J. Blow and Friends. Fri: The Replacement Replacements, Bowie-Phonics. Sat: The Milkcrates DJs. Mon: The Husky Boy All Stars. Tue: ‘X-Mas Special’ w/ Wally Bunting.

Bassmnt, 919 Fourth Ave, Downtown. bassmntsd.com. Thu: Benny Benassi.

Fri: Adrian Lux, Wild Child. Sat: Gabriel and Dresden.

Beaumont’s, 5662 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla. brocktonvilla.com/beaumonts.html. Wed: Kayla Hope. Thu: Aquile. Fri: Stratos.

Sat: Jones Revival. Sun: Sando.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach. bellyup.com. Thu: ‘Xmas Bash’ w/ Atomic Groove. Fri: Transfer, The Drowning Men, The Paragraphs.

Sun: Old Man Markley, Shake Before Us. Mon: Tristan Prettyman, Paul Cannon Band.

Bluefoot Bar & Lounge, 3404 30th St, North Park. bluefootsd.com. Wed: ‘Records With Roger’. Thu: VJ JK. Fri: DJs Ele, Andre Power. Sat: DJs Habitat, L. Sun: DJs Grassy Noll, Iggy.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave, Carlsbad. boarcrossn.net. Thu: Drunks Go Acoustic. Fri: ‘Club Musae’. Sat: Hanging from the Rafters.

Bourbon Street, 4612 Park Blvd, University Heights. bourbonstreetsd.com. Wed: ‘Awe Snap! I Love the ‘90s’ w/ VJ K-Swift.

Thu: ‘Wet’. Fri: ‘Go-Go Fridays’ w/ VJ KSwift. Sun: ‘Soiree’. Tue: Open mic.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave, Bay Park. brickbybrick.com. Wed: Rodger, Martin and The Hibernation, Sly Digs.

Thu: Amigo, Camacho, Eardrum Gluttony. Fri: The New Varsity, Everything Said. Sat: Cherie Currie, Roni Lee, Burn-

ing Down, Bad Mojo. Sun: Jake E Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel, Ethan Brosh w/ Nili Brosh, Temporal Riff, Greg Vaughan’s Phantom Cargo, Sick String Outlaws.

Hard Rock Hotel, 207 Fifth Ave, Downtown. hardrockhotelsd.com. Thu: The Touchies. Sat: Freshone, JJ Flores. Sun: Sid Vicious, DJ Kurch.

Cafe Sevilla, 353 Fifth Ave, Downtown. cafesevilla.com. Wed: Aro Di Santi. Thu & Sat: Malamana. Fri: Joeff. Sun: Aragon y Royal. Mon: Sounds of Brazil.

Henry’s Pub, 618 Fifth Ave, Downtown. henryspub.com. Wed: Johnny Tarr, DJ Chris London. Thu: Mark Fisher, DJ Yodah. Fri: ‘Good Times’ w/ DJs Rev, Yodah. Sat: DJs E, Yodah. Mon: DJs Yodah, Joey Jimenez.

Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St, La Jolla. lajolla.thecomedystore.com.

Fri-Sat: Sam Tripoli.

Croce’s, 802 Fifth Ave, Downtown. croces.com. Thu: Fuzzy. Fri: Gilbert Castellanos and The New Latin Jazz Quintet. Sat: Daniel Jackson (11:30 a.m.); Yavaz (8:30 p.m.). Sun: Elliott Lawrence (11:30 a.m.); Mark Fisher Trio (7:30 p.m.).

Dirk’s Nightclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove. dirksniteclub.com. Fri-Sat: FX5.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay. dizzyssandiego.com. Fri: Joshua White. Sat: Fred Benedetti and George Svoboda. Sun: Allison Adams Tucker.

El Dorado Bar, 1030 Broadway, Downtown. eldoradobar.com. Wed: ‘The Tighten Up’. Thu: ‘Bowie vs. Morrissey’. Fri: ‘Posse on Broadway’. Sat: Tiago, Paluka, Shige, Bobdazzla. Sun: ‘The Deep End’.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown, Downtown. f6ixsd.com. Fri: DJ Fingaz. Sat: DJ Artistic.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave, Downtown. fluxxsd.com. Thu: Brazzabelle. Fri: DJ Reflex.

Sat: DJ Sid Vicious.

