San Diego CityBeat • Oct 17, 2018 by San Diego CityBeat

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UP FRONT | FROM THE EDITOR

Judgment day

room.” In 2016, he was also officially rated o there’s this judge, right? He’s a Superior Court Judge, but be- as “lacking qualifications” for a judgeship by fore he was a judge, he was head of the the state Bar Association. That same year, the United States Justice Foundation, a law firm Commission on Judicial Performance cited notorious for its hardline conservative law- 11 violations of the Code of Judicial Ethics suits. He also served as legal counsel to anti- against the judge. The next year, he received a “severe public censure” by the state Comimmigrant Minutemen militias. He was a hardcore “birther,” who be- mission on Judicial Performance. This kind of lieved President Obama was born in Kenya censure is the second most-serious kind that (it seems he still believes this, BTW) and, the Commission can assess against a judge. in his personal and professional life, regu- Four of the 10 commissioners who voted for the censure actually voted for larly promoted anti-LGBTQ the judge’s immediate removal. causes, even defending Prop. 8 So, yeah, this guy’s a judge. (the 2008 ballot measure that His name is Gary Kreep and banned same-sex marriage) in he’s a San Diego Superior court six times. Court Judge. We know all these In 2013, he was elected a things about Judge Kreep Superior Court Judge. thanks to reporters such as On his first week as a judge, Dave Maass, Joshua Emerson he had an exchange with a Smith and Greg Moran. female attorney where he reI know it can seem overmarked that he loved her Mexican accent and asked her if she Judge Gary Kreep whelming when it comes to all things post-Kavanaugh. Like was a Mexican citizen. When someone confirmed that she was a U.S. citi- many, I felt powerless as I watched a handful zen, the judge remarked, “I wasn’t planning of senators appoint someone who is clearly unfit to be on any court. But unlike Kavanaon having you deported.” He was cited for campaign finance viola- ugh, San Diego gets to vote for Superior Court tions by the California Fair Political Practic- Judge and Kreep is up for reelection on Nov. es Commission. At his job, he’s been accused 6. One possible problem: most voters don’t of referring to a female intern as “Bunhead” pay attention to a local judge race as much and another female intern as “Dimples.” In as they would a Supreme Court hearing. They his courtroom, he has made regular com- simply bubble in the box for the incumbent ments on women public defenders’ appear- thinking that judge must be doing an OK job. But that’s clearly not the case with Kreep. ances, such as, “we got all sorts of very attractive, young PD’s around here.” He told One need only read his recent interview one female attorney that she’s “a pretty girl, with the Union-Tribune to see that he’s still you know you can smile.” This judge has also clearly unrepentant and conspiratorial. And been accused of using violent language in that’s not to imply that he can’t be imparcourt, once telling a female deputy city at- tial, but his behavior in the court is still immensely disturbing. torney that he would kick her “in the butt.” When it’s all said and done, let’s take Speaking of violent behavior, during divorce proceedings with his ex-wife in 2012, that post-Kavanaugh energy and refocus she accused him of being “physically and it on local races that matter. In this case, emotionally abusive” including throwing we have the direct power to do something bottles at her and punching holes in the wall. about it. Unlike Kavanaugh, we can vote on In 2014, CityBeat was the first to report Nov. 6 and tell a creep like Kreep that his that the judge was “forced to spend three time’s up. months working in traffic court after pros —Seth Combs ecutors complained about his temper and conduct and threatened to boycott his court- Write to seth.combs@sdcitybeat.com This issue of CityBeat is dedicated to your mom. She’s the best.

Volume 17 • Issue 9 EDITOR Seth Combs

Lara McCaffrey, Scott McDonald, Jim Ruland, Ben Salmon, Ian Ward

HUMAN RESOURCES Andrea Baker

WEB EDITOR Ryan Bradford

EDITORIAL INTERNS Sara Harmatz

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OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 7

UP FRONT | LETTERS

THE WITTIEST OF STARS I’ll miss Alex Zaragoza’s columns so much now that she goes forward to what I’d imagine an even brighter future [“There she goz to the Big City,” Oct. 3]. Her incisive wit was the main reason I always tried to find each issue of CityBeat even though she wasn’t in it every issue. The brightest, most witty star has left now, and her talent will shine elsewhere. The most gifted ones always leave because there’s more they are capable of. Douglas Miller Gaslamp

she can make with reasonable certainty: 1.) women have suffered sexual violence at the hands of men for centuries; 2.) abusers are found in every socioeconomic class, and; 3.) powerful men have gotten away with it for too long. You are behind the curve, Mark. Women do not need you to “mansplain” to us anything related to us. Your time is up.

THE LOST ART OF F-BOMBS Aaryn, just a note to say thank you for the wonderful article [“On behalf of women everywhere,” Sept. 26]. Cursing and venting is a lost art. I think I have finally found someone who throws F-bombs more than I do. High praise, indeed! Marjorie Marks Mission Hills

A RESPONSE TO THAT GUY Poor, simple Mark Clem [Letters, “And then there’s this guy,” Oct. 3] (although I’m guessing he’s not poor and not really all that simple). Yes, Mark, when one has reached a certain age, when that one is a woman, and when that woman has lived her years in the good ole US of A, there are assumptions

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Suzy Perkins La Mesa

WE MESSED UP ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Correction: In last week’s election endorsement issue, we endorsed Tim Nader as our preferred candidate for the San Diego County Superior Court Judge, Office 37 race. Problem is that Nader is no longer in that race, as he was beaten in the June primaries. We actually meant to endorse Deputy District Attorney Matt Brower. It was a Freudian slip on our editor’s part and he’s been in a bad mood ever since. We sincerely regret the error and encourage readers to vote for Brower (see this week’s “From the Editor” for more on his Matt Brower opponent).

TABLE OF CONTENTS UP FRONT From the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Spin Cycle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

WE HAVE A

PODCAST! CityBeat recently became a sponsor of Show in Progress with Matt Strabone, our first foray into podcasting. Seven episodes in and people really seem to like it. On this week’s episode, Strabone shares his thoughts on why we should all vote yes on Measure D, which would ensure that all county election races would be decided in November elections rather than in the primaries. He also interviews inewsource reporter Jill Castellano on the 49th District Congressional race, as well as KPBS’s Jade Hindmon on the heated 50th District race. Show in Progress is available pretty much everywhere podcasts are available so check it out or head to sdcitybeat.com for a link.

A Side-Eye of Sanity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Sordid Tales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

FOOD & DRINK World Fare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Anatomy of a Cocktail Scene. . . . . . . . . . 17 Final Draught. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

THINGS TO DO The Short List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19

ARTS & CULTURE Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Best of San Diego: Hot + Cool. . . . . . . 23-58 Best of San Diego: Poll Winners . . . . 60-80 Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82-83

MUSIC FEATURE: Y La Bamba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 If I Were U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Concerts & Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88-91

IN THE BACK Astrologically Unsound . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 CannaBeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

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OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 9

UP FRONT | OPINION

SPIN

CYCLE

JOHN R. LAMB

Prop. 6 hits a pothole Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors and miss. —Lazarus Long

is own party has abandoned him. His recent antics involving an official-looking mailer have drawn catcalls that he’s desperate. His intelligence was even placed below that of a dog last week. But give credit to pension-hating former San Diego City Councilmember and current right-wing radio-talking head Carl DeMaio— the guy is relentless in his belief that what he says is the gospel and those who disagree are sycophantic, inferior-brained idiots. It’s a shtick that CityBeat has chronicled near-religiously since he stepped onto the local political stage more than 15 years ago. Hell, he practically appeared out of thin air to bestow upon the City of San

Diego an award lauding its government-efficiency prowess. He would later regard that moment as an embarrassment, bitterly chastising city officials for providing “false and misleading financial statements.” That bitterness still rears its ugly head to this day, even for his current pet project, Proposition 6. The November ballot measure would repeal the state’s gas tax hike approved last year by the Democratcontrolled California Legislature. In an interview with inewsource last month, DeMaio let his bitter flag fly when asked about the genesis of Prop. 6. “Well, I think what really drove it for me was I don’t think we have two functioning parties in this state,” he explained. “I think we have a one-party system. The Republicans are worthless in Sacramento… They talk the talk, but they don’t actually act.”

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Added DeMaio, “And a lot of times they’ll vote no without even offering an alternative. And so, how can you beat something with nothing? And so part of what I wanted to do is say, because the Republican Party of California isn’t doing their job, maybe we just need to get citizens engaged.” And what better way for an anti-taxer to do that? Find a tax to attack—the fresher the better. Hold some rallies, gather some signatures and voilà, a ballot measure is born. Former San Diego Unified school board trustee Scott Barnett, now a political consultant, once credited DeMaio for “certainly shaking things up.” Barnett said he now pays little attention to the former councilmember, except when he steps into school matters. Like last week, when DeMaio held a news conference to denounce Measure YY, a school bond measure Barnett supports. Barnett attended the presser, bringing along his dog, Milo. “I wanted to point out that my dog has been on more school sites and knows more about public education than Carl DeMaio does, which is, in fact, the truth,” he said. “Carl has one priority: Carl DeMaio. It’s the Carl DeMaio Show. We all know that. It’s always been that.” But on Prop. 6, Barnett says he

JOHN R. LAMB

It’s back to the future as anti-taxer Carl DeMaio butts heads with state officials like Todd Gloria, a former City Council nemesis, and Toni Atkins over Prop. 6. agrees with DeMaio. Or rather, as Barnett put it, “He agrees with me.” Barnett once headed up the San Diego Taxpayers Association and, along with the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, is taking a neutral position on Prop. 6. He did add that gas-tax funds have been historically diverted from their intended purpose to improve roads and highways “to underwrite the state’s general fund.” State Assemblymember Todd Gloria, an outspoken opponent of Prop. 6, offered a more nuanced take to inewsource in September: “For about a generation, the Legislature and governors and other elected leaders really passed the buck on trying to do the things we need to do to fill potholes, address traffic congestion and try to expand public transit.” He said the Legislature finally showed “some courage” last year in passing Senate Bill 1, which raised the state excise tax on gasoline by 12 cents per gallon and the diesel sales tax by 4 percent. The bill also created a “transportation improvement fee” ranging from $25 to $175 per year and a $100 annual fee for zero-emission vehicles. The state’s legislative analyst estimated that within two years, those tax and fee hikes will generate $5.1 billion annually for muchneeded road repairs and transportation funding. In a statement, state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins told Spin, “Californians need to know just how dangerous Proposition 6 will be—it is an attack on bridge and road safety. Prop. 6 would eliminate more than $5 billion per year in funds dedicated to transportation improvements statewide, including eliminating the source that has provided San Diego County more than $900 million since last year—funds that are desperately needed to fix our roads.” Atkins repeated the measure’s opposition talking points that “thousands of projects already under way” would be shut down. She

also estimated that the city of San Diego conservatively would lose out on “almost $400 million” for such projects over the next decade. The city has already received $34 million just to slurry seal roads, an Atkins spokesman noted. Prop. 6 backers like DeMaio note the tax’s regressive nature, hitting the pocketbooks of those who can least afford it, and he’s also promised a 2020 initiative that would “lockbox” gas-tax funds for roads and highways. The skunk in the garden for Republicans seems to be the notion that none of these funds should be dedicated to public transit, and that somehow improving roads and freeways will return California to its sun-shiny days of carefree travel. Spin happens to enjoy local public transit, warts and all. Many people rely on it, in fact. Californians will always love their cars, but times are changing. Just ask scooter riders. With campaign money in opposition of Prop. 6 far exceeding funds in support, many are ready to write the obituary for the proposition and, perhaps, DeMaio’s persistent cheese-grater existence among us. But this guy’s like an ant colony: Just when you think you’ve snuffed out their trail, those little buggers find another path under your window sill. DeMaio recently mailed out a sneaky “election ballot **correction**” in response to the official ballot title for Prop. 6, which states, “eliminates certain road repair and transportation funding. Requires certain fuel taxes and vehicles fees be approved by the electorate.” The official-appearing mailer from DeMaio instead said it “should read: Proposition 6: Gas Tax Repeal Initiative.” Small print below noted that his suggestion was “unofficial.” The dude never relents. Predict his political demise, and that of Prop. 6, at your own expense. Spin Cycle appears every other week. Write to johnl@sdcitybeat.com.

