San Diego City Beat 050819

2 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

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UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR

Summer goal: Get involved in the budget process

W

e’ve all heard that silly refrain: “My tax dollars at work.” There are derivations of this particular sentiment. It can be used more pointedly or directed at an elected official or civil servant. Something like, “my tax dollars pay your salary” or the like.

But for the majority of San Diegans—be they liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican—the whining begins and ends there. For most, where their tax dollars go and how they’re used is a highly complicated process filled with misconceptions and media-hyped controversies. Technically, the city and county coffers are not entirely made up of locals’ tax dollars, but a mix of city, state and federal funds, along with funds from various fees and fines.

Still, even while “our tax dollars” make up a microscopic portion of an overall city or county budget, we often feel like we have an unspoken deal with those in charge of those budgets to spend that money wisely. Some will go so far as to demand that their tax dollars not be spent on anything they don’t care for or agree with.

Such is often the scene come summertime as the city and county prepare for their respective budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. Back in April, Mayor Kevin Faulconer released his proposed city budget for 2020, which called for a 20 percent increase in spending mainly to tackle the city’s infrastructure concerns.

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On Monday, the County Board of Supervisors released their 2019-20 budget, which called for $6.21 billion in spending. That might seem like a substantial sum, but it’s actually a 1 percent decrease from the previous budget.

On the latter, this is concerning for a number of reasons. First, despite increased funding for mental health services, housing, child welfare services and public safety, the budget decrease signals that many things had to be cut. While it’s easy to shrug our collective shoulders and say “well, that’s just the way it goes,” it’s important to remember that the county is sitting on over $2 billion worth of reserves. That’s almost a third of the entire budget.

Considering the political makeup of the Board of Supervisors (4-1 in favor of Republicans), one could make the argument that this is common-sense fiscal responsibility.

That the county should have these reserves for… well, what exactly? A rainy day?

Yes, it’s important to spend county funds responsibly, but it’s also important to spend it when it’s needed. For example, let’s say a highly contagious viral infection was spreading throughout the county, killing some of the city’s most vulnerable citizens.

Health workers, along with elected officials, warn the county that they must spend more money in order to combat the spread of the infection. Instead, the five people in charge of all this reserved money ostensibly kick

the can down the road and essentially say “not our problem.”

As if readers couldn’t tell, that’s not exactly the most hypothetical example, but rather a tongue-in-cheek reference to the 2017 Hepatitis A crisis. I don’t mean to make light of it, but rather I’m simply trying to point out that if county reserves aren’t meant to be spent on important county needs, in hopes of preventing another kind of disaster, then what are they there for exactly?

This summer, I would encourage readers to get involved with the budget process.

While most city councilmembers have held receptions and town hall-style events in order to hear their constituent’s concerns about the city budget, some are still listen-

ing before they approve the final budget in June (Council President Georgette Gomez is holding an event on May 9). And we’ve seen how citizens can make a difference when they show up for things such as arts and culture funding.

As for the County, the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold public hearings on their trimmer budget sometime around June 10 (check sandiegocounty.gov for updates, dates and times). For those who care about how their money is spent, it’s time to directly address those who spend it.

—Seth Combs

Write to seth.combs@sdcitybeat.com

This issue of CityBeat is cracking “your mama” jokes.

Volume 17 • Issue 38 EDITOR Seth Combs WEB EDITOR Ryan Bradford ART DIRECTOR Carolyn Ramos STAFF WRITER Andrea Lopez-Villafaña COLUMNISTS Aaryn Belfer Ryan Bradford Edwin Decker Alfred Howard John R. Lamb Rhonda “Ro” Moore

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MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 3

UP FRONT | LETTERS

ORANGE MAN BAD BLATHER

I was recently scanning your newspaper while my car was getting washed, a nice car that I worked very hard for in a system that has brought more people in the history of the world out of poverty: capitalism.

Anyways, I usually get a kick out of your editorials, typically self-hating whites virtue signaling that they have the moral high ground over us greedy, evil, planet-hating conservatives. Always offering righteous guidance advising handouts to those poor minorities who really need our help because apparently they can’t help themselves. What you are actually doing is mentally oppressing them by creating a victimization culture rather than one that applauds hard work and achievement, but that is a discussion for another day.

So as I quickly scanned Mr. Combs article about the synagogue shootings [“What can we do now?,” From the Editor, May 1], I did not see one mention blaming Trump. Wait, what? Then I read Mr. Decker’s article [“Fight for your right to use the OK symbol,” Sordid Tales] knowing his typical thoughts that they must be in there and nothing. I mean, of course his article was about white supremacy cause white racists are the reason for all of societies woes and you have to cover it at least once a week. However, hey, no mention of evil Trump and it was actually a rational position. I stood bemused, I told myself that when I get back home I am going to write these guys, or is it Z’s, at CityBeat giving them props for not making the Poway shooting political and blaming Trump.

Then I re-read Seth’s article a little closer

4 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

and all the old fact-less “orange man bad” blather reared it’s ugly head. “These groups feel emboldened and empowered by President Trump,” you stated, more or less saying that it was his fault this psychopath shot up the synagogue.

Small problem here though, the assassin at the synagogue HATED Donald Trump for his support of the Jewish people so wouldn’t it be a bit difficult to be emboldened and empowered by him? Apparently you didn’t look up the facts on the story but I know the left tends to live in an all emotion, no fact world so color me shocked.

Rahm Emmanuel always said “Don’t let a good crisis go to waste” so good job following the playbook. It’s too bad really, I started thinking that CityBeat may just leave Trump out of the senseless death of one of our own and I respected that, turned out not only did that not happen but you completely bent the truth to fit into your narrative.

Don’t expect this to be printed in letters to the editor because my facts have most certainly triggered your feelings. All good, I’ll still read your rag wearing my MAGA hat on with pride when I am getting my capitalistic pig machine washed. Cheers!

Morgan

Bay Ho

PROGRESSIVES ARE TOLERANT

Re: Your article about “Progressive are intolerant.” [From the Editor, April 24].

But they are! They are tolerant!

Look at the abuse allegations against Rep. Keith Ellison. Virginia Lieutenant Governor

Justin Fairfax on sexual assault and the Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and his yearbook photo in what appears to be racist blackface and another in KKK’s signature white hood and robes.

And a CNN panel mocks Kanye West as Trump’s ‘TOKEN NEGRO,’ as Don Lemon (another black person) laughs. And don’t forget (unless you have to) a former Bernie sanders staffer voiced during the 2016 campaign that some of the senator’s supporters foster a culture of “toxic masculinity” around the campaign.

Joe Biden and his touchy feely on young girls.

Don’t forget Hillary all that she did, and Bill Clinton his sexual predatory ways.

So you progressive leftist losers are tolerant.

Just to the wrong people and wrong policy’s [sic].

NM A-Tabar

Spring Valley

WE WANT FEEDBACK Email letters to editor Seth Combs at seth.combs@sdcitybeat.com, or mail to 3047 University Ave., Suite 202, San Diego, CA 92104. For letters to be considered for publication, you must include your first and last name and the part of town where you reside. Note: All comments left on stories at sdcitybeat.com will also be considered for publication.

TABLE OF CONTENTS UP FRONT From the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . .

Spin Cycle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Backwards & In High Heels. . . .

Well, That Was Awkward . . . . .

3 4 5 6 7

FOOD & DRINK World Fare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Anatomy of a Cocktail Scene . . 9 Final Draught. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

THINGS TO DO The Short List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . 11-14

ARTS & CULTURE Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Feature: Summer Guide . . . 19-42 Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44-45

MUSIC Feature: O/X. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Black Gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 The Spotlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 If I Were U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Concerts & Clubs . . . . . . . . 50-52

IN THE BACK Astrologically Unsound . . . . . . 51 CannaBeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

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UP FRONT | OPINION

SPIN

CYCLE

JOHN R. LAMB

GOPlea There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.

P

—Will Rogers

erhaps Tony Krvaric should consider posting a Craigslist ad.

Slice it anyway you want, the 2020 election is shaping to be the Mariana Trench of low points for the long-time GOP chairman, chief flamethrower and top Trump idolater of the Republican Party of San Diego County.

In recent months, the local party has lost two of its remaining constellations. State Assemblyman Brian Maienschein jumped ship to the Democratic Party in January.

Then, late last month, San Diego

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City Councilmember Mark Kersey announced his renouncement of the GOP label, opting instead for the “independent” brand.

Kersey tweeted his party breakup, proclaiming that he had chosen to “disconnect from the polarized prism of partisan politics and become an independent.” While both major parties contained “good and decent members,” he explained, “today’s political climate rewards ideologues, not problem-solvers. I ran for office to rebuild San Diego, not localize the debate over federal and state partisan malice.”

Recent threats by his council predecessor and current right-wing radio griper Carl DeMaio aside, the otherwise amiable Kersey has chosen to let people speculate as to the more specific reasons for his departure or what his future plans

might be. (Kersey, also an Airport Authority boardmember, ignored DeMaio’s ravings and voted for a project labor agreement.)

His former campaign guru, Jason Roe, left little contempt in the reserve tank when he tweeted of the mutinies by Kersey, Maienschein and favorite punching bag Nathan Fletcher, who famously switched parties and now is a Democratic county supervisor. Rather than “anything noble, altruistic, or any ‘evolution’ in their view,” Roe seethed, “it is 100% naked ambition. 3 middle aged white dudes who can’t stand not to be in office.”

Roe, the middle-aged campaign strategist to sitting Mayor Kevin Faulconer, keeps telling people that he’s getting out of the political game, apparently desiring instead to open a bar somewhere. In March, he told Independent Voter Network that he “does not plan to be active in 2020 except for Gaspar.”

The latter is, of course, a reference to one of the few right-wing candidates in the San Diego GOP stables, current county Supervisor Kristin Gaspar. Gaspar, thought to be mulling another run for Congress, instead announced recently that she would seek re-election to the county seat that Democrats

hoped to flip, along with another seat, to nab majority control of the board (while technically a nonpartisan position, the board is currently 4-1 in favor of Republicans).

Two other Republican Party stalwarts, one whose political fortune appears to be on the rise and another who seems headed in the opposite direction, will lock horns in another 2020 supervisors race to replace termed-out Republican Dianne Jacob, who’s held the seat for more than a quarter century.

Perennial cowboy-hatted Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, who gained national media attention for his handling of the recent terrorist attack in his city, will face off for the seat against fellow Republican and former state senator Joel Anderson. Anderson also gained media attention last year after being reprimanded by his senate peers for threatening to “bitch slap” a female lobbyist. He then lost a race for the state tax board to an underfunded opponent who had been disbarred twice. Jacob has already endorsed Vaus.

Also battling for that seat are two Democrats, building trades labor honcho Tom Lemmon and local NAACP board member Kenya Taylor.

Krvaric, meanwhile, took the news of Kersey’s departure with his usual aplomb and grace (wink, wink) by tweeting, “Mark Kersey will find that there is scant support outside of the Republican Party for individual liberty, personal responsibility, and limited, efficient government. Anyone who subscribes to those principles is welcome in our party any time.”

He later complained to the San Diego Union-Tribune on Twitter that they had neglected to include his comments in their story on Kersey’s decision, so Spin Cycle awaits the fawning praise for doing so here. (Again, kidding.)

But as one long-time political observer told Spin recently, “Tony is living in a fantasy land of his own creation. With the continuing decline in Republican registration and the fact that even among registered Republicans in the city of San Diego, support for Trump is so significantly compromised, there’s no way a Republican can be elected to high office in San Diego right now. It’s just a reality.”

This observer tried to think of a time when the Republican Party failed to put forward a viable candidate for mayor of San Diego—and couldn’t. It’s also conceivable that Kersey will try running to replace his pal Faulconer as a “Republican in sheep’s clothing,” the observer added.

JOHN R. LAMB

The local Republican Party leadership has a candidaterecruitment problem, thanks to “Cousin It” in the White House. Kooky characters like Carl “Fester” DeMaio and Tony “Lurch” Krvaric aren’t helping, either.

Faulconer’s former chief of staff, Steve Puetz, is Kersey’s campaign strategist. Puetz is formerly a partner with Roe and wouldn’t even offer a “stay tuned” when asked about Kersey’s future plans.

As for the local GOP itself, the answer may be right in front of us.

On the party’s website, there is a tab labeled “Run for Office.” Once we click “City of San Diego,” we find this: “The City of San Diego is suffering from leftist policies and poor leadership. The area has lots of opportunities for Republicans to step up and run for office.” It lists 19 available races as of Jan. 31 in which no Republicans have declared, running the spectrum from Congress to local school boards.

Included are openings for San Diego mayor, city attorney and two city council seats currently held by Democrats.

“NONE of the offices listed here have a declared Republican candidate pursuing them,” the web page pleads, “which means that the big-government, nanny state Democrats that currently hold these offices stand to WIN BY DEFAULT if we don’t find someone to step up.”

As someone who likes a good, old-fashioned battle for the hearts and minds of voters, it’s truly a sad time. Like Kersey said, there are decent folks on both sides of the aisle.

Now might be a good time for those on the right, tired of the rantings of people like Krvaric and DeMaio, to step up and run these folks into permanent retirement.

Spin Cycle appears every other week.

Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com.

MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 5

UP FRONT | OPINION

AARYN BELFER

BACKWARDS & IN

HIGH HEELS

This is Poway. This is America.

I

was at my daughter’s track meet when I learned of the shooting at the Chabad Synagogue in Poway. I happened to be making a note in my phone at the time (“purchase track spikes”) when a notification came across my screen. My involuntary audible reaction made a fellow parent startle.

“What?” she asked. “What happened?” I hesitated to speak because the vileness was so utterly incompatible with the moment.

It was, of course, a storybook day with a sky as clear and blue as so many other days when a particular and obscene, and particularly obscene, kind of violence took place—shooting people in their place of worship in what has become a quintessentially and wholly exportable American occurrence.

I was processing this news while, all around me, there were the vibrating sounds of children laughing, of parents chatting and sharing homemade snacks in the stands. The DJ was pumping tunes that had everyone low-grade bouncing in their stadium seats; hip-hop classics for the grown folks, more contemporary fare for the kids, some “Baby Shark Dance” on repeat for the youngest and, finally, some felled-by-bullets Nipsey Hussle by request and in praise of.

This backyard barbecue vibe was intermittently punctuated by announcements over the loudspeaker; first-calls for racers and last-calls for racers and a warning to the owner of the BMW blocking the gate to step to or get it towed.

There was the click-clack sound of spikes against concrete as athletes made their way to the field and the cheers of parents as their runners came blazing around the last turn. Then, a few moments later, the starting gun firing in the air.

The starting gun firing in the air. The shooter’s gun firing at Jewish worshipers. All under the same sky, in a sacred space on the last day of Passover, a celebration of the emancipation of Israelites from slavery.

On Sunday, the day after the terrorist attack on Chabad, my husband and I made a bouquet of stargazers and hydrangea and drove to Poway where we placed it among the other offerings at one of the two small memorials that had begun to grow. I stood back and took it all in.

I read messages left by children and I uprighted prayer candles that had tipped over in the wind. I’d begun to cry when a woman approached and put her arms around me. I turned and put my arms around her, this stranger, and we just stood there in an embrace for a bit, not more than a minute. And then her husband approached.

We talked quietly and very honestly about the immense and devastating pain we were feeling as bystanders and not just for this crime against humanity, but of the burning of the mosques in Escondido

(by the same perpetrator of this violence) and of the shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand and Charleston. We talked about how absolutely crucial it is that if we reject hate, we must speak out against it wherever we see it and whenever we hear it. It was a moment of intense intimacy.

The couple, whose names I didn’t get, were part of the Alliance of Chinese Americans San Diego, and they’d come to the memorial to place a plaque with an open letter to Chabad of Poway.

“Our hearts broke after learning of the tragedy that happened to you yesterday,” the letter read. “Today, more than ever, we in the Chinese community stand strong in solidarity with you, our neighbors, brothers, sisters and friends… We condemn in the strongest possible terms the evil of anti-Semitism and violence… We call upon all communities to unite to confront all forms of hatred.”

It is necessary for all people who believe in humanity and goodness—love and connection to one another—to join together regardless of religion or race or class or political party, and say unequivocally that hate has no place in any of our communities. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus responded to the tragedy with many words of comfort but included the common this-is-notwho-we-are refrain.

“This is not Poway,” he said.

But the home of 8-year-old Noya Dohan—who witnessed and was injured in the shooting, and who fled to the U.S. from Israel with her family after both her parents were injured by rockets—has, in the recent past, seen her Poway home defaced with swastikas.

Yes, this is Poway. The hard truth is that not only is this Poway, but this is all of America. We must acknowledge this to overcome it.

As the attack unfolded, 60-yearold Lori Gilbert-Kaye threw herself between the Nazi’s bullets and her friend, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein. This likely wasn’t a thought-out decision; we humans are programed for flight or fight and she fought. Lori died fighting a Nazi. She was a Nazi fighter.

The best thing we can all do to honor her legacy is to also be Nazi fighters. We don’t have to take a bullet, as most of us will never find ourselves in such a situation. But there are other everyday ways to be Nazi fighters: We do it by seeing each other, making eye contact, talking with strangers and being vulnerable enough to connect across differences. We do it by being kind to one another, and sharing love, kindness and compassion with those we might not otherwise know. We do it by being brave enough to not remain silent when hate presents itself on even the most perfectly beautiful of blue-skied days.

We talked about how absolutely crucial it is that if we reject hate, we must speak out against it wherever we see it, whenever we hear it.

6 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

Backwards & In High Heels appears every other week.

Write to aarynb@sdcitybeat.com.

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UP FRONT | VOICES

RYAN BRADFORD

WELL THAT WAS

AWKWARD

From here to strippernity

T

he eight hour drive from from the Bay Area to San Diego on Interstate 5 (without traffic) is a tour de force of minutia. The Central Valley stretches out in all directions, a landscape that provides food for so much of the nation (or so I’ve heard), and yet I don’t give a shit. It’s difficult to be impressed

by America’s grandeur when I’m slightly hungover, shaking with hunger and nauseous from the Monster Energy drink that’s coursing through my veins.

It makes me feel like Sal Paradise. This is my delusional On The Road.

I just spent the last couple of days in Lafayette to attend a bachelor party for my good friend, Jay, whom I’ve known since my freshman year at UC Santa Cruz, which was—yikes—a while ago.