Gallagher’s, 5040 Newport Ave, Ocean Beach. 619-222-5303. Thu: Papa Fish, Jahkobeats, DJ Reefah, TRC Soundsystem. Fri: Almost Islanders, DJ RM. Sat: Todo Mundo, DJ Chelu.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave, Downtown. houseofblues.com/sandiego. Wed: Lissie, Kopecky Family Band. Sun: IconaPop, K. Flay, Sirah.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. kavalounge.com. Wed: ‘Future Wednesdays’. Thu: Akrobatik, Beat Jackers, Scatterbrain, Atlantis Rising, A-Lowe, Emphasize, Markos Tegui, Tall Can and 12 Gage the Poet. Fri: Nightstalker, The Cuban, Meanstreak, Uncut, Swine. Sat: ‘Tribute to Cheb I Sabbah’.

Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave, Normal Heights. lestats.com. Wed: Hobart W Fink, Le Mutant, The Chili Banditos. Thu: Isaac Cheong, Chad Taggart, Mississippi Gann Brewer. Fri: Katie Leighe and The Infantry, Trouble in the Wind.

Sat: Jamie Kent, Jeff Campbell, Raquel Frischmann. Sun: Robin Henkel Band.

Mon: Open mic. Tue: Comedy night.

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave, Coronado. mcpspub.com. Wed: Jackson and Jesus. Thu: Northstar. Fri: Mystique.

Sat: Pat Ellis, Blue Frog Band. Tue: Gene Warren.

Numbers, 3811 Park Blvd, Hillcrest. numberssd.com. Thu: ‘Varsity’. Fri: ‘Viernes Calientes’. Sat: ‘Club Sabbat’. Sun: ‘Joe’s Gamenite’. Tue: ‘Karaoke Latino’.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 29

Onyx Room / Thin, 852 Fifth Ave, Downtown. onyxroom.com. Sat: DJs Kyle Flesch, Jersan and Sachamo.

Patricks Gaslamp, 428 F St, Downtown. patricksii.com. Thu: Johnny Vernazza. Fri & Sun: Trey Tosh and the TNT Band. Sat: Bill Magee Blues Band. Mon: WG and the G-Men. Tue: Walter’s Chicken Jam. Quality Social , 789 Sixth Ave, Downtown. qualitysocial.com. Thu: DJ Saul Q. Fri: ‘90s Dance’.

Queen Bee’s, 3925 Ohio St, North Park. queenbeessd.com. Sat: ‘Hanukkah Hannah’s Burlesque Holiday Extravaganza’.

Rich’s, 1051 University Ave, Hillcrest. richssandiego.com. Wed: DJ Marcel.

Thu: DJ Dida. Fri: DJs Dirty Kurty, Will Z. Sat: DJs John Joseph, Taj, Vaughn Avakian. Sun: DJs Kiki, Hektik.

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave, La Mesa. rivierasupperclub.com.

Wed: Kice Simko. Thu: Man From Tuesday. Fri: Sure Fire Soul Ensemble. Sat: Taste Machine. Tue: Karaoke.

Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave, North Park. sevengrandbars.com/sd. Wed: Gilbert Castellanos jazz jam.

Shakedown Bar, 3048 Midway Drive, Point Loma. theshakedownsd.com. Sun: Empyrean Throne, Imbalanced, Sectarian Collapse, Theosis.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. sodabarmusic.com. Wed: Rainbow Jackson, Deadly Birds, The Heavy Guilt, Sadie and the Blue-Eyed Devils. Thu: The Bandits, The Gore Horsemen, The High Rolling Loners. Fri: Ivan and Alyosha, Leanna May and The Matadors, Ed Ghost Tucker. Sat: The Burning of Rome, Le Mutant, Gloomsday, Figs Vision. Sun: Bleached, Northern

30 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

Tigers, Kera and the Lesbians. Mon: Trips, Glass Spells. Tue: Inc. SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd, Midway. somasandiego.com. Wed: Mushroomhead, One Eyed Doll, Unsaid Fate, Ionia. Thu: The Story So Far, Stick To Your Guns, Such Gold, Rotting Out, Heart to Heart, Souvenirs. Fri: Slightly Stoopid.

Sat: Trivium, DevilDriver, After the Burial, Thy Will Be Done. Sun: Adestria, Kingdom of Giants, Dayseeker, Milestone, Always the Understudy.

