4L Magazine September 2013

SAN DIEGO SEPTEMBER 2013 // FOOD ISSUE

LET’S

EAT

RESTAURANT REVIEW GUIDE

O D A H AC

M B O R

EW I V R E d T n N e I g e E l V e I S th th U L wi EXC

Reinvigorating the Ranch Steve Clifton: Winemaker Fig Tree Café Suicide Challenge FOURELMAGAZINE.COM | Fully cultured, yet unshaven

FITNESS NUTRITION FOOD & DRINK RELATIONSHIPS TRAVEL SPORTS

S I G N A T U R E

T H E

C O L L E C T I O N

B A L A N C E

R V C A . C O M

O F

O P P O S I T E S

FROM THE EDITOR * Fully cultured yet unshaven*

volume 1 * issue 4 * septeber 2013

Publisher/Editor Chris Lapham

Summer is nearly behind us, but as I said last month, September is my favorite month of the year in sunny San Diego. School is back in session, and it’s only a matter of time before holiday decorations will litter the aisles of every retail establishment you visit. Don’t even get me started, that’s an entire column by itself. Why are we in such a hurry to move on to fall?

For me personally, I’m not letting go that easily. Trunks and sandals are still in the front of my wardrobe. Yes, even at the office. The water is warm, the sun is hot, and to me the “real” summer is only hitting mid-stride. For those who enjoy getting in the water, September is traditionally one of the best months of the year for a big south swell. But then again, you already know that.

Even in my stubborn refusal to let go of summer, I am excited about what the next couple of months have in store for us in America’s Finest City.

First and foremost, restaurant week. (Sept 15th-20th, SanDiegoRestaurantWeek.com) As you may or may not know, the dining and craft beer and craft cocktail scene is exploding in San Diego with new, hot talent around every corner. Great food, great drinks and most importantly, great deals. Visit their website and download the SDRW App. Now, let’s talk about what really gets me fired up: football season. Specifically, the Chargers. I can’t wait to see how the new staff delivers. With a franchise QB complemented with solid veterans and a great draft, this season promises to be interesting to say the least. One thing you can be sure of, my vocal chords will be on the IR with two Manning brothers visiting this year. If I happen to see Archie, I’ll have a thing or two to say to him as well. The season opener is a Monday night affair on national television against the Texans. If you can’t make the game, make sure to tune in and support our Bolts!

This month’s cover story was particularly fun. Four EL is doing it’s best to feature people dedicated to making a difference, and Mr. Machado fits the bill quite nicely.

Aside from being a phenomenal surfer and being completely devoted to his charitable work and the environment, the guy is just a cool dude. You hear the term “Zen” thrown around loosely these days. In Rob’s case, it’s a perfect description of the long time Cardiff resident, whose talents go far beyond the waves. (Music, art,

Director of sales/Senior Editor Steve Kang Senior Managing Editor Cory Waterhouse Director of Marketing Pete Rocky Creative Consultant/Photo Editor John Schnack Online Editor Jeran Fraser Assistant to the Assistant senior Editor matt fairbanks CONTRIBUTORS Mike “Mikey Beats” Beltran, Dale Hersey, Ryan Kelly, Erik Martin, Lara Miller, Michelle Lyn,BJ Penn, Brady Phelps, Ryan Ponsford, Miles Roberson, Holly Sheets, Jason Stewart, Max Wettstein, Steve Woods, Andrea Zancha photographers Lauren Fraser, Lijo Joy, John Schnack, Andi Pianalto ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE CANDICE VREDEVELT

hair today, gone tomorrow Rumor has it, his fro may be on death row

Photo by John Schnack

photography and most recently, shaping his own boards...just to name a few)

The thing that really struck me about Rob is his great appreciation for his fans and people in general. The guy can’t go ten feet without being stopped by someone and he always makes time. Always. When you speak to him, even as a random stranger on the street, you have his full attention. It’s a rare thing in today’s society and pretty damn cool if you ask me.

Visit the Rob Machado Foundation website (www.RobMachadoFoundation.org) to learn more about his charitable projects and how you can get involved and help make a difference.

Four El Magazine 1880 Diamond St, San Marcos CA Phone: (760) 744-0911 www.fourelmagazine.com

Lastly, I can’t tell you how excited I am for next month. I’ll give you a little hint; Oktoberfest baby! One look at my waistline will tell that I love craft beer, and San Diego is the best in the country and considered one of the best regions in the world for quality suds. No disrespect to Northern California, Portland or Colorado, but no city can match what San Diego is doing right now.

An entire issue dedicated to beer, yikes. My palate is quivering with anticipation. That’s all folks…

Editors note: I’d like to give an extra special thanks this month to our own Matt Fairbanks, our “assistant to the assistant senior editor.” Poor Matt had hours of extra research this month. Job well done kid…

4 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

Four El Magazine is published monthly except Dec/Jan is bi-monthly. The known office of publication is 1880 Diamond St., San Marcos, CA 92078. Four El is published

by Known Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Articles and stories appearing in Four El may not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Four El Magazine.

Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written consent is strictly prohibited.

FourElmagazine.com

HARD CORE

fitness

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 5

contents

FEATURES

24 rob machado Exclusive interview with the local legend

32 restaurant guide We gobbled our way through San Diego just to write this for you. You’re welcome.

6 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FourElmagazine.com

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Experience the Golf

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Book tee times and restaurant reservations online

CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

Fitness 10 defense: Basic Armbar

ON PAR 76 review: La Costa Golf Resort and Spa

14 Fast break: Tryouts

travel

16 How-to: Half Marathon Prep

78 MAMMOTH, california: Adventures

12 action: Adam Burns

18 w/max wettstein: Break out of the workout blues

relationships 82 offspring: Cartoon Loony 84 dating: Love is Blind

native population 86 Janina: Beauty and Brains

nutrition

business

20 w/max wettstein: Fasting

92 Perspective: Philantropy

food/drink

rhythm

40 chef’s table: Matt Gordon & Christian Graves

94 hot wire: Concert and show dates

44 reinvigorating the ranch: RSF and RB 48 uncorked: Steve Clifton 50 BEATS & EATS: SoundDiego 54 Restaurant Review: Fig Tree Café 56 suicide challenge: Sabuko 58 Mixology: Craft-Tender Nate Howell

around town 96 SEPTEMBER events: Local happenings and things to do

60 crafty: Sycamore Den 62 HAPPIEST HOUR: Lucky Bastard Saloon 63 BEER ME: Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment 64 tender: The Ladies of the Shakedown 66 How to eat in: Meal Planning 70 Farmer’s Markets: Locals List 72 dish: Butternut Squash and Pesto Pasta

88 All Hands on Tech: Lust-worthy gadgets that will truly make your life more enjoyable 8 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

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fitness

defense

BASIC ARMBAR Maneuver:

by bj penn

An armlock in grappling is a single- or double-joint lock that hyper-extends the elbow and/ or shoulder joint(s). An armlock that hyper-extends the shoulder joint is called a shoulder lock. An armlock that hyperextends the elbow joint is called an armbar.

An armbar requires effective use of full-body leverage to obtain a secure lock. At the same time, you have to ensure your opponent is not going to escape from the armbar. It’s much easier to apply the armbar from the ground because it’s easier to secure a hold to keep your opponent locked in.

You can do it from the mount, side control or, in this case, your guard (back). From the stand-up position, most fighters focus in on certain systems such as the Chin Na. Additionally, a failed armbar can result in losing your dominant position.

Gaining Position: – From your back, grab his left wrist with your right hand – With your left hand, reach across and cup the elbow of his left arm – Pull his elbow to your belly button – Put your right foot on his left hip – Use your right knee to lock his shoulder in – Your left leg should be wrapped around his right hip – Now, he’s locked in and you’re ready for the next step

Armbars are not as dangerous as other MMA maneuvers such as a punch or a choke. It does not involve damage to the head through blows or blood restriction. It may be safer, but it can be as or more painful. Most of the time, people will submit or tap out before any serious injuries occur. If an opponent is stubborn, strong willed or unconscious, he can obtain injuries such as a broken arm, dislocated joints and ripped muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Applying the ARMBAR: – Throw your left leg over his back and try to touch your left heel to your right knee – Now pull your right leg off his left shoulder and throw it over his head – In this final position, his left shoulder will be touching the ground and his arm will be leveraged against your body

Warning: Executing an armbar is dangerous. It can seriously

injure or cause permanent damage. The preceding was informational and for entertainment purposes only. If you are not a trained fighter, please do not attempt.

10 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

Executing the ARMBAR: – With your right leg leveraged against his head/neck and your left leg leveraged against his rib cage, you will have his arm isolated and locked in – Lift your hips and pull his arm toward your chest until he eventually taps out

FourElmagazine.com

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Powered by H2O Audio’s patented waterproof technology, the Surge ear buds come with 5 ear tip sizes, guaranteeing a comfortable and secure fit for running, biking and swimming. Add the Amphibx Fit waterproof armband for your device or the Interval system for swimming to bring your training soundtrack to any climate or terrain. Breaking the Barriers of sound at X-1.com SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 11

fitness

ACTION

how to capture the

MOMENT WITH ADAM BURNS

by ryan kelly

Life needs documentation; stories need to be told, proof needs to be shown, moments need to be captured.

From shooting photos or videos at a party, skatepark or local surf spot to harnessing the beauty of our region’s dramatic flora and fauna, someone needs to capture those moments and provide evidence of a life well-lived. One such photographer in the talent-rich (yet underground) Ocean Beach area is doing just that.

Having grown up in Point Loma, before moving with his family to Todos Santos, Mexico, for his adolescent and high school years, 32-year-old Adam Burns now finds inspiration from his diversely talented group of friends and the wide array of eclectic sub-cultures that make up San Diego. Whether he’s shooting pictures of a band rocking out in a North Park dive bar, creating videos of local up-and-coming surfers or making a film about something so

Shooting I started out just making little videos of my friends surfing when I was a kid in Mexico. We would just take turns filming with my parents’ old Handycam. Modern DSLR cameras have enabled budding filmmakers to get professional results at a reasonable price, something that wasn’t possible in the past. I use DSLR cameras for my video work.

My main camera is a Canon 60D but you can get similar video quality from much cheaper DSLR camera bodies in Canon’s product line. Nikon also makes comparable cameras. Making movies with a DSLR camera is a little more challenging than making them with a camcorder. A basic knowledge of photography is necessary, as you will have to set your exposure manually, so Google can be your best friend

12 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

Check out Adam’s work at:

seemingly simple as a friend making unique pottery, Adam finds a way to shed a creative light on his subject.

FotoBurns.com GoodCord.com Vimeo.com (user12459338)

Adam currently displays his work online on his Vimeo page, FotoBurns.com and the surf-specific Gooncord.com, whose domain name pays homage to the Ocean Beach and Point Loma area’s adversarial relationship with the surf leash, commonly referred to as a “goon cord.” Through his photo and video websites, Burns gets to do what he loves by capturing fleeting moments from his friend’s lives as well as his own, and creatively packaging them for the world to see.

Four EL recently caught up with Adam to find out the basics for getting started.

He has a few pointers for those who want to make high quality short films at home. To get started, all you really need is a camera, a computer to edit your footage, subjects to shoot and an idea.

here if you need some pointers. And there is no autofocus either; you have to manually focus the lens. For all my videos, I shoot on 24P mode, or 24 frames per second. That’s the cinema standard and with that amount of frames per second, you get that film look. You can also use a variety of lenses ranging in price from $100 to $15,000. The subject you want to shoot will dictate the type of lens you need to use.

I also like to shoot a lot of film photos because even though it’s more expensive and less convenient than shooting digital, I prefer the experience of shooting film more and feel like it is a more pure process. Less time fiddling with an on-camera computer and more time actually engaging in the act of shooting photos; press the

shutter and move on. For movies, I still have to shoot digital because shooting movies on film with real movie cameras is far too costly for me at this point, although it is something that I plan on branching out to in the future.

Editing When I first started filming with friends in Mexico, I just edited in a very rudimentary way using a VCR. Now, whether you have a Mac or a PC, there are a ton of great editing programs out there. If you’re just doing something simple, the iMovie program on a Mac is great. It’s easy to use and you can throw things together quickly on it. If you’re working on more complicated projects, I suggest using programs like Adobe Premier and Final Cut. For me, music is almost the most

important part of the editing process.

Music can make or break a video; it completely changes the mood. A lot of the time, a song will be the root of the video and I’ll edit the video to that song. Editing along with the music can have a very subtle yet powerful effect. The dropping of a beat or a symbol-hit can really emphasize what’s going on visually. I use everything from classical jazz to gangsta rap to just noises and bizarre sounds.

Sharing There are a variety of ways you can share your work now with the Internet and social media. Sites like Vimeo and YouTube are great, and if you decide to take it to the next level, you can build your own website so people know where to look for your latest projects.

FourElmagazine.com FourElmagazine.com

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SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 13

FITNESS

FAST BREAK

GETTING READY FOR

TRYOUTS by jason stewart

For many of you, school has just started. As you organize your schedule, don’t shortchange your basketball time. Many student athletes forget that there has to be an equal balance with your sport and your schoolwork.

Tryouts will be coming up soon. What follows are some tips on what you can do to prepare for those tryouts and what to do on off days.

Preparation I’ll never forget the first time I had an opportunity to play with Damon Stoudamire in the McKale Center during a team pickup game at the University of Arizona. He was lightning fast! His body was rock hard. I remember thinking, “I don’t know if I can move that fast.” Then I said to myself, “If moving that fast is what it takes, then I’ll just have to do it.” I was willing to do whatever it took to prepare myself for my desired future. I tell players who come to my camps and clinics that you can never be afraid to give your best. EVER! As you transition to a higher level of competition, two things will stand out: the strength of your new opponents and the speed of the game. You must be prepared and ready for these two obstacles.

Recently, I worked with a couple of athletes at the Prolific Athletes training facility in Carlsbad. I thought to myself, “What an awesome opportunity these guys have to get an advantage over their competition.”

Tryout Days Athletes are evolving. Speed and strength are an increasing demand.

When preparing for your transition, make sure that you improve your core strength and your explosive speed. Personal training is one way to go, but don’t forget that we have lovely rolling hills is San Diego for you to use to sprint up, or find some steps to attack.

Remember that strengthening your core can be done with lots of abdominal work found in Pilates workouts. Balance and flexibility exercises help speed, which can be found in yoga. The point is to ensure that you’re well prepared to match and beat your opponents’ speed and strength with your own.

I see too many players show up to tryouts slow and out of shape.

When you’re tired, you don’t make good decisions and you’ll find it harder to make your body do what’s expected of it. Don’t let poor conditioning hinder you from giving your best.

Remember: All coaches like a “can-do” attitude.

14 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

First: Show up ready to compete, not to play.

Competition is why you’re there. You’re trying out for a job that several people want.

There is never a guarantee. Even if you felt like you were well qualified and much better than the others, why would you allow your coach to see you give less than your best? Your coach may label you lazy or an unfit leader, and you don’t want that tagged to your name.

Second: Defense.

All coaches seek a player who can provide pressure defense and make the other team uncomfortable with the ball. This is where that explosive foot speed and conditioning come in. To impress the coach with your defense, you’ve got to defend smart and hard for every possession. It’s not good enough to defend hard for two or three possessions. Make a definitive statement with your defense: “Don’t bring that ball around me or I’ll take it!”

Third: Rebounds.

There are few things more frustrating than a team that plays good defense and then allows their opponents to get offensive rebounds. As a player, I couldn’t stand when my teammates didn’t box out for a rebound. As a coach, I know that offensive rebounds can break the spirit of the other team and can sometimes win or lose a game. Make sure you box out every time as if the game depended on each possession.

Fourth: Communication.

Every coach at every level wants his players to help each other by giving verbal instructions on the court. Such instructions as: “Get the shooter in the corner” when on defense or calling out screens for teammates on their left and right side. If you can do this, you will not only impress the coach but you’ll also gain trust and a leadership position from your teammates. Everyone appreciates a helper.

Fifth and Final Tip: When coach is talking or giving instructions during tryouts, your response should be “Yes coach” or “No coach” depending on what he/she is asking you or the team. All coaches like a “can-do” attitude. Make sure you bring yours every day. Last, make sure that you thank your coach after tryouts. If you want the coach to remember you, go up to him or her after each tryout and practice, look them in their eyes, shake their hand and say, “Thank you, coach.” I’ve found these actions show a coach that you’re a hard worker who can help the team. Good luck!

I invite you to write me your basketball or career related questions at jason.stewart.52@gmail.com.

FourElmagazine.com

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fitness

how-to

half marathon get geared up for a

by holly sheets

Over the past few years, more and more people have begun running. As someone who has been running races for years now, I am amazed by the number of people out on a Saturday or Sunday morning participating in 5K, 10K, mud runs, color runs, electric runs, crazy obstacle runs and the list goes on and on. It seems as though there is a race happening in San Diego every weekend.

I have introduced many people to running races and after the first they are hooked! Part of life is about challenging yourself; taking your mind, body and soul to new limits. For those of you who have been taking part in these 5K races, or even if you haven’t done a race but you take advantage of the amazing San Diego backdrop and run by yourself, it’s time for the next step:

THE HALF MARATHON! There are a few fantastic half marathons that take place here in San Diego: The Carlsbad Half, La Jolla Half, America’s Finest City Half (that’s a challenge

in itself, completing all three of the above in one year and you achieve the coveted TRIPLE CROWN MEDAL), Rock N Roll San Diego and last, but certainly not

least, the Silver Strand half marathon. For those of you who are ready to take your training to the next level and get yourself ready for a half marathon, I would like to recommend you register now for the Silver Strand Half Marathon. I make this suggestion for a few reasons:

23 It’s a flat

It’s the only San Diego marathon of those listed that has yet to be run in 2013.

(no hills),

straight course from Coronado to Imperial Beach Pier.

16 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

It’s in November, which is a great running weather in San Diego.

Are you up for the challenge?

The Silver Strand Distance Classic is on Nov. 17, just two months out. If you’ve been running 5K runs, this is definitely enough time to get your body ready for 13.1 miles.

If you’ve never run more than 5 miles at once, 13.1 can seem a bit intimidating since it isn’t even half! The great thing about training for a half marathon, you don’t actually need to run 13 miles in your training. Any marathoner will tell you they never actually run 26.2 miles when training. There is this thing called “Race Day Adrenaline” that will get you through those last few miles.

I am not a master runner. I have, however, run a full marathon, at least six half marathons, a few 15K races, multiple 10K races and even quite a few obstacle events. So far this year I have completed 10 races, well on my way of surpassing my goal of 13 in 2013. I have never had a trainer, but I have made it through every single one of those events without walking! The Silver Strand is a half marathon that has a course where runners can easily get their PR (personal record) due to its lack of hills.

I’ve outlined below some training tips to ensure your readiness for the big day on Nov. 17. Your target is to complete a few 10-mile runs prior to race day. That does not mean you need to be able to run 10 miles tomorrow. Whenever training, I like to increase 2 miles every weekend, but for the sake of this race and the amount of time, let’s just increase 1 mile every weekend. For example, this next Saturday (or Sunday) can be your official start to training. Start with 5 miles. The following weekend you will do 6 miles. And then 7 ... you get the point. But when you get to 8, you may want to do 2 weeks at 8. Listen to your body, if you aren’t quite ready for 9 don’t do it! Remember the target is to complete at least (2) 10-mile runs before Nov. 17.

During the week throughout your training, switch it up, keep it fun! You can do a hike one day; Cowles Mountain is a perfect addition to your training, hike up and then run down! Go to the gym another day. If you are one of those who get bored at the gym, try something like this: run 1 mile on the treadmill at a faster pace than what you would normally run. Then focus on arms, abs and legs by doing squats, lunges, whatever forms of sit-ups you fancy, weights, etc. Finish your workout with another 1 mile on the treadmill at a faster pace. There are other great workouts you can get in during the week: yoga, surfing, maybe even a game of basketball with your friends, or of course you could always get in a few 3 or 4 mile runs during the week.

Good luck to you all and I hope to see you all out there on the run!

To register go to KozEvents.com.

FourElmagazine.com

FITNESS

with Max Wettstein

break out of the

Workout blues Feel like you’ve hit a training plateau? Can’t bear the thought of another boring bout of cardio on the treadmill? Does your pending workout session loom over your head like a rain cloud all day long?

Why not do something proactive about it so you actually look forward to your workout and make it the highlight of your day? Why not rediscover an old sport or learn a new one?

Joining a competitive sports team will instantaneously renew your exercise regimen with fun, motivation, accountability, intensity and passion!

18 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

While there will always be a need for traditional exercises—both resistance and cardio, in any holistic, well-rounded fitness plan—playing and competing in sports can also be an outstanding path to achieving fitness while bringing some excitement back into your training.

Playing a sport or competing can also give you something more tangible to train for, other than a scale or the mirror.

FourElmagazine.com

FITNESS

with Max Wettstein Some folks are lucky enough to view traditional exercising as a sport in and of itself and actually enjoy exercising in the purest sense. They trigger a dopamine-neurotransmitter reward response in their brain simply by going for a jog outside, spinning to good music or busting out a heavy set of squats. CrossFit for example, once just considered a form of boot camp-style exercising, is now a niche sport followed by thousands. The best of the best CrossFitters now compete in the national CrossFit Games, televised by ESPN. However, most of us view working out as just that: more work—and another hour taken from our day that we’re just trying to get over with.

Playing your favorite sport, especially when you’re part of a team dynamic, will bring that missing physical passion and intensity back into your training plan. You’ll be accountable to your team or teammate, and you won’t want to let them down on the court—whatever court it is you choose. Perhaps your sport of choice is a solo one, where it is more about you taking on Mother Nature, such as surfing or mountain biking.

Whatever your sport, you will be rewarded with passion and enjoyment because your mind

will also be engaged and you will be focused on a challenging task under dynamic circumstances.

You will be focused on the ball, your opponent, the wave, the mountain … focused on winning or even survival for some weekend warriors. A barbell doesn’t try to run away from you. A treadmill doesn’t get any more stationary or predictable. And while the initial goal may simply be to have fun or get fit, you might be surprised what happens when you reawaken your inner-athlete and truly desire to win again. That’s when you may find yourself laying it all on the line—just like you did back in high school sports.

That’s when you will become totally immersed in that play or that game or in that race. That’s when you become fully present and aware, and the mental and even spiritual magic happens.

Totally immersed in the present moment, where nothing else seems to matter and you will feel so invigorated and alive.

betcha didn’t know!

Max is a Captain for JetBlue Airways and has been fortunate to fly with them for 9 years. Prior to joining JetBlue, Max was a carrier-based, navy pilot for 10 years. He flew the E-2C Hawkeye on board the carriers USS Abe Lincoln and Carl Vinson, deploying twice to the Persian Gulf.

Max received his commission as a navy officer through ROTC, graduating from the University of Colorado with a B.A. in Mathematics.

Powerful neurotransmitters like dopamine and endorphins and just the right amount of adrenalin will be making you high on life, in every sense of the expression. You will be using your mind and body to their full capacity and going for it, giving 100 percent effort without even having to pay for a trainer to scream at you. You’ll be stretching, flexing, lunging and will re-discover your physical prowess. Dare I say you may even feel like a kid again?