The bachelor party had been ideal: seven middle-aged dudes in an extravagant vacation rental with a cave pool and more booze and weed than we could ever consume. Instead of doing blow, we played board games; instead of a strip club, we watched Avengers.

Seeing how Jay’s one of the last of my close friends to get married, I imagine that I won’t be going to many more bachelor parties, and that makes me sad.

But the endless drive through Central Valley gives my brain ample opportunity to dredge up past memories and self-doubt. I wallow in the should’ves and could’ves of life. Had we done Jay a disservice by not throwing him a bacchanalian descent into indulgence, vice and strippers?

Jay wasn’t with me the first time I went to a strip club, but that did occur in the Bay Area as well.

A couple of my friends from home had driven out, picked me up from UC Santa Cruz and took me to San Francisco, where we spent the night in a cheap hotel in the Tenderloin. The hotel also just happened to be up the street from Crazy Horse, an all-nude strip club.

“We’re going to end up there tonight, aren’t we?” someone said, maybe joking. But within hours—fortified from plastic-handled booze and Swisher Sweets consumed in the hotel room—we strolled through the doors of Crazy Horse like we were Tenderloin royalty.

I wasn’t prepared for Crazy Horse’s neon display of flesh. The seedy club was a mix of carnival, latenight Cinemax and horror movie. My friend, Ryen, and I sat next to a fellow who wore a low-brimmed hat and—sensing our amatuership—advised us to roll dollar bills like cigarettes and put them in our mouths so dancers could retrieve them with their butt cheeks.

For a little while, it felt like there was a chance we could retain some innocence, but then a loud voice over the PA announced the next dancer and her “dildo show.” It was as if our innocence said, “Peace! I’m out.”

I’ll never forget the dancer’s dildo. It was green.

Bright glow-in-the-dark green. And she was penetrating herself with it. Onstage. She writhed and bounced and crawled with that thing.

How is this legal? I thought. Nervously, I tried to focus on other aspects of her performance. Wow! She’s got great enthusiasm!

Perhaps sensing the same amateurishness as our dollar-rolling friend, the dancer sat down on the catwalk in front of Ryen, handed him the dildo, and spread her legs wide.

Then, dear reader, Ryen gently put the dildo in.

I covered my mouth and pointed, as if the unadulterated sexuality of the situation broke my brain and reverted me back to my 13-year-old consciousness. I ooooh’d as if Ryen had just landed a badass kickflip.

The next morning, I returned to Santa Cruz to regale my new friends—including Jay— with tales of Crazy Horse. It was a clear bonding moment.

Crazy Horse proved itself to be akin to an infection that proved weirdly intrinsic in my life, because, just a couple years ago, I found myself there again. I was in San Francisco for someone else’s bachelor party, and it just felt stupid not to go. We passed numerous nicer strip clubs on our way, but Crazy Horse had a dark pull on me ever since I first saw the green dildo disappear.

It was a weeknight, so the club was empty. We were the only patrons. The excitement of experiencing this homecoming of sorts quickly diminished, and I just felt like a middle-aged perv.

We sat in the front row and, given there were so few people in attendance, struck up a conversation with the dancer.

“It’s this guy’s bachelor party.”

“Congratulations,” she said. She was very nice.

“You want a lap dance?”

We were noncommittal. She continued her routine, and stripped everything off. She leaned back on her elbows, spread her legs wide, giving us a good view of eternity.

“The secret to a good marriage is never going to bed angry,” she said.

I think about that woman a lot, and her advice. And the Crazy Horse. And the idea. Ultimately, I’m glad we didn’t take Jay to the strip club.

Perhaps I’m no Jack Kerouac, but the words of another great 20th century writer, Mark Hoppus, come to me as I drive into San Diego: I guess this is growing up.

How is this legal? I thought.

Nervously, I tried to focus on other aspects of her performance.

Wow! She’s got great enthusiasm!

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Well, That Was Awkward appears every other week.

Write to ryanb@sdcitybeat.com

MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 7

UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

THE WORLD

FARE

Bone broth without the pseudoscience

S

ome time around the mid-2010s, bone broth really became a thing. Sure, it’s been around since at least the 1500s and it’s quite likely that even early humans put bones in a pot and boiled them.

But a genuine American fad over good oldfashioned meat stock appears to have been born at the intersection of hipster culture and earnestlypressed, undocumented health claims.

In Korea, however, bone broth—more specifically a dish called seolleongtang—has been a thing all along. Restaurants focused on seolleongtang have been a thing in Seoul and L.A.’s Koreatown for some time. Now Woomiok (3860 Convoy St., facebook.com/woomioksd) in the Convoy District does the same in San Diego.

Seolleongtang is legendary for its reputed hangover-curing properties.

Indeed, Woomiok’s owners—who also own Common Theory Public House and Realm of the 52 Remedies—posted an article on Facebook touting such claims and announcing the restaurant’s opening.

Seolleongtang is made by simmering ox leg and beef bones for up to a day until the broth takes on a milky white appearance and a rich, nearly viscous texture. Those unfamiliar with the dish might recognize the richness of the broth but wonder how it could be so (gasp) bland.

The idea is for diners to season the soup themselves at the table. That’s why it’s served with bowls of sea salt, chopped green onion and (often, but not always) pepper. The dish is also intended to be accompanied by Korean cuisine’s signature banchan side dishes.

Woomiok’s basic seolleongtang—beef bone soup with brisket—is good, if not quite as thoroughly defatted as the best examples of the dish. The richness is there, as is the deeply comforting feeling.

The rich flavors perk up with the addition of the salt

8 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

and green onion. Woomiak’s version with ox tail, ox knee, cheek meat and shank, along with the brisket and mushroom garnishes, is even more interesting.

Ultimately, the message of seolleongtang is a paradox: One part comfort and one part big richness combined with surprising subtlety.

For those not moved by that contrast, Woomiak offers a much more straightforward and prominently flavored spicy beef short rib soup with cabbage.

The spicy flavor of the broth and the cabbage suggest some of the flavors of kimchi. Indeed, the flavor profile would be instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with Korean cuisine beyond Korean barbecue.

By and large, Woomiok is not the place to go for anyone who’s not already into beef. There are other items on the menu. Of these, perhaps the most interesting main course is the spicy baby octopus over rice in a hot stone bowl. It’s neither perfectly tender nor perfectly crispy but it is, indeed, tasty MICHAEL A. GARDINER

Spicy beef short rib soup with cabbage with the big flavor of the octopus matched by the typically Korean chili pepper paste, gochujang. The panko breaded fried dumplings are not for the dietminded, but definitely for the flavor-minded.

At the end of the day, Woomiok is about that seolleongtang and not because of any dubious health claims. It’s about the stuff because it’s version of the ox bone soup is nothing short of a pleasure to slurp.

The World Fare appears weekly.

Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

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UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

ANATOMY OF A COCKTAIL SCENE

BY IAN WARD

#57: Time traveling at Coin-Op Gaslamp

hesitant look on my face while looking at the Power Punch, not because of any doubt that I had in the taste of the cockknow I’ve focused on the power of nos- tail, but rather because I was hit with a talgia in past articles, and not to con- wave of neurotic nostalgia.

See, when I was in elementary school, tinue to beat that drum, but the success of Avengers: Endgame is a testament to just my mother would send me off to school that. I remember buying the Infinity Gauntlet with a Capri Sun as my beverage for the comics as a kid. They were a prized posses- day. She was under the impression that I sion of mine, alongside a first issue of Todd loved Capri Suns, but I hated them. I hated McFarlane’s Spider-Man and my Shaquille that the drink was clear and yet somehow O’Neal rookie card. Thanks to nostalgia, I viscous. I hated that it said fruit punch on COURTESY OF COIN-OP it, but didn’t taste like fruit was pre-conditioned to go to punch at all. However, I mostthe movies and hand over my ly hated my own ineptitude. somewhat hard-earned dolThat is, my inability to conlars to see Avengers: Endgame, sistently get that shitty plasregardless of how old I am. tic straw through that shitty Also, this is a spoiler for little dot of foil on the shitty those of you that have not pouch without puncturing it, already seen the movie, but because, once I did, it would fucking time travel? Really? result in me having to shotThat’s some lazy-ass writing. gun the whole thing down But I guess that disaplike I was Brett Kavanaugh at pointment is the downside Power Punch a kegger. to nostalgia. When we have So yeah, that is why I say high expectations, it’s pretty much I probably had a hesitant look on my face. guaranteed we’ll be let down. However, the I will admit that even with my hesitaopposite can also be said of things that we’ve historically despised, and that after tion and the previously mentioned dissome years have passed, we come to find dain for Capri Sun, I was excited by the presentation of the Power Punch. Upon that we now appreciate or adore them.

Recently, I found myself at Coin-Op first glimpse, the cleverly designed, Capri Gaslamp (789 Sixth Ave., coinopgaslamp. Sun-esque packaging captures the spirit com) with one of their Power Punch cock- of the Coin-Op bars: Crafty and quality tails in my hand. I almost certainly had a driven, but playful and full of childhood memories. It’s also evidently time consuming and requires a dedicated prep POWER PUNCH team to accomplish. as prepared at Coin-Op Gaslamp As for the contents of the playful pouch, there are big bursts of passionfruit min1 1/2 oz. Vodka gling with lime to create a wonderfully 1 oz. Lemon juice tart-leaning cocktail with enough balance 3/4 oz. simple syrup to bring to mind Sweet-Tarts. Naturally, the 1/2 oz. Fruit liqueur blend vodka takes it all from PG to an R rating. It 1/4 oz. Cranberry juice is delightfully easy drinking, and a better way to accomplish time travel of sorts.

For fruit liqueur, blend equal parts Merlet

I

Crème de Pêche, Merlet Crème de Poire, Merlet Lune d’Abricot and Giffard Crème de Fruits de la Passion. Mix liqueuer blend with other ingredients and enjoy cold.

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Anatomy of a Cocktail Scene appears every other week. Write to ianw@sdcitybeat.com.

BY BETH DEMMON

FINAL DRAUGHT

BETH DEMMON

Summer suds

I

’ve been writing about craft beer for a long time. Believe me when I say that the Instagramification of the industry can really beat a girl down after a while.

(How can so many waifish and hip beer influencers haunt my feed so thoroughly?)

So when my CityBeat editor announced the Summer Guide issue’s theme would be “IRL” and asked me to compile a list of all the real-life beer experiences that were perfect for a San Diego summer, it was with a joyful heart that I put together what I think are some pretty kickass destinations and events for beer lovers to drink in (no screens necessary).

For views alone, a gimme is Viewpoint Brewing Company (2201 San Dieguito Drive, viewpointbrewing.com). Viewpoint is situated snugly in Del Mar between the San Dieguito Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean, which allows visitors unadulterated views of the surrounding landscape.

It’s also just down the road from the fairgrounds, so it’s a convenient spot to wait out the inevitable traffic jams caused by the racetrack, county fair, etc. Viewpoint’s food is undoubtedly more elevated than the vast majority of brewpubs in the county; think beef tartare and kale salad. (It’s still Del Mar, after all.)

For something more low-key but equally scenic, the rooftops at Bagby Beer Company in Oceanside (601 South Coast Hwy., bagbybeer.com) and Ocean Beach Brewery (5041 Newport Ave., obbrewingco.com) are great alternatives. Both lack the bougie vibe of Viewpoint but provide the opportunity to knock a few back while watching the sunset over the ocean. Quality beer is assured at both; OB Brewery won Small Brewpub of the Year at last year’s Great American Beer Festival and Bagby head brewer Jeff Bagby is a decorated veteran of the industry many times over.

The tap lists at these breweries (or most others in San Diego, for that matter) can leave craft beer newbies a little

Ocean Beach Brewery overwhelmed. Amber ales and light lagers may sound familiar, but what the hell’s a roggenbier? When in doubt about what’s on draft, the best way to experience a true San Diego beer is to order a pint of IPA. Specifically, a San Diego-style IPA. San Diego IPAs are dry, intensely hopped brews that tend to have tropical citrus and pine notes throughout. They’re a more developed style than the social media-hyped hazy IPAs, so consumers shouldn’t feel the need to snap a pic for the inevitable online debate hazys tend to spark. They’re also served nearly everywhere, so finding a favorite SDIPA this summer should be a fairly easy task.

Finally, beer festival attendees should think about putting away their phones to simply enjoy some well-crafted beers with friends. Karl Strauss’ annual Arts and Amps festival takes place over three weekends (May 25, June 22 and July 27), meaning guests have three opportunities to both pay attention to the beer and to the music. I challenge every attendee to make a memory the old fashioned way and skip the Untappd check-in. I’m betting the beer will taste just as good even if no one knows you’re drinking it.

MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9

10 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

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EVENTS

SHORTlist

ART

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

SAN DIEGO

NICK ABADILLA

FOUR DAYS FOR MAMA

Our mothers are special and deserve much more than a card and a hug. As we were perusing through the week’s events, we found that there were simply too many great events to narrow it down to one, but we did get it down to one per day (Thursday through Sunday).

First, on Thursday, May 9, there’s the Women’s Arm-Wrestling Tournament at the space next to The Rose Wine Bar (2215 30th St.) in South Park.

The annual event, which benefits the domestic violence programs at the local nonprofit Becky’s House, features women from 16 female-owned businesses locking hands and trying to take each other down. Of course, there will be wine to appease those who lose any matches. It happens from 6 to 9 p.m. and RSVP and a $5 donation is encouraged on eventbrite.com.

It’s Mama’s Day on Friday, May 10! Rather, it’s the annual premiere tasting that has executive chefs from more than 50 restaurants offering up signature dishes to raise money for Mama’s Kitchen and its nutrition and meals programs for those affected by AIDS or cancer. It happens from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at The Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine (3777 La Jolla Village Drive). Tickets range from $150 to $250 for VIP tickets at mamaskitchen.org.

Another great tasting event is the Junior League of San Diego’s Food & Wine Festival,

SHELTER ISLAND

Gator by the Bay which features unlimited samples of some of San Diego’s best restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries. Proceeds benefit the JLSD’s missionbased community projects that help train women to be leaders in the community. It happens from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11 at the La Jolla Cove (1100 Coast Blvd.). Tickets are $85 at jlsd.org.

Finally, on Sunday, May 12, head to Spanish Landing Park (3900 N. Harbor Drive) for the grand finale of the annual Gator By the Bay festival. The four-day celebration of Louisiana culture includes tons of bands, cooking demos and a food court serving up Po’Boys, jambalaya, gumbo and, of course, crawfish. It happens from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday and costs $40, but full details, times and tickets for all four days are available at gatorbythebay.com.

NORTH PARK

TIKI FEVER

TRIED AND FESTED

Of all the parties we throw over a year, we’re not sure why TikiBeat is so popular. Wait, yeah we do! Because our annual kickoff to the summer is a blast, filled with wild performances, kitschy clothing and plenty of cocktails.

Now in its 10th year, this party at the Bali Hai Restaurant (2230 Shelter Island Drive) will include live music from Jason Lee & the Riptides, The Upshots and Alvino & The Dwells, as well as a Drop Dead Dames Burlesque show, Polynesian perfoamnces, a fashion show, live chainsaw tiki art and so much more. And of course, that’s in addition to the food and Bali Hai’s infamously strong Mai Tais being served up. It happens Friday, May 10 from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. and tickets are $25 (plus service charges) at sdcitybeat.com.

CORY HART

From indie boutiques to cool art spaces, North Park has somehow maintained its artist spirit despite all the changes within the neighborhood over the past two decades. And for over those two decades, the SDCCU North Park Festival of Arts has been there to showcase not only the neighborhood’s artists and musicians, but the entire city as well.

Held along University Avenue and 30th Street, the 23rd annual fest includes food, live music, a craft beer block and, of course, over 150 local artists. The live music is especially notable this year with five stages showcasing some of the best bands in the city including The Donkeys, Erika Davies, Sure Fire Soul Ensemble and more.

The festival is free except for the craft beer block, which is $27 for 13 four-ounce tasters. Check out explorenorthpark.com for more info.

COURTESY NORTH PARK FESTIVAL OF ARTS

HThe Community Bee Clinic at Main Gallery, 309 Visual Arts Facility, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. The thesis exhibition from MFA candidate Lisa Korpos is a participatory multimedia installation where visitors can become emergency caregivers for dying honeybees. Opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 10. Free. visarts.ucsd.edu San Diego Art Prize Exhibition at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. Art Prize recipients Anne Mudge, Erin Dace Behling, Robert Matheny and Max Daily will showcase works. Opening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 10.

Free. ljathenaeum.org Monsters at You Belong Here, 3619 El Cajon Blvd., Normal Heights. This multimedia experience, hosted by The Holyfield, explores the manifestation of monsters in our lives. They’ll also be giving away free Passion Planners. From noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11. $10-$15. theholyfield.org HAdam Belt: Almost There at Quint Gallery, 5171-H Santa Fe St., Bay Ho. New works from the local artist that include reflective paintings, sculpture, and wall and video installations that explore everything from god to the cosmos. Opening from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 11. Free. quintgallery.com Pin-Up Art Show at La Bodega Gallery, 2196 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. The show will explore the art of pin-up girl and will feature works from dozens of local artists.

Opening from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 11. Free. labodegagallery.com HCrafting Opportunity: Mid-Century Work from the Collection of Mingei International Museum at San Diego Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village.

Exhibition of ceramics, furniture, fashion, fiber art, jewelry, and metalwork exploring the robust artistic output that followed World War II. Various hours. Saturday, May 11 through Sunday, July 28. Free.

858-964-8805, mingei.org HKelly Vivanco: Thorn and Balm at Distinction Gallery, 317 E Grand Ave., Ste. A, Escondido. New acrylic paintings by Kelly Vivanco, who is known for surreal portraits of children and animals that incorporate a sense of child-like wonder. Opening from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 11. Free. distinctionart.com Mother’s Day Weekend Art, Garden & Studio Tour at Off Track Gallery, 937 S. Coast Hwy., Encinitas. Self-guided, driving tour in which participants peruse more than 35 exhibits of locally made art and relax in coastal gardens. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12. $30. 760-942-3636, sandieguitoartguild.com Art Glass Guild Patio Show & Sale at Spanish Village Art Center, 1770 Village Place, Balboa Park. Over 30 juried artists will exhibit their glass creations alongside live music, torch-work demonstration, glass-cutting and more. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12. Free. 619-702-8006, artglassguild.com

BOOKS HErika Swyler at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The national bestselling author of The Book of Speculation will be signing and discussing her newest novel, Light from Other Stars. At 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 8. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HSeagan McGuire at Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 5943 Balboa Ave., Ste. 100, Clairemont. The Alex, Nebula, and HugoAward-winning author will speak with Amber

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SDCCU North Park Festival of Arts

H = CityBeat picks

Benson about her latest fantasy standalone, Middlegame. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9. Free. 858-268-4747, mystgalaxy.com HBrian Jay Jones at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The critically-acclaimed bestselling biographer will discuss and sign his new book, Becoming Dr. Seuss. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9. Free. warwicks.com HMartha Hall Kelly at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls will discuss and sign her new book, Lost Roses. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 14. Free. warwicks.com Jennifer Spencer at Hyde Art Gallery, 8800 Grossmont College Drive, El Cajon.