Stage Bar & Grill, 762 Fifth Ave, Downtown. stagesaloon.com. Wed: Mark Fisher and Gaslamp Guitars. Thu: Van Roth.

Fri: Ash Fenner (7 p.m.); Miles Ahead (8 p.m.); Disco Pimps (10:30 p.m.). Sat: Goodnight Ravenswood (7:15 p.m.); Hott Mess (9:30 p.m.); DJ Miss Dust (10:30 p.m.). Sun: ‘Funhouse/Seismic’. Mon: Isleside (7:30 p.m.); ‘Fettish Mondays’ (10 p.m.).

The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd, Midtown. casbahmusic.com. Wed: ‘It’s Gonna Blow!! Fundraiser’ w/ San Diego’s Finest, Octagrape, Ghettoblaster, Mudhead. Thu: Slow Magic, Mystery Cave, Illuminauts. Fri: Wild Wild Wets, Amerikan Bear, Shiva Trash, Marqay. Sat: Lee Ranaldo and The Dust, Bill Orcutt, Jacob Felix Heule. Sun: Kitten, Holychild, Soft Lions. Mon: Pool Party, Bulletins, Danny and The Tramp.

The Che Cafe, UCSD campus, La Jolla. thechecafe.blogspot.com. Fri: School of Rock performs Neutral Milk Hotel’s ‘In the Aeroplane Over the Sea’. Sat: Dangers, Calculator, My Iron Lung, Fireworks.

The Griffin, 1310 Morena Blvd, Bay Park. thegriffinsd.com. Wed: The Dustbowl Revival, Euphoria Brass Band. Thu: The Mowgli’s, Blondfire, The Lucky Lonely.

Fri: Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, McCananys. Sat: Generator, Punk In Drublic, US. Sun: The California Honeydrops, T Sisters. Mon: St. Cloud Sleepers, Northamericans, Sundiver. Tue: Tiger Milk Imports, Nicky Venus, The Fixtures.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave, Hillcrest. rubyroomsd.com. Fri: ‘Genre Wars’ w/ Viva Apollo, Sensory Station, Muscle Beech, Secret Seven. Sat: Fearless In Fairweather.

The Office, 3936 30th St, North Park. officebarinc.com. Wed: Bulletproof Tiger, Bruin.

The Void, 3519 El Cajon Blvd, North Park. thevoidsd.com. Fri: Youth Code, Death of Lovers. Sat: Naomi Punk, Dunes.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd, City Heights. tiltwoclub.com. Wed: ‘Rude Holiday’ w/ El Mochilero All-Star Revue.

Thu: Stained Glass Windows, The Junk Poets, Nieces. Fri: Billy Bones, Dead On The Wire, Paper Hearts. Sat: Eskera, Old Friends, Shinjoku Riot, Never Pass Go. Mon: Karaoke. Tue: Stand-up comedy.

Tin Can Ale House, 1863 Fifth Ave, Bankers Hill. thetincan1.wordpress.com. Wed: Jon Runion, Ghosts I’ve Met, Evan Bethany.

Thu: Elizabeth Kill, Neighbors to the North, The Filthy Violets. Fri: Takahashi, The Lower 48, Gift Machine. Sat: Bangladesh, Sam Vicari, The Paper Thins. Mon: ‘Tin Can Country Club’ w/ Danica Molenaar. Tue: Hot Nerds, Lovers, Creature Creature.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St, Bay Park. tioleos.com. Wed: Karaoke. Fri: Colour.

Sat: Left4Dead.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave, City Heights. thetowerbar.com. Wed: ‘The Ratt’s Revenge’. Thu: Rock ‘n’ Roll Preservation Society DJs. Fri: The Focke

Wolves, The Phantoms, Just Like Jenna.

Sat: ‘Savageland’ w/ DJs Mongo Style, Chango Rey. Sun: Bastidas, Orgasmatron, Burnt, Dirty Dishes.

Turquoise, 873 Turquoise St, Pacific Beach. theturquoise.com/wordpress. Wed: Tomcat Courtney (7 p.m.). Thu: Talia (4 p.m.); Jade Visions Jazz Trio (7 p.m.). Fri: Tomcat Courtney (5 p.m.); Afro Jazziacs (9 p.m.). Sat: Tomcat Courtney (5 p.m.); Soul Ablaze (9 p.m.). Sun: Sounds Like Four (4 p.m.); Big Boss Bubale (7 p.m.). Mon: Thee Antagonist (4 p.m.); Stefanie Schmitz and Amanda Portela (7 p.m.). Tue: Stefanie Schmitz (5 p.m.); Grupo Globo (7 p.m.).