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CULTURE | VOICES

RHONDA “RO” MOORE

A SIDE-EYE OF

SANITY

Beware the light at the end of the tunnel

ell, America ’murica’d again and while we all watched in dismay, 45 was too busy dragging toilet paper around behind him in public. The Senate turned a questionable nominee into a Supreme Court Justice because a very old boy’s network felt it was a good time to remind women (again) that moral character and mental fitness for duty only matter when they say it does. White women with insatiable cravings for proximal power signaled, yet again, that they’ll do anything the white man says to keep their seat at the table even when it’s obvious they’ll never have a say as to what’s on the menu. In the aftermath, people called for civility (because that totally works for marginalized folks) and wrote post-mortems ad nauseum on where “the left went wrong.” Conservative mothers cautioned against raising liberal daughters (thanks, Twitter, for the semi-permanent eye twitch) in order to protect sons who are not expected to respect boundaries. All this, while judges continue to hand out no-jail time sentences for rape and sexual assault because why ruin a man’s life? Women are declared hysterical by men who feel attacked by talk of respect, boundaries, consent and a woman’s right to exist without suffering violence. The next thing we know, women may expect men to actually keep their hands to themselves and potential employers will want character references not written by frat brothers. We are witnessing the desecration of every stage of governance and the intent is to deliberately weaken the foundations of our democratic republic one self-serving decision at a time. That light at the end of the tunnel is a speeding train and far too many folks are leaping on to the tracks like it’s the gateway to the Promised Land. So, what are people to do? It would be great if this were the part of the column where I segued into highlighting the better natures of men. You know, the song and dance full of examples of how the world’s better than before and we all just need to keep pushing forward and the trend will bend toward justice and light. But I’m Black so I know that’s just propaganda intended to keep rage from turning to agitation and agitation from turning to corrective action. (Yes, I did hear Yoda say this in my head just now.) The obvious answer is, of course, vote. Elections are the performance review no candidate, political operative or political party can ignore. It’s the one shout into the wilderness we know can be heard. But we must cast that vote with purpose. Regardless of where readers stand party-wise, we should be uncomfortable with what’s passing as governing lately. Why? Well, let’s hit the highlights: • In the past two years, corporations received astronomical federal tax cuts without any corresponding duty to pass the benefit of those savings on to workers. • There’s rampant homelessness and a serious

housing shortage (these things are not mutually exclusive, people), both worsened by gentrification that’s displacing middle/low income renters and existing homeowners out of their neighborhoods. • Federal taxes that should be used to address healthcare, housing deficits, education-funding deficits and interstate infrastructure are being diverted to fund private interest bills and agendas driven by lobbyists. • Adults are contracting childhood illnesses, and sexually transmitted infections are on the rise because politicians turned medical advancements and scientific study into “political issues,” throwing entire fields of study and their findings into doubt for millions. And all of the above needed to be mentioned before I also mention that: 1. Access to drinkable water isn’t considered an inalienable right. 2. Access to education, housing, and a living wage, aren’t considered inalienable rights. 3. Accesses to equitable treatment under the law and within the criminal justice system aren’t inalienable rights for non-whites. 4. Exercising control over our own bodies isn’t considered an inalienable right for women. 5. Prisons are profit centers built on the backs of slaves and exist to subjugate non-whites and the poor. 6. Those serving in the military, often in harm’s way abroad, will come home to find their families living in poverty. They’ll also have no uniform transition to civilian employment and inadequate mental health assistance. 7. Wealth is only a positive character attribute if it’s generational and respectably in the hands of conservative/traditional white men. Plenty of city/state/federal officials ran on platforms promising to address many of these issues. Yet, many of them punted when the time came to create viable and multi-level solutions. If we can be fired from our jobs for failure to meet performance metrics, then so can public servants. Did our state legislators work with or fight the Governor? Why? Did the mayor of our city focus on the issues hurting residents? Why not? What did our Congresspeople and/or Senators do with their terms? Who did they hurt and will that ultimately hurt us? Does a candidate just make us feel comfortable or will they actually serve our needs (and not just our wants) if we give them the job? Here’s a history reminder: In the United States, no substantively beneficial changes (for the marginalized, poor, or working class) have ever come by asking politely. So before we fall for any party line (again), we should try asking ourselves: better for whom? Otherwise, heaven help us when the day comes where performative activism truly stops being enough.

Regardless of where readers stand party-wise, we should be uncomfortable with what’s passing as governing lately.

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A Side-Eye of Sanity appears every other week. Follow Ro Moore on Twitter at @BookBlerd.

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UP FRONT | OPINION

EDWIN DECKER

SORDID

TALES

Keeping my scooter privilege in check

almost cried today. I mean, literally, almost. As in, red eyes, wet lids, deep sniffles—all but the bawling. The incident happened in the aftermath of a recent column which had drawn a significant amount of ire on my Facebook thread. I got defensive. Things were said. Relationships were damaged. Feelings were hurt, mine included. This is what I was thinking about while heading to lunch on my little 2013 Yamaha Zuma motor scooter—recounting all that ugliness, hating the feeling that comes with rejection and loathing my responses as I pulled up to a downtown deli for lunch. As luck would have it, the metered parking spaces in front were quite large. Large enough, in fact, that I easily slid my scooter in the same space as a car. This is the great thing about scooters. You can fit in the spaces between cars. You can fit in spaces that are not quite spaces. And sometimes, such as now, you can share the unused portion of a metered space with a driver who already paid for it. While I was at the counter placing my sandwich order, a 40-something man of average height and weight entered the room and marched right up to me. “Did you park in my space?” he shouted, close enough, loud enough and red-faced enough that I thought he might take a swing. Everyone in the deli stopped talking and placed their attention on us. I was embarrassed to be called out in public like that so, per usual, I became defensive. “Hey man,” I snapped. “You still have plenty of room to pull out!” I steadied myself for battle. “That is my space!” he spat. “I paid for it!” “And yet you still have it,” I spat back. “Nothing’s changed.” “So you get to park for free because you have a scooter?” “Maybe, but that’s between me and the police—not your business.” “My spot, my business,” he said. Then stormed out the door. Being that the front of the deli was all glass, I could see him exit the building and march over to our vehicles, which were right out front. He climbed in to his driver side, unwrapped a sandwich and proceeded to, I assume, take a lunch break in his car. Fearing he might do something to my bike, I chose a seat facing the window. As I ate my sandwich, I watched him eat his, intently, as if I were on a stakeout. I watched as he took small bites and slowly, thoroughly chewed before chasing with small sips of Gatorade. For a Neanderthal, I thought, he sure eats gracefully. Not like me, man. I chomped and shoveled

that sandwich into my face all the while thinking, Who does he think he is? What does he care if I pay for my parking? What’s the big deal? One thing I knew for sure. I needed to slow down eating. I did not want to finish before he did and have to go out there and face him again. Because I knew, the whole time I was stewing over all the ways this guy was an asshole, he was stewing over all the ways that I was an asshole. Then, just to be certain, I replayed the encounter to be sure it wasn’t me who was the asshole. Clearly I’m not the asshole, I thought. How could I be the asshole when he is the asshole? Nah, there’s no way I am the asshole. Oh boy, I sure hope I’m not the asshole. Then it hit me. I am the asshole. I sat there letting the epiphany sink in. Why did I feel entitled to his parking space? Why should I park for free? And why must I be so defensive? The whole thing could have been diffused if I had simply apologized. So I decided to do just that. I walked outside and approached his already-open window. As I arrived, he leaned out and said, “Hey guy, I’m really sorry I blew up like that.” “Wait what?” I responded. “But I was going to say I’m sorry,” and proceeded to explain all the reasons I was in the wrong. He said, “no,” that it was his fault, that he has a tendency to overreact and that he has been working on that. I told him my fatal flaw is defensiveness and joked that a defensive person and an over-reactor are a doomed combination. After our chuckling subsided, we shook hands. And it was a good shake. A hardy, warm, meaningful shake. A shake from which could be felt the brunt of this human collision. And it was at that moment, with our hands still locked, that I nearly cried. Not just because of the hard feelings between us, but the hard feelings between me and my critics—had all bubbled to the surface. So many confrontations, so many takedowns, and so many people colliding with our moods and our beliefs and our flaws and our egos. And in this era of divisiveness, it just seemed like this priceless micromiracle had to be chronicled in some way. That the two of us went from near blows to near friends, that we somehow emerged from the musty, old bunkers of our ids into the fresh air of self-awareness. Even now, as I write this, it makes me want to cry. I’m just not sure if it’s because of how it went down, or because that’s how it almost never goes down.

Clearly I’m not the asshole, I thought. How could I be the asshole when he is the asshole? Nah, there’s no way I am the asshole. Oh boy, I sure hope I’m not the asshole.

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Sordid Tales appears every other week. Write to edwin@sdcitybeat.com.