Normal fatigue barriers that would usually impede you during blander, traditional workouts will simply be non-existent. You will surprise yourself with your newly discovered energy reserves while on the court that you assumed had vanished with your youth.

You’ll be incinerating calories, sweating buckets, gasping for more oxygen, and yet the only reason you will be looking at your watch is because you fear your allotted play time is coming to an end. I don’t even have time to mention all the friendship and camaraderie that will develop as a side benefit. Nobody has your back like a teammate who has gone to battle with you.

But there is one catch. (There always is, isn’t there?) In your new-found, all-out, 100 percent physical effort, level of play, you will be pushing your body to new extremes. So you will be very sore the next day or two or even three, especially when Delayed

Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) sets in 36 to 48 hours after. A lot of this new type of soreness comes from the hyper-stretching, flexing and fast-twitch muscle use that comes with all-out bouts of effort during super challenging and very high-intensity levels of movement.

Playing sports will push you to the “edge of your physical envelope” so to speak, a place where most will never venture into during their adult lives, either due to complacency, apathy or fear. Kids and professional athletes occupy this risk-reward zone all the time, and it brings huge benefits.

I say benefits because all of the soreness you may experience is directly triggering new muscle growth, and honing a leaner, more toned physique. This is mainly due to the prostaglandins associated with inflammation associated with DOMS and the micro-tears in soft-tissue that intense exercise causes.

These prostaglandins along with lactic-acid accumulation within the muscles both trigger growth hormone and to a lesser extent testosterone, both powerful, lean-body, tissuehealing, anabolic hormones.

metabolism and leaves a longlasting, metabolism-boosting EPOC effect (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption). But if the soreness you’re experiencing is more than acute post-exercise soreness, then by all means break out the ice, ibuprofen and the compression wrap to treat a possible injury.

So don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and go for it.

Feel what it’s like to truly give an all-out, 100 percent physical effort again. Experience what it is like to be fully engaged in the moment again, where nothing else seems to matter but getting to the ball or getting up the mountain. Feel what it is like to have your senses hyper-awakened by dopamine, serotonin, endorphins and adrenaline again, all naturally produced in healthy amounts and ratios, as Mother Nature intended.

You may wake up a little sore and your ego may take a beating at first, and you may even have to sign up for some lessons to knock the rust off at first. But trust me, it will be worth it!

Intense exercise also increases insulin sensitivity and glucose

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 19

NUTRITION

fasting

Does it Have a Place in Your Diet Plan?

Most of us have been told not to skip meals, especially breakfast, and to never let ourselves get too hungry, or too full. And it’s said we should eat five to six smaller meals or snacks throughout the day similar to a grazing strategy, rather than skip lunch and eat a huge dinner.

We’ve been taught that this is better for balancing blood-sugar levels, preventing energy and mood-swings and for optimizing our metabolism. For the most part, if you happen to be already at your ideal weight and body-composition, and you exercise consistently, this eating-strategy holds true.

You could keep eating this way and continue to progress toward your fitness goals, especially

20 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

if you’re an athlete who needs to train for performance-based results and aren’t necessarily concerned with weight-loss.

However, if you would like to lose a few pounds of fat, or have a job that forces you to be sedentary for long periods, then you may want to consider the weight-loss (and longevity) benefits of fasting, specifically intermittent fasting.

To be clear, when done correctly, intermittent fasting will not lead you down the “yo-yo” dieting path of failure and frustration!

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NUTRITION with Max Wettstein

Fasting in a basic diet sense usually means you’re not eating for a planned period of time with a specific goal in mind. There are different types of fasts, done for different lengths of time: juice-fasts, detox-fasts, crash-dieting fasts, politicalfasts—and these are all controversial and subject to debate. But they do, in fact, result in short-term, usually temporary, weight loss.

Typically, a fast lasting more than 12 hours will leave you feeling depleted and certainly not prepare you for performing at your best. So fasting before a competition or demanding work may not be a good idea. However there are some amazing physiological benefits that occur during a fast that contribute to actual lean-body mass improvement and longevity.

Obviously, if you’re not eating, you are immediately creating a calorie deficit during the fasting period. On top of that, especially if you are able to include a high-intensity workout during your fast, you will access more stored fat for energy; as your glycogen stores become depleted, your insulin levels will be minimized since you’re not eating any carbohydrates, and more growth hormone will be released as insulin levels drop and your hunger hormone ghrelin is triggered.

Insulin blunts growth hormone, so by minimizing insulin you are creating more potential for growth hormone, especially if you exercise during your fasting period at a high enough intensity to cause lactic-acid accumulation within your muscles (the “good-burning” sensation), because lactic-acid accumulation further triggers growth hormone secretion.

The hunger-hormone ghrelin also triggers growth hormone (as opposed

to leptin, the “satiating hormone”

which blunts GH). Sorry, you may feel

hungry during your fast but know this is a sign you are about to burn some fat. To be clear, growth hormone is the most powerful, restorative and lean-body-mass-promoting hormone we produce. Growth hormone literally incinerates internal, visceral belly fat— the dangerous kind of inflammatory, diabetes-causing fat.

You can see that including a highintensity cardio workout during your fasting period (about 30 minutes or so) is key to optimizing the fat-burning, growth-hormone effects of the fast.

What’s more, the high-intensity workout will also help protect your lean-body mass/muscle tissue from being catabolized or broken down for protein requirements, because you will be stressing the muscle tissue. This inherently creates a follow-on anabolic state post workout as the muscle fibers will try to repair themselves at all costs.

Anything you eat after a period of fasting combined with a highintensity workout (either cardio or resistance training) will be converted to fuel for muscle repair and glycogen replenishment rather than stored as fat. In a physiological sense, postfasting you are in an acute state of “insulin-sensitivity,” which means your liver and muscles will uptake glucose from your bloodstream with very little insulin required. This is great news for not only optimizing your metabolism and athletic performance but also for holistic health and longevity as this directly combats “insulin resistance” and lowers the risk of adult-onset diabetes (Type 2).

Including the high-intensity workout during your fasting period also exponentially increases your calorie and fat-burning potential, because it will boost your metabolism for hours after during your recovery period. This is known as EPOC, or Excess Postexercise Oxygen Consumption phase.

Athletes and most guys in general tend to worry about muscle catabolism or breakdown if we go without any protein for 12 hours, especially if we are exercising during this period. But this is largely an anecdotal and propagandabased fear created by bodybuilding supplement companies who have been brainwashing us into believing that we need to ingest 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight every three hours or we will shrivel up and lose our man cards. Perhaps if you’re a competitive bodybuilder you may want to err on the anabolic conservative side and guard your muscle mass (at the expense of your kidneys and wallet), but for the rest of us, we don’t need to worry.

In fact, caffeine is proven to boost mobilizing of fat stores for enhanced fat burning, not to mention it will help fire you up for a morning cardio session.

After your morning workout, you can finally eat. A typical post workout meal will be ideal. 3:1 complex carbs-toprotein, but again if you’re trying to emphasize weight loss then perhaps a 1:1 carb to protein ratio will be more ideal for you. You need to incorporate a reasonable amount of carbohydrates to avoid the unhealthy state of ketosis.

You can incorporate this fasting two to three times per week, or no more than every other day, to allow for adequate replenishment and to keep your metabolism functioning at its optimum.

Sure, we will experience some temporary weight loss post fast, but this is mostly from depleted stored glycogen along with the intra-muscular water weight that goes with it and not from muscle atrophy. This weight can be replenished with one good meal if desired. However, over time you will continue to lower your body-fat percentage while preserving or even adding muscle-mass, as long as you exercise consistently with enough intensity. Again, fasting before any type of competition or going to your workplace is never a wise idea. Give yourself time to eat and always stay hydrated properly. Never restrict water intake!

Lastly, I will touch on the longevity or anti-aging benefits of fasting. Across many anti-aging studies, it is thought that minimalistic or calorie-restrictive diets contribute to a longer life. Yes, thin people tend to live longer hypothetically given all other hereditary and lifestyle factors being equal. This is mostly attributed to lower levels of insulin and the hormones insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-I and IGF-II).

Less food means lower levels of these hormones that are associated with systemic inflammation and accelerated aging, if they are chronically elevated for many years.

As far as application of this intermittent-fasting strategy, the ideal fasting period is 12 hours where the first eight hours of the fast is conducted while you sleep at night. How easy is that? You can even begin the fast after your last meal or dinner to add another two hours, then fast while you sleep.

Then, do some high-intensity cardio after you wake up, drinking only water or water and 20 grams of protein (if

you’re really concerned about avoiding any possible muscle-catabolism) along

In a healthy, properly functioning metabolism, insulin is a glucoseshuttle hormone and also an anabolic hormone, but when our metabolism becomes dysfunctional mostly due to over-eating, too much sugar consumption and sedentary lifestyle, insulin and IGF-I and IGF-II contribute to a host of systemicinflammatory diseases and shorter lifespan. Intermittent fasting combined with a balanced diet and consistent exercise can help reset and repair a dysfunctional metabolism and reverse Type 2, adult-onset diabetes.

with your normal coffee or tea if you enjoy a morning caffeine fix.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 21

fitness trending

HARD CORE

stylewatch

solid board short

Boardshorts:

Nothing to be Board With

By Andrea Zancha

It’s no secret that San Diego has some of the best waves around and has produced the likes of Rob Machado and Taylor Knox. In addition to great waves, beach fashion has also become a staple on the scene.

After speaking with several local surf shop employees and some of San Diego’s finest beached gentlemen, I found that most men prefer fashion over convenience. For the fashion savvy male, bold prints were more popular than solids. Think Hawaiian floral, camo, tribal and stripes.

What to expect from upcoming trends? The ‘80s are making a comeback: Checkered prints and loud stripes (both in neutral and neon) are hitting the shelves. Shorter shorts for the inner hipster will also be making an appearance.

Hybrid shorts are also bursting onto the scene. Hybrid shorts look like your every-day boardshorts, but they combine the stretchability of boardshorts with walking shorts and are lightweight. They come in a variety of colors and patterns; my personal favorite is the Loaded Hybrid by O’Neill, which cost a cool $50 to $70 bucks depending on the style.

For those looking for functionality and to eliminate muscle fatigue and board rash, compression shorts are often worn under boardshorts for extra protection. Some brands, such as Oakley, are now manufacturing boardshorts with compression shorts in them. These multipurpose shorts are favored by many but are a bit more costly, averaging from $110 to $160. If you want to try compression shorts, San Diego’s own Elephant Surf offers the Josh Kerr Pro Model short at a much more affordable $60.

22 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

One thing most agree on is the Hurley Phantom short (a five-time Surf Industry Manufacturers Association winner) is one of the best in the market.

What makes the Phantom better than other shorts is their patented technology. The Phantoms are lighter and more flexible, offering a four-way stretch and up to a 120 percent stretch in the higher-end styles.

These shorts also have a water repellant treatment, originally created for the Olympic swim team, that will not weigh down the surfer. As if these reasons were not enough incentive, Hurley also uses 12 recycled water bottles in every pair of Phantoms.

hurley phantom

Loaded hybrid by O’Neill

Phantoms cost anywhere from $50 for the Solid Board Short up to $125 for the Fuse 2 Board Short. Hurley also offers custom boardshorts on its website that allows customers to design their own personalized boardshorts and choose from a variety of color options.

Within the past few months, Hurley unveiled the Phantom Fuse 2 Board Short, which is newly redesigned to offer more emphasis on athlete performance, as well as a neoprene waistband.

Considered to be the most advanced boardshort on the market, the Phantom Fuse 2 also boasts a bonded net design that offers more support.

hurley fuze

Hurley is reshaping the industry with their advanced technology, but it’s only a limited amount of time before competitors create a more affordable advanced line as well. Whether you’re looking to be trendy or improve your surfing abilities with boardshorts, it’s nearly impossible not to find something to suit your own personal style and needs. There are endless options and styles on the market.

The industry, in itself, is nothing to be bored with.

josh kerr pro model compression shorts

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striving to make a

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

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

All Waste Paper, Plates And Inks Are Recycled

SAN DIEGUITO PRINTERS 1880 Diamond Street • San Marcos, CA 92078 Phone: 760.744.0910 • sd-print.com SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 23

photo by john schnack

24 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

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rob machado by steve woods

oofy.

Rob Machado surfs g

osely. Goofy. Rob that term VERY lo I surf, and I use iew. I wore green nts to our interv pa n ee gr re In wo o Machad rities end there. rview. The simila te in r ou and to EL s ur nt Fo pa iends at contacted by my fr the th wi w ie fact, when I was rv te ed in doing an in st re te in be d I’ asked if myself, “Why me?” nd, I wondered to Cardiff surf lege in burb. Rob grew up ed in a Dallas su a li ra st Au I grew up landlock om fr here most part, moving seball ba t ho Cardiff, for the y, st du e th spent my life on the when he was 3. I t his life surfing en sp He s. xa Te h te. si po op diamonds of Nort e exact and pale. He is th e th do Pacific. I’m chubby ld ou t I sh nds if they though : “DUDE ng di un I asked some frie so re a th eries were met wi qu my d an do it. w to ie rv inte .” So I agreed at guy is a LEGEND … YOU HAVE TO. Th

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 25

M

machado

photo by steve sherman

Rob. to the surf with me paddle out in n. ve ow ha my to ld ol ho co ly d be could actual thought it woul d) cages, where I Go g nk in ha Originally, we tt (t ba d e de th we deci erred going to e day we met, so and I I would’ve pref were very flat th each other. Rob ns ow io kn it nd to co t e ge d an t ea was kind to it t Mercifully, th te a bi I will admi street and grab to get a bowl. f if ghly rd hi Ca I to run down the in . th ai Ac eating it wi to the Sambazon the guy you’re r te af drove together d me na . e area ng an Acai bowl if you’re in th of surreal eati Butter Surprise ut an Pe o ad ch Ma recommend his rections

in about 10 di

by a Rob gets pulled y from the car noticed is that I g in th st opped on our wa fir st s The e, he wa or He st e s. th me e folks inside ingly at all ti th em se by , d pe me op ti st at one o, he was y event he was nted to say hell out some charit wa ab o m wh hi ds to was ki lk of ta group wanted to at Rimel’s, it e by a guy who to a back room id er ts ov ou came d s ed ve l’ ll mo me pu d Ri was bowls an manager of we gathered our , however, the . re th fo wi be t em No th doing. So, when t. ed abou b had help I wanted to talk charity that Ro a t ou ab g the first thing in lk ta shirts for Rob, in with some t-

26 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FourElmagazine.com

Four EL: So Rob, I wanted to talk about …

Rob Machado: Hang on one second, I have to respond to this guy.

[I told you this guy is busy!]

No problem. So I wanted to talk about the fact that we’ve been here for about 10 minutes and already you’ve been approached by so many different people, pulling you in different directions. How do you deal with that?

[Laughs] I think … I think it comes back, for me, to when I was a kid and I remember going to a surf contest and I had my one page that I ripped out of a magazine and I was like “I’m gonna get everyone’s autograph today” and most of the guys gave you, like, five seconds of their time. But there were a couple of guys, guys like Shaun Tomson and others, who actually stopped and, like, talked to me.

How old were you at this point?

Twelve …. and just getting into the whole surfing thing. And for them to stop and look you in the eye, and talk to you and ask you a question, it resonated with me in a big way. And it’s hard, because it’s like you said, you do get pulled in a million different directions. But it comes down to, at the end of the day, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do if it wasn’t for the people. Connecting with people. That’s what … that’s part of my existence, and I have to remind myself that I have to appreciate that. And it goes back to Shaun Tomson, you know, stopping and appreciating this little kid.

You know who’s really good at it by the way? Ben Harper. You watch that guy, we’ll go have dinner or something, and it’s the same thing. People coming up to him constantly and it’s never like a “Hey, what’s up, yeah I’ll sign that for you.” He connects with everybody. Sometimes it’s only for 10 or 15 seconds, but you’ll see it and they’re mesmerized by it. It’s a totally different game.

So you grew up here in Cardiff. Do you remember a time you were ever bad at surfing, or did it just come so naturally to you at a young age?

[Laughs] I started so young. … You don’t even think about it when you’re a kid. It

was every day, come home from school, just mow through a bowl of cereal, just run to the beach. Yeah, you had that competition with your friends, trying to one up each other every day, but you weren’t thinking of the guys who were super good. You’re in your world, and you’re so in love with what you’re doing and you can’t get enough of it. That side of it never ever felt like work. That’s what’s magical about surfing. Still to this day, I find a bad day of surfing better than any day at work.

Yeah, but did you ever question your abilities on a surfboard?

I think the one time I did was when I got up to a level when I started entering pro contests, and I went to exit out of the amateur ranks into the pro ranks, I just didn’t feel like I was on that level.

Was that a terrifying experience, going from mowing down a bowl of cereal and surfing with five or six of your best friends to now surfing for a score?

What is that like, surfing for a score?

Think about it … my brother coaches high school baseball. He’s had a couple of kids get drafted and he always tells them, “Look, this is the last time you’ll play baseball because you love it. Not for a paycheck. Not as a job. This is it. Enjoy it.” It’s the same thing with surfing. All of a sudden, you’re getting a check. And that was super weird to me. You turn pro and you’re getting paid every month, and they’re expecting something out of me. There’s not really a clear agenda laid out to you, it’s like “Cool … let’s see what you got kid.”

OK, and be truthful here: What do you think when you see a kook like me out in the water, trying to learn to surf?

Are you like, “Come on, man …” or are you like, “Oh cool … another guy learning to surf?”

No way man. … I’m stoked.

Are you?

I mean, look, I love seeing people. …

Look, there are certain places and scenarios that you don’t want to put yourself in, as a beginner. It’s like … you wouldn’t jump onto a major league field as a Little Leaguer.

That’s a really good way to put it.

I’ve never heard it put that way.

Yeah, it’s all about being smart.

For a guy like me, and I’m not even going to call myself intermediate, where would you recommend?

Right across the street. Right around the campgrounds, from Pipes to Traps to Turtles and in between. There are tons of fun little waves; it’s kind of spread out.

It’s the waves like Cardiff, Wind & Sea, everything is centrally located around the reef, and it gets a little chaotic.

You’ve traveled all over the world.

Is there anywhere you haven’t been that you want to go?

Yeah … oh yeah … I want to go to Ireland.

There’s a lot of places. I mean, there’s so much surf out there these days. I just got invited to Israel, you know. I might go to Taiwan.

So aside from traveling to surf, is there anything about going to a New York or Chicago, a big city, that appeals to you?

Oh yeah. Surfing is, well, it used to consume me, but I’ve come to realize that the waves aren’t good all of the time and if you sit around and stare at the ocean it may not change. Plus now with forecasting, we can pretty much plan a surf trip around swells and be really spot on. Then when you hit the swells, you get some down time where you can go do and explore and venture out. I was just in Japan, hanging out in Tokyo.

Is there a part of you that’s happy sitting still?

Yes and no. I mean, I’ve traveled to a lot of places, but I love coming home.

I mean, I can’t think of a better place to live. When I come back to here I’m always like, “Man … San Diego is pretty damn cool.”

Yeah, it’s like flying into a vacation from a vacation, every time.

We’re pretty lucky. Especially living in North County; there’s nothing like it.

So, I mean, yeah, I’ll be home for a little while and then I’ll start to get the itch.

It’s in my blood and I’ve done it so long.

It’s in my job description, I guess.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 27

28 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

photo by john schnack FourElmagazine.com

Rob and I talked for probably an hour, and I came to realize what an inspired and inspiring person he really is. His eyes light up when he talks about the work he does with his foundation, the aptly titled Rob Machado Foundation.

He’s not a “sit behind the scenes” guy, either. He’s brought “refilling stations” to schools and provided canteens to fill up. He’s got kids helping raise money, in conjunction with one of his sponsors, Hurley, for Waves for Water, which provides clean water for disaster areas in Third World countries. Rob even took some kids to Nicaragua to help install some water filtration systems. He’s the real deal.

rob machado

M

M

One of the most surprising realizations I had when meeting Rob was just how famous this dude actually is. Look, when you get recognized at LAX by Paul McCartney, you’ve made it. That’s it.

It’s practically the pinnacle of fame.

Rob Machado: A buddy and I were sitting in LAX, just back from a week-long trip. We’d been in Mexico, me and Pat O’Connell. We were all dirty and beat down.

All of a sudden, we look over and standing there is Sir Paul McCartney. We’re looking at him and he looked me dead in the eye and caught me staring at him. All of a sudden, he starts walking over to us and says, “How you guys doing?”

And we’re just like, “Hey, Paul …how’s it going? … It’s an honor.” Then he asked us where we’d been. We told him we were in Mexico. “No kidding? That’s where I’m going. Playing a gig in Mexico City. Then … check this out … I’m heading to Hawaii to play for the president.” Finally, Paul looks at me and says, “Wait … you look familiar. … You’re in that movie Surf’s Up.” So then I told Paul he was full of shit, that he’s pulling out Surf’s Up. Paul looks at me and says, “I’ve got a 6-year-old, man. I’ve watched that fucking movie a thousand times. I’ve watched the bonus scenes, the deleted scenes, the whole thing.” Then our boards came out and we slapped him five and gave him a “Later, bro.” Then we got in the car and just tripped out and screamed.

To hear him tell the story was pretty awesome, not going to lie; and that’s one of the cool things about Rob. He drops names, but he’s not a name dropper. Trust me, you know a name dropper when you see one. He’s not it. Rob is a guy who’s genuinely thankful and still seems a bit shocked by the life that has been dealt him.

Besides his many charitable endeavors, Rob is also a very accomplished photographer and musician. When I asked him how he got into both, the answer was surprising: Boredom. “When you basically spend your life waiting

Photos by Rob Machado

for swells, you find yourself with a lot of free time.” He’s gotten to perform with several of his favorite musicians, most notably, Pearl Jam in Italy. “They called me onstage to sing ‘Rockin’ in the Free World.’ One of my daughters was there and we were throwing out tambourines to the audience.”

along with his children, is also very much into surfing. “I told him, I’ll make you a board, but I want you to paint it and we’ll auction it off for charity.”

He’ll make two boards for his friends like Eddie Vedder and Ben Harper, and they’ll do a design for charity, to be auctioned off.

Talk about surreal.

I’d meant to ask him what the future holds for him. But I’m not Another passion project is a yet sure even he knows. I do know unnamed board-shaping endeavor, this though: His future will be 2013 | Fullywith cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 29 where he takes rejected foam SEPTEMBER from attacked the quiet fervor Channel Islands and shapes boards that he’s attacked his past with. for his friends, you know… like And it’ll be amazing. And you’ll Mike D from the Beastie Boys who, be jealous.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 29

feature

ROB MACHADO TIDBITS

Rob Machado

Five craziest things you’ve experienced while traveling in your career.

01 Singing “Rockin’ in the free world” with Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper and my daughter onstage in Italy.