Spencer will be signing her book, The Artist Portrait Project: A Photographic Memoir of Portrait Sessions with San Diego Artists followed by a panel discussion with several artists from the book. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tuesday, May 14. Free. grossmont.edu Steven Rowley at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus will discuss and sign his new book, The Editor. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 15.

Free. warwicks.com

COMEDY HJerry Seinfeld at Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. The premier comedian, hailed for his relatable humor and for his namesake sitcom, will be performing standup. At 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 10. $66.50-$339. sandiegotheatres.org HTrevor Noah at Viejas Arena, 5500 Canyon Crest Drive, College Heights. The award winning comedian and host of The Daily Show gets back to his stand-up days with a performance that will surely include some of his hilarious political observations. At 8 p.m. Saturday, May 11. $55$270. arenasandiego.org

DANCE Dorrance Dance: ETM Double Down at Mandell Weiss Theatre, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla. A collaboration between Michelle Dorrance and Nicholas Van Young celebrating the origins of tap dance by using electronic trigger boards.

From 8 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, May 15. $9-$50. artpower.ucsd.edu

FILM HInternational Documentary Film Series at Museum of Photographic Arts, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park. Screenings of films examining the reality of the refugee experience followed by a Q&A discussion with an expert on the film’s subject area.

From 6:30 to 9 p.m. May 8 and May 15. $15-$35. 619-641-7510, rescue.org/films

FOOD & DRINK HMama’s Day 2019 at Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine, 3777 La Jolla Village Dr., La Jolla. Executive chefs from more than 50 restaurants will offer distinct tastes to guests to raise money for Mama’s Kitchen’s mission to help low-income families affected by HIV and cancer. From 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 10. $20-$250. mamaskitchen.org HAvenue Amps & Ales at Memorial Park, 373 Park Way, Chula Vista. The annual event celebrates the growing craft brewery scene in Chula Vista with unlimited samples of more than 50 beers. Plus, live bands, food and proceeds benefitting the Chula Vista Police Foundation. From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11. $40-$55. thirdavenuevillage.com

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 11

EVENTS EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 HJunior League of San Diego’s Food & Wine Festival at La Jolla Cove, 1100 Coast Blvd., La Jolla. Taste unlimited samples of some of San Diego’s best restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries. Proceeds benefit the JLSD’s mission-based community projects that help train women to be leaders in the community. From 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11. $85. jlsd.org HChocolate Festival at San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. Enjoy dozens of chocolate tastings, demonstrations, a chocolate fountain and more at this family-friendly event.

From 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11. $8-$14. 760-436-3036, sdbgarden.org

MUSIC Kallisti Presents Chamber Opera at Conrad Prebys Music Center, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Singers from UCSD’s Graduate Program and guest artists collaborate in a repertoire celebrating the beauty and power of the singing voice.

From 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 and Friday, May 10. Free-$15.50. 858534-3448, musicweb.ucsd.edu H4U: The Music of Prince with Symphony at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. The only symphonic show approved by the Prince Estate is coming to San Diego, featuring both hits and lesser-known songs. At 8 p.m. Friday, May 10. $26-$72. 4uprince.com San Diego Children’s Choir Spring Concert: From Dawn to Dusk at Jacobs Music Center. 750 B St., Downtown. The choir pulls together an eclectic mix of repertoire, representing the passage of time in

a unique story told through the voices of children. From 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11. $10-$30. 858-587-1087, sdcchoir.org H(Nothing But Flowers) at Kalabash School of Music and the Arts, 5725 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. An art show, concert and dance party celebrating the music of David Bryne. Proceeds benefit Kalabash School. At 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11.

Suggested donation. kalabasharts.com

Kamau Kenyatta & Joe Garrison at Conrad Prebys Music Center, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. The underground composer returns to perform nine movements, featuring bel canto soprano, winds, piano, bass and live electronics. From 7 to 9 p.m.

Wednesday, May 15. $10.50-$15.50.

858-534-3448, musicweb.ucsd.edu

PERFORMANCE

HTHE EDGE: Live Music, Pop-Up Art Show, Delicious Bites & Craft Cocktails at IDEA1, 899 Park Blvd., Downtown.

Local jazz icon Gilbert Castellanos will perform with Americana musicians from The Midnight Pine to create music from opposite genres. From 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 11. $15-$40. vanguardculture.com

HDahlak Brathwaite at Price Center East Ballroom at UCSD, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. Performance layering characterdriven storytelling and poetic verse with original songs to create a hybrid hip-hop drama, accompanied by beats from DJ Dion Decibels. From 8 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 9. $9-$25. artpower.ucsd.edu

Michael Chen and the Greater San Diego Chamber Orchestra at Irwin M. Jacobs Qualcomm Hall, 5775 Morehouse Drive, Sorrento Valley. Seventeen-yearold Michael Chen will perform George Gershwin’s Rhapsody with the Greater San Diego Chamber Orchestra. From 4 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11. $15-$50. gsdmusicoterie.org

HStorm Large’s “Crazy Enough” at Baker-Baum Concert Hall, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla. An autobiographical musical written and performed by Storm Large, that’s part cabaret, part confessional, and part comedy. At 8 p.m. Saturday, May 11 and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 12. $28-$68. ljms.org

Michael Barenboim Plays Brahms at Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla. The acclaimed violinist joins key members of the Symphony’s string and wind sections for a performance featuring works by Janáček and Brahms. At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 14. $48. sandiegosymphony.org One Amazing Night at Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. Two vocal powerhouses and acclaimed opera singers, Stephen Costello and Stephen Powell, will take the stage to perform in a concert of opera together. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 15. $33-$158. sandiegotheatres.org

14 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

HDrag Takeover: A Benefit for North County LGBTQ Resource Center at Belly Up, 143 S. Cedros Ave. Ste. T, Solana Beach. Support the North County LGBTQ Resource Center and Pride by the Beach with RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars winner, Chad Michaels along with the San Diego Drag All Stars. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 14. bellyup.com

POLITICS & COMMUNITY HEquity in Action at Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, 5998 Alcala Park, Morena. Deepen your knowledge of social justice at this conference, featuring

LGBTQ+ activist and hate crime survivor CeCe McDonald as the keynote speaker.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11.

Free. database.aclusandiego.org

SPECIAL EVENTS HThe Women’s Arm Wrestling Tournament at 2215 30th St., South Park.

Sixteeen female-owned businesses are joining together to arm-wrestle in order to raise funds for Becky’s House’s Domestic Violence Programs. From 6 to 9 p.m.

Thursday, May 9. $5 donations. facebook.com/events/846954278991096 HGator by the Bay at Spanish Landing Park, 3900 N. Harbor Drive, Downtown.

The largest and most-authentic Louisiana-themed music and food festival with over 100 musical acts and special performances. Times vary. Thursday, May 8 through Sunday, May 12. Free-$110. gatorbythebay.com Waterfront Park Five-Year Celebration at Waterfront Park, 1600 Pacific Highway, Downtown. Ring in the park’s anniversary with live music, a silent disco and games for kids, along with a variety of food truck options. From 3 to 10 p.m.

Friday, May 10. Free. sandiego.gov HTikiBeat at Bali Hai Restaurant, 2230 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. CityBeat’s annual start of summer kick-off party features DJs, Polynesian dancers, fashion shows, burlesque performances and music from CREEPXOTICA and The Upshots.

From 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, May 10. $20-$25. 619-296-2101, sdcitybeat.com HBalboa Park Pow Wow at Balboa Park Activity Center, 2145 Park Blvd., Balboa Park. Traditional and cultural event that showcases the heritage of American Indians featuring traditional drum groups

and inter-Tribal dancing. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12. Free. sdaihc.org HSan Diego County Credit Union North Park Festival of Arts at 30th Street and University Avenue, North Park.

Festival celebrating artistic talent, from unconventional street art to live musical talent, alongside cocktails and beers, dance performances and more. From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 11. Free. northparkmainstreet.com Night Nation Run San Diego at Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. The world’s first running music festival featuring a music-filled course with live DJs, bubble zones, light shows and more. From 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11. $25-$80. nightnationrun.com

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS Street Scene: The Music Festival that Transformed the Gaslamp Quarter at the Gaslamp Museum, 410 Island Ave., Downtown. Speakers will share the history of San Diego Street Scene and its role in the transformation of the Gaslamp Quarter and downtown. From 7 to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, May 8. Free-$5. 619-2334692, gaslampfoundation.org HWe Are Here: History of the LGBTQ+ Community in the South Bay at Chula Vista Public Library Auditorium, 365 F St., Chula Vista. the South Bay Historical Society and The Chula Vista Heritage Museum present a panel to discuss the history and future of the LGBTQ movement in the South Bay. The San Diego Women’s Chorus will also perform. From 3 to 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 11. Free. facebook.com/ events/114831696201332

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MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15

THEATER COURTESY OF LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE

Hot tickets

U

nlike summer movie releases—which often means big-budget, mainstream blockbusters and mindless fare—the stage can be a destination for thoughtful entertainment and some of the best productions from San Diego theaters. Here are a half-dozen to keep in mind this eventful summer: Put Your House in Order, La Jolla Playhouse (begins previews on June 2): A first date turns harrowing in this play by Chicagoan Ike Holter, 2017 winner of the prestigious Windham-Campbell Literature Prize. Fellow Chicagoan Lili-Anne Brown will direct.

As You Like It, Old Globe Theatre (begins previews June 16): One of William Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies opens the Old Globe’s summer season on the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Stage. Jessica Stone will direct.

(Romeo and Juliet, directed by the Globe’s Barry Edelstein, will begin previews on Aug. 11.)

Rock of Ages, Cygnet Theatre (begins previews July 2): OK, not every show this summer is on the cerebral side.

This popular jukebox musical by Chris D’Arienzo leans on the big hair and big sound of the ’80s, when bands like Twisted Sister, Styx and Whitesnake dominated the airwaves. For better or worse, it’s even got Night Ranger’s “Sister Christian.”

33 1/3: House of Dreams, San Diego Repertory Theatre (begins previews Aug. 1): What do iconic pop tunes like “La Bamba,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” and “Good Vibrations” have in common? This hit-filled musical tells the story of Gold Star Recording Studio co-founder Stan Ross. It was in his L.A. studio that these songs came to life.

A Weekend with Pablo Picasso, New Village Arts Theatre

16 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

OPENING: Failure: A Love Story: Philip Dawkins’s surreal comedy is set in 1920s Chicago and centers on a group of doomed sisters and the man who falls in love with them all. Directed by Brian Rickel, it opens May 9 at the Grossmont College Theatre in El Cajon. grossmont.edu Credible: A world premiere play based on the lives of real-life University of San Diego students and influenced by the Brett Kavanaugh hearings. Written by Lily Padilla and Alanna Bledman, it opens May 10 for four performances at the Studio Theatre at USD in Linda Vista. sandiego.edu/cas/theatre 1776: The story of the United States’ tumultuous beginnings with an allwoman cast. Presented by JCompany Youth Theatre, it opens May 11 at the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre in La Jolla. sdcjc.org

Ike Holter (begins previews Aug. 10): Anyone who caught Culture Clash co-founder Herbert Siguenza’s terrific one-man show about Picasso at the San Diego Rep in 2013 will want to catch it again, this time at Carlsbad’s New Village Arts. For those who missed the Rep engagement, this is the chance to see what all the cheering was about.

An Experiment with an Air Pump, Backyard Renaissance Theatre Co. (begins previews Aug. 8): Backyard Renaissance continues its guest residency at La Jolla Playhouse with a production of Shelagh Stephenson’s provocative play, which takes place in 1799 and 1999, and was inspired by a painting by Joseph Wright. The staging will be in the Playhouse’s Theodore & Adele Shank Theatre.

Theater reviews run weekly.

Write to davidc@sdcitybeat.com.

—David L. Coddon

The Gods of Comedy: Ken Ludwig’s comedy about two Ivy League professors who summon ancient Greek deities only to see them enjoy college life a little too much. Directed by Amanda Dehnert, it opens May 11 at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park. theoldglobe.org Spring Awakening: The acclaimed musical, featuring music from Duncan Sheik, tells the tale of a group of teenagers discovering themselves and each other. Presented by Off Broadway Theatre Company, it opens May 11 at the Lyceum Space in the Gaslamp. sdrep.org Yoga Play: In Dipika Guha’s comedy, a newly hired CEO must deal with an escalating scandal at a popular yoga apparel company. Directed by Callie Prendiville, it opens May 11 at the MOXIE Theatre in the College Area. moxietheatre.com Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Broadway production of Roald Dahl’s tale of a little boy’s magical tour of a candy factory. Presented by Broadway San Diego, it opens May 14 at the San Diego Civic Theatre in the Gaslamp. broadwaysd.com Pride and Prejudice: In the stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s iconic novel, the outspoken and independent Elizabeth Bennet ponders marriage with the aristocratic Mr. Darcy. Presented by Cygnet Theatre, it opens in previews May 15 at the Old Town Theatre. cygnettheatre.com

For complete theater listings, visit sdcitybeat.com

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MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 17

18 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

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F

amous psychologist and psychedeli cs enthusiast Timothy Leary once coined the counter -culture slogan, "turn on, tune in, drop out."

These days, however, we could all use a little mor e dropping in and turning off. Whenever we’re brainsto rming our annual Summer Guide issue, the idea of excitement and adventurousness is always som ething we strive for.

We want readers to get out of their comfort zones so we try to provide them with as many cool and fun activities as we can. Our hop e is that locals will try some of thes e for the first time.

But one thing that seems more and more absent these days is the concep t of “living in the moment.” From concerts and camping , to reading and eating, there’s hard ly any activity where we’re not trying to capture it on our phones or devices. That’s not to imp ly there aren’t some IG-worthy ventures in this Summer Guide, but we really wanted to focu s on things that might give us pause before doing somethi ng solely for the snaps or the ‘gram.

And while we’re certainly not suggest ing anyone ditch their devices altogeth er (we’re not Luddites, after all), we do hope this issue provides people with some goo d opti ons to get out there and experience a truly unique summer experience without feeling the need to document it all. After all, life is better when it’s not being lived through a screen.

SUMMER GUIDE CONTINUED ON

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MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 19

COURTESY BARRIO LOGAN FLEA MARKET

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budge. Instead of just watching, I should have recruited that woman’s help when trying get a lower price on a vintage Chanel bag. Kobey’s has a large selection of vintage items, which I love, but I especially love the bags. The swap meet is open Friday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. This summer, they’ll even have a series of events focused on vintage clothing, furniture and jewelry through mid-August.

By Andrea Lopez-Villafaña The Gaslamp Artisan Market (gaslamp.org)—which Over the years—and with the addition of an Amazon runs every Sunday on Fifth Avenue between Market and J Prime membership—I’ve gotten in the habit of shopping Streets—has grown over the years. It now runs through two online for everything and anything. I mean, it’s convenient. blocks and has all kinds of vendors. The first time I went to I can’t help but acknowledge, however, that my best shop- this market, I met the masters behind the vintage clothing ping experiences still happen in person and typically from brand Trendy and Tipsy (I’d been following them on Insin-person interactions with vendors. tagram for two years). I was starstruck and, to be honest, I On a recent trip to Kobey’s Swap Meet (3500 Sports fangirled a little bit.

Arena Blvd., kobeyswap.com), I remembered what it was The Barrio Logan Flea Market (facebook.com/barriolothat I loved about swap meets: watching people haggle. ganfleamarket) is a favorite of mine because of the themes “I’m just trying to make money back on my investment,” the vendors follow on special occasions. This is the kind of I heard a jewelry salesman say to a woman who would not market I got to, to find unique gifts with Latinx-inspired deBRONWYN HUDDLESON PHOTOGRAPHY signs. This last month, vendors focused on celebrating the legacy of the queen of Tex-Mex, Selena Quintanilla. May’s theme will be all about celebrating jefitas (aka the awesome moms in our lives). The market happens twice a month, usually on Saturday or Sunday, and is either held at Por Vida Cafe (2146 Logan Ave.) from 4 to 9 p.m. or at Mercado del Barrio (1900 Main St.) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Just a few miles down the road is the San Diego Made Factory (2031 Commercial St.) in Logan Heights, which will open for monthly markets as part of their Second Saturday Market at the Factory. The space will open its doors to the public every second Saturday of the month from June to August. The building itself is a workspace for artists and the market serves as a way for them to showcase their products to the public.

Every Thursday, various vendors fill three blocks in North San Diego Made Factory Park from 3 to 7:30 p.m. The North Park Thursday Market

From swap meets to artisan markets, there’s more to shopping than Amazon

Place your order From eating wiht your hands to poolside gems, it’s time to get out and get around, foodie style

By Michael A. Gardiner We may not have much of a winter in San Diego but two months of gray skies make summer’s arrival special. As May Gray descends on San Diego, now is a good time to figure out what’s on the docket after June Gloom leaves and summer actually does arrive. For many foodies, that means figuring out where to eat and then planning around that. Our region offers no shortage of good options worth actually going to and skipping the convenience of PostMates.

When summer gets here, one of the first things on the docket is getting to the beach. But it’s nice, every once in a MICHAEL A. GARDINER

Volcano at El Jardín Parque Gastronomica 20 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

while, to do it differently. Drive south across the border to the land on the other side of that wall Trump wants to build and head to Playas de Tijuana. On the way to the beach, hit up El Jardín Parque Gastronomica (Paseo Ensenada #1443 Sec. Jardínes Playas de Tijuana) and fuel up on a Volcano: meat, vegetables and even cheese and sauces that are both cooked and served in a molcajete. Then, head a few blocks northwest to the beach and walk all the way to that wall. It’s guaranteed to provide a different, sobering perspective.