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OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 15

UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

THE WORLD

FARE

For the craft, not glory

s chefs became our new rock stars, “I want my food TV” turned out to be a truer slogan than “I want my MTV” ever was. Michelin stars, it seemed, were less the goal than TV appearances and way sexier than the craft, no doubt. How, then, does a chef like Jean-Michel Diot and his Bistro du Marché (7437 Girard Ave., bistrodumarche.net) fit in? They don’t; gloriously, stubbornly, deliciously, they do not fit in at all. Diot came to La Jolla with a big reputation and multiple Michelin star experience in his pocket. He’d been the opening chef at Brasserie Les Halles (where he was succeeded by one Anthony Bourdain), as well as other successful New York restaurants. In 1998 he moved to La Jolla to open Tapenade Restaurant (one of his first hires was Patrick Ponsaty, now of 1500 Ocean), which became one of San Diego’s top dining spots. After a 17-year run, though, Tapenade lost its lease. Instead of reopening Tapenade, Diot rebranded as Bistro du Marché (named for the farmer’s market just down the street) and adopted a “bistronomy” concept. Bistronomy—a portmanteau of “bistro” and “gastronomy”—basically means casual fine dining that slots in somewhere between a simple bistro and traditional fine dining. Perhaps there’s nothing on Diot’s menu that gets the point across as well as his tournedos, sauce au poivre noir and frites. It’s basically a version of the ubiquitous brasserie dish featuring filet mignon. It’s a simple dish, yes, but luxurious too and perfectly executed. It would fit equally well in a bistro or a fine dining establishment. The pâté de campagne “Grand-Mère” underlines the message again. It’s simple, yes, but also refined. The texture is a bit silkier than a traditional country-style pork pâté but retains the rustic soul of the classic dish. The acidity and slight sweetness of the pickled vegetables play perfectly with the richness of

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the pâté. The pâté is a holdover from Tapenade, as is Diot’s ravioli stuffed with a wild mushroom duxelles in a foamy port cream sauce. It’s a scandalously rich sauce with port and cream and, oh yes, truffles. But the key to the dish was the lightness of those raviolis. Somehow, despite the richness of that sauce—or maybe in part because of it—the dish was perfectly balanced. Perhaps the best thing on Diot’s lunch menu is the Parisian classic croque monsieur sandwich. It is, of course, the ultimate ham sandwich featuring excellent ham and Swiss-type cheese on toast that is doused in a classic béchamel sauce. Diot’s version MICHAEL A. GARDINER

Croque monsieur may be zero parts creative but that’s not the point: it’s a classic that’s perfectly executed. The story’s the same with the duck confit. There’s nothing new about salted duck legs braised and stored in the duck’s own fat before being crisped in a pan. Serving them with rich mashed potatoes, green beans and a port reduction hardly scores creativity points. Again, hardly new but wonderfully executed. And it’s that craft that is Diot’s hallmark. He’s had his brushes with the big time. But his career, and his food at Bistro du Marché, demonstrates that he doesn’t want whatever comes with TV food appearances. What’s important to him is the craft. The World Fare appears weekly. Write to michaelg@sdcitybeat.com.

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UP FRONT | FOOD & DRINK

ANATOMY OF A

BY IAN WARD

FINAL

COCKTAIL SCENE #42: Being honest and kind at Lola 55

write a cocktail review recently. Upon arrival, I saw Gareth Moore, the bar manager at Lola 55, shoot me a slightly concerned ometimes it’s truly difficult to put look, as if to say you’re not here to write one out these jabbering bi-monthly in- of your reviews, are you? I assured him that stallments. Not because I don’t en- I was there to write a fair review, but that I would find something nice to say, as joy writing them, or because, deep down, I often do, in one capacity or anI know that no one really reads them. other. However, the plain fact Rather, it becomes difficult because, was that I didn’t need to try well, I’ve been very honest in to find something nice to say, these columns and being honbecause the cocktail I had est can be taxing. was actually delicious. What does that mean?, the My one dear reader, you only reader of this column have no idea what a relief it is might be asking themselves. when that happens. Well, it means that I live my The cocktail I’m referring to is daily life trying to be a kind and the Holy Piñata, a combination of honest man, but often the two do not mesh. Think of any situation Holy Piñata mezcal, pineapple-banana cordial, lime and Créole orgeat. wherein someone we care about wears a “The pineapple-banana cordial is an hideous new outfit or gets an awful tattoo. For example, if we run into someone on the ode to a pineapple aqua fresca that the street wearing a pair of camouflage crocs, kitchen occasionally makes,” Moore told we honestly want to tell them what a truly me. “Pineapple and cactus fruit equal a awful decision they’ve made, but instead funky, banana-laden version of pineapple that works really well with mez-tiki-esque kindly affirm their decision. Writing these columns can be a bit like cocktails. The idea behind the cocktail was to pair with some of Lola 55’s spicier tacos.” that. I thought the companionship that ocThis can be even more taxing due to the curred between the carrot adobada taco fact that I often know a lot of the people whose cocktails I write about. It’s crappy and the Holy Piñata was outstanding. The enough to tell someone to their face that sweetness from the pineapple brought you don’t like their creation and hard work, out some of the spicier high tones of the but it is quite another thing to put that shit adobada, while the mezcal mirrored a lot in print for all—well, a few people—to read. of what was going on in the taco. As a perSo, I showed up at Lola 55 (1290 F St., son who has married cocktails and food lola55catering.com) in the East Village to together for a living, I appreciated both the contrasting and complimentary elements between the two. HOLY PIÑATA In the end, I’m happy that writing this as prepared at Lola 55 column did not turn out to be the equivalent of running into Mr. Moore out on 1 1/2 oz. Mezcal 1/2 oz. lime juice the street wearing a pair of camouflage 1 oz. Pineapple Mint crocs and me saying, “Hey man, you look banana cordial Cherry great.”

1 oz. Creole orgeat

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with mint and cherry.

@SDCITYBEAT

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

BY BETH DEMMON

DRAUGHT Mixing politics and pints

BETH DEMMON

looming climate change catastrophe. A drunken frat boy oozing his way onto the Supreme Court. Football is on television again. Right now, things are pretty bleak, and I am personally finding it more difficult not to dive into the bottom of a bottle of booze and linger in numbness until the 2020 election. But despite the paralyzing effort it takes, I force myself forward each day because inaction is simply not an option. Plus, there are quite a few things to vote on before 2020—initiatives and candidates that can have an immediate impact on San Diegans’ lives. From housing assistance programs to, strangely enough, a daylight saving time proposition, there’s a lot riding on the upcoming Nov. 6 ballot. One may ask, “Isn’t this a column about craft beer?” Look, I’m getting to that. Beer and politics aren’t insulated from one another, despite the antiquated belief that the two should be separate but equal. Anyone who demands that beer be a safe space for inhibitionless fun probably also calls people snowflakes on Facebook when someone hosts a no-men-allowed meetup. Craft beer is a business, and businesses influencing politics is pretty much the most American thing I can think of. Breweries have the right and, I’d argue, the responsibility to get involved. Locally, beer is a billion dollar business, according to the 2018 San Diego Craft Beer Economic Impact Research report compiled by the San Diego Brewers Guild. That doesn’t include the millions of dollars of charitable giving or the thousands of jobs that local craft beer has created. Like it or not, this level of impact inextricably ties beer to politics. Everything from tasting room permits to minimum wage increases affects local breweries, and politicians hold the power to make or break these businesses. Some forward-thinking breweries real-

Nathan Fletcher (second from right) at North Park Beer Co. ize the value of endorsing candidates and host events in order to cultivate ties to the politicians who may very well hold their futures in their hands. It’s a savvy way to use beer in its most celebrated form: as a conversation starter historically available to people of all classes. For instance, North Park Beer Co. (northparkbeerco. com) has hosted a number of political gatherings since opening, most recently a fundraiser for Board of Supervisors candidate Nathan Fletcher. Other local breweries are jumping on the politics bandwagon as well. Second Chance Beer Company (secondchancebeer.com) is hosting District 3 Councilmember Chris Ward on Oct. 30 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at their North Park location (4045 30th St.). Modern Times Beer (moderntimesbeer.com) doesn’t typically endorse candidates, but has been hosting voter registration drives at most of their festivals as well as in each tasting room. I’d love to see a few more forward-thinking breweries added to this list. I get it. Craft beer isn’t going to be as prioritized as the homelessness issue, housing crisis, immigration or probably much else. And as a luxury item, it shouldn’t be. But to say beer and politics don’t mix is a foolish fallacy. At the very least and if all else fails, it’ll be there to help temporarily ease the pain. Local elections are Tuesday, Nov. 6. Find your polling place, registration status and much more at sdvote.com. Write to bethd@sdcitybeat.com or check her out on Instagram at @thedelightedbite.

OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 17

EVENTS

SHORTlist

the

THREE YOU HAVE TO SEE

COORDINATED BY

SETH COMBS

LA JOLLA

ONE IN THE CHAMBER

We hope readers caught our preview of the San Diego Opera’s new season last week, but downtown isn’t the only place to see opera this week. Up at the UC San Diego campus, Lei Liang and Matt Donovan will be showing their new multimedia chamber opera Inheritance, which takes on the contemporary issue of gun violence via the story of Sarah Winchester. As if the last name didn’t give it away, she was the widow of William Wirt Winchester, who served as the treasurer of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company before dying in 1881. “In the opening scene, Sarah Winchester is already old, sitting in her house where she’s trying to trap the ghosts that haunt her,” Liang told us of the production back in September. “The music begins very dramatically. And these are sounds that only Sarah can hear. She’s haunted by the deaths caused by her late husband’s rifle.” Led by music director Steven Schick and featuring soprano Susan Narucki as Sarah Winchester, Inheritance isn’t the first opera to address contemporary social issues from Liang and Narucki. The two previously worked together on Cuatro Corridos, an opera dealing with human trafficking that was nominated for a Latin Grammy award. “We all share the idea that new music shouldn’t be separate from social issues,” Liang said. “It can serve the purpose of giving the voiceless a voice.

FOOD & DRINK HDine Out For the Cure at various locations. Dozens of San Diego restaurants will give a percentage of the day’s proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. See website for full list of participating restaurants. From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18. Prices vary. 619-233-5008, komensandiego.org/dineout/

HSize Matters at Sparks Gallery, 530 Sixth Ave., Downtown. In conjunction with the Medium Festival of Photography, this exhibition will feature a curated selection of works all smaller than 10 inches. Artists include Sheri Lynn Behr, Ross Sonnenberg, Elena Volkova and more. Opening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. Free. 619-696-1416, sparksgallery.com H \ˈat-ˈlärj \ at JDC Fine Art, 2400 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy. A group show of work by photographers who’ve recently hit personal milestones including Ian van Coller, Jennifer Greenburg, Tatiana Parcero and Paul Turounet. Opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. Free. jdcfineart.com

Inheritance These issues are so urgent. We wanted to respond to them in a humane, sophisticated way.” In addition to Narucki, the production features music performed by clarinetist Anthony Burr, bassist Mark Dresser, guitarist Pablo Gomez, harpsichordist Takae Onishi, and trumpeter Stephanie Richards, as well as art design by Ligia Bouton that includes a backdrop of the famed Winchester Mystery House itself. Inheritance opens for three performances at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24 at the Prebys Experimental Theatre on the UCSD campus (9500 Gilman Drive). The other performances are on Friday, Oct. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 27. Tickets range from $9 to $25 at artpower.ucsd.edu.