02

Never Listless In San Diego

Meeting Sir Paul McCartney while waiting in customs at LAX. I was fresh off a surf trip in Baja, nice and grundgy.

03

ruising the streets of New C York City with Ben Harper in his limo after a private show.

04

itting on a boat floating S through the Mentawai Islands and listening to Jack Johnson write songs that would go on to launch his music career.

05

etting to be in a Metallica G music video and afterward getting to surf with Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo.

The five best places on the planet where you’ve eaten.

01 Street tacos in mainland Mexico ...

kind of a gamble

Babi Guling in Sanur, Bali ... also a gamble

03

Authentic Italian pizza, Rome, Italy

04

Kobe beef restaurant, Kobe, Japan

05

Street food in Thailand ... it’s all good, really good

02

5 Tips to surviving a barrel at Pipeline Follow these steps … if you want to recreate what it feels like: 01 Run up and down the stairs

20 times to get the heart rate up.

02

02

iding my electric bike to Seaside Market/ R Sambazon Acai Cafe, East Coast Pizza, Rimel’s, Zenbu

03

Visiting the meditation gardens at the Self Realization Fellowship

04

iding waves all over San Diego. We are R blessed with some of the best waves in the world ... from Trestles to Swamis to Blacks and everything in between

Jump out of the way of a moving train

03

Paddle harder than you’ve ever paddled in your life.

04

Fall out of the sky.

05

Now… Hold your breath while you get the crap kicked out of you and a swimming pool gets dumped on your head.

do not try this at home

(to get the adrenaline going).

Favorite places/things to do in San Diego.

01 Belly Up ... seen some amazing shows there ... Ben Harper, Toots and the Maytals,

Mason Jennings, etc.

WARNING

But… If you make it, it’s all worth it.

Revisiting the most memorable wave of your life.

01 Repeat all the steps above except being under a swimming pool.

02 I fell out of the sky, made it under the lip and got two barrels all the way through the sandbar. And this was in the dying minutes of the Pipeline Masters to win the contest.

Editors note: Those of you who know Rob understand that he’s one of the

most modest, humble guys on the planet. He left out a little fact that I’ll add in, he got a perfect score on that legendary wave.

30 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

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career milestones

1991: First Pro Victory in Florida. US Pro Tour Champion, qualified for the ASP World Championship Tour 1992: First full year on the ASP Tour, finished 8th.

Finished 2nd in France.

1993: Won first ASP Tour event in Japan.

Finished the year in 5th.

1994: Won four events, France, Japan, Billabong Challenge, and U.S. Open of Surfing. Finished the year with a semi-final showdown with Kelly Slater at Pipeline to determine the world title. Ranked #2 in the world.

1995: First band, Sac Lunch. Taylor Steele and Rob released their first surf flick together called Drifting: The Rob Machado Chronicles 1996: Won the Rip Curl Pro in Hossegor, France.

Finished the year in 4th.

1997: The Surfers, the band Rob had with Kelly Slater and Peter King, released their one and only CD on Sony Records and toured the U.S. and Japan 2000: Won the Pipeline Masters, France, and Portugal, finished the year in 3rd place.

2001: Won second U.S. Open Championship and stopped competing full time on the ASP World Tour.

Breitbard Hall of Fame and Sports Museum in San Diego voted Rob Machado professional athlete of the month for January. Nominated for Surfer of the Year by ESPN for the action sports and the music festival.

2004: The Rob Machado Foundation (RMF) is a California based 501c (3) not-for-profit foundation.

Founded in 2004, RMF was created to support charities dedicated to environmental programs worldwide. Their primary mission is to provide funding and educational programs focused on helping children understand their contribution towards a healthy earth.

2005: ESPN Summer X Games campaign 2006: Won third U.S. Open Championship and was re-inducted into the Surfer’s Hall of Fame. Nominated for Surfer of the Year by Arby’s Action Sports Awards.

2007: ESPN Summer X Games Gold Medal Victory 2008: Awarded The Kids Peace Hero Award at their 3rd annual walk for Peace and Friendship Festival.

2009: One Degree Less Award from Planet Green + Water Council of Brazil Project and recipient of the award for environmental work for Save our Surf/Oceana. Recognized by the surf industries governing board SIMA as Waterman of the Year alongside Dave Rastavich as Environmentalist of the Year. Gerry Lopez presented Rob with his trophy.

2009: Released the highly anticipated film The Drifter, which chronicled his 6 month journey through Indonesia. During this time, Rob became active with the Sumba Foundation and supported their efforts in community well digging.

2010: Rob and Taylor Steele gathered up the best of the unused surf sessions from The Drifter and rolled it up to Melali, which means to cruise in Indonesian.

Rob and long time friend Jon Swift spearheaded the musical collaboration to record live music to surf as the films soundtrack. The Melali Sessions Band and film toured the East and West coast of the U.S. with a special performance at the National Geographic in Washington D.C. 2011: Inducted as Surf Champion in the Surfing Walk of Fame, Huntington Beach, CA With his sponsors and the ASP, Rob launched the Seaside Pro Junior, a 4 Star amateur event at his home break, Seaside Reef 2012: Hosted Bro-Jr as part of his friends Bro-Am Event

photo by Steve Sherman

The first inaugural Rob Machado Foundation benefit concert at the Belly Up in Solana Beach, SOLD OUT.

San diego

restaurant guide We ate, we drank. Now we’re Fat and bloated. Sorry, fatter. the sacrifices we make for our readers...

st e a k h o us e

Bentley’s Steak & Chop House – Encinitas The owners and management here are dedicated to providing a highquality dining and entertainment experience in a classic steak house ambience while a highly trained staff of professionals serves you. They also feature one of North County’s most extensive wine lists that’s very progressively priced.

The Steakhouse at Azul La Jolla – La Jolla Located along fashionable Prospect Street, tucked next to La Jolla’s most exclusive shops, boutiques and galleries, this is the village’s premiere ocean-view steakhouse.

JRDN at Tower 33 – Pacific Beach JRDN (pronounced Jordan) is located in the beautiful Tower 23 Hotel.

Upon dining in this restaurant you will experience great food, great service, and a fun cozy ambience. There is a lot of buzz about the New York Prime but to be honest, you can’t really go wrong with any cut. They also have a decent selection of seafood and an amazing happy hour menu.

Fiddler’s Green Restaurant – Point Loma Fiddler’s Green had its origins in 18th century sailing lore. Common seamen, who repaired their lines with a splicing tool called a fid, dreamed of a sailor’s heaven, where after the long voyage their every desire would be fulfilled. Today, Steve and Debi of Point Loma and their friends welcome you to their own Fiddler’s Green, where the best food and drink—and perhaps a touch of merriment—are offered nightly in one of the world’s most renowned sailing ports.

Donovan’s Steak and Chop House – Gaslamp

There are precious few complaints when dining at Donovan’s. This restaurant was a clear steakhouse winner when it comes to food, service and location. There is a lot of excitement about the filet mignon medallion and the Cajun-seasoned rib eye, but their steak isn’t the only food that is cooked to perfection here; they also have a variety of delicious fish, lamb chops, grilled shrimp and much more that is equally incredible. The restaurant is dimly lit, giving it a cool, romantic vibe. The service is outstanding as there’s usually more than one server per table; all are extremely knowledgeable about the restaurant and the menu.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar – Gaslamp

Fleming’s features the finest USDA prime beef, aged to perfection and prepared to order. While that’s their signature, Fleming’s also features other exceptional entrees and a variety of small plate offerings, as well as generous sides, market-fresh salads and decadent desserts.

West Steak & Seafood – Carlsbad Since opening their doors in December 2005, West Steak & Seafood has become a favored dining venue. Their intimate and distinctive fine-dining restaurant, fused with a creative culinary team, make this Carlsbad’s most sought-after reservation. Enjoy a healthy “farm to table” experience with fresh vegetables picked daily from the chef’s local garden.

Editor’s note: I’ve personally been here more than a handful of times, and it’s my de-facto destination for

birthdays and gussied-up occasions. Still the best lobster bisque I’ve found in San Diego. Send your bisque related hate mail to cory@fourELmagazine.com

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse – Carmel Valley

Offering a prime steakhouse experience to excite the senses, they also have private dining rooms that are fantastic for any gathering or occasion. With rooms to accommodate anything from cocktail parties to sit-down dinners, their dedicated events team strives to serve up the best in quality and service for you and your guests.

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Fish Market – Del Mar You enjoy casual dining amidst the many moving parts of a bustling seafood house. There is a bar and lounge area, full-service oyster bar with counter seating, retail seafood market, and their signature mesquite wood broilers. They offer an extensive seafood menu that features fresh fish broiled just inches over the mesquite wood to seal in the flavor. Additionally, they offer other shellfish specialties, chowders and cioppino, seafood cocktails, smoked fish and pasta appetizers, as well as salads and appetizers.

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Eddie V’s Prime Seafood – La Jolla Eddie V’s has a comfortably sophisticated environment, sparkling atmosphere and sounds of live jazz that fill the air and set the tone for a dining experience you will long remember. Enjoy a robust and varied selection of fish and shellfish hand-selected from the top catches of the day. Or indulge in their critically acclaimed aged steaks, broiled to perfection and lightly brushed with butter. Complemented by the ideal wine pairing, dishes are completed with irresistible side dishes and desserts.

All are presented to you by a gracious, professional staff.

Bo’s Seafood Market and Grill – Hillcrest Bo’s brings the neighborhood of Hillcrest fresh seafood and local beers. They serve only the freshest of fish from local distributors. They also feature six rotating drafts of San Diego’s finest microbrews. The business comes naturally to Bo. Both of his grandfathers were of great influence on his dream to create his restaurant. His maternal grandfather, the original Bo (whose likeness is featured in the logo) kindled Bo’s love for seafood and sportfishing along the California coast. Pictures of his favorite fishing spots can be seen on the walls.

Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill – Mission Hills

They have the freshest seafood delivered to their cases on a daily basis. Served in a sandwich, salad, or plate, each dish is grilled to perfection. But wait ... there’s more. You can also enjoy their fish tacos, homemade soups and chowders as well as their fresh oyster bar. This place was already well known but after Diner, Drive Ins, and Dives showed up, they have been killing it ever since.

The Oceanaire Seafood Room – Gaslamp Sleek and sophisticated, The Oceanaire provides the perfect setting to enjoy the freshest seafood flown in daily from around the world. The knowledgeable staff delights with exceptional service, guiding you through a wide variety of menu items and helping you select the perfect wine to complement your meal.

You’ll find out why The Oceanaire has been voted one of the best seafood restaurants in the country.

Spike Africa’s Fresh Fish Grill and Bar – Gaslamp Known for it’s ultra-fresh fish and global dishes from the sea, the fare is all about what is the freshest.

Their Catch of the Day list changes daily, mixing in yellowtail, swordfish, and barramundi. Bold dishes like the Port Townsend Seafood simmer and Coconut Curry Black Mussels are the call for seafarers. Come by for $1 oysters and $5 drafts for happy hour.

Pelly’s Café and Fish Market - Carlsbad Since its inception in 1989, the place has been on a mission to provide Carlsbad and the surrounding communities with only the finest and freshest seafood available anywhere. From sushi-grade ahi to the locally harvested shellfish, the quality is second to none. Fish arrives daily on the “round” (meaning whole) then is filleted on site; this allows them to ensure only the top quality fish is used. In the cafe, the same quality fish is served as is sold in the market. It’s cut daily and used on sandwiches, tacos and grilled seafood plates. The clam chowder—Boston (white) or Manhattan (red)–is made daily. Remember to save room for Pelly’s homemade key lime pie.

Fish 101 – Leucadia A modern interpretation of a traditional West Coast fish house, Fish 101 highlights local and seasonal fish, shellfish and produce, with all sea critters sourced in accordance with Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program. The restaurant is the vision of the husband and wife chef team John and Jessica Park, graduates of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. John was the executive chef and co-owner of Tokyo Go Go, while Jessica honed her pastry skills at Home restaurant before moving to North County in 2009. A cozy, 50-seat neighborhood restaurant, you’ll find indoor, bar and outdoor seating in a coastal setting.

Pacific Beach Fish Shop – Pacific Beach

If the massive hanging swordfish doesn’t grab your attention, the food served will surely reel you in. They’re all about fresh, tide-to-table seafood selections, cooked to perfection, and dressed as you choose. The dozen or so types of fish and eight tasty marinades promise a variety of irresistible flavor combinations that will certainly have you salivating like Pavlov’s dog.

And speaking of dogs, they are welcome here, too.

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Pomodoro Ristorante Italiano – Point Loma If you are searching for high-end authentic Italian food, then this is definitely where you should be. First, the ambience is outstanding: a mix of cozy atmosphere and trendy hot spot. Why get on a plane and go to Italy when you could just come here? The decor certainly mimics the Italian culture. Also, the food is reasonably priced considering the portions you get, and it all tastes incredible. As soon as you are seated, they provide you with perfectly cooked bread accompanied by a side of marinara sauce. No Bologna, this place is Italy in Point Loma.

Assenti’s Pasta – Little Italy Established in 1981, Assenti’s Pasta was born out of mother Adriana Assenti’s desire to bring fresh pasta to the masses. Adriana and her husband Umberto Assenti were married in 1953 in San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy. Shortly after their union they moved to San Diego, where they began their new lives by establishing themselves in the local food service industry. Umberto pursued an entrepreneurial career as a restaurateur, with the purchase of The Isle of Capri in 1956.

Ariccia – La Jolla Ariccia is a concept meant to intrigue everyone’s taste buds, inspire meals to enjoy at home, and offer food and ingredients you can’t help but love. Ariccia is a market for those who want to prepare a family dinner without spending hours prepping; those with a curiosity to experience truly authentic pastas, sauces, meats and cheeses; those who are professional chefs; and those searching for a market that is accessible, personal and memorable. This is a perfectly wonderful addition to La Jolla.

Oscar’s Mexican Seafood – La Jolla

The Four EL Mexican food winner is without a doubt Oscar’s Mexican Seafood. This will not be the fanciest place to dine at—in fact, it is a hole in the wall as all the best Mexican food places always are. You’ll definitely get your money’s worth. Their tacos are actually giant burritos pretending to be tacos. Two of their must-have dishes are the surf and turf taco containing delicious steak with butterfly shrimp and the fish or shrimp ceviche. As a matter of fact, it’s all good so make multiple trips and try everything!

La Playa Taco Shop – Mission Beach Any small Mexican food place with a whopping four-and-a-half stars on (the gawdawful) Yelp must be doing something right. Just trust me on that. The al pastor and veggie burritos both come highly recommended.

Mexican Fiesta – Little Italy From what I understand, the hot sauce and carne asada fries will change your life. If you’re craving Mexican food while walking the streets of downtown San Diego, head toward Little Italy and say hi. Oh, and eat too.

La Especial Norte – Carlsbad Formally Fidels’, which is still the name everyone in town uses, this fantastic restaurant boasts fantastic food and a patio perfect for margaritas and mingling.

Tony’s Jacal – Solana Beach The Gonzales family is proud of their cuisine and the years of devoted service they have given their customers, many of whom return regularly for the chiles rellenos and other Mexican favorites. Traditional Mexican dishes are prepared with mild or hot seasonings to please the discriminating palate. The menu also includes some American entrees. Opened in 1946, the family tradition of serving fine Mexican food has being carried on by two daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Ortiz’s Taco Shop – Point Loma Very friendly and active on Facebook, Ortiz’s is a family owned taco shop that’s been in Point Loma for almost seven years. They very obviously love the location and the people they serve.

El Zarape – University Heights Huge menu and very interesting and eclectic decor. You can’t go wrong.

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Jorge’s Mexicatessen – Encinitas A smaller restaurant, but the chicken soup and carnitas are definitely recommended. It’s not near the coast, but you’re only 10 minutes away from Moonlight Beach.

Rosanna’s Pasta Shop – Encinitas Rosanna’s Pasta Shop was established in 1987 and originally located on Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas. The pasta shop is family owned and operated and is also a small Italian market, wine and take out shop with food the whole family will love. Rosanna and her husband were born in Italy. The entire family is passionate in their desire to prepare the finest in Italian dishes.

Primavera Ristorante – Coronado

One of San Diego’s finest Italian restaurants offers a unique blend of Northern Italian cuisine. Chef Pepe Vega has been preparing exquisite meals for nearly 20 years and has achieved world renowned success with his house specialty, Osso Buco. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the finest in Italian food.

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sushi Azuki Sushi – Banker’s Hill Azuki translates to red beans, which are a sign of good luck. And if you’ve stepped into Azuki Sushi in Banker’s Hill, then you’re in luck as well. Happiness means fresh, local produce and fish.

Yoshino Japanese Deli – Carlsbad One of the best hidden gems in all of San Diego, the deli serves fresh food, made that day, and they close the doors when they sell out … which is every day. On good authority, definitely try the salmon poke bowl.

Kaito Sushi – Encinitas A traditional sushi bar that follows the sushi styles and traditions of Tokyo, Kaito Sushi offers many items not found elsewhere in San Diego County. But they do not take shortcuts and don’t compromise; they are all about slow food.

Shiku Sushi – La Jolla Very popular and never overshadowed, Shiku Sushi is even located on trendy Prospect Street in La Jolla. With striking black and red motif and catchy roll names, Shiku is a must stop for sushi aficionados.

Davanti Enoteca – Del Mar

Twenty years ago, Chef Scott Harris co-founded Francesca’s Restaurants. He has established himself as one of Chicago’s most iconic restaurateurs, and the company continues to grow, winning fans and accolades across the country. Harris has earned a stellar reputation as a chef, business leader, developer of talented people and a generous contributor to his community. Over the years, and with his signature attention to detail, Harris has created a company of restaurants with individual flair and neighborhood appeal while still maintaining consistency within the brand. Francesca’s restaurants’ close-knit, family-like atmosphere results from promoting people from within rather than hiring outside applicants. All restaurant employees, from dishwashers to waiters, are encouraged to push themselves to move up within the company.

Enoteca Adriano – Pacific Beach With more than 30 types of wine served by the glass and the bottle, Enoteca Adriano’s wine list highlights the best of Italy’s 2000+ grape varieties from its 13 wine-growing regions. With delicious regional dishes, Enoteca Adriano is a unique yet casual place modeled after the Enoteca’s of Italy that are at the center of Italian culture. Diners can experiment with ancient indigenous varieties like Aglianico or try Italy’s old-world take on familiar varietals such as cabernet, paired with tempting antipasti, seasonal salads, distinctive soups, savory pasta dishes and delectable desserts.

Whether you are looking for a romantic evening or a casual meeting with friends and family, the patio piazza makes Enoteca Adriano a must-stop for anyone in San Diego, residents and tourists alike.

Origano – Hillcrest Prepare to be impressed. For the past 20 years, the team here has set the standard for authentic Italian in San Diego.

And now they’re capturing Hillcrest. A passion for extraordinary hospitality and a commitment to ambiance, Origano is dedicated to distinctive quality and promises to give you the finest dining experience you’ve ever encountered. They feel that incredible food deserves an equally extraordinary presentation.

So at Origano, you’ll also feast your eyes on a warm and cozy atmosphere—along with the friendliest service in town.

They guarantee to obliterate your expectations of what an Italian dining experience can be.

Vigilucci’s Cucina Italiana – Carlsbad Nestled in the heart of downtown Carlsbad, Vigilucci’s Cucina Italiana is the perfect spot for a quiet night out, with fabulous food and award-winning service. Enjoy an affordable lunch on the outdoor patio or start the evening off at the full-service bar then enjoy a classic Italian dinner and a great bottle of wine. A daily happy hour is a favorite among locals after long days at the office. A great place for a romantic dinner, a family gathering or a company party.

Sushi Tadokoro – Old Town

Sushi Tadokoro serves traditional Japanese (Edomae) style sushi using homemade ingredients and recipes. Everything is prepared using the best of local and seasonal ingredients from around the world. Behind every meal are hours of careful preparation using skills and techniques acquired over the decades.

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Sushi Mura – Point Loma Offering a new level dining experience in the Liberty Station at Point Loma, here you can indulge in high-quality sushi featuring a true Japanese rice varietal, as well as a unique sake list, and the Japanese beers you already know and love.

Their mission is to show the beauty and delicacy of sushi and Japanese cuisine in a modern yet unpretentious atmosphere with lounge music to satisfy all of your senses and keep you immersed in comfort. They also strive to bring you the freshest seasonal ingredients to bring together your dish, so you can experience their unique style and quality. Most fish is imported from Japan and other regions of the world while they are at the pinnacle of quality.

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Shino Sushi + Kappo – Little Italy Shino Sushi + Kappo, a modern sushi restaurant with an elegant and alluring traditional twist. Is manned by chef and owner Robert Nakamura. Very hip environment downtown, and the nigiri is highly recommended.

Akinori Sushi – Hillcrest Chef Akinori Sato describes himself as the “seeker of the freshest fish,” especially when it comes to traditional Edomae-style sushi. As a native of Shinjukuku in Tokyo, Japan, Aki would be fascinated by the fast-paced Edomae sushi establishments throughout Tokyo. It’s the centuries-old practice and dedication to this type of sushi that inspires Aki to offer fresh, locally sourced and seasonable ingredients to his customers.

Rama – Gaslamp

This fine Thai restaurant is recognized as one of the best in San Diego because of its beautiful décor and authentic cuisine. Rama’s chefs craft traditional Thai dishes using the best ingredients and offer an excellent selection of liquor, wine and beer carefully chosen to complement the menu.

Supannee House of Thai – Point Loma This place exceeds the upper echelon when it comes to Thai food. It’s reasonably priced, the presentation is beautiful, and the ambience is admirable, not to mention it’s delicious! The most notable dish has to be their drunken noodles. Thai food doesn’t always get the foreign food popularity trophy in our area, but when you do find a gem like this place, it’s easy to get hooked.

Thai Pan Cuisine – Encinitas Get past the Christmas lights up and the dayglo decor, and you can dive into some wonderful Thai food. The pineapple curry is popular with customers, as is the customer service provided by a great staff.

Sushi Ota – Mission Bay Drive, San Diego

Sushi Ota is certainly the place to get sushi in San Diego. Be sure to make a reservation because everyone and their mother’s mom are there on a regular basis. The sashimi is so fresh that the fish is still giving you a dirty look. Be prepared to spend a pretty penny but know it’s worth every last cent. If you leave disappointed then it wasn’t the sushi, it was your banal taste buds.

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Bangkok Bay Thai Restaurant – Solana Beach Located close to the Del Mar Fairgrounds and Racetrack, Bangkok Bay offers some of the best Thai cuisine that North County has to offer. They have created a large local following and are well known to frequent visitors of the area’s resorts. They offer a large assortment of “appe-thai-zers” (their pun, not ours), soups, salads, entrees, noodles, curries, desserts, drinks and house specialties. Only the freshest ingredients are used in their dishes, which are seasoned to your request as mild, medium or hot. Bangkok Bay offers everything from the pad Thai you’ve come to expect, to more exotic dishes

such as Thai crepes, three-flavor fish and gai yang. Enjoy your Thai experience in the comfortable atmosphere or take your experience home to your own couch.