While the view through the Playas border fence is daunting, the view from the terrace at Vistal (901 Bayfront Court, vistalsd.com) in the downtown Intercontinental Hotel is glorious. In fact, it’s downright inspiring and there cannot be many better ways to enjoy a late summer afternoon or early evening than watching the sunset and eating Chef Amy DiBiase’s modern, well-crafted cuisine. There may be no better bite in town than her pickled Black Cod with Persian cucumber, fennel, preserved plum and horseradish crema served on malted toast.

Head to Charles + Dinorah at the Pearl Hotel (1410 Rosecrans St., thepearlsd.com/dining) for a quintessentially SoCal view: poolside at a Mid-century modern masterpiece.

The food is fun, and the cocktails may be even better. On May 17 and 18, they’re hosting You & Yours Distillery and Brooklyn Brewery for two Groove Brunch events. The latter will feature the California launch of Brooklyn Brewery’s cocktail-friendly sour beer, Bel Air Sour. Also check the Pearl’s website for the “dive-in theatre” nights and add a movie to the experience.

I’m a sucker for participatory eating, which sort of automatically makes diners put the phone away. There may be no more fun to be had in that regard than at Awash Ethiopian Restaurant & Café (2884 El Cajon Blvd.). Everything at Awash is served on injera, a spongy sourdough crepe made of predominantly teff flour that serves triple duty as plate, utensil and bread. Tear off a piece of that injera, use it to grab some of the intensely flavorful stews and—if the

Barrio Logan Flea Market has live music, food, clothes and other vendors. On a recent trip, I bought a bag of dog treats for my miniature schnauzer. Proprietor Timothy Mapes was kind enough to explain what ingredients he keeps out of the treats so that they are a healthy alternative to packaged treats. The market is held on North Park Way between 30th and Utah Streets.

MICHAEL A. GARDINER

Animalón timing is right—watch the Women’s World Cup. Still, the ultimate summer dining experience is to be found south of the border in the Valle de Guadalupe where Javier Plascencia just started the third season of his idyllic Animalón food series (Carretera Tecate—Ensenada Km 83 Ejido, Francisco Zarco, 22750 Valle de Guadalupe, B.C.). The food is precise and passionate, but it is the overall experience that sets Animalón apart. Can there be a better setting for outdoor dining than the protecting arbor of a 200-year old oak tree in the middle of a vineyard?

SUMMER GUIDE CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 @SDCITYBEAT

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MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 21

Keep reading?

With screen-free book clubs and author readings, summer’s gonna be lit

By Ryan Bradford Our lives seem more and more defined by the screens in front of us. It’s how we read, consume media and learn. For many, daily life consists of eight hours a day in front of a big screen, only to retire in the evening to a tinier, handheld screen.

I don’t want to come off as a self-righteous advocate of casting away screens, but I do believe in the rejuvenating power of [adjusts monocle] analog bibliophilia.

There’s really not enough nice things to say about the San Diego Central Library (330 Park Blvd., sandiego.gov/ public-library). The library’s book selection is incredibly up-to-date, with loads of bestsellers, hard-to-find indies and everything in between. It’s also a marvel of design, so just being in its presence is more aesthetically invigorating than anything found online. The first time I entered, I thought, This is what a building would look like if it was directed by David Fincher.

But what makes San Diego’s library really special is the enriching events they curate every day. Locals can learn how to knit, play guitar or eat healthier via one of their ongoing workshops, which is way cooler than trying to learn something from a website. Also, they hold a Silent Book Club on the first day of every month, which sounds like an

22 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

introvert’s dream (I should know)—just bring something comfy to wear and enjoy quiet time with friends. Check out their calendar (sandiego.librarymarket.com) for all the cool events.

For those seeking a little more interaction, The Book Catapult’s (3010 Juniper St., thebookcatapult.com) book club is a good way to make reading a communal activity.

Each month, readers gather at the store to discuss a book— hand-picked by co-owner Seth Marko—in the intimate South Park location. Given Marko’s extensive experience as a bookbuyer and his impeccable taste, he’s bound to point readers toward some exciting stuff.

For print aficionados, Paras News (3911 30th St., parasnews.com) is a wonderland. The racks of rare magazines and newspapers fill the hearts of those yearning for news

RYAN BRADFORD

VANESSA DIAZ

Paras News and entertainment without the screen. But what’s really impressive is their selection of prestigious but hard-tofind lit journals: Granta, The Paris Review, Poetry and even Asimov’s Science Fiction for the genre-heads.

Finally, there’s nothing that makes one feel more alive/ scared than reading poetry in front of a bunch of strangers, and Verbatim Books’ (3793 30th St. verbatim-books.com) Poet’s Society provides that opportunity for those brave enough. The poetry open mic occurs every month, which should give potential laureates enough time to work up the nerve to show their vulnerable, bleeding hearts on stage.

It’s scary, but the thrill of it is at least equal to winning an argument in the YouTube comments.

The Book Catapult book club

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MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 23

Create playlist From music festivals to concerts with a side of fried food, summer always sounds good

By Seth Combs Let’s just go ahead and admit it: We’ve all been at a concert, living in the moment and enjoying one of our favorite songs when someone pushes us aside so that they can record the scene on their phone. It just takes something out of the whole experience, right? What’s more, we’re probably all guilty of doing this ourselves. Capturing those moments is certainly nice, but what’s even nicer is actually seeing the show, looking over at a friend and smiling and singing along together.

COURTESY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY FAIR

San Diego County Fair

Play again?

From D&D sessions to cutthroat bar trivia, it’s time to play games off the screen

By Marlee Drake Let’s face it: The million different remakes of Candy Crush flooding the App Store got stale years ago, and dropping $60 for a game we’re never going to have the time to finish just isn’t worth it. It’s time to venture out and find some new ways to game that don’t require a screen.

Our Game of Thrones obsession is real, but waiting a full week between episodes drives us crazy. Plus, once the series ends, we’ll still need a fantasy fix so it may be time to create our own adventure stories. Game Empire in Kearny Mesa (5037 Shawline St., gameempire.com) offers a weekly DunSETH COMBS

Game Empire 24 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

And those moments are always in abundance come summertime in San Diego and many of them happen in Del Mar. First, there’s the San Diego County Fair (sdfair.com), which happens at the Del Mar Fairgrounds (2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.) from May 31 through July 4. I’m not discounting the myriad activities one can do at the Fair (not to mention the insane amount of fried concoctions at the food court), but it always has a pretty great lineup of concerts, many of which are free with admission (which ranges from free to $20). Our picks for this year include Motown legend Smokey Robinson, pop-punkers Simple Plan and reggae icons The Wailers.

That’s not to mention the dozens of local acts playing such as Rebecca Jade, Cash’d Out and Little Hurricane. There’s even a concert from Ryan Bradford’s favorite artist, Pitbull (aka Mr. Worldwide, aka Mr. Everywhere, aka Mr. Bull).

Just a few weeks after the Fair ends, the Del Mar Racetrack (dmtc.com) kicks off it’s season and while I’m not particularly keen on the actual races, I do like to head up on a Friday for one of their concerts. The lineup won’t be announced until the end of May, but I expect there will be a Weezer concert in there. Hell, it’s practically a San Diego tradition at this point.

I do, however, know the lineup of the annual KAABOO Del Mar (kaaboodelmar.com) music festival, which happens Sept. 13-15. As is always the case with KAABOO, the headliners leave something to be desired, but we do like to see names such as Duran Duran, Snoop Dogg and especially WuTang Clan on the bill. $339-plus for a three-day pass seems pretty steep, but hey, it’s Wu-Tang!

Seeing at least one show at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay (2241 Shelter Island Drive, humphreysconcerts. com) is customary, and this year’s lineup is filled with a lot of ’90s acts including Alanis Morissette, Guster, Jill Scott and Chris Issak.

And there’s plenty of other cool musical experiences

geons and Dragons night where dozens of players gather for exciting quests. They offer pre-made character sheets for new players to customize, so there’s no need to worry about the game being inaccessible for those who’ve never taken a roll of the dice before. However, getting there early is key, as tables tend to fill up fast. Check it out at 6 p.m. on Thursdays.

Our phones can cause us to be disconnected from our friends, so what better way to reconnect IRL than by shoving each other into lava at Puzzalarium in Hillcrest (3864 Fifth Ave., puzzalarium.com) The Floor is Lava is a game.

The goal? End the game with the fewest number of teammates burned alive. Players deceive, betray and shove their way to victory. It basically takes the classic childhood game of jumping around furniture and adds a Mafia-esque twist.

The game takes teams of seven to 25 players and costs $25$30 per person for three games of three rounds each. Nothing says summer like some lava and light revenge.

At The Loma Club in Point Loma (2960 Truxton Road, thelomaclub.com), golf isn’t some bougie sport. The club hosts a glow-in-the dark golf game on May 11, as well as more games coming up in June and July. Abnormal Beer Co. will be providing craft brews, with on-course tastings included as part of the ticket. The Loma Club takes the usually calm and mild game of golf and cranks it up a notch for a night of fun with nine holes of glow golf. The event kicks off at 9 p.m. and tickets cost $36 for members and $40 for non-members.

Mindless game apps can leave us feeling glazed over and even braindead, so to get that mental workout our minds crave, try out trivia at The Duck Dive in Pacific Beach (4650 Mission Blvd. theduckdive.com). Sure, there are plenty of bar trivia nights, but we like this one because the bartenders design specialty cocktails to match the night’s theme (“Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica” for Battlestar Galactica trivia and “That’s What She Said” for The Office trivia night, for example).

COURTESY OF SAN DIEGO PRIDE

San Diego Pride Festival throughout the summer. The San Diego Symphony’s Bayside Summer Nights series (sandiegosymphony.org) from June 28 through Sept. 1 (the not to miss show? The KSDS Jazz Orchestra’s Miles Ahead: Miles Davis +19 show on Aug. 22). The San Diego Pride Festival (sdpride.org) on July 13 and 14 will be headlined by Melissa Etheridge. The annual Art Around Adams is a great place to check out the best local bands including Normandie Wilson, Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra and The Sleepwalkers.

All of that is in addition to the hundreds of shows that take place every night in San Diego clubs and bars. So yeah, get out there and see some live music, but better yet, put the phone down and actually see it.

COURTESY OF SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

“Escape the Nat” Finally, when looking for trivia outside the bar scene, check out Nat at Night at the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park (1788 El Prado, sdnhm.org), which happens May 30 through Aug. 30. In addition to the cool exhibitions, the adult-friendly, after-hours events feature rooftop trivia with cocktails, as well as an “Escape the Nat” escape room with reservations.

SUMMER GUIDE CONTINUED ON PAGE 33 @SDCITYBEAT

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In partnership with the San Diego County Bike Coalition

2019

CHULA VISTA BMX PHOTO BY TIM INGERSOLL.

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A RIDE IN THE PARK LOCAL PUMP TRACKS AND BIKE PARKS BUILD BIKING SKILLS FOR EVERYONE

by Tim Ingersoll

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPOHNRANCH.COM

On a recent Saturday morning, near a quiet middle school, an empty soccer field and amid the fresh mulch-covered landscaping of a new park, dozens of kids–and a few local mountain bikers–were rolling around the region’s latest cycling attraction: The new pump track for bikes at Pacific Highlands Ranch.

Formed from undulating concrete in a small field overlooking Highway 56 in Carmel Valley, it’s the first official pump track in a City of San Diego park, but one of many built in vacant dirt lots around the region that have long been part of the biking community.

“Pump tracks are awesome because they are good for every skill level, whether you are just learning how to ride a bike or a world champion,” says legendary professional mountain biker Kyle Strait of Alpine. Strait regularly travels around the world to dominate competitions, and is known to practice at local pump tracks. “It’s fun to ride, it’s great for learning and it’s also a safe place for kids to hang out.”

Why pump tracks?

Like a cross between a bike path and a skate park, pump tracks feature a smooth, wide-riding surface with rolling short hills, berms and banked turns that form a loop. Anyone can make their way around them at their own speed, but the trick is to use track to generate your own momentum.

Riders “pump” their legs and push into the downslope and create speed for the next one, building up momentum without pedaling and whipping through the corners. Experts can “double” the humps–getting up enough speed to clear one and drop directly into the next one. The pros race pump tracks chainless, using only the track to generate speed.

Riding a pump track smooth and fast is an exhausting art that will in very short time have riders’ quads encouraging them to pull over and watch others. If the rider is lucky, a stop at one of these spots may include a local BMX or mountain bike-racing pro practicing for their next competition–and showing others how it’s done right.

Still, riders won’t need a fancy-new full-suspension mountain bike to make the most out of a pump track. Both BMX bikes and old, rigid mountain bikes will make the most of the track. Just bring a helmet and kids, as they’ll have a blast, too.

Pacific Highlands Ranch Bicycle Pump Track

The new kid on the block, this concrete pump track just opened in April to much fanfare and eager anticipation. Located near Carmel Valley Road and Highway 56, this free track features two loops accessible to anyone, but it can get crowded with kids of all ages on the weekends.

Kearny and Lakeside BMX

The Kearny Moto Park and Cactus Park BMX are two kid-friendly, sister facilities in Kearny Mesa and Lakeside, respectively.

They offer commercial, BMX-style dirt race tracks with practice and race options during the season. Check websites for details on weekly races, hours and pricing ($10-$20), with options for kids birthday parties and even summer camps.

Chula Vista BMX

The big dog of the bunch, Chula Vista BMX is a world-class riding facility at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center. The features here are bigger than the others, with a steep banked entrance to pick up speed and a smaller practice track around the corner. With racing and skills clinics weekly, anyone can do practice runs for $10 from 5:30- 7 p.m. Tuesday, and Friday before the 7 p.m. races start at the dirt practice track around the corner.

Skypark at Santa’s Village

Getting a little further out of town, Skypark at Santa’s Village is a charming Santa-themed bike park near Lake Arrowhead that is a worthy destination for any Southern California mountain biker. It’s also a great place to put those pump track skills to work. Originally opened as a Christmas-themed park in 1955 with whimsical rides and restaurants, Santa’s closed in the late 1990s and fell into disrepair. After an extensive rehabilitation, it reopened in 2016 with human-powered rides and a pedal-up bike park that has become a go-to cycling destination. Santa’s has two pump tracks and miles of mountain bike trails with intense, hand-built jumps and features, making the two-hour drive and $45 entry fee worth it for many local mountain bikers. ●

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2019

A ROAD TRIP, ON TWO WHEELS

TIPS ON BIKE TOURING, BIKE PACKING AND TWO-WHEELED STAYCATIONS

by Jamie Hampton, Mixte Communications Inc. I first caught the biking bug by riding to work everyday. Now, all my weekends consist of bike touring around our region. I started pedaling toward all the San Diego scenes I love: our beaches, hiking grounds and, yes, even the Gaslamp.

That’s the best way to ease into bike touring—and anyone can do it. If riders incorporate what makes them happy, they’ll make bike touring what they want. The more fun they have, the more likely they are to figure out how to own touring and make it their own. Here is some inspiration to experience the joys of bike touring.

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Pacific Coast Route is the most popular bicycle touring route in the U.S., according to the Adventure Cycling Association. State campgrounds have hiker/biker sites the entire way, so riders can just roll into camp and stay the night for a nominal fee. San Elijo State Beach is the only one in San Diego County, and it’s beautiful.

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Speaking of San Elijo, it’s the perfect overnighter since it’s supplemented by a Coaster ride to and from Solana Beach or Encinitas if cyclists don’t want to bike both ways Ready to bike pack? Stagecoach 400 is a mountain biking tour with lots to explore. Riders have to give this one five days to complete, but it’s worth it for the mountain landscapes and ocean views.

It’s easy to plan a weekend trip to Julian or Otay to bike camp, depending on the type of riding. The rides are fairly similar, but Julian is a bit more hilly and more difficult.

Consider a hotel-based tour. I love to book an overnight hotel in Gaslamp, ride there, explore, enjoy my morning with my loved one and then ride home. Conversely, I’ve also done a three-day tour riding from one friend’s house to another at places across the county.

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Take the train to Santa Barbara and ride back to San Diego. This route has lots of pretty paths along the way and riders will get to know Southern California like a true local.

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GEORGETTE GÓMEZ:

AN ADVOCATE FOR ALL FORMS OF MOBILITY

by Jamie Hampton, Mixte Communications Inc. We caught up with San Diego City Council President Georgette Gómez about her recent bicycle tour, which was also her first.

We also dug into her bicycling vision for our region. See what this better-biking champion thinks about how San Diego gets around.

When did you start bicycling and what’s your earliest bicycling memory?

I’ve been biking since very, very early in my years. I would say since maybe before first grade. My first memory of biking, I would say, is learning to bike in Logan Heights on Julian Avenue. I think I was 4 years old and falling into the bushes.

How often and how do you ride your bicycle to work? Do you combine with transit? Ride one way?

It depends. Obviously, I wish I could do it more; but I do it as often as my calendar allows it. I try to do it at least twice a week. I tend to combine it with riding the rapid bus transit (the 235) and if I don’t have evening meetings, I’ll bike home from downtown San Diego.

What is your favorite bike ride in San Diego?

My favorite bike ride is any bike ride that lets me bike. I don’t have a favorite one, just any opportunity I get to bike is my happy moment.

You recently went on your first bike tour with your partner. Can you tell us about your inspiration for the trip, where you went, how you prepared and what you thought of the experience?

What’s the number one tip you have for people who want to try bicycle commuting?

Just try it and you’ll learn that it’s not as difficult as one thinks it is. There’s something unique about being on the bike and experiencing our surroundings that you don’t get when being in a vehicle. Give yourself enough time and enjoy it— enjoy the air.

What is your role as Council President to bring more cycling infrastructure to San Diego and how will your role as chair of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) support that goal?

My commitment is to ensure we’re actually implementing our “Complete Streets” strategy, which incorporates making room for bicyclists and improving the walking experience at the same time that we’re accommodating vehicles. I want to make sure I become an advocate for all forms of mobility. I am mindful that we have not done enough to really facilitate the infrastructure for biking. I want to raise more of its importance. When we design our communities in a holistic way, it benefits everybody. Related to MTS, I want to make sure we’re promoting the connectivity of bicycles to transit. Do we have safe paths that are leading to transit? Once there, if you want to leave your bike at the station, are there secure lockers? If you want to bring bikes on the bus and it limits us to two bicycles–I’ve experienced that in the past and you have to wait for the next one–there’s better racks that hold three so we should think about expanding racks. In trolleys, I’ve seen rail systems that have better bike infrastructure in them, such as hooks to put your bike on.