NORTH PARK AND GASLAMP

GASLAMP AND ESCONDIDO

PICTURE PERFECT

SHOCK AND AWE

Now in its seventh year, the Medium Festival of Photography has not only become an amazing event for anyone interested in the art of photography, but an event that’s truly unique to San Diego as well. The four-day festival (Thursday, Oct. 18 through Sunday, Oct. 21) at the Lafayette Hotel (2223 El Cajon Blvd.) has become a go-to destination for professional photographers and amateur shutterbugs as well thanks to the extensive lineup of workshops, portfolio reviews, popup shops, book signings and more. Highlights this year include a keynote lecture from photographer/ conceptual artist John Divola and the free Size Matters group exhibition at Sparks Gallery (530 Sixth Ave.), which features photos that are 10” by 10” or smaller. Passes for the festival range from $350 (a VIP pass) to $30 for a single lecture pass. Check mediumsandiego.org for full schedule and times.

ART HTim Shaw: Beyond Reason at San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. The Belfast-based sculptor debuts some of his sculptural “charged environments,” which deal in themes of terrorism, artificial intelligence and the human condition. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20 through Sunday, Feb. 24. Free$15. 619-232-7931, sdmart.org

Every year, we anticipate Culture Shock Dance Troupe’s A Culture Shock Nutcracker, but we don’t have to wait till December to watch the troupe perform. This year, in honor of the company’s 25th anniversary, CSDT will host the International Choreographers Showcase featuring dancers from across the United States and Canada. The weekend will be packed with performances, including a free one at Horton Plaza Park (900 Fourth Ave.) on Friday, Oct. 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. Then, the showcase itself will take place at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido (340 N. Escondido Blvd.) at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20 with a youth showcase at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 21. Tickets range from $23 to $28 and can be found at artcenter.org. COURTESY OF CULTURE SHOCK DANCE TROUPE

Creepy Art Exhibition and Halloween Party at Chee Chee Club, 929 Broadway, Downtown. This group exhibition curated by artist, Yvette Roman, will feature work by 42 artists as well as live entertainment. From 7 p.m. to midnight. Saturday, Oct. 20. Free. 619-234-4404 HRust & Stardust at Inspirations and The Ink Spot Galleries, 2730 Historic Decatur Road, Ste. 202 and 204, Point Loma. A dual art reception and reading from local T. Greenwood, who will be showcasing photography that examines the innocence of childhood. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. Free. 619696-0363, sandiegowriters.org

BOOKS HJean Guerrero at Run for Cover Bookstore and Café, 4912 Voltaire St., Ocean Beach. The local writer and KPBS reporter will sign and discuss her new book, Crux: A Cross Border Memoir. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18. 619-228-9497, runforcoverbookstore.com HSusan Orlean at La Jolla Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave., La Jolla. The New York Times bestselling author of seven novels including The Orchid Thief will sign and discuss her latest novel, The Library Book. At 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18. Free. 858552-1657, lajollalibrary.org HChristopher Swann at The Book Catapult, 3010 Juniper St., South Park. The acclaimed debut novelist will discuss and sign his new book, Shadow of the Lions. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19. Free. 619-7953780, thebookcatapult.com HCity Works Press Book Release Event at Tiger!Tiger!, 3025 El Cajon Blvd., North Park. Celebrate the publication of The Scorpion’s Mineral Eye by J. Medina and Endless Blue Sky by Josh Turner with readings and signings from the authors followed by a poetry reading series. From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. Free. verbatim-books.com HArjun Singh Sethi at Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla. The community activist, civil rights lawyer and law professor will discuss and sign his new book, American Hate: Survivors Speak Out. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24. Free. warwicks.com

COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

FILM

“Zuma 25” by John Divola 18 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

International Choreographers Showcase

HChecked Out 2018 at Neil Auditorium at Central Library, 330 Park Blvd., East Village. Stay Strange will host the San Diego premier of Slave to the Grind: A Film About Grindcore accompanied by an interactive noise event, horror caricatures and more. From 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. Free. 619-818-6419, staystrange.com

Rancho BEERnardo Festival at Webb Park, 16826 Bernardo Center Drive, Rancho Bernardo. Sip from over 50 IPAs, craft beers and regional wine selections and snack on bites from gourmet food stands while enjoying live music, games and more. From 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. $10-$60. ranchobeernardofestival. com

HALLOWEEN HauntFest on Main at Downtown El Cajon, El Cajon. This family-friendly Halloween themed event features a haunted car show, candy challenge activities, a variety of local vendors, and food available from local restaurants and food trucks. From 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19. Free. hauntfest.org Hallo-Wine Fall Festival at Historic Burnham House, 3565 Seventh Ave., Bankers Hill. Join other community members in raising money to protect children from child abuse with silent auctions, boutique wines, craft beers and liquors, appetizers and more. From 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. $65. 858-453-9600, home-start.org Howl-o-Ween Doggie Costume Contest at Bates Nut Farm, 15954 Woods Valley Road, Valley Center. Furry friends and owners can compete in a dog costume contest and enjoy a parade, pumpkin patch festivities, food samples and live music from Steal Dawn. From 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. Free. 760-7493333, batesnutfarm.biz

MUSIC HRock, Rap, Register at WorldBeat Cultural Center, 2100 Park Blvd., Balboa Park. This voter registration drive aimed at young people will feature activists, musicians, spoken word artists, guest speakers and community leaders. From 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. Free. rock-the-votesd. eventbrite.com HMariinsky Orchestra and San Diego Symphony Orchestra at Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., Downtown. The renowned orchestra from St. Petersburg, Russia combines forces with the San Diego Symphony for a program of music from Glinka, Borodin and Shostakovich. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24. $25-$109. sandiegosymphony.org

PERFORMANCE HThe Marriage of Figaro at San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., Gaslamp. The San Diego Opera opens its new season with Mozart’s classic, comical opera about a matchmaker who falls in love, but not without complications. At 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, Tuesday, Oct. 23 and Friday, Oct. 26. At 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28. $21-$302. 619-533-7000, sdopera. org H Inheritance at UCSD Prebys Experimental Theatre, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla. This multimedia chamber opera about gun violence, led by Steven Schick and Cara Consilvio, tells the story of Sarah Winchester of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, Friday, Oct. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 28. $9-$25. artpower.ucsd.edu

EVENTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 19 @SDCITYBEAT

EVENTS BOOKS: THE FLOATING LIBRARY

Miniature masterpieces

arlier this year I was reminded of the power of concise prose after reading Kathy Fish’s “Collective Nouns for Humans in the Wild,” which was published in the Jellyfish Review last year. It’s a devastating response to mass shootings in America. Kathy Fish writes flash fiction, and for those unfamiliar with the term, flash fiction occupies territory somewhere between a very short story and a prose poem. They tend to be less than 1000 words long (often very less). They also pay careful attention to language and tell a story while subverting many of the so-called rules of narrative. Think stories that start in the middle of conversations or end ambiguously. Stories that eschew exposition and narrative arcs and sit in your imagination like an intricately braided knot. This is hardly revolutionary. In its quest to propagandize consumer culture, advertisers have figured out that less is decidedly more. Flash fiction is perfectly suited for the Internet where a writer can marry their art to the zeitgeist and put it out in the world. But it can be a tough sell as a book—unless the author has a

EVENTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

POETRY AND SPOKEN WORD HPoeFest at Adobe Chapel, 3950 Conde St., Old Town. Write Out Loud will present staged performances of works by Edgar Allan Poe and other authors with similar styles and themes. At 7 and 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19 through Sunday, Oct. 28. $20$75. 619-297-8953, writeoutloudsd.com Poetry Panel at California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd., Escondido. Exhibiting artist Gerda Govine Ituarte will lead a panel with guest poets Robert O’Sullivan and Hazel Clayton Harrison on the topic of becoming “Citizen Poets” and the journey they took to read their poetry in various City Council meetings. At 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. Free-$12. 760-8394190, artcenter.org

SPECIAL EVENTS HA Night at the Besties at Hornblower Cruises & Events, 1800 North Harbor Drive, Downtown. Come hang out with us and enjoy an evening celebrating our annual Best Of issue. Includes food from 20 restaurants, open bar, art and live music. Proceeds benefit ArtReach San Diego. From 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18. $45-$50. 619-281-7526, sdcitybeat.com

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distinct and arresting style, which is the case with Kara Vernor’s Because I Wanted to Write You a Pop Song. Published by Split Lip Press, Vernor’s collection is fresh, funny and ferociously clever. One story opens with preparations for a high school dance and climaxes at the end of the second paragraph with, “When they posed for the picture, he picked her up like a new bride, her face flushed and shiny, his mouth at her ear. It was this photo that circulated during the search.” The final sentence simultaneously spins the story in a dark new direction and plays off the title, “Prom Queen Found in Lake.” In one of the longer stories in the collection, “Four Hands,” which runs four pages, Vernor tackles the perils for pre-adolescent friendship. “Janey has the longest, blackest hair in all of fifth grade. She’s also the biggest bitch. I’m onto this, how the longer your hair is, the meaner you are. I cut mine at the shoulders, so I can go either way.” The stories in Because I Wanted to Write You a Pop Song are full of sentences like these with language that leaps off the page and scenes that lodge in your imagination.

dhi. From 1 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. Free-$5. sdias.info HCiclOBias at Voltaire St. through Bacon St., Ocean Beach. Bike, skate, scooter, walk through a three-mile, carless route, stopping to check out any of the hundreds of local restaurants and shops. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. Free. ciclosdiassd.com

TALKS & DISCUSSIONS HYour Community, Your Story at City Heights Library, 3795 Fairmount Ave., City Heights. Share ideas about the important parts of San Diego’s story to contribute to the creation of a new permanent exhibit celebrating the community’s uniqueness. From 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23. Free. 619232-6203 x 128, sandiegohistory.org

—Jim Ruland

HMedium Festival of Photography at Lafayette Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd., North Park. The seventh annual, four-day photography event includes portfolio reviews, artist lectures, book signings, speakers and much more. See website for full list of events and times. From 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21. $30-$350. 619296-2101, mediumsandiego.org HSouth Park Walkabout at Fern St., South Park. This fall edition of this quarterly evening festival will showcase the unique and independent businesses in the area with complimentary bites, live entertainment and special offers. From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. Free. southparksd.com HDia de Los Muertos at La Vista Memorial Park, 3191 Orange St., National City. The largest annual family-friendly event in the area will include a performance from La Sonora Dinamita, a runway fashion show, an art walk, costumes, artisans, food and more. From 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. Free. 619-475-7770, lavistamemorialpark.com Festival of Lights at Spreckels Organ Pavilion, 2211 Pan American Road E., Balboa Park. The San Diego Indian American Society’s 11th annual Diwali celebration showcases Indian dance and culture. Plus, an exhibit on Indian dolls and Gan-

OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 19

THEATER KEN JACQUES

Persuasion

Power of Persuasion

he opening night �� of Lamb’s Players The� atre’s production of Persuasion began with an earnest pre-show explanation from director Robert Smyth about the context and significance—socially and academically—of Jane Austen’s last novel, published four years after her death. Smyth’s mini-lecture—essentially repro� duced inside the program along with a detailed roster of the Regency romance’s interweaving families—suggests that the audience might either become confused or fail to recognize the import of Anne Elliot, Persuasion’s free-thinking heroine. But Persuasion is not that obtuse. While Anne is a complex character, the drama that surrounds her, both in Austen’s novel and in this musical adaptation by Harold Taw and Chris Jeffries, is a straightforward one: Will she reunite after eight years with the suitor she was forced to turn away? As a musical, Taw and Jeffries’ show takes full advantage of the mannerisms, traditions and class distinctions of early 1800s southwest Eng� land. Songs spring from the stiff upper lips of the romantic leads, of course, but the jealousies and eccentricities of the tale’s other characters are also mined for pleasant, mostly expository musi� cal numbers. While Persuasion’s tension encircles Anne (Allison Spratt Pearce) and the dashing Captain Wentworth (David S. Humphrey), it’s the comic relief provided by the gossips and social climbers in their periphery that keep solemnity at bay. The beautifully voiced Spratt Pearce is enjoy� ing an extraordinary year, having already given superb performances in Cygnet Theatre’s The Last Wife and Diversionary’s The Loneliest Girl in the World. Her melancholy Anne is sympathetic but strong, and when she at last is able to smile in the arms of the captain, the smile is contagious. Humphrey is stalwart and sincere as Wentworth, residing though he does in a rather stiff charac� ter. The supporting turns are delightful and in�

20 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

clude Linda Libby, Megan Carmichael and Omri Schein, all of whom play multiple roles. Schein in drag recalls Peter Sellers at his The Mouse That Roared best. As expected, the costumes designed by Jeanne Reith are exquisite, and the musical accompani� ment by an ensemble under the direction of Pat� rick Marion is lush. Persuasion runs through Nov. 18 at �� Lamb’s Play� ers Theatre in Coronado. $28-$78; lambsplayers.org

—David L. Coddon

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

OPENING: Holmes & Watson: Jeffrey Hatcher’s original mystery where three men are claiming to be the famous Sherlock Holmes, and Dr. Watson is called in to solve the mystery. Directed by David Ellenstein, it opens in previews Oct. 17 at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. northcoastrep.org Hold These Truths: A one-time performance of Jeanne Sakata’s play about a man fighting back against the U.S. decision to incarcerate Japanese-Americans during World War II. Part of the Old Globe’s inaugural New Voices in the Community series, it happens Oct. 20 at the Mira Mesa Public Library. sandiego.librarymarket.com The Hunchback of Notre Dame: The Disney musical version of Victor Hugo’s tale of a disfigured belltower worker who makes friends with a nomad woman. Presented by JCompany Youth Theatre, it opens Oct. 20 at the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre in La Jolla. sdcjc.org Julius Caesar: The University of San Diego’s Shiley Graduate Theatre Program will perform in this production of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy about the famous Roman general turned emperor. Directed by Allegra Libonati, it opens Oct. 20 at the Old Globe Theatre’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in Balboa Park. theoldglobe.org

For complete theater listings, visit sdcitybeat.com

@SDCITYBEAT

OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 21

22 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

@SDCITYBEAT

enerational slang and colloquialisms come and go. One generation’s “that’s groovy” is another generation’s “that’s the bomb” is another generation’s “that’s lit.” But if there are two words that have somehow withstood the test of time and are still used regularly by both kids and adults, it’s “hot” and “cool.” While the words can sometimes be contextually similar, there are still fundamental differences in the moments and circumstances in which we would call something “hot” and when we’d call something “cool.” For example, if we were thinking about going to a bar and asked a trusted friend for their opinion, a descriptor of “it’s hot” is way different than “it’s cool.” For our annual Best Of issue, we decided to embrace the concept of “Hot & Cool.” So what makes something “hot” and what makes something “cool”? Well, while it’s obviously subjective, something

that is “hot” is relatively new and/or has a lot of buzz and notoriety. And while that buzz is sometimes fleeting, we tried to pick things that are both of the moment and seemingly built to last. For our “cool” picks, we wanted to select more established things that have continued to be, well, cool despite passing trends and moods. These selections can be well-known or under-theradar. For example, a boutique like Pigment is “cool” precisely because it has remained a go-to retail shop in a neighborhood where so many have come and gone. But for our piece on “cool” politicians, we selected some more under-the-radar people who have been diligently working behind the scenes, but don’t have that “hot” level of recognition yet. In any case, we hope that readers will keep this issue around on their coffeetables or as a bookmark on their browsers. We think it’s a useful guide to some of the coolest and hottest people, places and things in the city. We hope you feel the same.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 23

24 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

@SDCITYBEAT

OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 25

TA S T E S U D S

Border brews? Recipe sharing? From award-winning spots to underrated gems, our picks for some of the best craft breweries BY BETH DEMMON

H OT

Thanks to the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), one local brewery is getting a lot of overdue attention: Ocean Beach Brewery (5041 Newport Ave., obbrewingco.com). After being named 2018’s “Small Brewpub of the Year” and winning back-to-back GABF medals, this beachside brewpub is getting barraged with new patrons. OB Brewery is by no means flashy, which is why it’s probably stayed relatively under-the-radar until recently. Its five-barrel system diligently churns out a handful of house beers, and if the two award-winning brews are any indication of quality, this spot is about to blow up. Another brewery that’s getting its due is Burgeon Beer Company (6350 Yarrow Drive, Suite C, burgeonbeer.com). It lacks ocean views, but the Carlsbad spot has also racked up a fair amount of accolades this year, including a GABF silver medal in the session beer category for their Noble Miner grisette. The Treevana IPA also took top honors at the local Sore Eye Cup competition in August. (I was one of the Sore Eye Cup judges and can wholeheartedly confirm the quality of this beer.) Coronado Brewing Company-owned SouthNorte Beer Company (southnorte.com) in Tijuana’s Telefonica Gastro

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Park actually started winning awards even before they were technically open. (The Agavemente lager earned a bronze medal at GABF in 2017 in the specialty beer category.) To celebrate its one year anniversary, head brewer Ryan Brooks partnered up with acclaimed local chef Javier Plascencia to make a saison specifically designed to pair with the chef’s famous grilled octopus. With the Baja brew scene booming, SouthNorte is taking full advantage.

beers make up for the lack of ambiance. It’s a quiet kind of cool, where customers can relax and rest assured whatever pint they order is going to be damn tasty. For a more charming vibe, South Park Brewing PHOTOS BY BETH DEMMON Company (1517 30th St., southparkbrewing.com) is the spot. Nestled comfortably in the heart of South Park on a quiet, tree-lined Home Brewing Company street, the quaint tasting room is a stone’s throw from vegan eatery KINDRED and Buona Forchetta’s patio. Its tap list is often overshadowed by Hamilton’s Tavern one door over, but the smaller selection of housemade brews paired with the on-site Tacos la Mezca menu make it a woefully overlooked part of the neighborhood. Finally, it’s hard to stick out in North Park, arguably the most walkable and possibly highest quality “neighbeerhood” in San Diego. But Home Brewing Company (2911 El Cajon Blvd., homebrewingco.com), open since 2015, continues to draw in the highest caliber of beer nerds. Part homebrew store, part brewery, the small space has finally Ocean Beach Brewery added a patio for outside imbibement and offers a rotating menu of classic and innovative styles. My personal favorites CO O L North County may be home to beer heavyweights like Tool- include their SMASH (single malt and single hop) beers as box Brewing and The Lost Abbey, but Vista’s Ebullition well as their Belgian brews. In the spirit of sharing, every Brew Works (2449 Cades Way, Suite D, ebullitionbrew.com) recipe they make is available online as well—a savvy move is well worth a detour from the Hops Highway. The nonde- for tasting room patrons who can oh-so-conveniently pick script business park location isn’t sexy, but once inside, the up supplies on-site.

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SOMETHING T O TA C O BOUT

Korean short rib tacos? Fancy doubledeckers? The best spots for tortilla-filled goodness

Whatever it is, television personality Sam the Cooking Guy recently opened his outpost in the new Little Italy Food Hall. They use globally inspired ingredients such as Korean short ribs, pastrami, eggplant parm and curried egg salad and nestle them inside a perfectly greasy flour tortilla. Encinitas’ latest Mexican cuisine arrival is Death by Tequila (569 S Coast Hwy 101, deathbytequila.com), a stylish restaurant with a Baja California-inspired menu and a stacked agave spirits list. The tacos are of special note, in particular the spicy mole taco with purple potato, guacamole, queso fresco and cilantro, as well as the carnitas with pineapple, chipotle, pickled onion and aged cheese.

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San Diego is a city consistently awash in new taco options. For my “hot” picks, I wanted to include the most talkedabout openings in the past year, all of them good, and which run the gamut from traditional and street-style to upscale and globally influenced. New to East Village’s IDEA1 building is Lola55 (1290 F St., lola55catering.com), which was in development for multiple years before finally opening its doors to rave reviews in September. The smartly designed, fast-casual taco joint serves creative riffs on classic tacos—like adobada and fish, for example—with house-made corn tortillas and taco-friendly cocktails. For those brave enough to test their spice threshold, try the Spicy Smoked Fish taco, which has nearly injured just about everyone who has dared try it. Though it’s in the running for worst restaurant name ever, Not Not Tacos (550 W. Date St., Suite B, notnottacos.com) actually produces a mean taco—er, not taco?

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Aqui es Texcoco In the shadow of the border in San Ysidro is the monthold Tuetano Taqueria (143 W. San Ysidro Blvd.), which was opened by Priscilla Curiel-Gutierrez, the scion of a family of Tijuana restaurateurs and graduate of the Art Institute’s culinary arts program in San Diego. Guisados are the focus of the taqueria. Think cochinita pibil and other stewed meats like birria served with bone marrow. Still, other classics like rajas con queso, longaniza and carne asada make requisite appearances as well.

Lola 55

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Death by Tequila

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Though food media is constantly pushing the narrative toward what’s new and hot, it’s important not to forget those that paved the way. There are taco spots that have been doing it for a long time, are criminally underrated, or sometimes a combination of both. Take Chula Vista’s Aqui es Texcoco (1043 Broadway, aquiestexcoco.com) as a prime example. They specialize primarily in one thing: lamb barbacoa. Though just about every part of the lamb can be had in taco form at Aqui es Texcoco, the rest of its sprawling menu is worth a try. Crickets, huitlacoche, brains, rabbit, blood sausage and more goodies can be had on a variety of house made flour tortillas. Some of San Diego’s best Mexican food is concocted by the mainly San Ysidro-based-but-sometimesitinerant taco truck, Corazon de Torta (136 W. Olive Drive, corazondetorta.com). Owned and operated by Antonio Ley, best known as the late Anthony Bourdain’s Tijuana fixer, and Jose Figueroa (the chef of Tijuana’s divine La Carmelita food truck), Corazon de Torta specializes in guisados, which are essentially stews of chopped meat, though it regularly features other specials. I know, I know… Good tacos at the Pacific Beach bro castle Firehouse American Eatery & Lounge (722 Grand Ave., firehousepb.com)? Hear me out— the legendary party spot serves what it calls Double Decker Tacos, a tribute to Taco Bell’s Cheesy Gordita Crunch, but with high quality ingredients. That means an outer flour tortilla and an inner crunchy

Firehouse shell melded by shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, seasoned ground beef, refried black beans, sour cream and a squeeze of lime. Trust me, it’s good. Near Interstate-5 between Imperial Beach and Otay Mesa is Fernandez Restaurant (265 Flower Ave.), which specializes in birria—in particular, beef birria. The ordering process here isn’t complicated: a birria grande comes with a pile of the good stuff; four corn tortillas half dipped in consommé and lightly fried. A “Quesataco Extremo,” which is essentially a cheese taco (and who wouldn’t want that?) and a piping hot cup of beef consommé, a rich, lust-worthy byproduct of the cooking process.