U-31, 3112 University Ave, North Park. u31bar.com. Wed: ‘SUBDVSN’ w/ Speakerghost, Tommy Dubs, Volz, Gil. Thu: French Horn Rebellion, Carousel, We Are Sirens, Colourvision. Fri: Stephan Jacobs. Sat: Saul Q. Sun: CJ On Fire.

Mon: Nem Casey.

West Coast Tavern, 2895 University Ave, North Park. westcoatstavern.com. Wed: DJ Qenoe. Thu-Fri: DJ Clean Cut. Sat: DJ Will Hernandez. Tue: Mike Delgado.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St, South Park. whistlestopbar.com. Wed: ‘WuTang Wednesday’ w/ DJ Cros One. Fri: Big Eyes, Teenage Burritos. Sat: ‘Booty Bassment’ w/ DJs Dimitri, Rob. Sun: ‘Daydream Nation’.

Winstons, 1921 Bacon St, Ocean Beach. winstonsob.com. Wed: Piracy Conspiracy, DJ Carlos Culture. Thu: Head For the Hills, The Quick and Easy Boys. Fri: Rage Again, The Big Lewinsky, The Radicals. Sat: C Fish (4:30 p.m.); Cubensis, Moonalice (9:30 p.m.). Sun: Kim Wilson and the Blues All Stars, Wick Hauser Band. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: Meeting of the Meyends.

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 31

32 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 33

Proud sponsor: Pacific Nature Tours

Ink Well Xwords by Ben Tausig

Across

63. Early electronic composer Edgard

1. Beliefs

67. Whole

5. Enjoy powder

68. Network that became Spike

8. He rapped with the Bomb Squad

69. Fit to ___

14. Big mouths

70. Use aloe on

15. Advice-giving sister of 45-Across

71. Take action against

16. Capital in the Western U.S.

72. Goods, and what might follow either word in

65. Small telescope

17. New York City skyscraper name 19. Weapon for boneheads?

20. “Rad!” 21. Folds on a jacket

17-, 26-, 38-, 54-, and 65-Across

Down 1. “Sure, sounds good”

23. Have a high rank?

2. Places for shots and shootouts

24. Acts the flaneur 26. Place in the office for giving away unwanted junk

3. Villain’s laugh 4. Label for Opal and Hüsker Dü 5. The last song on Bob Dylan’s “Desire,”

28. Ready to mate

named for his then-wife

30. Play about Capote

6. Random House imprint

31. ___ Faire

7. Word before child or demons

32. Trotsky’s target 33. Gruber to whom “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!” was addressed 36. Strips for the orchestra 38. Something from the whole gang 41. Single accompanier

8. Something mild after something hard 9. Lady lobster 10. Very very 11. Cause ___ 12. Prepared to be knighted 13. Reacts to sunlight, as transition lenses

44. Stepped heavily 45. Advice-giving sister of 15-Across 49. Elba, e.g., to Napoleon 50. Modern minced oath for “shit” 52. Have a goal

18. Woody Guthrie’s “___ Koch” 22. “C’mon, I think I hear the cops” 25. Become one 27. Gang’s area 29. Yet, to a poet or text messager

54. Chalk, e.g.

34. One who pens

58. Blocks in the playroom

35. Terry Gross’s network

59. Lenovo competitor

37. Tour de France stage

60. “Voilà” 62. Reason for points on a license

Last week’s answers

39. French kings 40. Journalist Wells or Tarbell 41. In re: 42. Philippine language 43. Acknowledge the seniority of 46. Trendy term meaning lots and lots of information 47. Chrome, e.g.

48. “That makes very clear sense” 51. Where the Rays play, familiarly 53. One may be long and hard 55. Cover dinner 56. Decorates one’s home, as it were 57. Sports channel that shows college games 61. Emmy-winning Daly 64. MIT, e.g.

66. It’s on the books

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

34 · San Diego CityBeat · December 11, 2013

December 11, 2013 · San Diego CityBeat · 35