As a rider, you don’t have to stand and hold your bike awkwardly or be blocking people’s path to their seat or be an impediment to our disabled community. I want to be mindful in ensuring that our transit is accommodating to everyone.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGETTE GÓMEZ It was last-minute planning at the end of the year to welcome Anything else you want to share with people read2019. Doing overnight camping or long-period biking has always been in my to-dos, so I asked a friend of mine if she had ing the San Diego CityBeat Bicycling Guide? plans. She had invited me before to do overnight camping biking trips. She thought I was a better biker than I am–that I’d I truly want to push a stronger agenda to ensure we’re creating infrastructure for biking. It does not have to compete with done this before. She didn’t realize that Raquel and I had never done it before, but we were good champs. We played along other forms of getting around. We just have to do it because it’s the right thing to do, and it’s a fun thing to do for everyone. and we enjoyed it. It was an amazing, challenging trip, but it was great.

I’m excited for that and just want to ride. ●

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DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO STREETS GET SAFER FOR BICYCLISTS PROTECTED BIKEWAYS ARE HERE! by

Andy Henshaw

At the end of 2018, the City of San Diego installed the very first “protected bikeway”, aka “cycletrack” in downtown San Diego along J Street from 1st Avenue to 11th Avenue. As everyday cyclists, we couldn’t be happier. This is the first segment of an eventual 9-mile network of these modern bike lanes that are part of the city’s Downtown Mobility Plan. Adopted in 2017, the Mobility Plan features cycletracks, as well as pedestrian greenways and transit ways that connect people to places in safer walking and transit corridors.

In an effort to comply with the city’s groundbreaking Climate Action Plan–which calls for more San Diegans to bike, walk or take transit on their commutes to/from work–the City developed the Downtown Mobility Plan. This plan recognizes that the downtown population is projected to triple its current level from 30,000 to 90,000 residents and double its employment population from 90,000 to 180,000 by 2035. Smart thinking, as we simply cannot expect that many people to drive and park in an already congested downtown. Cycletracks are an important piece of the success of the Mobility Plan, as they provide actual physical separation between drivers and cyclists on our streets. In the case of J Street, there are both vertical bollards and, in some locations, cars will have to be parked away from the curbside to create a safe space for bike riders.

Pedaling along J Street in the heart of the East Village is a completely different experience now, thanks to these bikeways. It just feels better and the hope is that it will encourage more people to ride bikes (and scooters) in a space dedicated just for them.

Recently, the San Diego City Council passed new regulations for the popular “dockless” scooters and bikes that have sprung up everywhere over the past year. These regulations are intended to improve the safety of riders and pedestrians without discouraging more people to use these alternative mobility options. Scooters and dockless bikes cannot be legally ridden on sidewalks downtown, according to city code so the new cycletracks will accomodate them as well.

It’s an exciting time for mobility in San Diego. We can’t wait to see the downtown network of bike lanes built out, along with all of the regional bike lanes that span some 77 miles across San Diego County and are funded and planned to be in place over the next decade. Frankly, it can’t happen soon enough given our climate crisis and car dependency habits. Things must change and this is a great plan for all of us who ride. ●

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#Cute #Animals #OMG Forget the cat memes and see some real animals this summer

By Ryan Bradford Videos of raccoons acting like humans. Pics of cute dogs.

Cats with their own Instagram profiles.

Whatever the medium and format, the internet provides endless content for those who love animals. In fact, as the internet becomes increasingly more toxic by the day, animal content might be the last good thing we have left.

But for those looking for some real-life furry friends (animals, not furries), San Diego has plenty of opportunities to get wild.

Of course, the San Diego Zoo (2920 Zoo Drive, zoo. sandiegozoo.org) is an obvious option even with the pandas gone. We’ve dedicated a lot of ink to its spectacularness, so just go there. Season passes are $112 for an adult, which pays for itself after two visits.

For a different—but no less important—kind of educational experience, look no further than Lions, Tigers and Bears (24402 Martin Way, lionstigersandbears.org). This animal sanctuary is about 40 minutes east of Downtown San Diego, just past Alpine, off a secluded dirt road. The trek is worth it, though: passing through the gates is what I imagine it feels like to enter Jurassic Park.

The sanctuary features 93 acres of land where rescued exotic animals can live in peace (including not just the ani-

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mals in its namesake—but most big cats and even a donkey).

Most animals at the sanctuary are survivors of the exotic pet trade, which has caused them severe health and genetic problems, rendering them incapable of surviving in the wild.

Admission is $46 for a two hour tour. Guests can pay extra for an opportunity to feed an animal of their choice. I fed Nola, a little white tigress cub, and I will never forget how excited she was when I forked pieces of raw chicken into her mouth. Plus, on Saturday, May 18, they’re throwing their “Wild in the Country” fundraising event, which will include dinner, dancing and auctions.

For a while now, City Farmers Nursery (3110 Euclid Ave., cityfarmersnursery.com) has been my go-to destination for cuteness. It’s almost like a mini zoo in the middle of City Heights, complete with a cow (named Poinsettia!), a pony, goats and—squee!—baby chicks. City Farmers Nursery is a touching little testament to how humans and animals work together in noncorporate settings. Plus, their turkey JESSICA BRADFORD

Lions, Tigers and Bears

ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

The Living Coast Discovery Center (Mr. Turkey) don’t take shit from anybody, and I respect that.

Don’t forget the The Cat Cafe (472 Third Ave., catcafesd.com) in the Gaslamp. Why anyone would pass up the opportunity to drink a latte while snuggling up with a new, adoptable friend is beyond me. Just typing that makes me want to visit right meow (#sorrynotsorry).

Finally, The Living Coast Discovery Center (1000 Gunpowder Point Drive, thelivingcoast.org) in Chula Vista is a rad and affordable way to become familiar with the vibrant and unique land/sea wildlife that inhabit the San Diego area. For $16, adults can appreciate underwater cuties (I can’t be the only one who thinks stingrays are cute), learn about regional birds or hang with some dope-ass turtles in Turtle Lagoon. Plus, on Aug. 3, they’ll hold their annual Farm to Bay fundraiser, where attendees can get their craft food and beer on while preserving nature. Whatever keeps the turtles happy, amiright?

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MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 33

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PEGGY PEATTIE

What's on your mind?

Go beyond hashtag activism, get out there and make a difference

By Aaryn Belfer The dumpster fire that is America rages on and it’s clear that those elected to represent us aren’t all that interested in breaking the glass to break out the extinguishers.

With friends like these, I tell ya. And those who want to see us go the way of The Handmaid’s Tale (here’s looking at you Mitch McConnell) are gleeful when we the people are isolated from each other. It is their wet dream that we all stay behind our computers, firing off angry tweets that might make us proud, but really do nothing to confront their treachery. I’ll admit, I’ve posted some epic rage tweets, but here’s the thing: Doing triple-axels and getting into debates on social media ain’t gonna get us out of this mess. What we need is to get up off the couch, come together and get active.

A great place to start is with Indivisible San Diego (sandiegoindivisible.com). Indivisible, a national organization with chapters in every state, was started by a group of former Congressional staffers who looked to the Tea Party Movement for inspiration, realized they could turn that evil into good,

and then wrote a 23-page handbook, “Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda.” Indivisible has chapters all across San Diego. Find one on their website that is close and check out a meeting.

For readers who’ve been brooding alone for months, come out of the dark and meet some like-minded folks in motion.

For white people who are feeling some kind of way about what’s going on in the world but aren’t sure, exactly, how to stand up to hate without sounding like a tool, consider attending a meeting held by Showing Up for Racial Justice or SURJ San Diego (facebook.com/surjsandiego). SURJ members gather once a month for an educational discussion on a variety of topics having to do with, well, racial justice. SURJ will be offering a White People for Racial Justice 101 workshop on June 29 and again on Aug. 10. Both events require a reservation as they’re limited to 20 people, but like all SURJ events, the workshops are free. Deep work and authentic human connection happens in these spaces so be brave and sign up.

Border Angels water drop For those really ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work, check out the amazing folks at Border Angels (borderangels. org). This is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that advocates for human rights with a particular focus on border issues. One way to participate immediately is to volunteer to go on a water drop. Since 1994, more than 11,000 people have died due to dehy-

alistic and, because San Diego is the best, there are some cool ways to experience films like no other city.

One of my favorite summertime movie experiences has always been the South Bay Drive-In (2170 Coronado Ave., southbaydrivein.com). Sure, I love it because I appreciate a good bargain and I can bring-my-own-everything (candy, drinks, eh… other things), but I also get to see two brandnew films for less than the price of one at a regular theater ($9 for adults, $1 for kids under 9). I saw the first It film there a couple summers ago, and it was just as scary in that setting, if not more so. Plus, if anyone has really good speakers in their car (moviegoers have to tune the radio to a certain FM station to get the film’s sound), they’ll find the experience to

By Seth Combs be just as enthralling as any theater surround sound system.

Another one of my favorite outdoor movie-going experiOn the surface, it might seem gratuitous to include a ences has to be Rooftop Cinema Club (rooftopcinemaclub. section about going to the movies. After all, if the underlycom) at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego (1 Market ing theme of this issue is to get out and get away from our Place) in Downtown. The summertime series recently exscreens, then going to the movies seems rather counterinpanded its programming to seven days a week, with a differtuitive especially considering we’re essentially in front of a ent classic movie showing every night throughout the season. bigger screen.

The view is killer and the HD movie screen is top-notch, but But going to the movies in the summer is practically rituthe real appeal here is the setting and the concessions. There COURTESY OF ROOFTOP CINEMA CLUB are plush lounge couches complete with blankets and a table, which make for a perfect date night and the food and cocktails are worth the price. Plus, parking is free and the sound comes via wireless headphones. Admission ranges from $17 to $24.

I’ve become a huge fan of catching flicks at two of my favorite art-house cinemas: Digital Gym (2921 El Cajon Blvd., digitalgym.org) in North Park and Cine Tonalá Tijuana (Av. Revolución 1317, Zona Centro). The former has become the local destination to see under-the-radar films, as well as screenings of cult classics. Plus, the price is always right ($7.50-$11) and the gift shop is packed with cinematically-themed goodness. The films at Cine Tonalá are usually second-run films at a bargain price (a little more than $3.50), but I’d go there for one of the many indie screenings Rooftop Cinema Club they have year-round. Plus, they often have cool bands and

Continue watching?

dration while trying to cross the desert. Border Angels hikes in to leave water for those who are crossing. I haven’t done a water drop yet, but it’s on my list of things to do in 2019.

Whatever readers do, don’t stay home.

Sure, it’s comfy there, but doing something to contribute is a whole new sensation that reminds us that there is still humanity left in the world.

SETH COMBS

Whether it’s at a dive, a drive-in or a great dining destination, San Diego has some great summer movie screening options

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The Pearl Hotel’s Dive-In comedy playing upstairs, as well as a killer rooftop lounge and restaurant.

One of my summer to-dos is always one of the San Diego Symphony’s Bayside Summer Nights screenings (sandiegosymphony.org), which this year includes showings of The Empire Strikes Back, Galaxy Quest, Back to the Future and more, complete with the San Diego Symphony playing the score. Tickets for that range from $26-$111. A few more of my faves include The Pearl Hotel’s Dive-In movie nights (more on page 20), the Ken Cinema’s midnight screenings (landmarktheatres.com) and Theatre Box’s $5 Movie Tuesdays (theatrebox.com). Like I said, I love a bargain.

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Hotel tonight?

From redesigned casinos to luxurious rooms in Rancho, we don’t have to go far to feel fancy

By Seth Combs While CityBeat isn’t a particularly fancy publication, I often like to occasionally get out and pretend like I am [drinks mug of Keurig coffee, pinky up]. But because I work at a newsweekly, taking a few weeks off, much less a few days, can prove to be very difficult.

That’s why it can be nice to sometimes pretend like I’m on vacation, but stick around San Diego just in case there’s a work emergency (which is almost always inevitable).

San Diego County has plenty of casino options so a trip to Vegas is thankfully unnecessary. Sycuan Casino Resort ARLENE IBARRA

Tajima Wagyu ribeye at Bull & Bourbon

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(5469 Casino Way, sycuan.com) in El Cajon is the easiest to get to from my office and I was curious to see it since it recently completed a $260 million expansion. I checked in and hit up Bull & Bourbon, the recently opened steakhouse that somehow managed to pull off a design that made it look both vintage and modern. As if one couldn’t tell from the name, Chef Aldo Negrete’s menu is decidedly steak and whiskey-forward, so I’d highly recommend the Tajima Wagyu ribeye with king crab legs and a Hennessy Old Fashioned to help wash it down.

One of the more understated things I appreciated about the experience was that the restaurant is 21-and-over, which really added to the overall ambiance (read: no loud kids).

Another recent addition to Sycuan is the gigantic Retreat Pool & Cabanas area that includes separate areas for kids and adults, as well as an enormous “lazy river” area. Stay on a weekday and visitors, like me, may not even need to spring for one of the private cabanas and can pretty much have the place to themselves. Bonus: the adult area has a swim-up bar serving specialty cocktails and local brews.

A direct alternative to the casino vibe is a stay at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe (5951 Linea Del Cielo, theinnatrsf. com). I don’t think there’s a property I like more in all of local hospitality and it’s well worth the price point considering a room there is comparable to other local high-end hotels. The rooms, most of which feel like cabins, are impeccable with a rustic design that includes outdoor patios, garden views and romantic fireplaces.

And look, I get it, Rancho Santa Fe is pretty bougie and all the rich people live there, but please believe me when I say that readers should try Chef Chris House’s exquisite menu at one of the posh leather booths inside the RSF Inn’s Morada Restaurant. Or, at the least, stop by the decidedly underrated Huntsman Whiskey Bar to try the amazing concoctions from house mixologist Dutch House. The man is

COURTESY OF THE INN AT RANCHO SANTA FE

The terrace at Morada doing amazing things with brown spirits that includes experiments with barrel-aging and box-smoking. Plus, he has a presentation that is second to none (just check out his Instagram to take a gander). Dutch will be offering $35 whiskey tastings (reservations required) on the last Tuesday of the month throughout the summer, with a special emphasis on small batch distilleries and limited edition blends. Appetizers from Morada are included with the tastings.

A few more of my other faves include the recently refreshed US Grant (326 Broadway, theusgrantsandiego.com) if only for the cocktails and atmosphere at its Rendezvous bar, as well the Rancho Bernardo Inn (17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive, ranchobernardoinn.com) for the spa. One summer option I’m looking forward to is the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa’s (9700 N. Torrey Pines Road, estancialajollaspa.reservations. com) “By the Barrel” series, which will feature three separate tasting events centering on a particular barrel-aged beverage (wine, tequila and bourbon). It begins on May 23 and tickets are $125.

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MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 37

Where to?

From underground speakeasies to private karaoke sessions, here are some nightlife options without the blue light

By Torrey Bailey There’s certainly no shortage of nightlife options, but they’re often filled with folks who’d much rather post stunting, FOMO-type stories than actually enjoying the moment.

For a nice alternative to the regular scene, Ego Trip’s parties are some of the best Spin Nightclub (2028 Hancock St., spinnightclub.com) sees all year. Held only every few months, they act as fundraisers for Ego Trip’s 1920s lounge at Burning Man. The team goes all out by hiring big-name talent, aerial artists, stilt-walkers and other extras that fit the parties’ selected themes, which range from “Leather and Lace” to “Arctic Oasis.” And the crowds don’t hold back in dressing up in costume to match. The next Ego Trip takes place on Saturday, June 8 under the theme of “Disco Aquatica” and will feature headliners Bondax and Luxxury.

Speaking of Spin, my internal clock doesn’t strike summer until Staybad announces its first rooftop party of the season. The local crew has hosted its House2Ourselves day-to-night summer parties once a month for the past few years on Spin’s rooftop. The events have amassed a reputation for quality tech-house talent and, even better, a come-as-you-are crowd that welcomes the weird. This

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year, there’s a “Fam Appreciation Party” featuring CODES on Sunday, June 23.

Like craft breweries and brunch spots, San Diego doesn’t know when to stop opening speakeasies. And they’re far from secretive thanks to touch-sensitive entryways (re: Realm of the 52 Remedies), elaborate interiors (Raised By Wolves) and other Instagram bait. But OG speakeasy Prohibition (548 Fifth Ave., prohibitionsd.com) does not want to see any blue light at its bar. In fact, no phones is its number one rule, as is written blatantly on the website. Lead Bartender Ryan Andrews says that’s for two reasons, the first being safety, since he and other bartenders have injured themselves while temporarily blinded by a phone flashlight.

And the second is to encourage appreciation of the atmosphere and live music. So just drink the damn cocktail.

Silent discos generally suck. Crowds disconnect when they dance to various music channels rather than to a single SPEYER PHOTOGRAPHY

Ego Trip

GBOD HOSPITALITY

Prohibition beat, and really, club music is meant to be communal. The exception to the rule is Uptown Tavern’s (1236 University Ave., uptowntavernsd.com) Silent Disco Dance Party, which happens the second Saturday of every month. People line up at the wee hour of 9 p.m. to try to snag a pair of headphones and fabulously gyrate their way around the bar.

Headphones on or off, it’s contagious energy.

Those who’d like to opt out of the club can try a private karaoke room. Some of the top spots for private karaoke rooms include Min Sok Chon (4620 Convoy St.), HIVE (4428 Convoy St., hivesandiego.com) and Melody Karaoke and Cafe (4344 Convoy St.) all located in Kearny Mesa. Order a cheap pitcher of suja for liquid courage and butcher those songs nobody will admit they want to hear on the radio. Friends don’t let friends post karaoke videos, so put down the phone and let ’er rip.

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Another glass?

From summer classes and grapestomping sessions, wine is in season

By Victoria Davis While there’s no shame in purchasing an affordable box wine (well, maybe a little shame), summer is arguably one of the better times to make drinking a social affair. Or, at least, a classy one. I wouldn’t go so far as to liken Southern Californian spirits to those of, say, Southern Italy, but San Diego does have some wine experiences that’d be worth bragging about to a penpal.