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R OA S T U P

Green bean sourcing? Friendly whale mascots? The best coffee spots offer more than a caffeinated kick BY TIGIST LAYNE

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Despite the mellow atmosphere inside their quaint interiors, Dark Horse Coffee Roasters (darkhorsecoffeeroasters.com) has become a local powerhouse. In its small, modern-style coffee shop in the heart of North Park (3794 30th St.), there’s a sign of a literal dark horse telling passersby to “relax, it’s just coffee.” Dark Horse Coffee Roasters has four San Diego locations offering pour-overs, cold brews, espresso drinks, vegan donuts and more. Their “green bean sourcing team” partners with communities and villages around the world to bring customers fresh coffee produced by high-quality beans. Bird Rock Coffee Roasters (birdrockcoffee.com) is the North County powerhouse. It prides itself on being one of the first specialty roasters in the city to practice direct trade sourcing. Winner of Roast Magazine’s coveted “Roaster of the Year” title in 2012, Bird Rock even has a Q-Grader certified roaster on site. The newest location in Del Mar (2212 Carmel Valley Road) offers a large outdoor patio with a scenic view of Torrey Pines. Fun fact: Modern Times (moderntimesbeer.com) is named after a utopian community that was built on Long Island in 1850. It’s also one of the first beer breweries in the country to roast its own coffee. In Point Loma, the company has a large, unassuming warehouse (3725 Greenwood St.),

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but there’s a spacious, contemporary-style café and bar inside. One of the premier coffee roasters in the U.S., Coava Coffee Roasters’ (coavacofee.com) journey began in Matt Higgins’ garage in Portland, Oregon. Coava participates in farm-level sourcing, and partners with producers from all over the world to achieve sustainable practices and produce exceptional coffee. Its downtown location (400 W. Broadway) is the only one outside of Portland and offers indoor and outdoor seating in a large, modern space.

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Heartwork Coffee Bar

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Modern Times

Heartwork Coffee Bar is a hidden gem located in San Diego’s Mission Hills neighborhood (3993 Goldfinch St., heartworkcoffeebar.com) and specializes in coffee that’s primarily sourced locally from James Coffee Co. and Dark Horse. The quaint café, started by musician and San Diego native Rob Moran, along with a group of former punk and hardcore musicians, offers indoor and outdoor seating and the occasional art or music show.

Tucked into Ocean Beach’s beloved Newport Avenue, OB Beans Coffee Roasters (obbeans.com) isn’t on the level of the brewers in the “Hot” section. Not yet, at least. The local micro-roaster is still making strides by working directly with small lot coffee farmers around the world. With a mission to do good “from farm to cup,” they also promise to donate back to their nonprofit partners. This hip, rustic-looking space is also home to Wailua Shave Ice, which offers Hawaiian-style shave ice made with local fruit. El Cerrito’s Scrimshaw Coffee (5542 El Cajon Blvd., scrimshawcoffee.com) is hard to miss what with the giant logo of a whale greeting customers as they step into the contemporary, but cozy atmosphere. Scrimshaw’s motto, “Waste Time Together,” fits seamlessly with the shop’s playful décor and friendly staff. Their commitment to serving high-quality joe also stems from this mission to build community. At Coffee Hub & Café (2907 Shelter Island Drive, coffeehubsd.com), coffee and biking culture come together to create a bicycle friendly community. The café is a cozy, cyclingthemed shop in Point Loma serving locally roasted coffee beans, along with homemade breakfast and lunch. Its walls showcase a collection of cycling caps, jerseys, bicycle-themed art and a bicycle in celebration of cyclists everywhere.

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PA R T Y TIME

Environmental heroes? City council upstarts? Our picks for the local politicians who are giving us their best BY ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

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communities and is not afraid to hold those in power accountable. Throughout her time as a councilmember and representative of District 9, Georgette Gomez has pushed for greater transparency in law enforcement, supported the importance of San Diego as a bi-national region and inspired young Latinxs through her achievements. As Chair of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System’s Board of Directors, Gomez is pushing for greater access to public transit in areas that have been historically ignored. Just last week, with Gomez’s support, the MTS Board of Directors voted to approve

It wouldn’t be a Best Of issue in an election year without a mention of some of the local legislators and legislators-to-be who are making waves both in Sacramento and here at home. Since being elected to the Assembly in 2013, Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher has pushed progressive legislation that accurately reflects the needs of south San Diego County residents. Most recently, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill Gonzalez Fletcher authored that prevents school districts from withholding diplomas from students who have overdue school fees, as well as an environmental bill she co-authored that would ensure the state of California will be on 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. Gonzalez Fletcher is the kind of politician that routinely speaks up for underserved

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Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher

the redevelopment of unused parking lots into much needed affordable housing. Environmental lawyer Mike Levin is running to represent the 49th Congressional District and while he might be new to politics, he has years of experience in advocating for issues related to sustainability and climate change. He is genuinely passionate about bringing environmental justice back to the House and hopes to explore legislation that will allow states to have stricter nuclear waste safety standards.

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When it comes to our political “cool” factor, we wanted to focus on a few names that might not automatically register with readers, but make no mistake: the names below are under-the-radar now, but will soon be household names. While she began her professional career as a journalist, Elizabeth Warren became an activist and is now running for the State Assembly in District 76. She is outspoken when it comes to multiple issues especially her support of a single-payer health care system. Warren received more than 26 percent of the vote during the primaries leading the race against seven other candidates. A criminal justice advocate with the American Civil Liberties Union, Monica Montgomery is a rising star in San Diego government. She not only beat out the incumbent District 4 candidate in the prima-

Monica Montgomery ries, but also demonstrated that she is not afraid to take a stand on complicated issues. If she is elected to the City Council, it will be interesting to watch her tackle issues related to homelessness, police reform and housing. National City Councilmember Alejandra Sotelo-Solis was one of the first candidates to announce that she was running for Mayor. Throughout her time as a councilmember, she has aimed to represent the needs of the diverse community and focus on increasing civic engagement by advocating for bilingual services in City Hall. She has expressed her intentions to bolster the city’s revenue by arranging popular community events near National City businesses. If she is elected as mayor of National City, we expect to see great things from Sotelo-Solis.

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PA R K A N D RECS

Tiny trains? Secret science projects? Our picks for what’s fresh in San Diego’s most storied park BY SETH COMBS

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For locals, Balboa Park might not be a “hot” destination per se, but some of the park’s most storied institutions are revamping, rebranding and heading in exciting new directions. For example, there’s the San Diego Museum of Man (1350 El Prado, museumofman.org). The archaeology-based museum has been open for well over a century so one might think they’d be resistant to change, but that hasn’t been the case lately. As first reported in San Diego CityBeat, the museum has recently committed to “decolonize” its collections and even established the new position of Director of Decolonizing Initiatives. Then in August, the museum announced that it was taking suggestions from the public for a muchneeded name change. Some of the possibilities include The Museum of Many, The Museum of Mankind and The We. The Fleet Science Center (1875 El Prado, rhfleet.org) also rebranded in 2016 (it was formally known as the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center) and has since been offering up even more unique and innovative programming. In addition to hosting touring exhibitions such as the MythBusters show, the Fleet’s off-site event, Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar, just went national. Started in 2014, the Fleet places two scientists in a

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local bar to lets patrons casually ask them questions about, well, anything. There are now Fleet-sanctioned Two Scientists events popping up in Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Austin and other cities. Locals should also check out the Fleet’s recently launched Renegade Science Project events, where patrons can get a highly interactive, science-based tour of Balboa Park. Finally, we’re really digging the new art and events programming over at the San Diego Museum of Art (1450 El Prado, sdmart.org). Under the leadership of Executive Director Roxana Velásquez, who was hired in 2010, the museum has transformed itself into a hip, welcoming space that isn’t afraid to try new things. The Modern Masters From Latin America exhibition was a huge success and the upcoming Tim Shaw exhibition looks just as promising. Plus, there’s the museum’s regular Culture & Cocktails events, the popup concerts, the jazz shows, the movies on the Botanical Lawn… the list goes on.

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No matter how many times we’ve visited Balboa Park, it seems there’s always a hidden spot that’s escaped our attention. Take for example, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum (1649 El Prado, sdmrm.org). It’s easy to simply walk past the museum, but once inside, it’s hard not to gawk at the gigantic but intricate model railroad displays. The museum recently opened a new exhibition devoted to railroad graffiti culture. Did anyone know there’s a really sweet archery range in the heart of North Park? Yes, the Balboa Park Rube Powell Archery Range (1499 El Prado, sandiegoarchers.com) is in the canyon right behind the San Diego Museum of Man and features local archers practicing their bow skills. The public is welcome, but be careful and stay on the path. These ain’t Nerf arrows.

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San Diego Museum of Art Longtime boosters and a dedicated group of volunteers are bringing the Centro Cultural de la Raza (2004 Park Blvd., centrodelaraza.com) space back to life. Opened in the early ’70s, the space has been ignored for too long and Arts Advisory Committee of the Centro member Ymoat Luna says regular programming is coming soon. Finally, the Balboa Park Carousel (1889 Zoo Pl., balboaparkcarousel.org) is one of the most ignored features of the park, likely due to it being located off the main strip. The carousel is over a century old, which makes it not only a nostalgic exercise, but kind of a dubious one as well. Riders can also still play the brass ring game where they try to snatch rings out of a metal shoot and toss it at what appears to be a hanging clown sandbag. Whoever doesn’t fall off their horse and snatches the gold ring gets a free ride. Score.