Spice & Rice Thai Kitchen – La Jolla Twice voted top Thai restaurant in San Diego, both by food reviewer David Nelson and Zagats, Spice and Rice is a restaurant to try. Located in beautiful La Jolla, just set your GPS, and enjoy the rest of your night.

Lotus Thai Bistro Restaurant – Carlsbad Just off the 5 freeway, Lotus Thai Bistro offers a full and carefully prepared menu of traditional Thai dishes. Recommended are the panang curry, chicken pad thai and the pra ram. Ask for the heat, and they’ll accommodate.

Amirin Thai – Hillcrest Executive chef Suree (or Nok as she is known to so many) continues her tradition of serving delectable Thai cooking coupled with impeccable service. Nok has two other locations, Narraya by Suree in Pacific Beach and Siam Nara by Suree in Mira Mesa. Her journey to becoming a successful executive chef and businesswoman began not in 1993 with Amarin but when she was a young child, fascinated by following her mother around the household kitchen.

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burger Burger Lounge – Hillcrest Beginning in La Jolla in 2007, Burger Lounge grew out of the idea that a hamburger should not only taste great, it should also utilize healthy ingredients produced in a sustainable environment. They provide a simple premium quality menu that appeals to health conscious diners, vegetarians, salad lovers and diners simply ”hankering for a great hamburger.” the crossings at carlsbad – Carlsbad The executive chef deconstructed the burger so that he could improve the idea of the burger step by step. They use natural and local beef. The texture is more like chopped steak than ground beef. The greens were hydroponically grown for a buttery flavor. It’s topped with caramelized onions, sharp white cheddar, and housemade mayo. Housemade sriracha available upon request.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries – Encinitas It’s a franchise, I know. But’s it’s the best burger in Encinitas for a reason. Here’s a few fun facts: 1. There are over 250,000 possible ways to order a burger at Five Guys.

2. They use only fresh ground beef.

3. There are no freezers in Five Guys locations, just coolers. Nothing is ever frozen.

4. They use only peanut oil.

Rocky’s Crown Pub – Pacific Beach

Billed as the cheeseburger place, ask any PB local and this is where you’ll be sent. Rocky’s has been serving great burgers here since opening in 1977.

Their menu consists of two sizes of burgers: half pound or third of a pound served with or without cheese and French fries. That’s it. They specialize in one thing, hamburgers, and they are devout in thinking that their’s is the ticket to paradise.

Not fancy or contrived, their burgers are shaped, weighed and made fresh daily. They are flat grilled before being flipped onto a sesame-seed bun with mayo, tomato, red leaf lettuce, red onion and pickles on the side. Adding fries is a must. Top it off with a draft from a lineup of some of the best microbrews San Diego has to offer. Great food, great ambiance and an array of characters fill you tummy and eyes.

Western Steak Burger – North Park Half-pound burgers and all the fixings. I’ve heard people from all walks rave about this place for years. It’s time you start telling me I’m a schmuck for not going yet either.

Hodad’s – Point Loma

Hodad’s first location was on the beach at the end of Santa Monica Avenue in Ocean Beach. In 1991, after several moves, Hodad’s opened at its present location in the heart of Ocean Beach’s Newport Avenue. In 2011, they opened their second location at 10th & Broadway in downtown San Diego and in 2012 opened a seasonal spot inside Petco Park for all of the baseball fans.

And as always: no shoes, no shirt, no problem.

Smashburger – La Jolla At Smashburger, they are firm believers that smashing is better.

Their handcrafted burgers are smashed, seared and seasoned to order, using fresh, never frozen 100 percent Certified Angus Beef. Whether you choose the Classic Smashburger or decide to create-your-own, their artisan buns, freshly chopped produce, flavorful sauces and variety of cheeses are designed to deliver a great-tasting, juicy burger you can taste in every bite.

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Raglan Public House – Point Loma Asking for ketchup before taking a bite raised the ire of local Kiwis. Lesson learned and a business opportunity blossomed for a few Yanks in New Zealand. From that humbling experience, a thought stumbled through the fog of the next morning: “Why isn’t there a burger joint that has different, actually really unique, great tasting, big juicy burgers–not the same boring burgers with the same sauces and toppings, but something with a whole different taste and twist? And to really bring in the Kiwi experience of pure and fresh ingredients, burgers are made with fresh ground grass-fed, organic beef and organic ingredients with homemade, unique sauces and freshly baked buns, in a fun, lively and casual atmosphere that really embraces the unique culture and friendly attitude found in New Zealand, its people and its love of nature and extreme outdoor activities.

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Doods Foods – Banker’s Hill/Downtown Home of the flying cheeseburger and even vegan burgers. Not a place to be taken lightly. And you’ll be a smiling dude when you leave.

The Habit Burger Grill – Solana Beach Starting in Santa Barbara and going strong for more than 40 years, The Habit has delivered high quality food and great service at reasonable prices. Try their timeless and delicious Charburger made from 100 percent fresh beef, or a tasty grilled sandwich or fresh salad.

The Tavern – Pacific Beach

Newly renovated with industrial-style garage doors that open up to a street side patio, a rustic open beamed ceiling and massive central bar, this place exemplifies another perfect day in PB. Your appetite for destruction will be satisfied when you sit down and have one of their 30 craft beers on tap, or roll over to their boutique bourbon bar, sit next to a keg station, or sample their German coastal cuisine, otherwise know as “best at the beach.”

The Stag and Lion – Carlsbad Don’t be fooled, it’s not one of Aesop’s fables, it’s a British Pub in Carlsbad! They redesigned the game room and created a separate lounge. Now you can go for the fun and games or just relax and chat with your buddies on plush couches. The bar area still has all the booths and stools so you can still catch your favorite sporting event while tossing back your favorite adult beverage. When you’re there, don’t forget to get yourself a Scottish Egg or the giant Fish and Chips, you’ll feel like you’re right back in the motherland.

In-N-Out – San Diego

In-N-Out truly is what a hamburger is all about. This not-so-hidden gem is still the reigning burger champion in San Diego. Personally, I dry heave at the mere thought of most fast food, especially when I think about certain fast food bohemeth’s pink slime burgers, however In-N-Out is quality food both in the way the food is processed and in regards to taste. The menu isn’t inundated with fancy weekly specials or corporate mandated Shrek burgers means for the kiddies. Simple, fast and fresh. You can’t go wrong with the simple combination of a Double-Double with a side of crispy French fries and a thick chocolate milkshake. Don’t forget about the hidden menu as well: The 4X4, protein style and animal style.

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Tractor Room – Hillcrest You simply can’t miss the cornbread when you visit this place. Please throw your low carb caution to the wind and enjoy yourself. The braised buffalo fries with griddled smoked cheddar cheese and crispy elk ravioli with demi glaze cream exemplifies the way this establishment adds twists to their traditional meals with untraditional meats.

Basic – East Village It’s built from a converted warehouse from 1912, but they left the original brick walls to keep the original feel and concept of the building. The high ceilings and industrial garage doors maintain the industrial theme but add a modern flare. The cool urban crowd that frequents this relaxed joint is generally live, work and play in Downtown San Diego. They have New Haven, Connecticut, thin crust style brick ovens pizzas until 2 a.m. nightly.

Wonderland – Ocean Beach By striving to keep the neighborhood atmosphere, they used the culture and history of Ocean Beach as a foundation. It exemplifies the laid-back nature of this beachfront community so they always treat you like you’re a part of their family. Grab a bite off their coastal inspired menu and add a cold pint of one of their local craft brews.

Regal Seagull – Leucadia Enjoy a fine selection of craft beers as well as a complete menu of artisan sausages and other tasty items. Formerly Leucadia Sushi, the same long bar layout remains but the sushi bar track system that used to cart around pre-made sushi is now replaced with a nice bar top that gives you plenty of room to enjoy your beer and your sausage of choice.

Public House – La Jolla Their “Locally World Famous” burgers and specialty ales make you feel like you’re at home.

During the day, you can enjoy the sun in their outdoor patio or under one of their Delirium canopies. During the night, you can snug up close to one of their heat lamps or mosey inside and sit in their historic house. They have 43 taps populated by local San Diego breweries, Belgian, German, and many hard to find craft beers and microbrews from across the planet. All their meat is humanely raised: beef, bison, venison, lamb, duck, rabbit, alligator, wild boar, camel, ostrich and more.

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food tr uck In Slider – San Diego They serve gourmet sliders and sides on the go. Driven by variety, community, sharing, and a love for unique, tasty food they have been inspired to embark on this mobile culinary adventure. They use freshly baked bread, superior quality meat, and homemade toppings. Try their crispy fries or one of their other mouthwatering sides to augment the slider(s) of your choosing

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Dave du Jour – Encinitas Dave Long spent 14 years as a Navy Seal before he decided to retire and enter into the food game. His worldly travels allowed him to incorporate a unique flair within his food. It’s street food with a “gourmet” touch. His Mac and Cheese on a Stick, BBQ Spare Ribs, Angus Beef Sliders and Grilled Tofu are enough to excite anyone’s palate.

Miho Gastrotruck – Carmel Valley Miho Gastrotruck doesn’t just contain great food but great personality and moral worth as well. These guys love to support local businesses so all the food comes from local farms. Also, they create an atmosphere that gives people a sense of community that is conveyed not just by the food that is served but by the way the truck is designed, the music that is played, and the way they present themselves.

Snooze – Hillcrest

The Snooze concept, beyond great food, was to create a comfortable and timeless setting. Energy through design, from flow to the feelings invoked.

This vibe is reflected in the space and the service. Snooze has the comfort of a neighborhood coffee shop, while evoking a retro-future spin. It’s fun.

Pipe’s Cafe - Cardiff by the Sea This fantastic establishment was not only only heaven and a godsend, but just waiting in line on a Saturday or Sunday morning seemed to ease the slow thudding of a hangover. With the long lines on weekends, they’d usually bring out much needed coffee to those of us shaking off a rough night … or with our hands still shaking. The Big Breakfast is definitely a route to go if you’re a hungry hippo, but you simply can’t go wrong eating here.

Sitting on the patio in the sun, having breakfast a block from beach is always the start to a fantastic day.

The Mission – East Village The Mission concept specializes in simple, healthy, tasty food with a whimsical edge and a focus on artful presentation at an affordable price. By focusing on the use of simple and fresh ingredients, this vibrant urban bistro promotes living in an increasingly health-conscious world. The entrees are creatively presented, resulting in artful culinary displays that are sure to please the palette. Guests dine in dynamic, inviting surroundings with large, bright and airy windows and eye-catching local artwork. The menu, which includes everything from classic pancakes and sandwiches to modern Chino-Latino cuisine, is sure to satisfy every appetite. This concept in healthy dining, combined with pleasant surroundings, is The Mission’s specialty and has made The Mission a huge favorite among local San Diegans and travelers from around the world.

Leilani’s Café – Pacific Beach Aloha! Leilani’s Cafe is a mom-and-pop Hawaiian-style spot in north PB located on Cass and Tourmaline. It’s a super laid back environment, and Leilani’s Cafe offers catering for all occasions. All menu items are made with fresh ingredients. But leave your AMEX at home; they’re cash only.

Don’s Country Kitchen – Carlsbad and Oceanside There’s a fierce debate about which location actually serves the better breakfast, but it turns out that the winners are always the customers. Large breakfasts at an affordable price. Be prepared to wait a bit on weekends. I definitely recommend the eggs Benedict.

The Cottage – La Jolla In the summer months, they’re open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They frequently reserve sections of the garden patio or dining room for rehearsal dinners, graduation parties or other events. Evenings are usually warm, and the patio is decorated with twinkle lights to create a romantic, intimate party setting. The Cottage’s garden patio can accommodate up to 75 diners, and the dining room can seat 50.

Lockwood Table Café – Solana Beach A local favorite that has actually named more than a few of their items after streets in Solana Beach. A very fun little place that’s making me hungry as I read their menu.

Pizza Pazza Gourmet Italian Food Truck – La Jolla To sum up the Pizza Pazza truck in a nutshell: great food at a decent price. Mark and Karen are easygoing, approachable people who are easy to negotiate with in regards to catering services. They serve delicious New York style pizza and their signature dish the JoJo sticks (mini breadstick bites brushed with fresh garlic & oil, served with marinara sauce) will keep you coming back.

Mr. Pig’s BBQ – Pacific Beach Texas? No. Thanks to Mr. Pigs, San Diego is now the place you will find great American BBQ. Try the pulled pork sandwich with the porky fries and apple pie for dessert and you’ll forget the Alamo.

Not So Fast! – Point Loma Bob Montgomery and June Sinclair brought their conjoined restaurant and bartending expertise to create this one-of-a-kind food truck. They are, and I quote, “passionate about people, crazy about food, and packing a fresh take on food-on-the-go into a fourwheeled street sensation. Everything from the sauces to the patties are made from scratch with all locally sourced and carefully selected products … and a dash of love.”

Quality Coast Gourmet Street Kitchen – Downtown Quality Coast is definitely one of the better-hidden gems in San Diego. If it’s your first time and you’re unsure what to order, there is a lot of buzz over the T. J. Dog. This delicious treat is bacon-wrapped and covered in caramelized onions, diced jalapeno and tomatoes, with a traditional white cream sauce.

GreenGo Grilled Cheese Gastro Truck – Hillcrest For those of you who don’t know, the word gringo is used as slang in the Hispanic culture to refer to Americans in general. So now that you’ve had a short Spanish lesson, you should have guessed this place has Hispanic influence in regards to their food.

Their menu is short but sweet. They have add-on food at the top for those of you who would like to make your sandwich interesting, and an indecisive menu at the bottom for those of you who are … well … indecisive.

Curiocity Catering – Mission Valley Having a busy day at work? Don’t know what to get for lunch? Eat at Curiocity! The vibe that the truck gives off is enough to pull you in and the food keeps you coming back.

If you don’t have enough time to drive up and order on the spot, then call ahead; they will let you know where they will be and they will have your food hot and ready when you arrive. This is the adult version of a school cafeteria … except totally different, tasty and no ancient lunch lady leering at you.

food/drink

CHEF’S TABLE

Chef’s Table Join us as we get to know some of the chefs driving San Diego’s food scene to the next level.

It’s always nice to know who’s making your dinner ...

BY MICHELLE LYN

40 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FourElmagazine.com

SEASONED CHEF & RESTAURATEUR Matt Gordon, Sea & Smoke Matt Gordon is the chef/owner behind Urban Solace (North Park), Solace & the Moonlight Lounge (Encinitas) and the newly opened Sea & Smoke (Del Mar). With a huge wood oven in the center of the dining room, Sea & Smoke is comfortable, modern and welcoming at all hours of the day.

After having his first child, Gordon dedicated himself to raising her on a diet free of artificial ingredients. He felt the same responsibility to his guests as he did to his daughter and has since become known for his passion for cooking with organic, sustainable and artificial free ingredients.

Four El: What was the inspiration behind Sea & Smoke?

Matt Gordon: The venue and location were the starting point. I love how around sundown on many nights, the fog rolls in through the valley and it smells like the sea. Then being in Del Mar, I think of the train passing through and envision the old station and smokey trains running through. We also have a big wood-fired oven, so much of the food comes out smokey as well.

What unique dining experiences can we look forward to?

Sea & Smoke is our largest restaurant yet and the only one that serves breakfast every morning. The three dining spaces bring different experiences, as do the menus. We have a very unique and eclectic menu full of fun items—a lot of sharing involved. It’s a big departure from the “solace” concept, and it’s been fun jumping into something completely different.

cedar planked salmon Wild Alaskan Salmon, Pomegranate Gastrique, Roasted Lemon

What was the last meal you prepared for your family?

Ha! Other then breakfast, it’s been awhile. I have a new restaurant so I haven’t been home for dinner much.

What is your favorite dish to eat? To prepare?

To eat, I love dim sum, Korean barbecue and PANCAKES! I like cooking simply at home … taco night is my favorite.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 41

food/drink

CHEF’S TABLE

SausageStuffed Quail

Fresh Cherry, Sorrel Bread Salad, Pickled Onions, Red Wine Sauce

42 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FourElmagazine.com

THE COMMUNITY CHEF Christian Graves, Jsix One of San Diego’s veteran chefs, Christian Graves is the king of making things from scratch.

He loves to experiment with his own vinegars, breads and condiments, often getting inspiration from walking the farms or fields with local farmers.

Also a pioneer in whole animal dinners, Graves is a huge proponent of using as much of the animal as possible, leaving very little to waste. A daunting concept to some diners, it is nonetheless slowly becoming a trend in the culinary world.

Four El: You’re known for creating a good sense of community among local chefs.

Why is that important to you?

Christian Graves: The chef community is what makes San Diego such a great food town, and I really try to encourage it as much as possible! I love it when chefs come by and say hello. I don’t think the really good chefs in town have an attitude about themselves. Everyone is very humble. It’s what makes us special.

You host some pretty cool events that bring a lot of chefs together. Tell us about those.

We throw whole animal dinners, the Shuck n’ Swallow, Sausage Fest and, most recently, IPA Fest. We do it so that I can have these guys over to hang out. We all need a break from the day job, and these events give us chefs a chance to have fun while doing what we love to do.

A lot of the events include a beer component, like Sausage Fest, where we release Lost Abbey’s Road to Helles, and IPA Fest, where we host a variety of local IPAs. Relationships with brewers are just as important because, in the end, they are just as passionate about their craft as we chefs are.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

When I’m not in the kitchen, I love to surf and spend time with my family in our yard. Lately, Leroy’s on Coronado has been a place I go to have a beer or two with friends.

What do we need to try on the Jsix menu right now?

Our Sausage-Stuffed Quail with fresh cherry and sorrel bread salad, pickled onions and red wine sauce. It’s a sexy, peasant-inspired dish that has a ton of flavor.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 43

food/drink

REINVIGORATING THE RANCH

THE FIRE PITS AT RANCHO VALENCIA

REINVIGORATING

ranch

When you think of Rancho Santa Fe, young couples, families and twenty- or thirtysomething singles aren’t exactly the demographic that spring to mind.

Realistically, it’s our parents (or even our grandparents) who can call that sumptuous enclave home.

BY MICHELLE LYN

44 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

Within the last year, however, a spate of renovations took place in our local luxury resorts and have deservedly put RSF on the map for stylish, modern bars and swanky restaurants with progressive cuisine.

The masterminds at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe and Rancho Bernardo Inn have successfully created an ambience that is comfortable enough for Baby Boomers and hip enough for Gen X and Gen Y to commingle over hand-crafted cocktails and charcuterie.

Perfect for happy hours, dinner dates and (surprisingly) dinner with the kids, Veladora, The Pony Room, Morada and AVANT are worth discovering and returning to … regularly.

FourElmagazine.com

Rancho Valencia

Veladora & The Pony Room THE PONY ROOM AT RANCHO VALENCIA

MAINE LOBSTER SALAD SLIDERS (THE PONY ROOM) Preserved Lemon, Herb Aïoli Butter Lettuce, Brioche Buns

Nearly a year of renovations and $30 million later, Rancho Valencia is one of the most stunning properties in San Diego right now.

Nestled deep in the ranch, Rancho Valencia is secluded enough to feel like you could be anywhere in the world, yet close enough (five

minutes from the 5 freeway) to become a regular spot to wine and dine.

After a complete renovation of the former restaurant (down to the studs), Rancho Valencia now offers two restaurants to choose from. The Pony Room, on the more casual side, is an equestrian-themed bar with elevated bar food. Menu items like Kobe beef sliders and carne asada street tacos are delicious (and reasonably priced).

chillEd wild ocTopuS cARpAccio (VELADORA) Roasted Peppers, Smoked Parisienne Potatoes, Butter Olive Pesto Lemon Preserve, EVOO, Petite Herbs

Well-suited for the San Diego sunshine, the adjoining patio is ideal for lounging over happy hour and watching the sunset.

After the hot air balloons have all landed and day turns to night, stick around and sip craft cocktails by the fire pits.

For a special dining experience, turn to Veladora.

Not only is the new signature restaurant a complete upgrade in design and style (Grandma’s floral upholstery is nowhere to be seen), but the food is more creative and playful than in the past.

VELADORA AT RANCHO VALENCIA

Chef Eric Bauer has fun in the kitchen with quality, seasonal ingredients—and it shows on his plates.

His lobster risotto is served under an alluring black sea of truffle foam, and his octopus carpaccio melts in your mouth.

5 9 2 1 V a l e n c i a C i r c l e , R a n c h o S a n ta F E

| R a n c h oVa l e n c i a . c o m

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food/drink

REINVIGORATING THE RANCH The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

Morada

MORADA LOUNGE AT THE RANCHO SANTA FE INN

FLATBREAD Spanish Chorizo & Shishito Pepper

LOCAL HONEY-GLAZED CHILEAN SEA BASS Grapefruit And Bok Choy, Kaffir Polenta, Aged Soy

THE DINING ROOM AT MORADA

If you’ve ever walked around the village of Rancho Santa Fe, chances are you’ve seen The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, a sprawling Spanish style resort that sits on 21 tranquil acres of land in the heart of town. Built in the 1920s, it was initially called La Morada, “the house of many rooms,” and became the cornerstone for the village with its cozy lobby and sunlit patios.

Morada. Traditionally sophisticated, the dining room at Morada appears to have come straight out of the pages of a Restoration Hardware catalogue.

Eventually becoming The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, the sleepy little property has long been a local favorite for weddings and with the recent upgrade it’s now becoming a hot dining destination as well.

Chef Todd Allison shines with his shared plates, which dominate the menu. Black Carlsbad mussels with charred Spanish chorizo, shishito peppers and cilantro pair nicely with several of the boutique wines on the California-centric wine list.

If you pull up a seat on the patio, sit back, relax and enjoy the view over the expansive front lawn that looks straight into the village.

the

INN

After completely renovating and dividing the former dining room into multiple cozy, yet distinct spaces, it only seemed natural to name the new restaurant

Elegant, yet approachable, the bar is flanked by two tables with high back bench seats that border a fireplace. The main dining room is anchored by a wall of black and white historical images of the village. Classic chandeliers and an updated neutral color and texture palette might inspire you to redecorate your own house.

5 9 5 1 L i n e a D e l C i e l o , R a n c h o S a n ta F e 46 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

| i n n atrsf. c o m FourElmagazine.com

Charcuterie AVANT AT RANCHO BERNARDO INN

WINE ON TAP

Rancho bernardo inn

AVANT

space that is flooded by natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the golf course.

Locally sourced furniture made from bourbon barrels combined with tables and bar tops constructed from heritage wood combine to create a space that is industrial-barn chic.

A bit farther inland, the Rancho Bernardo Inn is drawing a crowd for reasons beyond golf these days. Tucked into an older neighborhood, you might feel like you’re lost until you dead end right into it.