One such experiene is stomping on grapes. Owned and operated by Argentine ambassador Alejandro Orfila, Orfila HIDDEN SAN DIEGO / FLICKR

Rashelica Winery & Art Garden

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Vineyards & Winery (13455 San Pasqual Road, orfila.com) in Escondido hosts its annual “Grape Stomp” party on Aug. 24. In addition to live jazz and all the requisite wine tastings, party-goers can hike up their dresses or pants, get calfdeep in a wood barrel and foot-smash some grapes while sipping on a white, apricot-infused Gewurztraminer. There is a catch, however, as Orfila’s purple footed fandango only hosts 400 guests at $80 each, so it’s probably best to reserve tickets well in advance.

While Rashelica Winery & Art Garden (17948 Highway 67, rashelicawinery.com) in Ramona has food trucks, live music every weekend and free tours, it is the only place San Diegan’s can have their wine with a side of live, Italian opera. Since most of us can’t afford a flight to Italy, Rashelica’s owners, Herman Salerno and his wife Rosa, have brought the Mediterranean experience to SoCal in the form of giant, nude sculpture gardens and operatic concerts on summer weekends. In addition to his theatrical guest singers, Herman also stretches his own throat pipes for guests on the vineyard lawn. My personal favorite part of Rashelica is how laid-back wining and dining is here. Guests can hunker down with their glasses anywhere among the gardens, so many people bring their own picnic basket, purchase Rashelica’s wine for $35, and lounge among any of the dream-like sculptures or life-size chess sets.

But being an oenophile is as much about being educated in wine as it is experiencing it. Luckily, San Diego offers some summer school wine classes for all levels of the vino obsessed.

Better still, there are no “snobs” allowed at Urban Kitchen Group’s Master Class Wine Series at CUCINA urbana and CUCINA enoteca, (urbankitchengroup.com) . Beginning June 6, advanced sommeliers, wine importers and nationallyknown winemakers will congregate first in at CUCINA enoteca Del Mar and later in Bankers Hill for a three-part wine

SINGLER PHOTOGRAPHY

CUCINA urbana education series. Highlighting “noble” grapes and “thoughtprovoking bottles” of the Italian and French variety, these classes, through dinner pairings and blind tastings, aim to introduce San Diegans to cool wines that are accessible to both experts and newbies. Tickets are $60 per class.

San Diego’s first-ever wine education company, Wine Smarties (winesmarties.com), is also offering summer courses in wine. Their “Beyond the Fruit” class, taught by certified wine educator and award-winning sommelier Lindsay Pomeroy, focuses on helping to improve palates of all levels by diving into how a fruit’s growing climate can affect the way a certain wine is made. Taking place at WineSellar & Brasserie (9550 Waples St., Ste. 115) in Sorrento Valley, the class costs $40. Wine Smarties also offers summer school certification, but those courses tend to be on the pricier side.

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MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 39

Fit bits Gym selfies feel so passé when there’s so many outdoor ways to break a sweat

By Julia Dixon Evans Instead of a smelly, overpriced gym, readers should head to one of the many free public “fitness parcourses” peppered throughout the city. My favorites include the 18-station Morley Field course in North Park (2221 Morley Field Drive, sandiego.gov); the breezy Embarcadero Marina Park South parcourse (200 Marina Park Way, JULIA DIXON EVANS

Morley Field course

40 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

portofsandiego.org), and the hardcore Rohr Park in Bonita where the structures are arranged in one spot like a gym (4548 Sweetwater Road, chulavistaca.gov). Or unplug the Stairmaster with these public climbs: La Mesa’s “secret stairs” (not-so-secretly at Windsor and Canterbury Drive), the Tierrasanta “stairs of death” (Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, just west of Antigua Boulevard) and the San Diego Convention Center steps.

For those for whom ball is life, most city parks with rec centers have lunchtime pickup basketball games for releasing workday steam, and longer sessions on Saturdays.

Some popular spots include Tecolote Rec Center (4675 Tecolote Road), César Chávez Community Center in San Ysidro (455 Sycamore Road), Rancho Bernardo Community Center (18448 W. Bernardo Drive, with indoor and outdoor options) and Pacific Beach Recreation Center (1405 Diamond St., sandiego.gov). In addition to countless basketball leagues in town, there’s a special women’s league (sandiegobasketball.com) at Balboa Park’s Municipal Gym (2111 Pan American Plaza) on Tuesday evenings.

Bring your ladies, or contact the league to be added to a team.

It’s a FIFA Women’s World Cup year, so why not brush off our cleats and try it too? No understanding of the offsides rule necessary. For the unversed, the Brazilian Futebol Academy (bfasoccer.com) offers classes for all levels at SDCCU Stadium (9449 Friars Road). Or build an indoor soccer (a fast, bonkers version of the sport) league team with coworkers at what’s known as the “Water Tower League” in North Park (letsplaysoccer.com/san-diego). Team fees run around $250-$300 for the season, which means $30$50 per person depending on team size. Or browse Meetup for pick-up games of varying costs, levels, regions and hardcore-ness. And if readers manage to make an offsides

JULIA DIXON EVANS

North Park “Water Tower League” play without realizing it? My compliments; that’s badass.

I once killed an entire afternoon watching Danny Macaskill mountain biking videos on YouTube with my stomach in my throat. While there’s plenty of extreme, gnarly mountain biking (and extreme, gnarly mountain bikers) in town, start out slow on these simpler trails ideal for n00bs.

Both Lake Hodges (18502 W. Bernardo Drive, sandiego. gov) and Los Penasquitos Canyon (12020 Black Mountain Road, sdparks.org) are host to mostly wide, smooth trails.

And in the South Bay, the Otay Reservoir (open Wednesdays and weekends) has nearly a mile of wide gravel trail to warm up, before the single-track lakeshore trail, which also includes a few wooden bike bridges for tiny, low-stakes thrills (2165 Wueste Road, sandiego.gov). For women looking for a supportive group environment, Girlz Gone Riding (girlzgoneriding.com) hosts periodic beginner rides.

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ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

Go outside From parks to canyon trails, the great outdoors awaits

By Andrea Lopez-Villafaña There’s nothing I love more than coming home, slathering on a facemask, cuddling with my miniature schnauzer and binge watching whatever trash Netflix show I’m obsessed with at the moment. But every so often, I get this urge to get out of the house and actually explore the diverse and beautiful city I live in.

Chicano Park (National Avenue, between Cesar Chavez Parkway and Evans Street) is one of the most unique places in San Diego with its large collection of murals that tell the stories of those who helped build the community. Its location is ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

Chicano Park

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South Bay Salt Works ideal for a long stroll and a visit to the various art galleries and shops just down the block. Events are constantly going on like the La Vuelta Summer Festival, a season-long car cruise show that happens every other Wednesday through Aug. 7.

For one of the best panoramic views of the city and the Coronado Bay Bridge, there’s Grant Hill Park (2660 J St.).

This quiet park is small compared to Chicano Park, which is less than two miles away, but it’s a great location to have a picnic with friends or read a book.

If I’m looking for something more adventurous, I visit one of the many canyon trails in City Heights. There are various trails to choose from that go through Manzanita Canyon, Swan Canyon, Olivia Canyon and more. They all offer beautiful views of the nature hidden among the urban sprawl. The loop that starts at Azalea Community Park (Violet and Poplar Streets) is a great starting point for beginners and the nonprofit San Diego Canyonlands conveniently offers educational events, hiking tours and clean up volunteering opportunities year round.

Outside a salt factory in Chula Vista are the giant salt mountains (aka the salt piles) at the South Bay Salt Works factory (1470 Bay Blvd.). The sheer size of the salt piles from the salt factory are impressive and unlike anything else in San Diego. Although most people ride by on their bikes, it’s a great location to stop and catch the sunset.

Further south of there is the Tijuana Estuary (301 Caspian Way) in Imperial Beach. People tend to go to this nature reserve for the bird-watching opportunities, but hikes like the River Loop Trail offer opportunities to see other animals on the property. The center also offers binoculars to use free of charge for people like me who don’t come prepared. They also offer guided nature walks throughout the year.

And although I usually take trips to Julian (visitjulian. com) during the winter to get a slice of apple pie, visiting during the summer is even better. The weather is warmer making it nicer to go on walks by Lake Cuyamaca and take a tour of the mines. Or just wait for apple-picking season, which begins in mid-August. Of course, don’t forget to stop for a slice of apple pie from Mom’s Pie House.

ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

Lake Cuyamaca

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MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 41

AARYN BELFER

All the boops Dogs don’t need smartphones to live in the moment.

Neither do we

By Aaryn Belfer Is there a better time than summer to bond with our pups? I loved all the rain we had this past winter, but if I had to clean up one more mud-splattered mess in my home, I might have had to put my dog (his name is KEVIN!!!) out for good. Now, however, he and I are getting out and about on the regular.

Of course, San Diego has tons of beaches where our furry friends are in charge and we just tag along, and suffer shoulder pain from tossing all those tennis balls. But Coronado Dog Beach (Ocean Boulevard) is really head and paws above the rest. My doggo AARYN BELFER

Lake Murray

42 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

likes to drag me down the long, sandy path until he can legally be leash-free, and (bonus!) I like to watch as my political T-shirts (“ANTI TRUMP AF” and “FUCK OFF NAZIS” and “LORD GIVE ME THE STRENGTH OF A MEDIOCRE WHITE MAN”) piss off all the Trump-loving Nazi white dudes. Everyone has a good time.

But beaching it isn’t doable every day.

As dog lovers know, it simply requires way too many baths, and that’s to say nothing of whether agitating Republicans is a healthy source of happiness. So KEVIN!!! and I take our daily walk at Lake Murray (5540 Kiowa Drive) in La Mesa. That may sound like another been-there, done-that recommendation, but it is actually revolutionary because I do this crazy thing and—wait for it—I leave all devices behind. That’s right. No smartphone. No music. Just me and my deep, dark thoughts.

A morning walk at Lake Murray is crisp and quiet, teeming with sounds of life and earth. An evening sunset glows pink off the lake where ducks fly low, their wings flapping in the water. The sounds of a base-

Coronado Dog Beach ball making contact with an aluminum bat and parents cheering remind me of childhood—how fast it all goes, how precious it all is. Without earbuds to close me off from the world and with an adorable pup on the end of my leash, I say hello and make eyecontact with strangers. Give it a try. Readers will be grateful to be alive and ready to break bread with people they love.

When that happens, load Fido in the car and head straight to La Mesa Wine Works (8167 Center St., lamesawineworks.com) for a picnic. This is a BYOF operation and dogs are allowed on the patio, so pack some food to share and order wine made right there. On

Sunday afternoons, they even have live jazz.

And if readers are yearning for something more adventurous, take the doggie out to The Sup Connection (2592 Laning Road, sandiegosuprentals.com) at Liberty Station in Point Loma and get to paddle-boarding.

That’s right, the Sup Pups San Diego program lets riders paddle out with their dogs.

This will take a bit of planning as Sup Pups requires a reservation 24-hours in advance and the cost is $65 for one human and one fur ball. Still, this is worth the splurge. Bring some treats for the four-legged pal, and Sup’s professionals will give riders all the info they need to know to sail into the sunset.

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MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 43

CULTURE | FILM

Seasonal sights

Shadow

Swords, sacrifices and Springsteen highlight the summer cinema slate

by Glenn Heath Jr.

S

ummer movie cycles typically resemble one long wave of momentum, hype and fandom that continuously crests for three months straight. The monetary success of each mega-tent pole feeds into the next, and in turn, molds the identity of an entire quarter’s worth of cinema through the lens of marketing and sales analytics.

But what if the upcoming 2019 version has already crashed before it has even begun? The capitalist gauntlet laid down by Avengers: Endgame—a movie readers may have heard of—has broken nearly every box office record imaginable and threatens to overshadow whatever Hollywood has in store for the foreseeable future.

Making matters worse (or better depending on your tolerance for expensive lowbrow genre fare), the future doesn’t look all that appealing at a glance. Still, there’s always something good on the horizon for those who know where to look.

Shadow (May 10): Zhang Yimou’s brutal tale of intrigue and revenge in an ancient Chinese royal kingdom demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Drenched in rain and infused with shades of varying gray, the film culminates slowly as devious generals and arrogant kings move minions around like chess pieces. All the plotting eventually erupts in vicious and ambitious swordplay, slathering the many puddles and cobblestones with gushing sprays of blood.

John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum (May 17): Keanu Reeves thrives when he plays unsettled characters who use violence to restore their internal balance. His starring role in this kinetic, spirited action franchise evokes that pattern perfectly. Former stunt performer Chad Stahelski returns to the directing chair for this third installment about the omnipresent hit man who shoots and slices his way through hordes of criminals all in the name of his murdered pooch. Will all the mayhem bring any resolution or peace?

Booksmart (May 24): Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut is an R-rated comedy about two diligent high school seniors (Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein) who decide to spend their last night before graduation behaving very badly. Early buzz is positive and

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the raunchy trailer promises an epic all-nighter in the vein of Superbad and Dazed and Confused.

The Souvenir (May 31): Up to this point, the films of British auteur Joanna Hogg have mostly been relegated to prestige international film festivals and New York City art house cinemas. However, A24 (Moonlight, Lady Bird) is backing the release of The Souvenir—a new 1980s-set romance following a young film student (Honor Swinton Byrne) who falls in love with a charming grifter (Tom Burke)— so hopefully Hogg’s sublime work will be seen by a larger audience.

Late Night (June 7): The world of late night has long been accused of being too white and too male, a problematic legacy Nisha Ganatra’s new comedy takes on headfirst. Emma Thompson stars as the renowned television host who hires a woman of color (Mindy Kaling) to shake up the writer’s room of her flailing comedy show. It remains to be seen whether this one will pander to easy jokes about identity and race, or if it will truly get to the heart of cyclical corporate prejudices working to suppress certain professional communities.

The Dead Don’t Die (June 14): America’s deadpan poet laureate Jim Jarmusch brings his special brand of offbeat humor to the zombie film. Adam Driver, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton and Selena Gomez(!) headline a staggeringly deep cast of working class characters trying to defend their small rural town from the walking dead. This looks like the perfect genre sandbox for Jarmusch to upend our expectations about the horror of societal division.

Midsommar (July 3): Plenty of piercing audience screams resonated from last year’s summer screenings of the hit indie Hereditary (the loudest were from CityBeat’s own horror maestro Ryan Bradford). Director Ari Aster didn’t waste any time conjuring up his new nightmare about a young woman (the great Florence Pugh) who joins her boyfriend at a mysterious summer festival in the middle of nowhere. Come for the dread-inducing imagery, stay for the ritualistic sacrifice.

FILM CONTINUED ON PAGE 45 @SDCITYBEAT

CULTURE | FILM tions about identity and culture, so this should be good fun.

Film reviews run weekly.

Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com

OPENING Family: Socially inept Kate is tasked with babysitting her equally awkward niece, but things go from bad to worse when the girl runs away. Opens Friday, May 10, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum

Hail, Satan?: Director Penny Lane documents the creative marketing and activism efforts by members of the Satanic

Temple, whose public protests challenge corruption and religious intolerance.

Opens Friday, May 10, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas.

Poms: Diane Keaton and Pam Grier headline this comedy about a group of women who decide to form a cheer squad at their retirement home. Opens Friday, May 10, in wide release.

Rafiki: Two young women fall in love despite the many social and familial challenges that face them in modern Nairobi.

Opens Friday, May 10, at Angelika Film Centers Carmel Mountain.

Shadow: Power plays and manipulations turn an ancient Chinese court into an emotional and physical battleground in the latest film from director Zhang Yimou (Hero). Opens Friday, May 10, at AMC La

Jolla Village Cinemas and AMC Fashion Valley Cinemas.

The Hustle: A con artist duo (Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson) decide to use their talents of manipulation to get back at all the rotten men who’ve done them wrong over the years. Opens Friday, May 10, in wide release.

Tolkien: This biopic explores the early life of famed author J.R.R. Tolkien, who would go on to write the Lord of the Rings trilogy and change fantasy fiction forever.

Opens Friday, May 10, in wide release.

For complete movie listings, visit Film at sdcitybeat.com.

FILM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 44 The Farewell (July 12): One of the surprise hits out of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Lulu Wang’s dramedy starring Awkwafina deals with mortality in culturally specific ways. A ChineseAmerican family learns that their matriarch grandmother is dying of cancer and, instead of telling her, they stage a wedding so that everyone can say their goodbyes without unnecessarily passing on their grief. It could be this summer’s standout indie.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (July 26): The release of every Quentin Tarantino film seems like an event because expectations and hot takes reach peak ridiculousness. His latest opus takes place in Los Angeles during the year of 1969, when Charles Manson and his acolytes committed atrocious acts of violence, and Hollywood itself was undergoing a chaotic transition out of the Golden Age. Mixing tones with reckless abandon, this looks to be another Tarantino genre gumbo, as well as an unpredictable slice of historical revisionism that could be a disaster or a masterpiece.

The Nightingale (Aug. 2): Jennifer Kent’s sterling 2014 debut, The Babadook, was an intimate and crushing horror film that marked the arrival of a daring new talent.

Early reviews of her latest work suggest it wasn’t a fluke. Set in the early 19th century, the revenge yarn follows a female Irish convict who hunts down a British officer through the Tasmanian wilderness for committing atrocities against her family.

Blinded by the Light (Aug. 14): Thatcher-era Britain provides the backdrop for this coming-of-age musical about a Pakistani teenager who gets inspired by the music of Bruce Springsteen. Director Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham) knows how to balance sentiment with frank conversa-

@SDCITYBEAT

MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 45

CARLITOS GALVAN

MUSIC

Christopher Oxendine ike many synthwave conjurers, Christopher Oxendine gets his best ideas while in the comfort of his own home.

“A lot of times I’ll start with just a drum beat. It’ll be a simple loop, and I’ll have that playing for an hour while I’m trying to write a bass line to match it,” says the 31-year-old musician behind local electronic project O/X. “For me it’s just a lot of experimenting. I’ll loop this stuff, and if I can listen to something for 30 minutes and clean the house, then I know I’m onto something.”

It’s an intuitive approach that has worked wonders as Oxendine has taken the plunge into the world of synthesizers and sequencers. Since starting his goth-leaning O/X project a year ago, the soft-spoken, goldenhaired solo artist has explored the tension between man and machine. His songs are built entirely with robot instruments, and his hooks and melodies are locked to sequencing grids. At live shows, he performs in front of giant screens that flicker with glitchy patterns and saturated colors. He’ll occasionally step away from his bank of

46 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

electronics, letting the patterns take over as he dances and interacts with the audience.