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CLASS ACTS

ERIC WOOLSEY

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Madness in OB? Femism in Rolando? Our picks for the San Diego theatre companies making bold statements BY DAVID L. CODDON

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San Diego theater has been cool for a long time, even if San Diegans don’t necessarily realize it. As regional theater cities go, it’s up there, reputation-wise, with the likes of Minneapolis and Louisville, and one of its theaters, La Jolla Playhouse, has two hot tickets on Broadway right now (Come From Away and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical). But let’s start with a couple hot spots that are just building their reputations on the local scene. How hot is Backyard Renaissance Theatre Co. (backyardrenaissance.com)? It was selected as this year’s resident theater company at La Jolla Playhouse, where it staged a memorable production of Noah Haidle’s Smokefall over the summer. Demonstrating its daringness and its diversity, Backyard Renaissance also presented Edward Albee’s twoperson drama, Zoo Story, and the raucous Leslye Headland comedy, Bachelorette, earlier this year. Not even two years old, The Roustabouts Theatre Co. (theroustabouts.org) are playwright Will Cooper, actor/ director/playwright Ruff Yeager and actor/director Phil Johnson. In 2018 alone, the Roustabouts’ talents could be experienced on two coasts: Its one-person show, A Jewish Joke, was staged both in San Diego and off-Broadway at the Lion Theatre in New York City. The Roustabouts are fol-

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manages the house, while Jennie handles directing and choreography.

A Jewish Joke lowing up this brave show with a pair of one-night-only treats for the holidays: staged readings of Philip Barry’s classic comedy The Philadelphia Story in November, and Christopher Durang’s Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge in December. Live theater in Ocean Beach? You bet your sweet bong. OB Playhouse Theatre Co. (obtheatrecompany.com) is locals Bill and Jennie Connard, who have been presenting mostly musicals at their little theater on Newport Avenue since 2016. Among them: Urinetown, The Rocky Horror Show, Godspell and Avenue Q. Oh, and a musical based on the cult film Reefer Madness. Decidedly hands on, Bill produces and

You can’t get much cooler than MOXIE Theatre (moxietheatre.com), a company founded by women and dedicated to producing works written by women playwrights and/or plays that explore issues important to women everywhere. It goes without saying that these voices are needed now more than ever in the time of Trump. Co-founder Jennifer Eve Thorn recently took over as artistic director after Delicia Turner Sonnenberg moved on to devote time to other projects, but the Rolando-based company has not missed a beat, still staging theater with a message for all genders. Here’s how cool San Diego’s LGBTQ producing company Diversionary Theatre (diversionary.org) is: In this year alone, it has has served up The Happiest Place on Earth, which pointed out the irony in Disneyfication; The Loneliest Girl in the World, a world-premiere musical about that all-time gay-hater, Anita Bryant; and just recently, Bull in A China Shop, the story of a gay educator who changed the culture at a stuffy New England college and became a pioneer in doing so. Under the leadership of artistic director Matt Morrow, Diversionary continues to make good theater and major statements. If it’s cool to take chances, then InnerMission Productions (innermissionproductions.org) is indeed cool. Working out of Diversionary Theatre’s tiny blackbox auxiliary space, this company is led by Carla Nell and Kym Pappas and consistently stages works that are as unsettling and thought-provoking. Witness the recent presentation of Alice Birch’s propulsive Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. Like many of InnerMissions’ efforts, that one was a visceral experience that lingered long after its 75 minutes were over.

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NIGHT OUT

Sushi and dancing? Goth nights? The best clubs for all sorts of musical revelry BY JEFF TERICH

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When it comes to nightlife, I’m admittedly more about a Modelo tall boy and a punk band than $20 martinis and EDM. Dress codes and oontz-oontz aren’t typically my jam, and I don’t wait in line for anything. I just don’t. And yet, if the music is good enough, or those cocktails are made well, then I can be pretty easily persuaded. But I’m picky. I did, however, have a lot of fun at Oxford Social Club (430 5th Ave., theoxfordsd.com), which is located inside the Pendry Hotel in downtown. As clubs go, it features a lot of what other spots downtown also offer: bottle service, table ROGERZMUSIC / FLICKR COMMONS

reservations, posh interior, etc. It’s remarkably comfortable for a nightclub, however, and the drinks are good, not to mention the DJ lineup includes some heavyweights such as Snoop Dogg or Mix Master Mike. No celebrities on my last visit, just some great old-school hip-hop. There’s a similarly plush sensibility about downtown’s Bang Bang (526 Market St., bangbangsd.com), though its amenities are markedly different. For one, beat-drop seekers can pair a night of dancing with sushi, and the menu features unique options such as the extra-spicy Godzilla roll with habanero sauce. Still, it’s the music that makes it worth returning; bookings such as The Juan Maclean and Matthew Dear put it above and beyond standard EDM fare. Some of the best nightlife is actually outside of downtown, and though it’s changed hands and names more times than I can count, SPACE (3519 El Cajon Blvd., spacebarsd. com) in Normal Heights seems to have settled on an identity that works for it. The sci-fi theme isn’t overbearing, and the calendar is surprisingly diverse as it includes everything from electro and hip-hop to metal.

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Bang Bang

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The nature of nightlife is that when something’s hot, it’s almost surely not going to stay that way. At least that’s how it is in places such as L.A. or New York City, but with San Diego, it’s a bit more of a slow burn. This is due in large part to the nature of our laid-back populace. That and the fact that San Diegans by and large seem to prefer neighborhood bars or more casual hangs to the bigger, flashier clubs. A fun night out need not require pricey cover charges or overpriced drinks, however, and one of the best examples of this is Bar Pink (3829 30th St., barpink.com). In fact, there’s almost never a cover charge, which ensures that Friday night will almost always be lively and leaves more money for drinks

CANDICE ELEY

Bar Pink (but be careful—it’s cash only). The entertainment here is always worth seeking out, be it local bands or DJs, not to mention the exotica-themed Tiki Tuesday. While downtown might be overrun with overrated electronic sounds, more serious heads will find a compelling blend of downtempo, techno and other sounds at Kava Lounge (2812 Kettner Blvd., kavalounge.com). The club, just down the street from The Casbah, has a dark and exotic, but still comfortable atmosphere, with regular events such as Acid Varsity and the long-running goth night Ascension providing consistently interesting soundtracks. I’d be remiss not to mention Whistle Stop (2236 Fern St., whistlestopbar.com) in South Park, which maintains a loyal clientele and seemingly always has something worth seeking out, whether it’s a local shoegaze band or the Britpop night Fuckin’ in the Bushes.

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PIE HARD

Kevin McAllister pizza? Tom Waits’ favorite slice? The best spots for everybody’s favorite food BY RYAN BRADFORD

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In San Diego, we’re not at a loss when it comes to good, East Coast-style pizza, but Mr. Moto’s Pizza House (3773 30th St., mrmotopizza.com) in North Park excels in almost every way. I don’t know what they’re doing to their dough, but the crust tastes like it was imported straight from Brooklyn: airy, light and with a touch of salt. Their slightly-goofy signage seems out of place in hipper-than-thou North Park,

but it’s refreshing to see a pizza joint cater to both kids and adults without sacrificing quality. This recent North Park addition had me skeptical at first—it just seemed like another fancy restaurant that replaced a real public service (the restaurant occupies a former post office building). But Tribute Pizzeria (3077 North Park Way, tributepizza.com) has a fantastic selection of gourmet specialty pies. The variety ranges from fancy (“Super Vegan”: wood-roasted beet puree, housemade almond and hazelnut ricotta) to classic selections (naming their cheese pizza the “Kevin McAllister” is *chef kiss*). Although Baja Pizzeria (4330 University Ave., bajapizzeria.com) has been around for five years, this City Heights joint deserves some love for not only making some delicious pies, but for being one of the most unpretentious and veganfriendly restaurants in the area. Plus, the last time I went in on a Friday night, the owner’s family was having a sit-down meal behind the counter, eating the pizza, and I thought that was charming as hell.

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There’s really no reason for Pizzeria Luigi (1137 25th St., pizzerialuigi.com) to watch the throne, because as long as I’ve lived in San Diego, it has reigned as king of the NY-style pizza. The pies are beautiful in their simplicity—I’d take a slice of old-fashioned pepperoni from Luigi’s over most foods any day. And when they do get a little experimental— as in the case of the pepperoni, ricotta, jalapeño and pineapple pie (my all-time favorite)—the results are exciting and lively. I’d eat here every day if I could. Paesano (3647 30th St, paesanoofnorthpark.com) has been serving family-style Italian food in North Park since the late ’60s, which is incredible considering that everything else has been priced out of the neighborhood. But there’s a

PHOTOS BY RYAN BRADFORD

Napoleone’s reason that Paesano endures: The service is kind, the room is cozy and the food is great. This was also one of my grandpa’s favorite restaurants in San Diego when he was alive, and he was a man with discerning taste and little patience for frills. Whenever he asked me to share “The Works” pizza (bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, pepperoni and sausage), I was more than happy to oblige. Former employee Tom Waits immortalized Napoleone’s Pizza House (619 National City Blvd., napoleonespizzahouse.com) in his song “The Ghosts of Saturday Night,” but this National City mainstay would be worthwhile even without the help of the gruffest weirdo in music. It’s a quintessential red-sauce Italian place, right down to the checkered tablecloths. Their margherita pizza (the baseline standard from which all pizza places should be judged) is an olive oildoused delight, topped with sweet tomatoes that burst with flavor. I might have scared the waitress by how fast I ate the whole thing by myself.

PA G E TURNERS

Shirley Jackson sales? Kiddie book nooks? The best spots for bibliophiles young and old BY JULIA DIXON EVANS

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Barely a year old, The Book Catapult (3010-B Juniper St.) in South Park has already made a name for itself, but perhaps more impressively, it’s become a home for the rest of us. This shop is filled with captivating display tables, shelves lining every wall and a well-curated children’s section. It’s also the only place I’ve found in San Diego that consistently offers an excellent selection of small press books. Check their calendar for a steady stream of touring authors. With just one lone orthodontist office separating Verbatim Books (3793 30th St., verbatim-books.com) from the many boutiques and selfie walls of North Park, it’s hard to imagine a more perfect spot to escape than the gorgeous, wooden bookshelves of Verbatim. Chock full of used and rare books, an impressive vintage sci-fi selection, an entire corner dedicated to zines, and the owners’ dedication to not just showcasing but appreciating and supporting San Diegobased writers, Verbatim is as good as it smells. So new I almost didn’t know about it, Run for Cover (4912 Voltaire St., runforcoverbookstore.com) opened just last weekend in Ocean Beach. The shop packs an amazing collection for such a small storefront, plus a very cute actual

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book nook for children. Already filling their author event calendar, Run for Cover has an in-store cafe and is putting the finishing touches on an outdoor patio. Of their opening weekend, owner Marianne Renner told me that one customer said, “Thank you for giving us hope.” Not even two years old, La Playa Books (2016 Rosecrans St., laplayabooks.com) in Point Loma is a small but mighty hamlet for literature and the arts. Carrying mostly used books with “a sprinkling of new books,” the shop has an air of curation. Their website features a savvy blog touching on literary news and shop recommendations, and hosts a variety of author events, book clubs and art shows.