Long gone is the beloved restaurant El Bizcocho that was heavy on drapery, tapestry and candlelight. In its place is AVANT, 6,500 square feet of indoor/outdoor

CHARCUTERIE BAR Sopressata, La Quercia Berkshire Prosciutto, Wild Boar Salami, Jamón Serrano, Truffle Salami , Chorizo Pamplona, La Quercia Speck and the finest cheeses

Saddle up to the impressive charcuterie bar that boasts house-made mustard on tap and exotic meats like wild boar salami and jamón serrano. Play Spanish roulette with fried Padron peppers, or take a chance on Chef’s Nic Bour’s selection of oysters served with their proprietary Atomic Horseradish.

Sink into the tufted banquettes and enjoy the live music that is audible from Veranda (the fireside lounge located below AVANT) every night except Monday and Wednesday.

It’s loud enough to provide some ambience, but not so loud that it dominates your dinner conversation.

1 7 5 5 0 B er n a rd o O a k s D r i v e , R ANC H O B E R NA R D O

AVANT DINING ROOM

| r a n c h o ber n a rd o i n n . c o m SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 47

food/drink

DON’T STOP WHINING

WINE A CALIFORNIA CELEBRATION of OF

By Brett Martin

September is officially California Wine Month, which basically means a whole month of bragging about what amazing winemakers we have to thank for the big, bold and beautiful wines we have to keep our glasses full. Steve Clifton, one of the Golden State’s best winemakers, gives us a little insight into wine culture

Musician, chef, surfer, husband, father, and oh yeah … winemaker.

Steve Clifton is a modern day renaissance man, not to mention one of the most acclaimed winemakers in California.

A San Clemente native, Clifton didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a winemaker. In fact, music was his first love and he spent time on the touring circuit with his rock band The Movement. After some success in the ‘80s, Steve eventually found himself in Santa Barbara, learning the wine business from the ground up. And the rest is history.

Known for Palmina (his label that produces high quality Italian varietals) and Brewer - Clifton (premium chardonnay and pinot noir from Santa Rita Hills), Clifton’s wines can be found at restaurants all over San Diego. Steve will also be pouring Palmina and Brewer - Clifton at the upcoming Celebrate the Craft food and wine event at The Lodge at Torrey Pines on October 6th.

FUN FACTS ABOUT california WINE

21 90% More than

MILLION

People Visit California Wine Country Each Year

Of Wine Made in the United States Comes from California

4

NO.

Wine Producer in the World, after France, Italy and Spain

Source: discovercaliforniawines.com

48 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FourElmagazine.com

Can you give us a “cliff notes” lesson on Italian varietals?

Every region has its own. There are more than 300 documented varietals from Italy. Those are the ones that are registered. There are a LOT more.

Each region has its own history with the grapes, its own climate, but more than anything else there is a connection between the regions’ cuisine and the varietals that have been chosen.

First, I look at the natural, indigenous ingredients of a region and it usually gives a pretty good indication as to why certain varietals were chosen.

Then I look at the traditional method of cooking, and it gives a lot of insight into why the production methods evolved the way they have. All the grapes were spread by the Romans. Certain ones stuck because they worked with the food. That is the foundation of Italian varietal wine. It has to complement food or its purpose is lost.

What sets Palmina apart from other California wineries?

What about Brewer - Clifton?

Seeing wine as an extension of the plate is a rare occurrence in California. I think it’s changing now, but 20 years ago it wasn’t the case. Wines were BIG and were meant to stand alone. The bigger the wine, the more attention it got. I have always wanted to bring wine back to the table. Back to food. At Palmina, every aspect of the process involves food.

At Brewer - Clifton, the philosophy is the same: The wines are meant to make you hungry, the food should make you want another sip.

Is that where your passion for food and cooking comes in?

Food has always been a major part of my family life. It has always been the center of family gatherings and the focus of conversation in my family.

STEVE CLIFTON

and his son, Luca

Four El: Tell us about your early days as a musician.

Steve Clifton: Fantastic! Exciting! Exhausting ... We practiced every night that we didn’t play for almost five years. That didn’t leave a lot of time for life outside music. We played with bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fishbone and Dramarama, so life was never boring.

How did that lead to winemaking?

During the early years of music, I supported my music “habit” by working in restaurants. I knew that wine was the best way to raise my tip averages and started learning about it for that reason. One thing led to another and it became an obsession. When music fizzled, it was the first thing I went back to.

You started Palmina in ’95 and Brewer - Clifton soon thereafter. You have said Italian varietals are your first love. Where did that come from?

The band I was in took a one-month break in January of 1988. I went to Milan to visit my sister who was living there and that month changed my life. I thought I was going there to bring a little of America to her, but I ended up taking home a LOT of Italy with me.

What is your philosophy on healthy winemaking?

I believe that healthy vines produce healthy grapes. Healthy grapes produce healthy wines. I think all of this “make the vines struggle” stuff was great marketing for a very long time, but I don’t believe it. It was a great way to say you could only make wine in difficult places where there was too little rain, too much rain, hail, wind, poor soil, etc. It was a way of selling what you had. Given the opportunity, I have always preferred healthy soils, vines, grapes, wines, etc. Now we’re looking into raising the nutritional value of wine, which is very exciting!

What do you do when you’re not making wine?

Play music, cook and hangout with my wife and sons.

Which of your wines are you the most stoked on right now?

Dolcetto, because it is being bottled as we speak. By lunch time it will probably change. Depends on what we make for lunch.

BrewerClifton.com | PalminaWines.com

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 49

food/drink

BEATS & EATS

What’s RAD about

Beats and Eats?

The food and the music

by mikey beats

I got chance to sit down with Daye Salani and Tim Pyles. Daye is the host of SoundDiego, a show on NBC Saturday nights after SNL that’s dedicated to the local San Diego music scene, and Tim is a radio deejay on 94.9FM and also hosts an all local music program that airs Sunday nights. I let them pick the spot and they chose a taco shop and local music scene hangout called El Zarape on Park Boulevard. Daye promised I wouldn’t be disappointed, and I definitely wasn’t.

50 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FourElmagazine.com

Trés Amigos at El Zarape

El Zarape LOCATED AT: 4642 Park Blvd (between Madison Ave & Spalding Place) » University Heights » (619) 692-1652 » ElZarape.MenuToEat.com Mikey Beats: Daye, how did you end up as the host of SoundDiego?

Daye Salani: A gentleman by the name of Rick Tyner, who is the manager of M30 Records in Mission Hills, recommended me to the producers at SoundDiego to audition for the show. That was two and a half years ago. I did four auditions over 10 months, never thinking it would lead to another. I just seriously thought it was a fun opportunity but never thought it would go further that. I thought, “Oh hey, I get to go audition for a TV show. That’s cool, I can go tell my friends and family.” Then there was a second and a third and a fourth interview. I never took any of the auditions very serious and finally, after the fourth audition, they said they were going to send over a contract if I was interested.

That was pretty much it.

Mikey: [pointing to Tim and Daye] How did you guys link up?

Daye: Pyles and I have known each other a long time.

Pyles was brought on by our producer, Eric Page.

at the Casbah or House of Blues, etc. ... We do a local spotlight on a particular local band that we’re doing a SoundDiego live event with that particular month.

Pyles is one of a handful of our correspondents like Robin Roth, Quan Vu, Dita Quinones, Scott McDonald and Rosey Bystrak.

[The interview blasts in several directions with lots of chatter about where we all went to high school in San Diego, what makes you a local San Diegan, which was agreed upon—around seven straight years living in SD and not going somewhere else in summer—supporting the local teams and pronouncing everything right like La Jolla.]

[The waiter comes to our table and loads us up with some of their signature dishes such as the diablo shrimp plate, a grilled fish plate called Veracruzana and a huge chile relleno, all accompanied by beans and rice. I go into a story about how I popped out white but am actually Mexican.]

Mikey: We’ve all been in the San Diego music scene for a really long time. People tell me all the time we have a strong music scene here. Do we?

Mikey: The Diablo shrimp is diablo! Wow, I wasn’t expecting it to be that hot. You can also tell a lot about a Mexican place by their beans. These are delicious! This fish’s red sauce has a hint of cinnamon, which is making my mouth water.

Daye: Their fish is fantastic. Their lobster burrito is delish. I love the fish here so I always get fish tacos or a fish burrito. I love their chicken roll tacos, I think they are the best in town. I like the hot sauce on the fish tacos and the fish.

Tim Pyles: It all started as a blog.

Daye: The blog was literally up and running for about 20-22 months before the inception of the show. The show started March of last year with season one.

We’re on season two right now. We do about 40 episodes per year, with five or six different segments on each show. The segments are anything from Pyles going out and interviewing whatever band it is, or artists

Mikey: This chile relleno reminds me of something from New Mexico with that grilled green chile, hearty portions of jack cheese and the eggs were probably mixed with a sprinkle of flour to give it that thick egg coat. You guys gonna drink that hot sauce?

[Everyone throws up their hands giving the right of way.]

This shrimp diablo is absolutely phenomenal. Food boner for sure.

Daye: Yes, absolutely. We’ve had one for a long, long time. Some people seem to think of the late ‘80s, mid ‘90s Casbah scene that was thriving for a long time as the heyday of the San Diego music scene. It was a great time for San Diego music, but it was also a very small town, in my opinion, at that time. We’re a much bigger town now; a lot more people here now. I think the music scene is bigger now, not necessarily better.

But the potential is there. Do you agree?

Tim: I definitely agree. Back then it was obviously a small town. Even though the bands strived to be different, completely different from one another, there was still kind of this San Diego sound. A great scene came out of that time. The thing was, the bands supported the bands by going to the other bands’ shows. It was a cohesive thing. As a radio deejay playing local bands, the pool of stuff to pull from 15 years ago was much smaller than where we are today. All these kids are doing crazy cool stuff with laptops.

Mikey: Very true.

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Deliciousness at El Zarape

[Nods all around.]

Tim: There are so many distractions here in San Diego.

With such nice weather, everyone wants to do outdoor activities. There are not enough fans. That concerns me right now because there are a lot bars opening that have music venues as part of them. Just like with all the restaurants, they’re not all going to succeed. There is another reason why these shows don’t do so well, because the band members are all working in other parts of the industry.

Daye: Yeah, you walk into a small bar and there’s some local musicians slinging drinks.

Tim: We still just need some more fans. Daye was a fan, a diehard fan. Now he’s a guy that’s all of a sudden in the limelight. But before he was just some dude who went to a lot of shows. And that’s how he became my friend, because we would be at the same shows all the time. And that was kind of a neat circle. It’s a good scene, and it’s getting better.

Mikey: I saw a tweet you put out Daye about a documentary on San Diego music called It’s Gonna Blow.

Daye: The documentary on 1986-1996. When I saw that trailer on YouTube, it blew my mind. I was like, “Hey, I loved that scene, I lived that scene as an underage guy.” Growing up, late ‘80s, early ‘90s, for me being all-ager or underage, I couldn’t get into a lot of shows

52 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

at the Casbah. So I had to pick and choose these allages shows to see these Casbah-oriented bands that I liked. I can basically tell you I saw Rocket from the Crypt maybe four times at an all-ages venue. Or maybe one show at SOMA that they would play or some random all-ages venue out in El Cajon; Soul Kitchen out there on El Cajon Boulevard. That documentary is just in the early stages. They’re still funding. I don’t think we’re going to see it in the next two years by any means. Do you know who the director is?

Mikey: Bill Perrine, I reached out to him. We were going back and forth for a few e-mails. He said it was still in pre-production. He’s still interviewing everybody. I told him what I did.

[I go into a long story about growing up two blocks from Soma on Metro Street, not going to some weekday shows because my parents wouldn’t let me, so I snuck out my back window.]

Daye: Actually Pyles will be doing an episode on Oct. 1.

Tim: I filled in for him when he got married, and I’ll be filling in for him on this one. But typically I host the live events that we do the last Thursday of the month at various venues around town. I share that duty with Robin Roth. We switch off each month. I help book some of the bands. Mainly, the month that I’m doing the show I host segments leading up to that with all the bands performing. We also do this “Garage to Glory” competition, which is like a battle of the bands. We put two bands up online and people go vote for them. That takes up the three weeks leading up to the show itself. But then I interview artists. I’ve been able to interview some idols: Anthrax, The Specials, Madness, Jimmy Cliff, Jesca Hoop just recently. So it’s been a really awesome experience with the access to artists and some people I look up to. So yeah, and then I write for them too. I do a monthly calendar or write a story. I just did a review or a show preview for Iration. I interviewed Mike, the lead singer. So I wear a lot of hats with the show.

Mikey: Daye, back to SoundDiego, channel and time?

Daye: Comes on NBC every Saturday night after SNL. Technically, Sundays at 1 a.m. Yeah, it comes on every Saturday night.

Mikey: Tim, what exactly do you do? What’s your area of expertise for SoundDiego?

Tim: Well, I am the back up to Daye.

Mikey: Well I appreciate this. I am full of food and music. This was a great interview!

[We continued on for about another 20 minutes playing name that band and band member, mixed in with name that venue and name that show, which I lost on all topics. These are two of SD’s finest music-scene aficionados. It doesn’t just take musicians and bands to fuel a scene, it also takes fans. And shrimp burritos.]

FourElmagazine.com

50% OFF ENTRÉE

Purchase one entrée and receive the second entrée 50% off of equal or lesser value With this coupon. Cannot be used during happy hour or with any other specials.

Expires 10/9/13.

HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS $1 OFF: Drafts & Appetizers $3 Well Drinks • 50¢ Wings

850 Tamarack Ave, Carlsbad 760.434.7824

Hours: Monday - Friday 11am - 12am; Saturday - Sunday 10am - 12am

$5 OFF ANY PURCHASE OF $25 OR MORE Excludes Alcohol With this coupon. Cannot be used during happy hour or with any other specials.

Expires 10/9/13.

food/drink

RESTAURANT REVIEW

FIG TREE CAFé

5119 Cass St. Hood: Pacific Beach 858.274.2233 FigTreeCafePB.com

This location is a bit off the beaten path but once you find your way there, it’s well worth it.

When you first walk in, you notice the eclectic patio dining area. Owner Johan Engman had planted several fig trees to complement the existing trees and greenery. You almost get a sense that you’re out in the woods having a picnic. People are dining with their dogs, which adds to the outdoorsy vibe.

When you walk in the back dining area, there’s a large trellis with more plants and vines filling up the spaces in between. We made our way back around to the service bar where they make mimosas and lattes.

54 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

Hours of Operation Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Sat.-Sun., 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

AWARDS Channel 10 KGTV A-List: Best Brunch in San Diego Beach & Bay Press: Gold Medal (Best Catering) Gold Medal (Best Overall Restaurant) Gold Medal (Best Breakfast) Gold Medal (Best Pet-Friendly Restaurant)

FourElmagazine.com

What We Ate:

Gluten Free French Toast Bananas Foster Served with two pieces of marinated brioche bread and orange segment syrup. I am not generally a fan of the sweet breakfast. I’m more of an eggs and bacon kind of guy. I actually didn’t even want to taste it since I don’t like bananas either. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was delicious. The toast somehow stayed crispy on the outside even though it had been sitting around for several minutes covered in syrup. The bananas were also very tasty. The texture was different because they were sliced and cooked. This dish may have changed my attitude toward breakfast. Nothing wrong with a little sweet added to your savory meal.

California Omelette Three eggs, avocado, bacon, jack cheese, mozzarella, sour cream, house potatoes with choice of bread.

MAN CANDY: How could we pass up on a side order called Man Candy? It was sweet and savory with a hint of spice. These were very large and thick slices.

It was almost like our server brought out four 6-inch rulers on a plate. When I say I love Man Candy, you now understand what I mean.

It’s loaded with bacon! They cut it into squares so that it’s easy to eat. The salty crunchy bacon works well with the smooth and neutralizing avocado. The eggs were very light and fluffy. The potatoes were crisp on the outside but soft and buttery on the inside. I expected the gluten-free multigrain bread to taste like cardboard, but it actually had a lot of flavor and texture.

When the dishes first arrived, it smelled and looked so good, we immediately dug in. After about a second, we realized we needed to take pictures! We had to calm down, stop salivating and snap a few shots.

Meatloaf Hash Three eggs any style, spinach, diced meatloaf, pesto, house potatoes with choice of bread.

This was clearly my favorite of the three entrees we had. The sliced meatloaf was so tender that it melted in your mouth. They mix in pesto so it makes it very moist. The eggs were large and all natural from Ramona and went very nicely with the multigrain bread from locally famous bakery Bread & Cie.

We jumped right in again and found that this place really does breakfast right. Fig Tree is a fantastic find and highly recommended.

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food/drink

SUICIDE CHALLENGE

Sabuku suicide challenge

by steve kang

Owner Bob Pasela

and staff

Managing member Bob Pasela was a financial planner for 25 years. He loved dining out and eating sushi, but after having his two boys his dining-out lifestyle switched to dining in. That’s when he decided that he was going to teach himself how to make sushi.

After years of crafting sushi just to feed his family, he started getting really good at it. After some life changes and meeting the right people, Sabuku was born.

Sabuku prides itself in making sushi with the highest quality ingredients. These ingredients are delivered several times a week to ensure that fish is served at the peak of freshness. Every sauce, except for the Sriracha, is house-made from scratch. Everything is made to order and nothing is pre-made. Watching Bob caramelize the sauce on top of the rolls with a blowtorch is a testament to that.

56 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FOUR EL ATTEMPTS THE SUICIDE CHALLENGE … well, sort of

The night before the challenge, my best friend’s father tried to psych me out. He told me a story of how he had a friend who loved spicy food. While indulging in South America, he didn’t realize that he actually had an ulcer. The spices traveled out of his stomach through the hole and somehow managed to get to his aorta. Needless to say, he was in the hospital in excruciating pain. Thanks for that little story, Pops.

I wasn’t nervous about the challenge until we arrived at Sabuku. I started getting a bit nervous for my stomach and possibly my aorta. I love to eat spice but when I do, I sweat like a pig. It’s common for me to have beads of sweat dripping off my face.

Don’t I sound like a wonderful dinner partner?

I decided that I would have my photographer join me. Not because I was afraid of the challenge, but it’s actually three large rolls. I had other places to review that day, so I didn’t have the luxury of over-stuffing myself. I ate two pieces of the first roll, two pieces of the second roll and four pieces of the last, which was the spiciest one.

FourElmagazine.com

The menu reads: WARNING! Each of these rolls are extremely hot! You are willingly trying these at your own risk! Sabuku is not responsible for any reaction, injury or death that occurs from anyone trying these rolls!

ON DEATH ROLL

Good luck...

Thai Won on Roll: Panko-crusted seabass, spicy crab, kaiware sprouts and red onion inside, spicy tuna, crunchies and scallions on the outside. Topped with a Thai chili and garlic aioli with a touch of ghost pepper oil.

Four EL Reaction: I’m starting to get sweaty, but I don’t find it super spicy. If I were to rate it from 1 being not hot and 10 being excruciating, it’s a 4. The roll itself was unique because I’ve never had spicy crab mixed into a roll before. The seabass also made this roll more interesting.

Naughty, Nice & Everything Spice Roll: Spicy tuna, thinly sliced jalapeno, tempura green onion and kaiware sprouts inside, with yellowtail and avocado on the outside.

Topped with spicy ginger aioli and their wildly popular XXX Sauce with the notoriously hot ghost peppers.

Four EL Reaction:This one probably ranks about a 5 on the meter. It’s a bit spicier. I can now feel it on my lips and my face is beginning to get hotter … in temperature not appearance. My face is definitely more sweaty now. Yellowtail is my favorite piece of raw fish so this one tastes delicious to me.

On Death Roll: Tempura fried soft shell crab, cucumber, kaiware sprouts and yamagobo inside, with blackened albacore and avocado. Drizzled with their own ponzu sauce and topped with green onion, then dressed with their Suicide Sauce. Made from Trinidad scorpion peppers (now the world’s hottest pepper) blended in a roasted tomato puree that also combines garlic, red onion, cilantroand a slight hint of citrus.

Four EL Reaction: Well, the first two were kind of easy. How bad could the final one be?

It’s BAD … REALLY BAD! This one ranks an 11! When I throw the first one back, it doesn’t hit me right away. The sauce end goes in first, so my lips and the tip of my tongue touch mostly rice. After about two seconds, I start to pant and form a solid sweat mustache. I immediately take in the second roll, thinking that faster is the key. I swallow it down and throw in the third one. The pain is so intense that I have to pause in mid chew, which only makes things worse. After I swallow it, I pause and close my eyes. I am in so much pain that my mind starts to drift away. At this point, I’m just trying to endure the pain. When I finally open my eyes, I’ve forgotten where I am and what I’m doing. My brain is in a foggy haze. I look down at my last piece and, being a glutton for punishment, throw it down. At this point it looks as if someone sprayed my face with a hose. My hair is wet and I have drops of sweat coming off my eyelids, nose, earlobes and chin. I think I ‘m actually melting. As my endorphins are firing off to try and save me, I see my photographer and Bob laughing at me. At this point, it seems more like a bad dream or lava-induced nightmare.

I tell them that I can’t drive because I’m not sure where I am.

Bob was kind enough to give me a beer to help cool me down, and after about 20 minutes my mind was back. The rest of the day, my stomach was on fire, reminding me to never do that again.

I tried to settle it down by eating pizza but nothing was helping. Unfortunately, I forgot about the third phase of the burn, the exit. Alas, I’m committed to my craft and accept all repercussions of my writing endeavors. Anything for my loyal readers.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 57

food/drink

MIXOLOGY

NATE HOWELL

Spirit Savant

arts & crafts

Nate Howell

serving culinary cocktails with a view

By Michelle Lyn

One of the best places in town to watch the sunset, the 11th floor of Hotel La Jolla is home to Cusp Dining & Drinks. Last year the hotel was given a much needed overhaul and with their poolside Hiatus Bar, La Jolla Shores now has two swanky places to go for unique and inventive cocktails.

58 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

as the martini, gimlet and Manhattan. However, every artist also needs to create his/her own modern classics, which he does with signature drinks like his award-winning State of Grace-a Sazerac/Manhattan variation that mixes rye he ages in a barrel with spices for over a month.

Nate Howell, the man behind the bar program, has crafted a new culture of cocktail-making by focusing on Franco-Italian classics and Apertivos. On his bar menu, don’t be surprised to find a blend of classic cocktails like the Negroni and Romanza alongside contemporary combinations that utilize aromatic spirits such as Chartreuse, Lillet and Fernet Branca.

At the end of the day, Howell just loves to mix unique ingredients with fresh juices and seasonal ingredients to make something that tastes damn good. With menu categories like “Let Me Introduce Myself,” “Now That We Are Familiar” and “Feeling (F)risky...?”–not to mention cocktails with names such as “Remember the Mayans and Ron Burgundy,” you know you’re in for an interesting night.

Every artist has a deep appreciation for the classics, and Howell is no exception, having pages of his cocktail menu dedicated to such classics

If you haven’t been to Cusp or Hiatus yet, do as Howell instructs on his menu: “Open your mind and your mouth for this new adventure.”

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HAPPY HOUR

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food/drink

CRAFTY

sycamore den

by Miles Roberson

THE DRINKS The Dovetail Julep (left) and Dusty Bottoms (right)

Sycamore Den: Shotguns, Cocktails, Banjos, Fiddles, Dad.