Even at its most mechanized, though, there’s a very human sensitivity at the heart of O/X’s work.

“I can get kinda nervous setting up, because you’re right there. There’s no stage.

You’re not away from people—everyone’s just standing around,” Oxendine says of his shows at the Whistle Stop, the locals-only haunt in South Park where he often performs. “But once I’ve played and people get moving and into it, I really like the feel of having people super close, like even hovered over [the] gear. I try to walk around more and engage the crowd, and that’s fun—being right there with a crowd of people.”

On O/X’s debut New Life EP—released last October on DREAM Recordings—he sweeps listeners away on a wave of synth arpeggios and hypnotic beats. In a style reminiscent of classic synth composers like Vangelis and John Carpenter (as well as more recent goth acts like Cold Cave and Boy Harsher), Oxendine’s eerie, post-industrial soundscapes balance against pulsing chase sequences and

heavenly climaxes. A vintage TR-707 drum machine provides the rhythmic backbone, while murmured vocals recorded on a Radio Shack microphone add a touch of DIY magic.

“When the moment is ripe, Chris just goes for it and lives with the results. I love that about him,” says local producer and musician Richard Hunter-Rivera, who helped produce the EP.

Raised in the College Area and Rancho San Diego, Oxendine has always been a selftaught musician. He got his start on guitar in high school and later picked up the drums.

He learned to create potent atmospheres as a member of the dream-pop combo Other Bodies (which also featured Taejon Romanik

of Wild Wild Wets) before getting his hands on some affordable synths to start writing music as O/X. This current approach is something new for Oxendine. It’s the first time he’s performed solo, and it also marks a new level of maturity for him and his collaborators: As he was working on the New Life EP, HunterRivera and Tommy Garcia, who mixed the album, both had their first kids, as did another friend living in L.A. “People might say this style is dark or coldwave or whatever, but I liked that it had kind of a positive sound to it. It was my first ever project on my own, so it was a new form of writing music that I’d never done before,” Oxendine says.

In recent months, he’s kept a relatively low profile, mostly playing at DIY venues and the Whistle Stop, where DREAM founder Mario Orduno books shows. But O/X has been gaining momentum. He opened for long-running Detroit electronic duo ADULT. at Soda Bar last October, and he’ll be doing his biggest show yet at the Casbah at Orduno’s upcoming DREAM ’19 fest. He’s hoping to release a 7-inch later this year and also book a mini tour.

Standing alone with his machines, Oxendine acknowledges the extra pressure he’s under when he plays live. He wants to put on a good show and to create a sense of liveliness and spontaneity. That is, he doesn’t want to be locked to his instruments, boring his audience to death by keeping his head down and focusing too much on twisting knobs and playing keys.

He’s found the right balance by playing synth and drum parts live, while also adding in pre-recorded loops. Through this marriage of man and machine, he can bring up the volume and aim for a greater human connection all around.

“I just kind of realized, even if I’m not playing everything live, I would still rather have it sound full and big. That’s kind of where I’m at now—it’s a mixture of both,” he says. “Also I wanted to move around more.

Lately I made a goal to be like, ‘I’m gonna step back from my little rig, and get in front and have it be really loud and move around.’

I just kind of hop around and use the space, get amped up a little bit. It took me a while to feel comfortable to do that.

“Obviously it’s all on me, you know?” he adds. “There’s nobody else there to help you out. So yeah, I get pretty stressed out still…

But it’s fun. I like it. When it’s all said and done, I’m glad that I got through it.”

@SDCITYBEAT

@SDCITYBEAT

MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 47

BY RYAN BRADFORD

MUSIC

BLACK

ALFRED HOWARD

GOLD

Sorting through the chud

I

t’s not all thousand-dollar records and sweet soul music. There’s a word a lot of vinyl record enthusiasts use and that word is “chud.”

A box of chud is basically a box of scratched-up Herb Alpert records where the covers have been partially devoured by termites, clawed by disgruntled kitties and autographed by mold. Chud may include records so warped, they make the turntable needle surf the tumultuous black wave like a doomed otter after an oil spill.

If Barbara Streisand is the Chud queen, Andy Williams is the king. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not shitting on Barbara’s career.

There’s a great drum break on her “Queen Bee” song, but overall, seeing a lot of Streisand records is a prime indicator of chud.

When I thumb through a stack of records that begins with four Streisands, I’m not hopeful that Coltrane is coming next (John, not Chi).

People are always trying to dump their chud, a classic record collector move. That connoisseur might purchase a large collection, keep all the gems and try to shed the weight of chud though the local chud dispensary known as Craigslist or OfferUp. For example, I went to look at a collection in San Marcos this past weekend. I guess San Marcos is in San Diego, but the drive felt more daunting than most: I had a feeling that when I got there, I would be somewhere else—there should be new information, sequoias and lakes, but the Southern California highway is a treadmill and palm trees and clone communities were still my surroundings.

The ad that had called to me had all the right ingredients: 1000 records, 1000 45s and a seller motivated by an out-of-state move. The seller also claimed to not know much about the music in his possession. As

48 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

they say, “one man’s trash… yadda yadda yadda.” Let the games begin.

There were a lot of records. Too many records. Too much chud, but not saturated with chud. For every five John Denver records, there was a John Lee Hooker, and after a box full of big band swing, there would be indie bands like Built to Spill, Three Mile Pi-

“Sol’s Soul” by The Nightbeats lot and Tristeza mixed in like golden glitter on a big ole bear turd. I’ve looked through a lot of collections and this was the most uneven and unpredictable among them.

There were also 24 boxes of classical albums. I know as much about classical music as President Trump knows about science, which, depending on where you get your news, could mean that I am the best or worst when it comes to classical music. In this case, I am definitely not a classical music expert.

So there I was, trying to figure out if I wanted to buy this collection. There were a lot of interesting items but there were also a lot of unknowns that could be great or could be unlistenable. There was enough vinyl to

wreck my rig’s suspension on the way home from San Mordor and 70 percent was chud, but the seller explained it was all or nothing.

We negotiated. I could tell he wanted them gone, but he could tell I wanted them and didn’t want to pay a lot. We were both at even weight on the see-saw of our disadvantage.

He started throwing in random boxes of other stuff to both sweeten the pot and lighten his load. In fact, I got a box full of random autographs including an autographed Star Whores (it’s a Star Wars porn parody) press photo and a box full of antique—and often racist—postcards. At the end of the day, I was paying him a respectable amount to basically help him move, but I decided to pull the trigger.

Why? Because in one of the classical music boxes, there was a Sublime 12-inch autographed by the whole band, including the original lead singer. And sure, living in Southern California has made me jaded to Sublime’s existence to the point where hearing “What I Got” is like being slapped in the face with a fish taco with a blonde dreadlock inside it. But when I was 17, I saw Sublime in Boston and got drunk and crowd surfed and heard the bait of the Pacific Ocean whisper my name.

Also, I knew I could sell that album and make my money back.

Sometimes buying a collection is paying the price of admission. I wanted to look through all the records at an unpressured pace. I wanted to listen to the unknown 45s to find out if they were soul bangers or obscure garbage. They turned out to be mostly obscure yodeling records and, yes, I realize that “obscure yodeling records” is likely a redundant sentence.

But one of the 45s stood out. “Sol’s Soul”

by The Nightbeats was an organ-heavy summertime groove. The soul jazz instrumental side had a little more fire than the vocals, with a capable yet subdued guitar solo and a heavy drum break ripe for sampling.

Of course, the record had a burn on the first three seconds of the vinyl as if someone farsighted tried to read the label by candlelight. So basically it had to be chudby-association.

Black Gold appears every other week.

Alfred Howard is always looking for vinyl and stories, and can be contacted at blackgoldsandiego@gmail.com.

THE

SPOTLIGHT GUS BLACK

B

Eels

y all accounts, Mark Everett—the main dude behind Eels—is not a pleasant dude. I mean, hell, just look at his body of work: Since the ’90s, he’s produced enough twinkling, self-loathing songs to fill Pain Lake (a real lake in Ontario!). His misery-peddling has granted him both fame and contempt—most notoriously from Pitchfork, who’s given his albums so many negative reviews that you’d think he killed their mothers or something.

I’ve often hesitated myself when it came to fully committing to the cult of Mr. Everett. 2018’s The Deconstruction is Eels’ 12th album, and it’s really no different than the 11 that came before it: half sadbastard ballads, half Jon Brion-esque adult contemporary, plus one optimistic banger to prove that, hey, maybe life doesn’t suck after all (in this case, “Today Is The Day”).

Eels albums are basically templates by now, which provoke detractors to question the validity of his music, or whether miserablism is just his schtick.

But that really doesn’t matter to me, because he wrote Electro-Shock Blues, one of my favorite albums of all time. Written after losing his mom to cancer and sister to suicide, it doesn’t shy away from heartwrenching details, almost to the point of being morbid (I can only imagine the amount of disassociation required to write an upbeat song like “Cancer for the Cure”).

The album’s closing track “P.S. You Rock My World” still makes me cry 20 years later.

So, yeah, let the guy be miserable.

Eels play Saturday, May 11 at The Observatory North Park.

@SDCITYBEAT

MUSIC

IF I WERE U

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

Our picks for the week’s top shows

MICAIAH CARTER

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

PLAN A: MorMor @ Soda Bar. MorMor (real name: Seth Nyquist) is definitely the show we’re most looking forward to this week. We were blown away by his 2018 debut EP, Heaven’s Only Wishful, and his latest single, “Outside,” is a beautifully morose pop gem that features acoustic guitar and synths working in a harmonious unison. BACKUP PLAN: Liz Cooper & The Stampede, Briston Maroney, Dani Bell & The Tarantist @ The Casbah.

THURSDAY, MAY 9

PLAN A: Lady Lamb, Katie von Schleicher, Alex Schaaf @ Soda Bar. Formerly known as Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, the musical project of Brooklyn-based Aly Spaltro is all about slow-building, anthemic indie-rock with big hooks and boisterous choruses. Check out her most recent single, “Even in the Tremor,” for a nice taste. BACKUP PLAN: Bayonne, Palm Daze @ The Casbah.

FRIDAY, MAY 10

PLAN A: Mrs. Magician, Hideout, Mt. Pleasant @ Soda Bar. A fantastic lineup of local indie-rock bands will be playing to help raise money for fellow musician Jayme Ralph (locals may remember him from the band Writer), who recently suffered a major head trauma and needs help with medical bills. PLAN B: ‘DREAM ‘19’ w/ Black Marble, Second Still, Riki Provoker, O/X @ The Casbah. Read Peter Holslin’s excellent feature on synth beast O/X in this issue, but also check out Black Marble, who specializes in minimalist post-punk with a goth heart. BACKUP PLAN: Nite Lapse, Ignant Benches, Foxtide @ Public Square Coffee House.

SATURDAY, MAY 11

PLAN A, Part 1: ‘North Park Festival of the Arts.’ There are so many great local bands to choose from at this annual festival including CityBeat faves such as The Havnauts, Cumbia Machin, The Donkeys and Jake Najor & the Moment of Truth. And since most of it happens during the day, it leaves plenty of time to head to… PLAN A, Part 2: ‘DREAM 19’ w/ Xeno & Oaklander, SRSQ, Chasms, Body of Light, The Victoriana @ The Casbah. Not a bad band on this bill, but we’re particularly excited about the onewoman synth-opera project SRSQ and headliners Xeno & Oaklander, who combine ’60s French-pop and dark ’80s new-wave. PLAN B: Lila Downs @ California Center for the Arts. Known for beautifully combining traditional and modern Mexican music, the incomparable Lila Downs is well worth the drive to Escondido.

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MorMor

SUNDAY, MAY 12

PLAN A: Harriet Brown, Glympse, Trip Advisor @ Soda Bar. Fans of Prince and Justin Timberlake should check out L.A.based R&B singer and producer Harriet Brown. His new album, Mall of Fortune, is filled with sexy blasts of soul music that are both danceable and lyrically heavy. PLAN B: Tav Falco’s Panther Burns, Low Volts, Stephen Rey @ Whistle Stop. Tav Falco is a legend in certain hipster sets for his blend of rock, blues, jazz, cabaret and even surfrock. He’s on tour with his Panther Burns band in celebration of the group’s 40th anniversary. BACKUP PLAN: Foxing, Now, Now, Daddy Issues @ The Casbah.

MONDAY, MAY 13

PLAN A: El Vez, Stephen El Rey @ The Casbah. Fresh off a stellar soul music revue, everyone’s favorite local Mexican Elvis impersonator switches it up for a night of storytelling and sad songs he’s dubbed “The Unhappy Hour.” We’re so there. #SadSongs4Eva #GothSummer BACKUP PLAN: If Only., Watashi Wa Dance Party, Lost Dakota, Smarter Than Robots @ Soda Bar.

TUESDAY, MAY 14

PLAN A: Carsie Blanton, Eric Kufs @ The Casbah. Our editor has been absolutely in love with singer/songwriter Carsie Blanton since seeing her live in her hometown of New Orleans a few years ago. One-part brutally honest, one-part touchingly vulnerable, her live shows always feel like a party hosted by a bestie. PLAN B: The Japanese House, Art School Girlfriend @ House of Blues. British artist Amber Bain (aka The Japanese House) crafts catchy indie-pop, but we’re actually more excited about fellow Brit Polly Mackey, the producer behind Art School Girlfriend. While she’s only released a few songs, they all have a mellow, chill-wave vibe perfect for those moments where you feel heartbroken, but still feeling yourself.

MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 49

MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

Guana Batz (Soda Bar, 5/17), The Dodges (Casbah, 5/19), Mariachi Divas (Music Box, 6/1), Death Cab For Karaoke (Soda Bar, 6/8), SOURCE (Soda Bar, 6/10), Drug Apts (Casbah, 6/17), Warish (BUT, 6/27), The Bones of J.R. Jones (Soda Bar, 6/28), Beekeeper (Soda Bar, 7/4), The English Beat (BUT, 7/4-5), Six String Society (Music Box, 7/6), Nightmares on Wax DJ set (Music Box, 7/10), The Manhattan Transfer (Music Box, 7/11), Furrageous (Music Box, 7/13), No Knife (Casbah, 7/15), 21 Savage (Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 7/18), The Claypool Lennon Delirium (Music Box, 7/19), Cigar (Soda Bar, 7/20), Cracker (BUT, 7/24), Wayward Sons (Music Box, 7/27), X (BUT, 7/27-28), Matt Costa (Music Box, 7/28), Decrepit Birth (Brick By Brick, 7/28), Stranger (BUT, 7/31), Blink-182, Lil Wayne (North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, 8/7), Sidney Gish (Ché Café Collective, 8/9), Daniel Sloss (Balboa Theatre, 8/12), Touché Amoré (Ché Café Collective, 8/13), The Fabulous Thunderbirds (BUT, 8/15), Kadavar (Brick By Brick, 8/20), Justin Hayward (BUT, 8/20), Snail Mail (The Irenic, 8/21), David Grisman (BUT, 8/29), The Roots (Harrah’s Resort SoCal, 8/30), The Get Up Kids (Observatory, 8/31), That 1 Guy (Soda Bar, 9/12), The Selecter (Casbah, 9/18-19), Lenny Kravitz (San Diego Civic Theatre, 9/20), Still Woozy (The Irenic, 9/30), Too Many Zooz (BUT, 10/10), flor (Music Box, 10/12), Lucero (Music Box, 10/19), Caravan Palace (Observatory, 10/21), Kero Kero Bonito (BUT, 11/1),

Penny & Sparrow (BUT, 11/6), Mason Ramsey (HOB, 11/20), Ross the Boss (Brick By Brick, 2/15).

ALL SOLD OUT The Japanese House (HOB, 5/14), IDLES (BUT, 5/21), The Lemonheads (Casbah, 5/25), John Hiatt (BUT, 5/25), Local Natives (Observatory, 6/19), The Struts (Observatory, 7/12), Billie Eilish (Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 7/13), The Psychedelic Furs (Observatory, 8/6), Death Cab For Cutie (Observatory, 8/9-10).

CANCELLED Deaf Havana (Soda Bar, 5/10), Ozzy Osbourne (North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, 7/23).

GET YER TICKETS The Spazmatics (Music Box, 5/10), Dead Boys (Casbah, 5/22), New Kids On The Block (Viejas Arena at SDSU, 5/23), FIDLAR (Observatory, 5/30), gnash (The Irenic, 5/31), Bryce Vine (Pechanga Arena, 5/31), Brad Paisley (North Island Credit Union Ampitheatre, 6/1), Jennifer Lopez (Pechanga Arena, 6/10), Toby Keith (Del Mar Fairgrounds, 6/14), Rebelution (North County Credit Union Amphitheatre, 6/15), Rob Thomas (Humphreys, 6/20), Khalid (Pechanga Arena, 6/23), Aly & AJ (Observatory, 6/25), Priests (Soda Bar, 6/26), Blink-182, Lil Wayne (North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, 8/7), Carrie Underwood (Pechanga Arena, 9/10), The Who (Viejas Arena, 10/16), Judah & The Lion (Observatory, 10/17), Hozier (Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, 10/26).

50 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · MAY 8, 2019

MAY WEDNESDAY, MAY 8 Liz Cooper & The Stampede at The Casbah. Leggy at SPACE. Alec Benjamin at House of Blues. Rising Appalachia at Music Box. MorMor at Soda Bar. Vouna at SPACE.

THURSDAY, MAY 9 Lady Lamb at Soda Bar. White Lies at Music Box. Amanda Seales at Observatory North Park. Camp Cope at Ché Café Collective. Slushii at House of Blues.

Bayonne at The Casbah. Lui$ too Thrill at Brick By Brick. Darell at SOMA.

FRIDAY, MAY 10 Jefferson Starship at Belly Up Tavern. The Bronx at Observatory North Park. Black Marble at The Casbah. The Spazmatics at Music Box. Phil X & the Drills at Brick By Brick. Hot Mulligan at House of Blues. Runaway Jane at California Center for the Arts. Mrs. Magician at Soda Bar.