Here’s what I had:

This isn’t your father’s cocktail bar. Oh wait, yes it is!

The Dovetail Julep A kicked-up classic blending gin and cognac with peach bitters, a fresh sprig of mint and a spray of absinthe. The absinthe is sprayed onto the fresh mint leaves that garnish the cocktail. Served in a metallic blue camp-style mug and served over a mound of crushed ice, the cocktail is strong at first then eventually rounds off nicely as the ice melts. A delicious, refreshing, drink.

01

Taking a step into the Sycamore Den is like traveling back in time and drinking with a younger version of your dad. Aptly named, this establishment is reminiscent of a cozy 1970s den.

The Sycamore Den is a place to come relax in front of the fire and have an artisan cocktail. Take a look around and lining the walls you’ll find manly objects including rifles, tools, musical instruments, rock and exposed wood. This place is a homage to the all-American cool dad from the “good ol days.”

Upon arrival to this Normal Heights newcomer with an old soul, I was greeted

by Eric Johnson, former head bartender at San Diego speakeasy Noble Experiment and several other of San Diego’s top craft-cocktails bars. Here at the Den, Eric is going for “classic” and not so much “craft” cocktails. Unpretentious timeless classics like The Harvey Wallbanger, The Old Fashioned and Gin Fizz are available of course, but I suggest sticking with the 13 artisanal cocktails created by the man himself.

Dusty Bottoms If you enjoy cocktails with some spice, check this one out! Tequila is paired with cayenne pepper, salt celery bitters and Cholula hot sauce. Not overly spicy, this drinks provides flavored heat with “chill.” The “chill,” which is certainly necessary, comes from the mint, lime, simple syrup and tequila.

Amazingly, it all comes together quite smoothly. All of you spicy drink lovers can thank Eric for coming up with this twist on the tequila cocktail.

02

When I miss my father, which I often do, I’ll head over to Normal Heights and have a drink in his honor. … The Den: an ode to all dads.

Located at 3391 Adams Ave (between Felton St & 34th St) | Normal Heights | (619) 563-9019 | SycamoreDen.com 60 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FourElmagazine.com

food/drink

HAPPIEST HOUR

Lucky Bastard 840 Fifth Ave. » Gaslamp District

Saloon

(619) 233-0023 » LuckyBastardSaloon.com

I sat down for lunch with Collette from Chemistry Nicole Dahm PR, and she told me about (One of the Playboy Dahm Triplets) all the latest and greatest restaurants and bars that have opened in the Drink of choice last year. As she names Shots of Jack and Fireball. them off, she mentions the Ketel One and Diet Sprite.

Lucky Bastard Saloon by Nicole Dahm. Wait … Nicole Dahm? Hmmmm … where have I heard that name before? I know, the Playboy Dahm triplets! I was in my mid-twenties during that time in my life and, like a lot of guys, had a subscription to Playboy. I remember thinking that since I was all grown up, I was going to subscribe to a grown-up magazine, funny how the young mind works.

Owner and Operator

Anyway, I distinctly remember the triplets; how can you not? I even remembered they were discovered in a previous college issue that covered the Midwest. Either I have a great memory or I can’t forget a pretty face.

Happy Hour: 4-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri. $1 off all drinks and $6 pizzas.

38 televisions, old school brick pizza oven, 20 beers on tap (17 of them local craft) What we drank: Pickled Tickler: A shot of Jameson with a pickle juice back. I do shots of Jameson all the time but the pickle back takes it to a different level. If you’re not used to doing shots of whiskey, it completely erases any aftertaste.

Bastard Bear: It’s very light with a tart finish. It reminds me of a great hot summer shot.

Peach Flush: This one is definitely for the ladies. It’s got a sugared rim and is complemented by Ciroc Peach, St. Germain, Sprite and OJ.

The pizzas we ate:

Nicole Dahm

Ex-Playmate and Owner

Meat Lovers: I love bacon and this bad boy has it alongside sausage and spicy pepperoni salami. …

I am indeed a meat lover.

Mixed Mushroom and Truffle: This one was a surprise. I love mushrooms, but I usually don’t like pizza without meat. The garlic and truffle truly makes this a savory dish. Its unique taste and the texture of the mushrooms make this a great alternative for diehard carnivores.

62 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

Bacon and Egg: This has a sunny side up egg in the middle. I probably should have popped the yolk and spread it out on the pie, but I just grabbed the middle piece and took it in one bite.

All the girls wear chaps and aren’t afraid to flaunt it. They were inspired by Nicole’s love of motorcycles. She’s been to Sturgis and it wouldn’t be uncommon to see her cruise down from North County to Downtown on her hog.

Nicole worked hard on the décor, and there’s a Harley in the window and a Jack Daniel’s chandelier in at the entrance. Come in, sit down, have a drink, a shot, a pizza, and say hi to Nicole and her beautiful staff.

Regular business hours at the Lucky Bastard Saloon are 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Mon.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Sat.-Sun., with brunch served until 3 p.m.

FourElmagazine.com

BEER ME

FOOD/DRINK

BEERS TASTED Witte Snake (4.5% ABV) This is a very refreshing ale brewed with wheat and has amazing citrus flavors. The crisp bitter snap of ginger in the finish makes it a must!

Belgian Blonde (8% ABV) Two words can easily describe this Belgian ale: scary smooth.

Tommaso Maggiore Owner and Head Brewer

Brewing Experiment By dale hersey

Located in the iconic Mission Brewery Plaza, rubbing shoulders with the 5 freeway, you’ll find the Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment. Owner and head brewer Tommaso Maggiore has created an experience that he would like San Diego to come in and see. The building itself would be enough to come visit and see the history, but the fact that there is awesome beer to go along with it ... sign me up!

The original Mission Brewery is the oldest brewery building in San Diego.

Dating back to the pre-Prohibition era, the building definitely has a story to tell. Originally built back in 1912, it cranked out suds for the masses along with several other breweries in San Diego, but when Prohibition (formally known as the 18th Amendment) was passed, the doors closed

on the original Mission Brewery.

Then, oddly enough, it was turned into a hospital for influenza.

Fast forward to 2013, and the building has been home to several lessthan-successful breweries, as well as several current ones, that have used it to hone their skills.

This brings us to the Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment. Tommaso has traveled to several countries, taking in the history and enjoyment of brewing. If you’re fortunate enough to stop by the Encinitas Ale House to grab a pint, you’ll discover he has great taste in beer and you’ll definitely not be disappointed.

The natural progression for Tommaso was to start creating his own experiments in brewing beer (hence the

Session IPA (5% ABV) Every beer has a time and place.

This happens to be the time and place for Session IPA, already a a Four EL favorite. Great hop flavoring lingers around long enough to make it very enjoyable as opposed to overpowering. An alternate description was given at the time of tasting: “Like a hot chick who you bring home and you don’t mind if she’s hanging around in the morning.”

How can you top that?

Willow Wolves (6% ABV) A great IPA for the hop heads out there. Styled to follow one of the best historical Greek named IPAs, and done well. Malty backbone to balance the ibu’s. Ask for the history behind the name.

Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment).

The pure enjoyment and balance of beer has been brought back through the drafts poured here.

Pulling back on the reins, so to speak. Why pack as much hops into an IPA just for the sake of doing so when a more enjoyable beer can be made with balance?

While we all love to ruin our palates with the first sip, is it so wrong to relax and enjoy that first taste as well?

The questions are answered with several of these ales and more are sure to follow.

Come down and visit Tommaso and all the great people down at the newly opened Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment. You’ll be glad you did.

Located at:

1795 Hancock St., San Diego (619) 299-2537 You can find Dale Hersey at the newly opened English-themed pub Stag and Lion on Tamarack Boulevard in Carlsbad, where he is cultivating a local craft beer following.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 63

food/drink

TENDER Shakedown

THE LADIES OF THE

Ladies

Shakedown

BARTENDERS: Boss Lady Anilee, Jasmine, Jersey Kate and Simone ORIGIN: Anilee was born and raised in Oceanside CREDENTIALS: Worked in bars and restaurants since 16

SHIFTS: You will see at least one of these ladies daily SIGNATURE DRINK: Whatever you want!

WORDS OF WISDOM: It ain’t a party unless you got booze, babes or bikers … we got all three! history: During her last year at Hensley’s Flying Elephant in Carlsbad, Anilee decided to buy the ShakeDown in Point Loma. The process took several months and was painful. Through patience, perseverance and determination, she made it finally happen. She took over the ShakeDown in May and had her grand opening on June 15. She plans on advancing the ShakeDown and looks forward to opening multiple bars for years to come.

the joint Fueled by a passion for hot rods, custom chops, booze, babes, and punk rock bands, the ShakeDown has been a local favorite among the raucous, rowdy and restless of Southern California since its conception in 2010. Populated by San Diego’s thriving counterculture of punk rock aficionados, motorheads and boozehounds, The ShakeDown is sure to satiate your appetite for debauchery. Go on the weekend and try out their outdoor BBQ! If you’ve never been there before, don’t be apprehensive. There are choppers parked outside and bikers hanging out and smoking in the front patio. If you come on the weekends, you also can hear a loud band blaring out the front door.

As you walk into the dark bar, the staff is covered in tattoos and so are a lot of the patrons. After you sit down and order a drink, it starts dawning on you how friendly, sexy and fun the staff is. Then after you relax, you start realizing that you want to come back.

When you come back, you then realize all of sudden that you’ve become a regular.

SHAKEDOWN

The ShakeDown is located at 3048 Midway Drive in Point Loma.

Visit bossladybooking.com.

64 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FIVE QUESTIONS

01 Why did you buy the ShakeDown?

Anilee: I knew I would be good at it. I’ve been in the industry for 12 years. It was just a natural progression for me. I’ve owned the Boss Lady Booking for over five years, so I was ready to have my own joint that married my background of bars and music.

02 What do you love about the ShakeDown?

Anilee: It has a ton of character and originality. I love supporting everything that we’re about … bands, bikers, hot rods, skaters and my staff. I think it’s the coolest dive bar in San Diego, and I plan on expanding.

03 Please rank the 3 B’s of the Shake Down in order of your personal preference.

Anilee: Jasmine: Booze, Babes, Bikers 04 What’s the difference between New Jersey and Oceanside?

Jersey Kate: Nature wiped out the Jersey Shore for a reason! What’s not to like about O’side? I’m always surrounded by men that protect our country.

05 What do we drink when we go to the ShakeDown?

Cocktails: Steve — Vodka, soda water with a lime.

Chris — Vodka soda water with a lime and a splash of girly-ness (cranberry juice).

Beer: Steve — Generally an IPA. Chris — Generally a Mexican beer.

Shots: Both Steve and Chris: Don Julio Anejo (purchased on our request) and Jameson.

FourElmagazine.com

Something for Everyone!

Sauced and Tossed in your choice of 10 Wing Flavors!

Boneless Wings

Phone Ahead!

Regular Wings

Gliders

Boneless Strips

760-434-WING (9464)

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

food/drink

MEAL PLANNING

EAT IN how to

PLANNING OUT HEALTHY MEALS FOR THE FAMILY.

YOU CAN DO IT!

BY LARA MILLER

Being a mom to three active and always hungry little monsters, I find myself trying to think of new ways to incorporate healthy ingredients with time saving tactics. I think it’s so important to cook healthy and mindfully.

66 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FourElmagazine.com

We hardly ever go out to eat, instead opting to cook meals at home. Don’t get me wrong, I know going out to eat is as much a social thing as it is a getting-your-belly-fed thing. That’s why I understand that going out to eat can be an easier option some nights. But I want to help you see how stocking your fridge and freezer and cooking at home—whether collaborating a home cooked meal with friends or reheating something you made and froze a couple weeks ago—can not only be an easier option but also an enjoyable and money saving one.

I know for me that knowing what my family and I are eating and putting in our bodies not only makes me a proud and happy mom, but the money I save by eating in makes me feel like breaking into a song and dance in the middle of a meal. Well, not really quite that ecstatic but damn near close to it.

Don’t judge me ...

And since I have such a huge passion for cooking, I can do it all day, every day. No joke.

But I know it’s not that way for everyone so I thought I would share some tips and staples I have in my kitchen that help me when planning meals for my family; hopefully, they can help you out as well.

Whether you’re cooking for a big family or just for yourself, here are a few tricks you can use to keep yourself motivated and excited about being in the kitchen.

Buying fresh, organic ingredients is a huge deal for me. I know buying organic can get a little pricey but, honestly, there are just a few ingredients that I won’t buy if they are not organic, affectionately referred to as the “dirty dozen.”

This is a list of fruits and veggies (you can Google these) that have the highest pesticide residue and chemical fertilizers. These are the familiar fruits and veggies you should always try to buy organic whenever possible.

One particular ingredient on that list is apples, and I always have apples in my refrigerator.

Pink Lady, Gala, Braeburn, those are some staples for us. I like to leave a variety of fresh fruits in a bowl on my countertop for a quick and healthy snack. I feel like when I see that freshness staring right at me, I tend to eat more of them.

And my kids do, too!

While I would love to buy everything organic, I know that sometimes that’s not possible.

That’s why I love shopping farmers markets, and here in San Diego, we have so many great choices.

It’s a great way to meet local farmers and taste first hand their pride via their produce. And you can ask them directly about how they grow their produce. Lots of times they grow their produce without harsh chemicals or treatments, but they are just not certified organic yet. You can buy groceries like that and still feel good about it. It’s almost always cheaper to buy directly from the farmer since there’s no middle man to pay a high premium to.

You can taste and buy all day long. It’s heaven for all parties involved.

If you’re shopping with a girlfriend, you can show off your more adventurous side of eating by bringing home some purple string beans and impressing her with a fun and new ingredient. Or dazzle the kids by indulging in a blood orange. You might even entice them to take a bloody bite.

Stocking up on your favorite fresh produce from farmers markets is a great idea for planning meals ahead of time. I always have onions, lots and lots of garlic, carrots, celery, tomatoes, zucchini, red bell peppers, some form of leafy greens (such as Swiss chard, kale, spinach).

Really, anything that looks good and tastes fresh. This is also a great place to stock up on and buy a nice variety of fruits if you find what you like, and don’t be afraid to try something new.

Specialty produce is basically like Christmas in a box for someone who doesn’t have time or that much imagination to cook outside the box. They package all kinds of fruits and veggies for you if your work schedule doesn’t allow for you to get your shopping done at decent hours, and then you go pick it up at their San Diego location. They have certain items each week and it’s a great way to get little surprises to cook with since you don’t always know what’s coming.

If you can’t get to your local farmers market, my next go to is Trader Joe’s for canned and jarred goods like beans—garbanzo, black, cannellini—canned tuna (packed in water), whole wheat pasta, bagged lettuces and other bagged, pre-cleaned leafy greens.

A favorite at Traders is their 4-ounce box of organic basil. I like to buy two at a time and make one package into a pesto and freeze it and keep the other one for cooking and salads (time saver!). Canned beans are a great go to for your pantry to add lots of flavor, texture, protein and fiber to a chili or soup. I also love to make a hummus with cannellini beans or garbanzo as well.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 67

Traders is also the place I stock up on cheeses like fontina, mozzarella, parmesan reggiano, gouda and cheddar.

I find that if I have enough cheese on hand when I’m cooking, I can often get inspiration for a meal almost around that one ingredient ... chicken enchiladas, lasagnas, chipotle chili, cheddar corn bread, pastas, the pastabilities are endless. So make sure you get yourself some cheese!

Next stop is Whole Foods or Sprouts.

These are two great places I get all my fresh and dried herbs, kosher salt, olive oil (if I can’t get to Costco), and I stock up on fresh fruits and proteins. They also have novelty items such as gluten-free alternatives for pasta, like a great quinoa pasta. Vegetable broth, beef stock and chicken broth give soups and stews an elevated flavor.

I also always buy their fresh fish (always try to buy wild, not farm raised), shrimp (I like the 16-20 count or the 21/25 count),

68 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

chicken, beef and deli turkey meat. I buy all this at once so I can freeze most of it (not the deli meat) and use it as I need it.

I always have a couple of chicken tender packages in my freezer, some sort of seafood like salmon, halibut or shrimp, and I like to keep a big hunk of meat as well, like a big piece of chuck for a pot roast. I always have some sort of chicken or turkey sausage that I can throw into a pasta or serve with peppers and onions over brown rice.

leftover mashed potatoes.

I’m telling you, I’ve found that when it comes to cooking at home, variety really is the spice of life.

use in chicken dishes, pesto, salads and pastas), olive oil, organic eggs, whole

Keeping your menu flavorful while reusing ingredients from the night before are what are going to save you time and money. For example, if you had roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and veggies one night, the next night you can shred the leftover chicken, mix it with the leftover veggies and turn it into a chicken shepherd’s pie, topped with the

matoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste.

Seems like a lot but each has a purpose ... for instance, marinara sauces, pizza sauce, lasagna, stews, etc.), whole peppercorns (to put in your grinder and have fresh cracked pepper ... tres importante!!!),

I like to know that whenever I open the fridge, pantry or freezer, there is something there I can work with.

If you have more than a couple people to cook for, Costco is a great way to stock up on grains and breads and keep your cost low.

of a bag for you, Traders has quinoa that is packaged in a smaller quantity for a good price.

Brown rice, quinoa and lentils are something I always keep stocked. I throw quinoa on top of a salad to get some extra protein. I always have potatoes, both sweet and Yukon, to make oven baked fries that are quick and healthy.

wheat bread, bagels, organic canned tomatoes (I buy one box each of diced to-

The idea when making meals is that you feel stocked and ready to go at anytime.

Having the right ingredients and enough of them will help you go a long way and really stretch your dollar from staying in and cooking more.

and organic quinoa. I use a lot of quinoa in place of rice so the big bag of it from there is beneficial for me. If it’s too big

So next time you want to show your girlfriend a good time at your local restaurant with drinks and good eats, surprise her and save yourself about $100 and wine and dine that lucky lady with your newfound tricks for some good home cookin’. Believe me, you will have her eating out the palm of your hand!

The items I stock up on at Costco are jarred sun dried tomatoes (a big jar I

FourElmagazine.com

MEAL PLANNING

food/drink

Freezer items: Frozen turkey burgers, veggie burgers, whole wheat bread (from Costco you get two in one package so I freeze one and use one), frozen veggies (Trader Joe’s is where I stock up on these), all proteins that you aren’t using in the first two days of bringing home from the store.

For raw chicken breasts, upon bringing them home from the store, marinate them with whatever herbs and seasonings you like, then seal in an airtight freezer bag and you have flavored and marinated chicken when thawed and ready to throw on a grill!

Things you can make in double batches and freeze: Homemade marinara sauce (make sure to sneak in any extra veggies, raw or roasted,

you may have on hand and cook along with the pasta for extra vitamins and nutrition if you’re feeding little ones! Just puree everything together and you have a quick and healthy sauce).

Chili, vegetarian or beef, make double the amount, eat what you want and after completely cooling it, freeze the rest in large freezer bags.

Meatballs, make, bake, cool and freeze.

Chicken strips, bread them and freeze them, then take out as you need and bake them. You’ll have healthy strips in no time.

TIP: When freezing sauces, soups or stews, fill up the freezer bag, take out as much air

as you can and seal. Make sure you lay them in the freezer flat to freeze so you can stack your frozen goodies, leaving more room in your freezer, and your goodies also thaw a lot faster this way!

You can also freeze fresh herbs.

Soft herbs like parsley, cilantro and basil need to be rinsed and dried. Then chop and put into little ice cube trays. Fill the ice cube trays with olive oil or water, and freeze.

After 24 hours, pop out of the trays and store in freezer bags. When ready to use in soups, stews or sauces, simply toss a frozen cube in and voila! Fresh (frozen) herbs.

Hard herbs like rosemary and thyme need to be rinse and dried. Then, stems and all, tuck them into freezer bags and freeze away.

For a complete list of healthy local healt food stores and farmer’s markets see page 70.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 69

food/drink

FARMER’S MARKETS

FRESH FOOD

FARMER’S MARKETS ENCI NI TAS • DEL MA R • SOL ANA BEAC H • NORT H PARK • H IL L C R E ST O CE AN BE ACH • PAC IF IC BEAC H • L IT T L E ITALY • L A JOL L A

01 Encinitas/Leucadia Farmers Market

185 Union Street, Encinitas

(858) 272-7054 LeucadiaFarmersMarket.com

04 Ripe North Park

3302 32nd Street, North Park (619) 876-4647 RipeNorthPark.com

07 Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers Market

And a few places that aren’t quite Farmer’s Markets, but are excellent health conscious choices

(619) 233-3901 SDWeeklyMarkets.com

2087 San Elijo Avenue, Cardiff

901 Garnet Avenue, Pacific Beach

05 Hillcrest Farmers Market 02 Del Mar Farmers Market

1050 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar (858) 342-5865 DelMarFarmersMarket.org 03 Solana Beach Farmers Market

444 S. Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach (858) 755-0444 SolanaBeachFarmersMarket.com

3960 Normal Street, Hillcrest

(619) 299-3330 HillcrestFarmersMarket.com 06 Ocean beach Farmers Market

Newport Avenue & Cable Street, Ocean Beach

(619) 279-0032 OceanBeachSanDiego.com

08 Little Italy Mercato

580 W. Date Street, Little Italy (619) 233-3769 LittleItalySD.com/Mercato 09 La Jolla Open Aire Farmers Market

7335 Girard Avenue, La Jolla (858) 454-1699 LaJollaMarket.com

Seaside Market

(760) 753-5445 • SeasideMarket.com Monday - Friday 7 a.m. – 10 p.m Catalina Offshore Products

5202 Lovelock Street, Linda Vista

(619) 704-3639 • CatalinaOP.com Monday - Saturday 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Specialty Produce

1929 Hancock Street, #150, San Diego

(619) 295-3172 • SpecialtyProduce.com Open Daily 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

and another few big commerical guys worth mentioning: Sprouts | Whole Foods | Trader Joe’s (all at various locations around the county) 70 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

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HARD CORE

fitness

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 71

food/drink

DISH servings This recipe will

feed your bs Back to schooLER

(of course)

back to

school Butternut Squash and Pesto Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes by lara miller / photos by Lauren Fraser

For all you parents out there, it’s about that time.

It’s time for some BS! What? Don’t look at me like that.

I’m saying that it’s Back to School time! Already? Yes, but most importantly … Finally!!! You feel me? The back to school chaos is in full effect.

Notebooks and backpacks and packed lunches. Oh my! Bittersweet, isn’t it?

I say bittersweet because as nice as summer is, I’m ready for my kids to get up and get on out! I need them to be entertained by someone other than me. This court jester has hung up her hat. I’m bringing structure back.

72 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

What I am not looking forward to, however, is the treacherous schedules of school; homework, sports and everything in between that comes along with the BS movement. No more lazing it up around the house or at the beach. No more last minute play dates at the pool.

No more staying up (waaayyyy) past bedtimes.

So I was thinking we could kick off our back to school celebrations/woes with an easy, kid-friendly recipe. Pasta!

What kid doesn’t love a good pasta? Get your kid in the kitchen and get him/her excited about making something! This is something that you could do with your kid, or niece or nephew ... or you can even borrow the neighbor’s kid if you want. Please get permission first.

Now it’s all like … What time is it?

Are we late for something? What day is it? Don’t we have a practice today? Did we put your homework in your backpack? Did I wash your underwear last night? Oh man, the responsibilities!

This recipe is something easy enough for them to understand while still being delicious enough for you to justify the mess they’ll be m aking in your kitchen.

I promise it will be entertaining and enriching for you to let a child help you out in the kitchen.

The lessons they learn while cooking and mixing and measuring can be life changing for them … and for you. Like, for example, “Note to Self:

Maybe next time I should to remember NOT to let my kid crack an egg directly INTO the pancake batter, unless you like crunchy bits of eggshell in your pancakes.”

Yeah, that has happened a time or two. I can’t promise the experience won’t be frustrating, but I can tell you the outcome will definitely be delicious!

Stay calm and rock on! And Happy BS, kiddos (and parentals!)

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pesto 3 ounces basil leaves, about 5-6 loosely packed cups (I usually buy a 4 oz. package of organic basil leaves from a place that rhymes with Shmader Toe’s. I use almost all of the package when I make my pesto, but I reserve a few leaves to add them fresh to the dish.)

1/2-3/4 cup roasted almonds

(or use your favorite nut, or no nuts at all if there’s a nut allergy in the house)

2-3 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3/4-1 cup olive oil Kosher salt Fresh cracked pepper TIP: You can always buy your favorite kind of pesto from the

store to make it even easier for you, but really, where it the fun in that?

01

Chop 1/2 a cup of sun dried tomatoes; if packed in oil, drain

Set aside. This will be the last ingredient we toss with the pasta. *Optional: Freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano to toss with the

cooked pasta.

butternut squash 1 lb (about 2-3 cups) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1 inch cubes

(you can buy them pre-cut at most grocery stores for a small premium)

3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

Puree the garlic and almonds in the food processor. This is something kids love to do and is a great way to get them involved in the kitchen. Pushing those little buttons on the food processor is like a huge deal to them. So let them pulse and push away until their little hearts are content. Nothing makes them happier than being in control of those buttons. And sadly, kids seem to pretty much always be in control of pushing our buttons, don’t they!? Sheesh.

02

03

OK, so now add in the basil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and blend.

While the food processor is running, drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto has a slightly runny consistency but still remains fairly thick. Easy peasy.

04

TIP: You can freeze whatever pesto is leftover. Just put it in an airtight

01

Turn your oven on to 450 and let it heat up.

Put some foil on a baking sheet and toss the butternut squash with the olive oil, salt and pepper. This is fun for the kids to do because those little monsters love to get their hands all greasy and messy. Let them work away while you place the baking sheet into the preheated oven.

02

03

Let it roast for about 15-20 minutes, until you see the squash is cooked through and caramelized.

Take out and set aside.

container and drizzle a little olive oil on top to prevent the basil from browning. A main reason I don’t add cheese to my pesto is because I never know if I will end up freezing it. I’ve found that the quality of the pesto suffers if there is cheese in it and the cheese will likely have a grainy texture when it thaws. So I don’t make the pesto with cheese initially, but by all means, when using the pesto, add in the parmesan cheese to whatever you’re making in copious amounts. It’s totally up to you.

TIP: I always like to put a huge handful of fresh baby spinach in with

my pesto. Not only does this add extra nutrition, it also helps to keep the pesto beautifully, bright green.

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food/drink

DISH

ASSEMBLY TIME 01

Pour 3/4 of the basil pesto into the pasta.

02

Stir to coat. If it’s too thick, add the reserved pasta water, a little at a time. Just loosen it enough with the pasta water to let it coat the pasta. You can add the remaining 1/4 of the pesto if you like, or you can save it. Just taste the pasta and see if your taste buds require more flavor.

03

When the pasta is nicely green from the pesto, add in the roasted butternut squash.

04

Add the sun-dried tomatoes and toss everything together lightly.

05

Toss with fresh basil and grate some fresh parmesan cheese on top and serve.

*You can even add some chopped roasted almonds for some added texture.

This is a great dish for cold eating as well. Pack the leftovers in your kids’ lunch and let them enjoy the fruits of their labor at school! They can take it in for share day. They can tell all their friends at the lunch table. They will be so excited to let everyone know that the lunch they are eating was made by them. And how great is that, to see your kid boast and rave about something other than toys or video games? I think that’s a pretty radical thing, if I do say so myself.

TIP: Here’s a variation if you have picky eaters. You can always reverse this

pasta so they don’t know there are veggies in it. … Puree the roasted butternut squash in the food processor and toss it with the cooked pasta. Add some reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until the butternut squash thins to a saucy consistency and coats the pasta. Chop some fresh basil, sun dried tomatoes and sprinkle some parmesan cheese and serve. The sweet taste of the butternut squash makes for a delicious sauce for the pasta, and no chunks of veggie for those picky, button-pusher kids!

pasta 01

Pick you or your kid’s favorite pasta shape, not too small or thin. You want the sauce to stick heartily to the pasta.

02

Boil your water. When it boils, add a generous helping of salt. This seasons the pasta and prevents it from tasting bland. And who wants bland pasta? Not me.

Add the pasta and cook to package directions. Before draining the pasta, set aside one cup of the pasta liquid. The pesto may be a little on the thick side and you can add the pasta water, little by little, to thin it out and create a more saucy consistency.

03

04

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot you boiled it in but with the stove burner turned off.

My name is Lara Miller and I am a wife to a pretty cool San Diego dude and mama to three handsome little boys. Yes, I am a lone ranger in a pad full of testosterone. Here is my thing... I love to cook. I’m not a chef, but cooking is what makes the world turn for me. It’s like my therapy, and believe me… dealing with three boys on the daily requires some serious therapy!

74 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FourElmagazine.com

on par

GOLF COURSE REVIEW

la costa resort & SPA champions course

2100 Costa Del Mar Road, Carlsbad LaCosta.com Tee Times/Pro Shop: 855.422.4679

Green fees Starting from $150. Contact the resort or visit the website for discounts and specials.

Established:

1965

Course Rating:

73.0

Slope Rating:

135

Distance:

6,747 yards

Grass:

Bent grass greens Bermuda fairways

Designer:

Dick Wilson (1965); Joe Lee (1973, 1984); Damian Pascuzzo, Steve Pate and Jeff Brauer (2011)

Dress Code: Collared shirt

76 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

Practice and lessons: TOURAcademy La Costa offers an array of programs for golfers ranging from the beginner hitting the course for the first time to the low-handicapper wanting to shave a few more strokes off his/her game.

Programs: - 2-5 day golf schools (includes daily golf) - Private lessons - Playing lessons (on-course instruction) - New golfer lesson series - Junior camps and after-school programs - Speciality clinics - Corporate events and outing

Tidbits: After almost 50 years, Southern California’s only Gold Medal Golf Resort has hosted a who’s who of the golf world: Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, just to name a few.

The Champions Course was home to the 2012 LPGA Kia Classic.

Dick Wilson’s only California design has been completely restored and dressed with all-new bent grass greens, Bermuda fairways and strategically placed bunkers.

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Omni La Costa Golf Resort - Champions Course

a partner in restaurants as well as dealings with the Padres. The other guy, Mike, is actually the deputy managing editor for Sports Illustrated Golf Group. My round went from boring to exciting instantaneously. Between Richard’s life experiences and Mike’s experience with golf professionals, there was no lack of conversation.

Hole No. 9 It’s about 230 yards before it doglegs right. If you hit it too hard, there are massive bunkers waiting for your ball at the turn. There’s a lake on the right side, all along the fairway up to the green. If you try to cut it over, you risk getting wet. Your best bet is to ease up on your driver or hit your three wood. I hit my ball about 220 yards … and right in front of the bunkers.

I had about 200 yards left but the green was hiding behind another huge bunker. I grabbed my three iron, gripped it and took a rip. My ball landed softly on the right side fringe about 15 feet away from the flag. It should have been an easy up and down from there for a par, but I chunked my chip and walked away with a bogey.

Hole No, 16 A short par three but probably the most scenic of them all. You hit over a big lake with a large fountain and a waterfall in the background. There are bunkers in the back so you have to stick your ball or you’ll trickle off the back into the sand.

Richard hit a beautiful shot that looked perfect, but his course knowledge told him it would roll off the back. Amazingly, it did exactly what he said. My ball luckily stuck on the fringe and stopped before the traps.

Mike, who is an excellent player in his own right, flew his ball firmly onto the green and two putt for a par. Richard and I both walked with bogeys.

In retrospect, just as imagined, the course is beautiful.

Originally, I was scheduled to review the course in a threesome. One guy in our group called to say that he got caught up at work and was very sorry but had to cancel.

There are a lot of very large bunkers that seem to always come into play for every shot, and on every hole. The water hazards are also challenging. If there isn’t a big lake, there’s generally a creek that runs alongside or across your path. You need to be able to shape your shot as well as have great distance control. This definitely is not a simple grip it and rip it course.

I get to La Costa and I’m waiting for my other friend to show. I text and call but I don’t get a response. I finally receive a message saying that he got injured playing basketball so he is in the ER. Was this a hint to change my deodorant?

The greens are well manicured and undulating. They were playing slow on the day I visited mainly due to heavy use since the South Course is under renovation.

Nevertheless, I’ve never played a round of golf by myself, let alone being the only one in my group. The resort had just finished a tournament so the course was wide open.

I was disappointed when I found out I was playing alone. I love playing golf, not simply for the actual act of golfing but for the sense of camaraderie and community you feel when you are golfing with your friends.

I like talking trash, betting, laughing and, of course, having a few beers.

Four EL Magazine playing the course:

I played the first six holes in record time, but for some reason, because I was by myself, I started cheating. I was giving myself better lies and forgave myself if I chunked it by just hitting another ball.

It felt like I was practicing more than playing a round. When I got to the sixth hole, I caught up to a very sluggish foursome.

As I waited in the fairway for them to get off the green, a twosome hit right into me. The first ball landed about 20 feet behind me, and the second ball zinged past me about 20 yards. One of the guys, Richard, is a member and entrepreneur with experiences being

Mike is probably a scratch golfer and Richard is probably in single digits.

If I shoot in the mid-90s, I’m having a good round. Even though the three of us had never met and had completely different skill levels at golf, the round was great because we all love the game, respect the game, and want to continue to learn about the game.

Then again, it definitely didn’t hurt that Richard kept buying everybody rounds of drinks ...

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 77

travel

adventures

mammoth

california

BY erik martin

M

mammoth lakes California

78 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

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W

Whether it’s the cold and precarious walk from your car to the ski lifts in your clunky ski boots, the peaceful and weightless glide through virgin powder on your snowboard, the sound of improperly fitted snow chains banging wheel wells, or the soothing sensation of a snow-surrounded hot tub and cocktail after a day on the slopes, Mammoth Mountain conjures these up for the majority of us. But what happens when the white playground gives way to the heat of summer? Plenty …

After the blue jays politely ask you to get up out of your cozy bed at the Westin Monache Resort, head to Erick Schat’s Bakkery to enjoy a cup of joe, one or more of the tempting Dutch pastries, and a loaf of their famous sheepherder bread. Hopped up on caffeine and sugar, throw your mountain bike on the gondola and take in Mammoth’s splendid views while cruising and/or bombing Mammoth Mountain Bike Park’s 80 miles of single track. You, your wife, the lil’ ones, and even Grandpa and Grandma can rent mountain bikes at MMBP and enjoy the park together as it caters to all levels.

However, if getting hot and dirty–on mountain bikes–isn’t your thing, the paved Lake Basin Path from North Village to the lakes might suit you better. The smell of clean, mountain air, the sound of the wind blowing through the pines above, the light breeze cooling your face, and the mischievous chipmunks darting from one side of the path to the other make this a pleasant 5.3-mile ride. Lock up the bikes, hire a kayak and peer down through Lake Mary’s pellucid water to see Mammoth’s volcanic deposits quietly sitting at the bottom.

TW IN L AKE S

Nature Camping

.

RD OTH M AM DM OL

TWIN FALLS

TO MCLEOD LAKE

LAKE MAMIE

HORSESHOE LAKE

RIDING STABLE

LAKE GEORGE

TO CRYSTAL LAKE

TO TJ LAKE

TO EMERALD LAKE

CALIFORNIASGREATESTLAKES.COM

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 79

travel

adventures

If you’d rather keep your feet firmly planted on the ground, Mammoth provides more than 300 miles of scenic hiking trails. Below Mammoth Ski Resort, the San Joaquin River Valley is often overlooked by visitors. However, the valley is home to pristine lakes, trout-filled streams, geological wonders, and cascading waterfalls. To access the valley, you must catch the tram down the winding, 17-mile, cliff-hanging road.

Or, you can experience the San Joaquin River Valley as John Muir did and camp at one of many accommodating campsites along the river. With only a bear box, picnic table, your tent and camp stove, there’s no better way to enjoy a night in Mammoth than sitting around a bonfire with Gentleman Jack Daniel’s in hand and peering up at millions of stars.

Whether you camp below or ride the tram down, the hike to Rainbow Falls takes you past some of the most beautiful and unique countryside in the Sierras, including Devil’s Postpile’s 60-foot, polygonal, natural columns formed by lava and ice. Follow the San Joaquin River another mile and a half downstream and you’ll find Rainbow Falls. Sitting on the giant boulders below the falls, listening to the river roar as it falls 101 feet, following the rainbow with your eyes as it jumps across the wide pool below and feeling the cool mist settle on your arms is an ideal way to enjoy the sandwich you made earlier that day using some of that Schat’s sheepherder bread.

Another hiking option, outside of Mammoth Village in the opposite direction of the San Joaquin River Valley, Little Lakes Valley is one of the most popular hikes in the Eastern Sierras next to Mt. Whitney. Accessible via Rock Creek, the Little Lakes Valley day hike introduces you to a chain of spectacular lakes that are hugged and protected by lush, green meadows and snow-dusted mountains. After this 10-mile hike, treat yourself to an ice-cold beer and one of the best slices of pie anywhere at Pie In The Sky Café.

Whether your day was spent hiking, fishing, kayaking or mountain biking, a nice evening out is well deserved. A glass of wine by the fireplace at Petra’s, a pitcher of beer and pizza at Giovanni’s, or a steak dinner and dancing at Whiskey Creek are all excellent ways to close out your day in Mammoth. And don’t worry, that hot tub and cocktail are still there too!

Heart Lake NejmantowiczPhotography.com

Devil’s Postpile National Monument

80 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

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SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 81

RELATIONSHIPS

OFFSPRING

Cartoon

y n o Lo

modern cartoons suck By cory waterhouse

BORING.

That’s the best way for me to describe the shows and cartoons for children nowadays.

I was trying to watch some stupid thing my nephew had on the uber flatastic the other day, and could barely get through ten minutes of it before I had to walk out of the room.

I think current network broadcasts are breeding a generation of softies with all that chirpy boorish crud that kids are digesting every day.

Where’s the calamity? The gore? The wanton violence and bloodlust that I was privy? I awoke each morning at 6am with two thoughts on my still forming mind: Cartoons and stabbing anyone that had the audacity to drink the last of the milk.

So with eyes wide in gleeful anticipation of the next brutal beating of one cartoon character by another, I dove into my Cheerios and kept the ‘toons flowing. And there were lessons learned in thirty minutes increments.

82 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

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Who says cartoons and early morning entertainment weren’t educational?

I learned about physics.

Like if you step off a cliff, you won’t actually fall until you realize that you’re still hovering over empty space. You usually get three running steps before you disappear in a downward plume of smoke.

I also learned the hard way that umbrellas don’t do shit when you jump off the house. Mary Poppins is a goddamn liar.

I learned about drug use.

If you can honestly tell me that Scooby and the gang weren’t smoking weed, then I’ll personally buy you your own Mystery Machine.

Plus, did you notice that Fred kept sending Velma on investigations with Shaggy, the shiftless hippy, and Scooby, the only dog with a speech impediment, off on their own so that he could “search for clues” with Daphne. Yeah, nice cover Fred...and sweet neckerchief.

I learned about abstinence from watching the Smurfs.

Since there were about a hundred of those little blue freaks and only one was female. Or maybe Smurfette was just a filthy smurfing whore.

I learned that when you take a young boy into your home and share with him your love of tight spandex, manservants, and cave dwelling you’re not a pedophile...you’re Batman. And he’s not a scarred, abused youth in need of therapy...he’s Robin, the Boy Wonder. I think it’s more like...the Boy’s Wondering what the hell he’s doing with thiscreepy rich guy sporting a codpiece.

I learned that creativity can come from anywhere.

I personally feel that Sid and Marty Krofft must have been eating handfuls of blotter acid before they created H.R. Pufnstuf. That show freaked me out, but oddly enough inattentive babysitters and older relatives with bloodshot eyes found this show riveting.

I learned that Grumpy from Land of the Lost would eat that silly stupid stuffed Barney the Purple Dinosaur. That’s if the Sleestaks didn’t get him first.

I also learned that show doesn’t hold up well past the age is six. It made public access shows seem Shakespearean.

said frying pan. Oh, and a fire cracker blowing up in your hand/face doesn’t actually turn you black from the explosion. It only results in second degree burns and lifelong ligament damage. Whouda thunk it?

Then there’s the crowning achievement of all violent cartoons: Tom and Jerry. That frisky cat and smarmy mouse did battle for decades, never once wavering from their pervasive onslaught of pain and torture upon one another. I’m not really sure what the ASPCA’s official stance was about the show, but it couldn’t have been very positive.

So when you hear people discussing my age group as the “Lost Generation”, don’t readily accept that pablum as truth...because it’s not lost.

After all the violence, creepy animated adventures and drug-addled television we’ve seen growing up, we’re not lost...we’re just hiding.

I learned that GI Joe discussed terrorism before it became a color coded fear tactic. But Cobra Commander was less scary jihadist leader, and more lispy sad guy behind a fancy mirrored visor. I think he just missed Duke. Those two daffy turds just needed to hug it out .

I also learned that hitting your brother in the head with a frying pan doesn’t change the shape of his head into

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 83

RELATIONSHIPS

DATING

summer says:

Love is

blind

“Love is blind” can have many different meanings. You might think ugly needs to love, love can’t see ugly, love can’t see, or maybe love is blind; sometimes you don’t see it till it’s gone.

None of those are the meanings I want to talk about. What I want to talk about is when you start dating someone and you think you are in love, OK … I’ll give it to you, maybe you are in love. You can become blind to things that you would not be OK with if you weren’t in love. Some may argue and say that is what love is all about. Things that were important to you before just aren’t important anymore. I agree with that as well. I think it is beautiful when you are in love and you see someone for who they are and you are not going to let little things that may have bothered you before alter the way you feel. HOWEVER, what I’m really talking about is this: When you are in love and in a relationship that your friends or family know isn’t going to work … it is because they are seeing the things that you’ve temporarily been blinded to. For example: the way they treat you, the way they talk to you, the priority you are on their list, the way they treat your friends or, even worse, they have a characteristic or quality that is typically a non-negotiable for you.

What do you do? You really like this girl but your friends keep questioning your judgment on this one. This is a sticky situation. We’ve all been there!

As a woman, I know in the past when one of my girlfriends had the courage to say something to me I heard her, but I didn’t really listen. And when you are the friend who brings it up, you too typically know that it does not really matter what you say. Everyone usually has to go through the motions themselves and weeks, months, maybe even years later you say, “I should have really listened to what everyone was saying.” I have wasted years in relationships that multiple friends or family members tried to talk to me about.

I have a few pieces of advice I want to share with you all around love being blind...

84 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

01 Listen to those close to you.

If you are in a relationship and someone close to you has the courage to say something to you, listen. Don’t just hear them out, actively listen. It takes a lot for someone to say something; no one wants to be the one to rain on your parade.

02 Try to be objective.

THIS IS HARD. It is really difficult to try to take yourself out of the equation, especially since you play one of the two main roles … but try! Try to put your best friend in the relationship and now think about the concerns they’ve shared with you.

You might actually gain some insight here and see some of the things you weren’t able to see before.

03 Say something.

This piece of advice is for the friend or family member: If you have a friend that is in this “love is blind” relationship, take the time to think about what you want to say.

If the situation is you don’t really care for your friend’s girlfriend, bite your tongue.

However, if you see things happening that you know your friend would not be OK with if they weren’t blinded, then do it. Just be careful the way you deliver it. Do it in a one-on-one setting and not at a bar with a bunch of guys!

As humans, no one is perfect. No one has all the answers. Life is made up of friendships, relationships, experiences, jobs, etc. We learn so much about ourselves as a friendship, relationship, experience or job ends. My hope for you that are single is this: I hope the blindness that you experience from love is the kind that allows you to see one’s flaws, however you accept them because true love is unconditional.

As summer comes to an end, I hope you all had fun in the sun and are now ready for some FOOTBALL! (BTW, going to a football game or party is a great date for you single guys out there.) Cheers!

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WFSS4Lmag.indd 1

7/26/13 11:40:49 AM

native population

86 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

beauty and brains

FourElmagazine.com

San Diego

Natives

Janina Rosanna Kathrin Freiin Ebner von Eschenbach ... OR NINA Photo by Lijo Joy

San Diego connection (Why are you in SD?): My dad is originally from the States, and I fell in love with Cardiff by the Sea when I had the opportunity to continue my schooling out here.

Zodiac sign: Aquarius Profession: Student, designer Outdoors activities: Basketball, surf, snowboard, (any sport really) Hobbies: Art, travel, basketball, cooking, clothing design, surf, snowboard and music (and not to forget collecting sneakers) Favorite food: Ethiopian, German and Italian Favorite libation: Whiskey sour Tell us about your childhood?

My childhood was incredible. I grew up in a really small town close to the Alps in Bavaria, Germany, called Benediktbeuern. Even though my family is originally from a town called Eschenbach, like my last name, my mom wanted us to experience a life away from aristocracy.

The community in Benediktbeuern was small and everyone knew one another. We lived close to many farms and had acres of land surrounding our house, which made it a playground for us three kids. My parents are amazing and because of them, we never had the anxiety of being inside too much.

My sister and I are really close; she is four years older and lives in Munich. My brother is four years younger and studies physics in northern Germany. Growing up, we came up with a lot games and activities inviting our neighborhood friends and families. Cornfields, rivers, the mountains, forests and farms marked our playground.

Therefore, activities included snowboarding, fishing, hiking, ranch life and so on. My parents did a great job at teaching us to be creative and inventive without media consumption and to really enjoy the outdoors as much as possible.

In 2009, I moved to Munich City, which is only 30 minutes from my mom’s house, where I attended the Academy of Mode and Design, majoring in interior design.

Overall, I really have to thank my parents for guiding us in the right directions, teaching us cultural differences by traveling around the world, making sure of discrete manners and leading us to be determined in our goals and dreams ahead.

What are your passions and career goals?