SATURDAY, MAY 11 Ignite at Soda Bar. SRSQ at The Casbah. Ozzmania at Brick By Brick. Eels at Observatory North Park. Lila Downs at California Center for the Arts. Lolo Zouai at House of Blues. Cowgirl Clue at Ché Café Collective. Buck-O-Nine at Music Box. Jefferson Starship at Belly Up Tavern.

SUNDAY, MAY 12 Diary of Dreams at Music Box. Foxing at The Casbah. Mad Dogs & the Englishman at Belly Up Tavern. Harriet Brown at Soda Bar.

MONDAY, MAY 13 Archspire at Brick By Brick. Stephen El Rey at The Casbah. If Only. at Soda Bar.

TUESDAY, MAY 14 Carsie Blanton at The Casbah. Dawn of Ashes at Brick By Brick. Matt Maeson at Music Box. Pride by the Beach Drag Show at Belly Up Tavern. Malison at Soda Bar.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15 Wild Belle at Belly Up Tavern. The Moondoggies at Soda Bar. Swingrowers at Music Box. Santigold at House of Blues.

Willie Nelson at Humphreys. Deva Premal at California Center for the Arts. Dead Meadow at The Casbah. Ape Machine at SPACE.

THURSDAY, MAY 16 Shy Girls at The Casbah. 3rd Ear Experience at Brick By Brick. Boogie at Music Box. Shy Boys at Soda Bar. Tusk at Belly Up Tavern. Sebastian Maniscalco at Humphreys. The Velveteins at Ché Café Collective. Maddie Leigh at Petco Park.

FRIDAY, MAY 17 The Dandy Warhols at Observatory North Park. Dark Funeral at Brick By Brick. Pato Banton at Belly Up Tavern.

Mickey Avalon at House of Blues. Desert Dwellers at Music Box. Sebastian Maniscalco at Humphreys. Derek King at House of Blues. Emo Nite at The Casbah. Guana Batz at Soda Bar.

Dickies at Soda Bar. Cowboy Junkies at Observatory North Park. Z-Trip at Belly Up Tavern. Alejandra Guzman at Pechanga Arena. Chelsea Grin at SOMA. Yacht Rock Revue at House of Blues. Sitting On Stacy at Ché Café Collective.

SUNDAY, MAY 19 Maid of Ace at SPACE. Dread Mar l at Music Box. Spirit Adrift at Brick By Brick.

Brogue Wave at Belly Up Tavern. The Dodges at The Casbah.

MONDAY, MAY 20 Willie K at Belly Up Tavern. Johnny Marr at House of Blues. JoJo Siwa at San Diego Civic Theatre. Brushed at Soda Bar. Hexa at The Casbah.

TUESDAY, MAY 21 Skeletonwitch at Brick By Brick. Geographer at The Casbah. Alice Witt at House of Blues. Black Taffy at Soda Bar.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22 Dead Boys at The Casbah. Conflict at Soda Bar. Capyac at Belly Up Tavern.

THURSDAY, MAY 23 Ocean Alley at The Casbah. Downtown Boys at Ché Café Collective. The Bright Light Social Hour at Soda Bar. Crime In Stereo at SPACE. New Kids On The Block at Viejas Arena at SDSU. The Exploited at House of Blues. Alicia Villarreal at California Center for the Arts.

SATURDAY, MAY 18 Death by Stereo at Brick By Brick.

Trouble in the Wind at The Casbah. The

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 51

@SDCITYBEAT

BY CHRISTIN BAILEY

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 50 FRIDAY, MAY 24 Teenage Bottlerocket at The Casbah.

Minnesota at Music Box. The White Buffalo at Belly Up Tavern. The Damned at House of Blues. Wisin y Yandel at Viejas Arena at SDSU. Jesse & Joy at California Center for the Arts. Little Feat at Humphreys. Cristian Macelaru at Copley Symphony Hall. Negative Gemini at Ché Café Collective. Mad Sin at Soda Bar.

SATURDAY, MAY 25 The White Buffalo at Belly Up Tavern.

Joy Again at Ché Café Collective. The Damned Things at Brick By Brick. Sloppy Seconds at Soda Bar. I Am Through Being Cool Fest ‘19 at The Irenic. Matisyahu at Music Box. Lee DeWyze at Humphrey’s. Cristian Macelaru at Copley Symphony Hall. Jaz Coleman at Vinyl Junkies Record Shack.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. Wed: Open Mic. Thu: ‘Bringing Back Rock ‘N’ Roll’. Fri: Cassie B. & The Stingers, The Naked I. Sat: Way Cool Jr., Big Rig Dollhouse. Sun: Karaoke. Tue: Rude Creation, Drifting Roots.

Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., Normal Heights. Wed: ‘#HipHopWeds’.

Thu: ‘CoolLikeDat’. Fri: ‘House Music Fridays’. Sat: ‘JUICY’. Sun: ‘Phantasy Lounge’. Mon: ‘Organized Grime’. Tue: DJ Staci.

American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Wed: The Come-Up Comedy

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Showcase. Thu: Brad Williams. Fri: Brad Williams. Sat: Brad Williams. Sun: Jenny Johnson. Tue: Open Mic. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Thu: Lady Starbeast, Distressor, Art Disposal, Wilt. Fri: SIRSY, Wicked Echos. Sat: Alleluia Pantoufle, The Visiters. Mon: Trivia. Tue: Karaoke.

Bang Bang, 526 Market St., Downtown.

Fri: Toddy Terry. Sat: Yetep, Olmos.

Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park. Wed: ‘Kocktails w/ Katrina’. Sun: ‘Rat Sabbath’.

Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Thu: Doug Benson. Fri: The Blonde Brothers. Sat: OCEANS. Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Gone West ft. Colbie Caillat (sold out). Thu: The Voices, Montalban Quintet, Chris Cote. Fri: Jefferson Starship, Alex DePue. Sat: Jefferson Starship, Alex DePue. Sun: Mad Dogs & the Englishman, Walking Man. Tue: ‘Drag Takeover!’.

Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Ave., City Heights. Fri: The Colour Monday, Lady Starbeast, Body Salt. Sat: The Powerballs, The Fractions.

Blonde, 1808 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. Wed: ‘Dance Klassique’. Thu: ‘Blink Fest’. Fri: ‘WE ARE YR FRIENDS’. Sun: Mating Ritual, Downers. Sat: Jex Opolis, Ray Mang. Mon: ‘Blue Monday’. Tue: ‘Techit EASY’.

Boar Cross’n, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad.

Sat: Big Dude.

Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay Park. Fri: Phil X & The Drills. Sat: Ozzmania, Up The Irons. Mon: Archspire. Tue: Dawn of Ashes.

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 52

ASTROLOGICALLY UNSOUND Weekly forecasts from the so-called universe ARIES (March 21 - April 19): What you initially perceive as failing might actually be succeeding at being a huge loser—at sucking totally and completely.

Just being spectacularly defeated.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): This week will feel like when you drink too much caffeine and have a sudden awareness of how much space your teeth are taking up in your skull.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): There is no one in the world exactly like you, but there’s this guy named Kenny in Regina, Saskatchewan who comes pretty close.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): The world tends to bend along familiar contours but this week, a strange intrusion will snap you out of your regular routine like a pair of scissors into your cosmic balance-ball chair.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): When it comes to business, be the ragweed: determined to show up places where no one really wants you to be and be nearly impossible to eliminate once you’re there.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Your brain will short-circuit in your sleep this week and you’ll suddenly be able to play the saxophone. However, you’ll never find out because you don’t own a saxophone.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 December 21): Do you ever look at a word so many times it starts to completely lose all meaning? That’s kind of where I am at right now. Sagittarius. Sagittarius... sagittariussss...

Sagittarius?

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19): This week, you will feel almost as though you are the clone that you created in order to harvest organs from it.

LEO (July 23 - August 22): What’s a miracle if not something you could probably explain as a series of very ordinary phenomena? Only... Wouldn’t it be more fun if you just called it a miracle?

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Things could be worse. At least you’re already born now so you’ll probably die before the most catastrophic affects of climate change really take hold.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): Just because something is better for you doesn’t mean that it’s better for you.

It might be too much to expect you to know the difference.

PISCES (February 19 - March 20): You know what they say: Stop to smell the roses and involve yourself in every class action lawsuit where you meet the minimum qualifications for a payout.

Astrologically Unsound appears every week. Follow Christin Bailey on Twitter at @hexprax.

MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 51

MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 51 The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. Wed: Liz Cooper & the Stampede, Briston Maroney, Dani Bell & the Tarantist.

Thu: Bayonne, Palm Daze. Fri: Black Marble, Second Still, Riki, Provoker O/X. Sat: Xeno & Oaklander, SRSQ, Chasms, Body of Light, The Victoriana. Sun: Foxing, Now, Now. Mon: Stephen El Rey. Tue: Carsie Blanton, Eric Kufs.

Che Cafe, 1000 Scholars Drive S, La Jolla. Wed: Noogy. Thu: Camp Cope, An Horse, Oceanator. Fri: ‘All Relation Fest’.

Sat: Cowgirl Clue.

Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Bay Park. Fri: Fred Benedetti, George Svoboda. Sat: The Sibarg Ensemble, Mark Dresser w/ Hafez Modirzadeh.

F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown. Thu: ‘TakeOver Thursdays’. Sat: ‘Hip-Hop & Paint Party’. Sun: ‘Reggae Sundays’.

Fluxx, 500 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Fri: DJ Scooter. Sat: Shabazz.

House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Wed: Alec Benjamin. Thu: Slushii.

Fri: ‘Electric Feels’. Sat: Lolo Zouaï. Sun: Chad & Rosie. Tue: The Japanese House (sold out).

Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wed: Puro Feeling. Thu: DJ Chuck. Fri: Republic of Music. Sat: Wildside. Sun: Stellita’s Groove. Mon: Casey Hensley. Tue: January Berry Band.

The Irenic, 3090 Polk Ave., North Park.

Sun: Anthony Fantano.

Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., Midtown. Thu: ‘Cinema Techno’.

Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave.,

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Kensington. Thu: ‘Metal Yoga’. Sat: The Fleshies, Santa Ana Knights, The Stalins of Sound, Russian Tremors.

Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Mon: Open Mic. Tue: Comedy Night.

Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Wed: Goodall Boys. Thu: North Star. Fri: The Alternatives. Sat: Pat Ellis & Blue Frog Band. Sun: Ron’s Garage. Tue: Glen Smith.

Martinis Above Fourth, 3940 Fourth Ave., Hillcrest. Thu: Jeffrey Scott Parsons.

The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. Thu: Hub City Stompers, The Steadians, Kilowatt Hop Sound. Fri: Girlboy, Levi Dean & the Americats, The Spiritual Motels. Sat: ‘Club Sabbat’. Mon: ‘Road to IML’. Tue: Ingenuik, Triton Eye, Slum Summer.

Mother’s Saloon, 2228 Bacon St., Ocean Beach. Tue: Trivia.

Mr. Peabody’s, 136 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas. Sun: ‘Tony Ortega Jazz Jam’.

Mon: Open Mic. Tue: Karaoke.

Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy.

Wed: Rising Appalachia, Iron Sage Wood.

Thu: White Lies, The Young Wild. Fri: The Spazmatics, Geezer, Radio Thieves.

Sat: Buck O Nine, Sprung Monkey, T Irie Dread. Sun: Diary of Dreams, Glaare, DJ Kaerie. Tue: Matt Maeson, Shane Hall.

The Office, 3936 30th St., North Park.

Wed: ‘Rhythm & Booze’. Thu: ‘No Limits’. Sat: ‘Strictly Business’. Sun: Tribe of Kings. Mon: ‘Motown on Mondays’. Tue: ‘Night Shift in The Office’.

OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: ‘Undone on Thursday’. Fri: Loud Luxury. Sat: Savi.

Panama 66, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park.

Wed: ‘The Wednesday Jam Session’. Fri: Besos Trio. Sat: Mad Hat Hucksters. Sun: ‘Funk Jam’.

Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Fri: J Alvarez.

Proud Mary’s, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road, Kearny Mesa. Wed: Chris Fast Band. Thu: Tomcat Courtney. Fri: 145th Street. Sat: Danny Brooks.

The Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. Fri: ‘Mexican Mother’s Day’. Sat: ‘Sabados en Fuego’.

Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: ‘Boss Jazz’. Thu: Chloe Lou & Davies. Fri: Johnny Deadly Trio. Sat: Victor Baker. Tue: ‘Everything and Anything Jam’.

Rosie O’Gradys, 3402 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Dan Rabb, Pat Knightly, Gabe Carson. Thu: DJ Dougie Frosh.

Fri: ‘Acoustic Revolt’. Sat: Chloe Lou & the Liddells. Mon: ‘Jazz Jam’. Tue: Digital Lizards of Doom.

Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: MorMor. Thu: Lady Lamb, Katie von Schleicher, Alex Shaaf. Fri: Mrs. Magician, Hideout, Mt. Pleasant. Sat: IGNITE, Implants, Square Shapes, Corporate Citizen. Sun: Harriet Brown, Glympse, Trip Advisor. Mon: If Only., Watashi Wa Dance Party, Lost Dakota, Smarter Than Robots.

Tue: Malison, Monarch, Nightshadow.

SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway.

Thu: Darell & Brytiago.

SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights.

Wed: Leggy, Battery Point, EST. Thu: ‘Tiki Bingo’. Fri: ‘BrokenBeat’. Sun: ‘The Next Hip Hip Collective’. Mon: ‘Right Now Live Comedy Pop-Up Show’.

Spin, 2028 Hancock St., Midtown. Fri:

‘Front Left One Year Anniversary’. Sat: Audiojack, Uner.

Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Paul Gregg. Tue: Trivia.

Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: Open Mic. Sat: ‘Definition Lo-Fi House’.

Tin Roof, 401 G St., Downtown. Wed: Hull & Deez. Thu: Jake & Corey. Fri: Coriander. Sat: Coriander. Sun: Karaoke.

Mon: Lucky Devils Band. Tue: Jake & Corey.

Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., Bay Park. Wed: The Jazz Pockets. Thu: Mercedes Moore.

Fri: The Siers Brothers. Sat: Detroit Underground. Mon: ‘Sexy Salsa & Sensual Bachata’. Tue: Big Time Operator Orchestra.

Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. Fri: Western Settings, Static on the Stereo, Le Saboteur, Ben Smith. Sat: Some Kind of Nightmare, Masteria, War Fever. Sun: Elvis Cortez, Joey Briggs, Spaztik.

U-31, 3112 University Ave., North Park.

Thu: ‘BoomBox Thursdays’. Fri: DJ KidWonder. Sat: DJ Bacon Bits. Sun: DJ Night. Mon: ‘#31 Flavors’.

Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park.

Wed: Con*tact, Versing, Strange Creature, Sway. Thu: Shit Giver, Band Aparte.

Fri: ‘Groove in da Heart’. Sat: ‘Booty Bassment’. Sun: Tav Falco’s Panther Burns, Low Volts, Stephen El Rey. Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., Ocean Beach.

Wed: ‘Club Kingston’. Thu: ‘The OB Takeover’. Fri: Headphone, Mdrn Hstry, Well Well Well. Sat: Electric Waste Band. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: Scott Pemberton Band.

@SDCITYBEAT

BY JACKIE BRYANT

IN THE BACK

CANNABITCH Always in season

COURTESY OF WEST COAST CANNABIS TOURS

F

inding a legal way to experience cannabis in public is difficult per Prop. 64, which has strict rules about how and where people can consume products. Thanks to vague language and creative cannabis professionals, however, local businesses are getting in on the game as best they can. For readers looking for a new way to experience San Diego’s cannabis culture outside their own home this summer, look no further.

West Coast Cannabis Tours (westcoastcannabistours.com) offers a variety of tours, including one of a grow operation, as well as a more thorough, all-encompassing experience tour, which brings guests to a number of dispensaries and a glass-blowing demonstration. The company’s $99 Kegs-n-Kush tour brings guests to Green Flash and Mike Hess’ brewing facilities on a limousine bus where riders are welcome to smoke. A stop at a dispensary also ensures that those who aren’t packing can join in on the festivities by using whatever they purchase at the dispensary. Beer samples are included in the price.

420-themed yoga? Sure, why not? Local yoga teacher Amber Demers, who owns the company Soul Star Energy Healing, has partnered with Los Angeles-based Ganga Yoga (ganjayogasandiego.com) to host cannabis yoga classes in San Diego. In addition to offering public classes, she also hosts private group instruction, which can be booked directly with her. The experience includes Reiki energy healing, aromatherapy, a CBD-enhanced massage, a 60 or 75-minute restorative yoga class and a crystal

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West Coast Cannabis Tours to take home. And yes, guests are encouraged to smoke throughout the experience.

Affectionately dubbed the “SD Bud & Breakfast,” La Casita Bonita (sdbudandbreakfast.com) is the city and county’s first cannabis and dog-friendly Airbnb Tucked away in a private residential property in Escondido, the lush digs include on-site nature walks, a CBD welcome package, indoor and outdoor cooking facilities, cannabis massages, yoga, Reiki and other nice perks. Consumption is allowed everywhere on the property, though guests must BYOC. The couple who owns the property also stock their home with cannabis florals and make themselves available to any guests who would like an educational ses-

sion. And again, dogs are allowed so what’s not to like?

Local company Green Carpet Growing (greencarpetgrowing.com) offers two-and-a-half hour classes designed to teach people how to grow indoor cannabis plants in their own homes. The Soil Grow Class costs $59 and includes instruction on using grow tents, LED lights, and organic soil and nutrients. Guests will also receive buy-one-get-one-free clone coupons to use at March & Ash dispensary, as well as a Green Carpet Growing Grow guide to take home. An option to purchase Green Carpet Growing’s plant growing kits is available for an additional cost.

This should seem obvious, but I’ve met tons of local San Diegans who have yet to visit a single dispensary, despite being curious about what the experience is like.

Even for a dyed-in-the-wool stoner like myself, I still get a pang of nervousness walking into a dispensary, despite knowing that it’s fully legal. For those who want a quick in-and-out experience, MedMen (medmen.com) offers a user-friendly, easy shopping environment with minimal staff interaction. Torrey Holistics (torreyholistics. com) is ideal for those with medical concerns because they have a consultant on staff to address medical questions. Urbn Leaf (urbnleaf.com) has partnered with a local transportation company to offer the CannaCruiser, which brings guests from various locations to one of its dispensaries.

CannaBitch appears every other week.

Follow Jackie Bryant on Twitter at @jacqbryant.

MAY 8, 2019 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 53

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