I have always been determined to reach any goals and dreams set forth of becoming internationally effective. One of the ultimate goals is to be working for Nike as a product manager. I love collecting sneakers, and they are mainly Nike shoes from basketball to limited editions.

I am currently working on my own label and that’s been a side project to really emphasize my passion for fashion. My grandma used to be a tailor and mom was a designer for Head sportswear, and I feel I can shape the fashion industry with my creative ideas and inventions. Of course, this isn’t an easy process, and financially this has been one of my greatest struggles. Since I cannot work in the U.S. as a foreign student, my career path has many stepping stones across my way.

Nevertheless, I am currently enrolled in the Business Management program at FIDM in Los Angeles, and I will be graduating next fall.

My passion for art, art history and painting has been one of my more ambitious hobbies on the side. Water paintings are usually my favorite, but I recently am experimenting with abstract art and portrait paintings.

In addition to art, I love to cook various foods and I consider myself an excellent Italian chef, but German and dessert dishes are close behind.

All in all, my goal is to educate myself as much as possible by my surroundings—school, work, literature, art, cultures and individuals—until I strike that one opportunity that will shape my future career in the industry.

What are the emotional and/or intellectual qualities you look for in a man?

One of the most important qualities I am looking for in a man is humor. A guy who can spread laughter and understand humor is attractive. If a man can make me laugh and is ambitious, determined in his career goals and dreams, emotionally stable and reflects a confident, driven, intellectual charisma, then he’ll catch my eye.

What are the physical aspects that you find sexy about a man?

Some of the physical attributes I like about a man are his eyes. I believe eyes speak more than words about a person’s soul. Pure eyes do not lie, which can make a man very attractive. I do look at a man’s overall appearance and that includes his style and taste in shoes. In my eyes, a sexy man will have great taste in shoes that are clean, fresh and stylish.

When do you feel sexy or what makes you feel sexy?

I feel sexy when I’m confident. I know who I am and who I want to be. Staying truthful to who I am and exhilarating others with a passionate, confident, charming and glowing presence is my personal perception of feeling sexy.

What do you love about San Diego?

What I really enjoy about San Diego is obviously the weather, the surf and the fact that you can play basketball all year around. Although I love downtown San Diego, I really enjoy living in Cardiff. The community is small and really great and views of the ocean are amazing.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 87

GADGETS & GEAR

REVIEWS

TECH all hands on

Wall Mounted T-Rex Dinosaur Head Price: $299

Again being the Ultimate King Champion of pranks and frightening the smaller people in my home, I’ve decided to buy this and display it on the wall of my office. Unfortunately, my office is actually just another storage room in my home, doesn’t have any furniture in it and doesn’t resemble anything like a man cave. Plus, I don’t think my daughter would let me have a dinosaur on my wall. She frightens easily and I’m actually afraid of her. “This hanging Tyrannosaurus Rex giant 3D wall art inspires adventure stories and lively conversations. Each lifelike plaque comes with a metal keyhole to mount your T-Rex beast flush to the wall with ease. T-Rex head ships brand new in manufacturer’s packaging, ready to attack any room in your house! Made of resin and painted to look lifelike, your friends and family will be amazed at the quality and authenticity.”

GeeneModels.com

August Smart Lock Price: $199 later this year

“The August Smart Lock is the secure, simple and social way to manage your home’s lock. Now you can control who can enter and who can’t—without the need for keys or codes. And you can do it all from your smartphone or computer.” Apparently, I’m getting paranoid in my old age because this is the second home security device I’m showcasing in AHOT. But I have a daughter so it’s better to have an idea of when she’s leaving the house. Or coming home. Nix that, she’s never leaving. August.com

Electric DeLorean Price: $110,000

1.21 Gigawhat? For mere pocket change you too can Flux Capacitate yourself back to 1955 and try and help your stuttering dunderhead dad and get groped by your pervy mom. Butthead. “Epic Vehicles unveiled a development version of an electric powered DeLorean automobile at the International DeLorean Owners Event in Houston, Texas. DeLorean plans to market the DMCEV in the United States in 2013, and will further develop prototypes combining the existing DeLorean automobile with the Epic EV electric powertrain.”

Delorean.com

88 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

Wow

Factor

FourElmagazine.com

Peavey AT-200 Auto Tune Guitar

Price: $500

I think this auto-tuning device might be a necessary installation to every single guitar on display at every guitar store on the planet. And on a side note: Yes, some of your guitars are actually in tune. You’re just terrible. “Perfect tuning. Perfect intonation. Instantly. With the simple push of a button on the new Peavey AT-200, guitar players can now create music in perfect tune and pitch. The Peavey AT-200 features Antares Auto-Tune for Guitar with String Tune and the Solid-Tune intonation system, two technologies that work together to bring the clarity of perfect pitch to this high-quality instrument.” Peavey.com

BT TM-15 (TM15) LE Paintball Gun - Black Price: $560

The first time I went paintballing (apparently that’s a verb now), I went with my brother-in-law Brendan. We almost got paired up with 18 Marines. Which was more than a bit unnerving. But we were actually grouped with something even more horrifying: pre-teens. Needless to say, I got assassinated multiple times by sixth graders lisping through their retainers at me to, “LAY DOWN SOME COVER FIRE YOU PANSY ASS NEWBIE!” Good luck with puberty, you little turds. “Empire Battle Tested introduces a new, shorter carbine version of the TM-15 marker for more maneuverability and CQB (Close Quarters Battle). They’ve upgraded the barrel to the APEX2 to give you more distance and the ability to curve your shots. Add in the front fore grip and a cool color scheme and you’ve got the best Milsim marker on the playing field.” Word of warning: DO NOT call a paintball marker a “gun.” You cannot fathom the abuse that follows. RockStarTactical.com

Chromecast Price: $35

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Google. And for good (albeit a self-serving) reason. When Google morphs into SKYNET and starts building murderous Androids, I will become a favored member of their meat minions. But back to reality and the very popular Chromecast: Stream online video, music and more to your TV using your smartphone, tablet or laptop. Supports Netflix, YouTube, Google Play as well as select web content through the Chrome browser. Works with Android, iOS, Chrome for Mac and Chrome for Windows. Easy setup: Plug into any HDTV and connect to your home WiFi network.

Box includes Chromecast, HDMI extender, USB power cable and power adapter.

Arnold Schwarzenegger accent sold separately.

Google.com/Chromecast

Canary Home Security Device

Price: Donate $199 to their Indiegogo campaign and you get a device in white Sounds pretty cool to me. A robot security guard that looks oddly like one of those Febreeze stinky house misters. So the burglars won’t look twice while being taped looting your pad. Unless they steal that too. “Controlled entirely from your iPhone or Android device, Canary alerts you when it senses anything out of the ordinary—from sudden temperature changes that can indicate a fire, to the sound and movement that could mean an intrusion.

Instantly receive, view and act on the alerts wherever you are. Over time, Canary learns your home’s rhythms to send you smarter alerts. Canary is the smartest way to stay secure.” Canary.is

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 89

GADGETS & GEAR

TECH all hands on

REVIEWS

WeMo Light Switch

Price: $49.99

I would buy this item purely to cause havoc in my home. I’d probably start one of those shaky camera paranormal shows, running around my house, catching lights turning off and on.

Then again, that would be a pretty lame ghost. “The Wi-Fi enabled WeMo Light Switch allows you to turn lights on and off from anywhere—from across the house, from the backyard or from the other side of the world. WeMo Light Switch replaces a standard light switch in your home and can be controlled remotely with an Android smartphone or tablet, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. It works with your existing Wi-Fi network and anywhere your smartphone or tablet has an Internet connection (3G or 4G LTE).” Oh, and look for the Four EL Paranormal Special next year on No Channel Ever. Belkin.com

William Shakespeare’s Star Wars Price: $15

Wally 55 Powerboat Price: $2.4 million

Well, I guess there’s something to be said for naming your jaw dropping luxury power boat after the theme park from the Chevy Chase flick Vacation. I tip my 40 to you, John Candy … you sweet Canadian beast of comedy. “Available with two or three cabins, and space to accommodate a crew member, it can comfortably sleep up to five passengers. A fully-appointed galley and several restrooms with showers mean you don’t have to leave the comforts of home when you take to the sea. Four Volvo IPS600 engines producing 435 horsepower apiece push this yacht through the water at an impressive pace of 40 knots. The deck has plenty of space for sunbathing and relaxing (concealed by a wraparound windscreen), and a hydraulic swim ladder makes a perfect launch point for taking a dip.” Wally.com

I have to say that this little tome evaded me until recently.

Though Willie Shakes hauntingly reminds me of Mrs. Groff’s English class at Greenfield Junior High, I’ll give this book a thumbs up because I’m a sucker for anything Star Wars. “Return once more to a galaxy far, far away with this retelling of George Lucas’s epic Star Wars in the style of the immortal Bard of Avon. The saga of a wise (Jedi) knight and an evil (Sith) lord, of a beautiful princess held captive and a young hero coming of age, Star Wars abounds with all the valor and villainy of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. ’Tis a tale told by fretful droids, full of faithful Wookiees and fearsome Stormtroopers, signifying … pretty much everything. Re-imagined in glorious iambic pentameter—and complete with 20 gorgeous Elizabethan illustrations—William Shakespeare’s Star Wars will astound and edify Rebels and Imperials alike.” IanDoescher.com

If you’d like to have your product reviewed by Four EL Magazine, e-mail cory@fourelmagazine.com 90 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FourElmagazine.com

FULLY CULTURED YET UNSHAVEN

THE FOUR EL’S OF SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING LATITUDE Where our readers live, work and play LONGEVITY Your ads make lasting impressions LOYALTY Our readers come back for more LIMITLESS Your return on investment FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: 760.744.0911 OR STEVE@FOURELMAGAZINE.COM

BUSINESS

PERSPECTIVE

bring

Philanthropy

to Main Street

By Ryan Ponsford

What comes to mind when you hear the word “philanthropy?” Money?

Names on buildings? Tax and legal strategies for the wealthy?

For most of us, philanthropy is an ivy-league term that connotes something reserved for the Park Avenue crowd, not the majority of us living a few blocks off Main Street.

However, the reality is that philanthropy has nothing to do with money or wealth. Nothing to do with writing large checks. And what’s more?

Each of us and our families can benefit from a little taste of philanthropic activity. For now, let’s just look at some of the origin of the concept…

Starting with just the word “philanthropy,” it comes from the Greek words, “philein” and “anthropos.” For the Greek scholars out there, you’ll know that these two words basically translate to “love for humankind.” The widely accepted theory for the origin of the word, is that it comes from the ancient Greek playwright, Aeschylus, in depicting the Titan Prometheus’ “philanthropos tropos,” or “humanity-loving character.”

If you recall, Greek mythology tells of Zeus’ decision to destroy humans as they had no knowledge, skills, or culture of any sort. Prometheus, apparently being a humanity-loving gent, decided to give them two empowering gifts – fire and optimism (or blind hope). With fire, humans could be optimistic, and with optimism, they would use the fire for the benefit of their race.

From there was born philanthropia, or loving what it is to be human.

(Oddly, the main thing I remember from my studies of Greek mythology, was that Prometheus was punished by being chained to a rock where vultures would come every day and eat out his liver. Because he was a Titan, it would grow back that night, and he’d endure the same the next day. Neat huh?)

As you’ll notice, there wasn’t a mention of “giving money away,” “tax strategies for the rich,” a suggestion of “your name on a building;” or anything of the sort. Philanthropy in its root form is doing well for others because you genuinely care. It’s making an effort for the well-being of the human race.

This could be about supporting a charitable organization that is doing good things, it could be about giving a Cliff Bar to someone on the street, or it could be merely holding open the door for someone on the way into a building.

92 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

So, the bottom line here is that we can all be philanthropists. However, there is more to the message. There’s more because you ought to understand both why and how you should become philanthropic.

I’ll jump out on a limb here and make the assumption that most of us have given something to someone in our lives. I’ll also make the bold suggestion that you may have even enjoyed it.

Well, as you might guess, there have been studies done linking giving and generosity to good health – mental, emotional, and spiritual. In a future article, I’ll share those with you; the outcomes are telling.

So, giving is good for you; most of us know that already. Here’s the real question that I get from individuals, couples, and families. How do I best give? More than ever, folks are becoming more concerned with maximizing the actual impact of their gifts. Our dollars are finite.

If we want to truly participate in addressing a societal problem, where are our dollars best allocated? Which organizations will be the best stewards of our funds? How do we maximize the impact of giving for our family?

In my mind there are two answers to these questions. One addresses increasing the odds that you are choosing to fund organizations that have the highest likelihood of solving the core problem you wish to solve. To some extent, this is an investment equation. How will you get the maximum return on investment, when return is quantified by success in solving a social problem?

The other, is how might you and your family go through the process of selecting an organization so as to maximize the benefits to your family? This second question is the one that I find more valuable and most often missed. Make sure to vet and select quality organizations in order to maximize the impact to your family.

In the meantime, do something nice for someone; see if it improves your day!

FourElmagazine.com

R E A L E S TAT E Homes & Estates

Proudly Welcome’s Back

Donna Wettstein.

AN EXCEPTIONAL REALTOR® FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

“

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

YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS!

“

“

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

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

“

Mike and Marie 4/25/13

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

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 93

rhythm

MUSIC LISTINGS

HOT WIRE 9/13:

Little hurricane Sunset Temple Room

9/08: Melissa Etheridge, Humphreys 9/08: ZZ Ward, House of Blues 9/09: Mickey Hart Band with Tea Leaf Trio, House of Blues 9/09: Reignwolf, Casbah 9/11: Neko Case, House of Blues 9/11: Minus The Bear, Belly Up

9/22:

9/12: New Politics, Casbah

FALLOUT BOY, PANIC! AT THE DISCO and TWENTY ONE PILOTS

9/13: Jimmy Cliff, Belly Up 9/13: Ra Ra Riot, Birch North Park Theatre 9/13: The Features, The Griffin

Valley View Casino

9/13: Little Hurricane, Sunset Temple Room 9/14: OneRepublic & Sara Bareilles,

Open Air Theatre @ SDSU

9/14: Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers, Belly Up 9/15: Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Belly Up 9/16: Bastille, House of Blues 9/17: Jason Isbell, Belly Up 9/18: Wynonna Judd, Belly Up 9/18: Green Flash Concert Series with Steve Poltz, Birch Aquarium 9/19: Soul Asylum, Sycuan Casino 9/20: Xfest 2013, Sleep Train Amphitheatre 9/21: The Vaccines, Casbah

10/5:

maroon 5

Sleep Train Amphitheatre 94 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

9/21: FM 94/9 Independence Jam 2013 with Cage The Elephant, Smallpools, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., American Authors, Royal Teeth, The Colourist and Dead Feather Moon,

Junior Seau Oceanside Pier Amphitheatre

FourElmagazine.com

9/18:

9/19:

10/4:

STEVE POLTZ

SOUL ASYLUM

philLip philLips

Birch Aquarium

Sycuan Casino

Sleep Train Amphitheatre

9/22: Through the Roots, House of Blues 9/22: The Psychedelic Furs, Belly Up 9/22: FM 94/9 welcomes Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco and Twenty One Pilots, Valley View Casino Center 9/22: FM 94/9 welcomes Depeche Mode, Sleep Train Amphitheatre 9/22: The Slackers, Porters Pub 9/23: Ben Rector, House of Blues 9/25: FM 94/9 welcomes the Naked and Famous, presented by the Casbah, House of Blues 9/25: BoomBox, Belly Up 9/26: Michael Rose with Sly and Robbie, Belly Up 9/27: Islands, Casbah 9/27: Gary Clark Jr., House of Blues 9/28: Between the Buried and Me, House of Blues 9/29: Bullet for My Valentine, Soma San Diego 9/29: Matt Nathanson, House of Blues 9/30: FM 94/9 welcomes Vampire Weekend, Open Air Theatre @ SDSU 10/02: FM 94/9 welcomes Jake Bugg, House of Blues 10/02: KPRi presents Bob Schneider, Belly Up 10/03: The Heavy Guilt with Kongos and Hot Sands, House of Blues 10/04: Yellowcard Ocean Avenue Acoustic - The Tour, House of Blues 10/04: Philip Philips, Sleep Train Amphitheatre 10/05: Maroon 5, Sleep Train Amphitheatre 10/06: Travis, House of Blues SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 95

around town

LOCAL EVENTS

BOTTOMS UP WEEK 1: Friday, Sept. 6, 5.30-9 p.m., Almost Famous; Sunday, Sept. 8, 2-6 p.m., Brothers Gow & Ocean Hands; Brew: Hess Brewing Co.

WEEK 2: Friday, Sept. 13, 5.30-9 p.m., Attack of the Killer Tomatoes; Sunday, Sept. 15, 2-6 p.m., Whiskey Avengers & Science Fiction Jazz; Brew: New English Brewing Co.

WEEK 3: Friday, Sept. 20, 5.30-9 p.m., Top Gun; Sunday, Sept. 22, 2-6 p.m., The Peripherals & The Routine; Brew: Latitude 33 Brewery

Various dates, Sept. 6-29:

Horton Plaza Brew HA-HA Price: You buy your own suds Locale: Horton Plaza, Downtown

Celebrate America’s Finest City with FREE entertainment every Friday and Sunday throughout September. Each week San Diego is feted with local breweries, local films and local bands; check back on Facebook each week for the lineup. These events are 21+ but they benefit Guitars In the Classroom. facebook.com/WestfieldHortonPlaza

WEEK 4: Friday, Sept. 27, 5.30-9 p.m., Top Gun; Sunday, Sept. 29, 2-6 p.m., So Cal Duo & Bread and Jam; Brew: The Beer Co.

(slack ass day of purchase)

Oct. 5: Carlsbad Oktoberfest Price: $10 Locale: Carlsbad

San Diego’s one and only costumed Asian bar crawl is finally here! Gather your hot imports to hit it raw at Gaslamp’s swankiest sushi bars and dance cheesy like PSY as we holler “Oppa Gaslamp Style!”

All of that shit sounds super racist. Plus PSY was so six months ago. So that makes you racist AND lame. Oppa douchebag style. AsianBarCrawl.com

The Carlsbad Rotary Oktoberfest, a fall tradition of feasting, fun and fundraising, marks its 30th anniversary this year. The event brings thousands of people to enjoy German food, live music and a variety of entertainment for children. And vomit. Lots of vomit. Which isn’t actually considered part of the entertainment for children. RotaryOktoberfest.org

Sept. 22: 2013 Asian Bar Crawl Price: $25 (early bird) to $35

Locale: Gaslamp

96 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

FourElmagazine.com

food fests

SPORTY LIFE

Sept. 12-15: ¡Latin Food Fest!

Price: Varies by event Locale: Various locations in the Gaslamp

Sept. 29: San Diego Bayfair Price: $20-$250 Locale: Mission Bay

I just literally spent 15 minutes trying to find the upside down exclamation point.

I need a nap. This multi-city Latin culinary celebration kicks off in San Diego with a lavish international food festival and more than a dozen events. Sidenote: I am passionate about Latin cuisine and, by proxy, I am looking for the most ruthless hot sauce I can buy. If you think your volcanic condiment will ruin my face after a meal, email me at cory@fourELmagazine.com. LatinFoodFest.com

A family festival tradition for more than 40 years—think NASCAR for those who prefer flip flops—San Diego Bayfair’s World Series of Powerboat Racing speeds to the finish line. I can remember hearing that deafening roar as a child and wondering why my parents were letting me lose my hearing at the beach.

SanDiegoBayfair.org

Sept. 29 SUPERFROG XXXV Triathlon Price: $160-$250 Locale: Silver Strand State Beach, Coronado

The SUPERFROG Triathlon consists of a 1.2 mile swim, 56-mile bike course and 13.1- mile run on the Silver Strand. Loews Coronado resort is the host hotel. See, when I first saw this posting, I kinda thought it was a movie about a frog that ate radioactive waste and got super huge. Or maybe a frog from Krypton? So now that I see it’s just a bunch of healthy people being healthier, I’m not so sure I’m gonna go now … ‘cause, you know … lazy. SuperFrogTriathlon.com

Sept. 15-20:

San Diego Restaurant Week

Price: varies; call participating restaurants for all price inquiries and to make reservations.

Locale: Throw a stick, you should find a place

Sept. 29 Wavecrest Woodies Meet Price: Free Locale: Moonlight Beach at the end of Encinitas Boulevard, Encinitas

This year’s promises to be the best one yet, with more than 180 restaurants participating all over San Diego County.

Make those reservations and bring your appetites.

SanDiegoRestaurantWeek.com

The longest-running and largest gathering of Woodies (resist tasteless joke about redheaded B-List train wreck/actress) in the world with around 300 of your grandfather’s SUV of every size, shape and description on view at this. Encinitas101.com/Events SEPTEMBER 2013 | Fully cultured, yet unshaven | Four El 97

around town

LOCAL EVENTS

ARTSY FARTSY

September 21-January 12, 2014 Lost in the Memory Palace Price: $5-$10 Locale: Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla

Multimedia artworks emphasize aural and visual experiences that transport the viewer to other realms of consciousness where the viewer becomes a participant, either witnessing a phenomenon or becoming immersed in a scenario. I believe this exhibit goes by another name: Too Many Drugs. mcasd.org

STAGE AND SCREAM

Sept. 27-Nov. 2: Scream Zone Price: $15-$30 Locale: Del Mar Fairgrounds

San Diego’s largest and scariest haunted attraction, the Scream Zone is actually four attractions: the House of Horror, Haunted Hayride, The Chamber and the all-new Zombie Paintball Safari! Pssssst ... hey, Scream Zone people” I love scary stuff. Huge fan. And I’d probably write about the experience in this beautiful magazine you’re holding in your hands right now. (I’m subtle). DelMarFairgrounds.com

September 28-29: Cabrillo Festival Price: Varies depending on event attended Locale: Point Loma

The nerve of Point Loma having their party on the same days as the ArtSplash.

Rude sir, you are just goddamn rude. For the 50th year, San Diego celebrates the day in 1542 when Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed on the shore that is now San Diego. Cabrillo, a Portuguese navigator sailing under the flag of Spain, was the first European to land on the West Coast. Instead of research, I prefer to utilize widespread generalizing. Therefore, by that supreme logic, I can only assume that Cabrillo was kind and considerate with the indigenous folks he met along here.

Sure, sounds feasible. Almost downright Disney. CabrilloFestival.org

September 28- 29: ArtSplash Carlsbad Price: Free Locale: Armada Drive, north of Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad

The family event promotes and benefits the arts in Carlsbad with live music, chalk art and handson exhibits. A good time to be had by all. Except those left cleaning up after some of those kids’ “art.”

CarlsbadArtSplash.org 98 Four El | SEPTEMBER 2013

Sept. 28-29: Adams Avenue Street Fair Price: Free Locale: Adams Avenue, Normal Heights

Mustaches and baby-legged jeans as far as the horn rimmed specs can see!

Southern California’s largest FREE! two-day music festival in the Normal Heights community offers fantastic entertainment for all-ages, all weekend, with more than 90 musical acts performing on seven stages. AdamsAveOnline.com FourElmagazine.com

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