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I’m reserving this space for older and underappreciated stores. That being said, I love entering a bookstore and being bombarded by those “recommended” paper tags tucked into the shelves. It’s the mark of a savvy staff and a worthy collection, and Bay Books (1029 Orange Ave., baybookscoronado.com) delivers. A large shop, nestled on Coronado’s picturesque main drag, it lends itself well to browsing. Bay Books has been serving locals and tourists alike for over 20 years, and I can’t promise a visit won’t also result in ice cream and a beach stroll. Around since the new Central Library opened their doors over 5 years ago, the Library Shop is no longer a rookie on the scene. A nonprofit in support of the San Diego Public Library that houses it, the shop is admittedly gift-heavy, with an exquisitely-curated (and small) collection of books. Spend the day at the library, browsing and borrowing, but then pop in the Library Shop on the way out for books to buy for someone else. The Warwick’s in San Diego International Airport’s Terminal 2 (3225 N Harbor Drive) has been around since

Verbatim Books 2013. That’s just a fraction of its mothership’s longevity in La Jolla, but—writing mainly from my frazzled, post-TSAline memory—it somehow feels more impressive. Focused both on a traveller’s reading tastes and on books that represent San Diego, I always want to spend twice as long there as I can. Stop in after security, browse the recommendations, buy something to remember San Diego by, and try not to miss that flight. Operated as Bluestocking Books (3817 5th Ave., bluestockingbooks.com) for 19 years, this Hillcrest spot has been some sort of bookstore for 50. Mostly used books, Bluestocking can special order nearly anything new. The shelves are packed with fiction, local-interest, nonfiction, art, YA and more. And in October, all Shirley Jackson books are on sale, which just smacks of very good business sense.

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SOMETHING FISHY

Tubular hand rolls? Gizzard shads? From Serra Mesa to Tijuana, the best spots to fix that sushi craving BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

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Who wouldn’t want to eat at one of the “hottest” or “coolest” sushi bars in town? When it comes to the “hot,” Hidden Fish (4764 Convoy St., Suite A, hiddenfishsushi.com), just opened in September and is San Diego’s first omakase-only sushi bar. Omakase—literally “I’ll leave it up to you”—is where diners put themselves in the chef’s hands for a tour-de-force, highend, tasting menu. Chef John Hong’s 90-minute, 18-piece menu is San Diego’s hottest sushi ticket in town. His 24-hour kombu-cured golden eye snapper and hamachi belly with soy chimichurri are showstoppers. Still, one could argue that the hottest high-end sushi might be across the border. In fact, it’s pretty much the only such place in Tijuana. Toshi-Toshi (Av. Colima 2292, Col. Madero) is helmed by two chefs from the Sushi Ota family tree: Ota’s long time sous Toshiaki Tsutsada and Pedro Velarde (formerly of Hane Sushi). Toshi-Toshi is proposing to create a Mexican version of nikkei cuisine integrating classic edomae-style with their Mexican venue and ingredients. A jalapeño-spiked relish on the hiramasa—Baja’s terrific, rich, farmed yellowtail that tastes more like Japanese yellowtail than Baja’s wild version—is proof enough. The contrast of the slightly spicy relish

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with the buttery hiramasa reveals another side to the fish. j/wata Temaki Bar (4646 Convoy St., #103, j-wata.com) in Kearny Mesa has deconstructed and reconstructed the temaki hand roll, going totally tubular (as opposed to the traditional conical shape). The freshly toasted nori wrappers yield a crisp exterior that counterbalances the warm rice and (usually) cold fillings. There are no bad rolls at j/wata, but the ikura roll is utter perfection: salmon eggs, a shiso leaf, sushi rice and nori. The result is a flavor profile that combines the saltiness of the salmon eggs with the slightly grassy, cinnamon and spearmint flavor of the shiso. Oh, and there’s that warm and slightly sweet, slightly vinegary sushi rice.

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Hidden Fish

An unfortunate location doesn’t make a restaurant bad. In fact, I would argue that if a restaurant manages to be good in a bad location, it is assured of being “cool.” Shino Sushi + Kappo (838 West Ash St.) is, quite literally, on the wrong side of the tracks: not quite in Downtown nor exactly in Little Italy. That doesn’t stop Robert Nakamura from turning out some of San Diego’s most pristine, carefully prepared sushi with elegant knife cuts and insightful garnishes.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

Shino Sushi + Kappo There’s no better salmon nigiri in town. The story at Kokoro Restaurant (3298 Greyling Drive, kokoro-restaurant.net) in the highly unlikely location of Serra Mesa is much the same. Serra Mesa? How many people could find Serra Mesa without a map? But go there for Chef Akio Ishito’s omakase or his battera sushi—Osaka-style pressed sushi featuring translucent slices of konbu and vinegar-pickled mackerel (or salmon) over compressed sushi rice. Sushi Tadokoro (2244 San Diego Ave., sushitadokoro. com) is nestled in Old Town amongst Mexican restaurants and remains one of the best sushi bars in town even if it’s surprisingly unheralded. There’s a menu at Tadokoro, but why order off it when the omakase is so good? Hopefully it will include Takeaki Tadokoro’s kohada (gizzard shad) and the zuke tuna in a soy brandy marinade with yuzu pepper garnish. Sushi Dokoro Shirahama (4212 Convoy St., sushidokoro-shirahama.com/en) in Kearny Mesa is so cool you may not get to eat there. Enigmatic itamae Koji Kotani is so oldschool he’s been known to kick customers out for requesting California rolls. But his strict interpretations of sushi will teach customers something they didn’t know. The progressions of his omakase illustrates his passion for the classicstyle and deep insight into the ingredients.

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S P I N ZO N E S

Out-of-print gems? Racks and stacks? The best spots for finding vinyl records, old and new BY JEFF TERICH

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Not long ago it was strange to think of record stores as “hot.” Tepid industry numbers, dying formats—it was a niche market at best. That’s no longer the case, however, with consistently rising vinyl sales year after year. And where once it’d be easy to find a copy of something like Led Zeppelin IV under $10, demand has made record hunting even more competitive. Thankfully there are places like Vinyl Junkies Record Shack (2235 Fern St., vinyljunkies.net), which opened last fall. The South Park shop was born out of the quarterly Vinyl Junkies events at The Casbah, which found collectors and buyers trading wares to the sounds of local DJs. The shop is colorful, bright and carefully curated—there’s no wading through racks upon racks of Conway Twitty and Herb Alpert here, just a well-stocked selection of new and used essentials, including some highly sought-after collectors’ items. The newest option for record shopping in San Diego is Jupiter Records and Tapes (3610 University Ave., facebook.com/soundsfromjupiter), which opened just a few months ago in Normal Heights. It’s one of only a couple places to track down music in City Heights, yet what sets it apart from most other shops is the pricing: All records

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are $5. And the selection is fantastic—on a recent visit I snagged Janet Jackson’s Control and Keith Jarrett’s ’70s jazz epic, The Survivors’ Suite. Those willing to drive a little bit farther would do well to make the trek to Re-Animated Records (8320 La Mesa Blvd., instagram.com/reanimatedrecords). While still a new kid in town, having opened in 2017, it’s a bit off the beaten path given its La Mesa location. That being said, the vinyl selection is a good mix of solid standard rock and pop fare with some niche material, including a lot of metal (which pleases a hesher like myself), not to mention movies, toys and other fun, geeky merchandise.

BRENDAN BOYLE

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I can remember a time when record stores were scarce enough that it would have been tricky to fill two columns’ worth of favorites. But while millennials like myself might be killing Applebees, cereal and fossil fuels, we’re keeping record stores alive. One that’s been alive and kicking for over 15 years, and with reliably stocked racks at that, is Record City (3757 6th Ave.) in Hillcrest. I fondly remember spending what little cash I had on used Springsteen and Human League records in college, and after all this time it’s rare that I ever leave this place empty handed. And since it changed hands a couple years back, Folk Arts Rare Records (3072 El Cajon Blvd., folkartsrarerecords.com) in North Park has consistently proven to be the place in San Diego with some of the most astonishing finds. Since 1967(!), the store has specialized in out-of-print postpunk gems, country 78s and everything in between—you’ll find them here. Those seeking out a better selection of hip-hop and dance records should make a point to visit FeeLit Records (909 E St., feelitrecords.com). The Downtown store just cel-

Folk Arts Rare Records ebrated its 10th anniversary and while that doesn’t exactly make it as old-school as the stores above, it has a versatile and diverse selection and it’s one of the best in San Diego for tracking down non-rock items. Regardless of the genre, its prices are low enough to ensure happy customers.

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BRUNCH TIME

IG-worthy pancakes? John Stamos sightings? The best spots for morning-ish grub BY ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

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The grand re-opening of El Carrito Restaurant (2154 Logan Ave., facebook.com/elcarritobarriologa) has not only given visitors an opportunity to taste unique Mexican dishes but also offers residents the ability to relive a little piece of history. After all, this cable car-turned-restaurant PHOTOS BY ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

Golden Hill Cafe

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has been a staple in the community of Barrio Logan for de- COOL cades. The entire menu is drool-worthy, but my favorites My first memory of going to Golden Hill Cafe (2505 C St.) are the Huevos Rancheros and the Chicano chilaquiles be- was my friend saying, “John Stamos ate here.” Whether or cause instead of a traditional chili sauce, it has an avocado not that’s true, this breakfast diner is my favorite spot to grab cream sauce. I also recommend their Cafe de Olla. This breakfast or brunch any day of the week because it’s small and sweet specialty coffee has hints of cinnamon and orange they serve a strong cup of coffee. Alpeel, which make it smell and taste inthough I’ve tried different things on credible. the menu, I usually gravitate toward I can’t remember the first time I the chilaquiles, which are served with went to Crushed (967 Garnet Ave., bara side of beans and eggs. crushed.com), because I may have inCall it divine intervention, but dulged in too many mimosas all for the unlike many others, I’ve never stood sake of getting a perfect Instagram picin line at Las Cuatro Milpas (1857 ture. And while the place has been open Logan Ave.). The popular Barrio Lofor a little over four years, it remains argan restaurant that has been around guably the hot brunch spot in PB. Once since 1933 is still a go-to spot for I got over my IG basic-ness, I ordered residents and visitors alike. Their pancakes and died and went to Nutella rolled tacos typically steal the show heaven. The Nutella banana pancakes but for me it’s their beans and handare stacked in threes with chocolate made tortillas that stand out. The chips inside with bananas and Nutella beans have rice inside and I recomon top. Order a coffee and save the mimend adding chorizo as well. Make mosa flights for later though—chamsure to take plenty of cash since they pagne and pancakes don’t mix well. do not take cards. Tamarindo Latin Kitchen and Bar It was almost a weekly tradition (2906 University Ave., tamarindonp.com) to eat at The Daily Grind (6695 El sadly only serves brunch on the weekCajon Blvd.) with my roommates on El Carrito Restaurant ends. But if readers happen to be in the Sunday, and although the bonding North Park area, it’s definitely worth checking out, and it has was great, it was the giant omelettes and potatoes that had a decidedly smaller wait time than some of its neighbors. I me coming back. For readers who like to stick to the basics, recently tried the FC’s Molletes Benedict, which was fancier I suggest getting the turkey, mushroom and swiss omelette than a traditional Mexican mollete. The addition of carnitas, or the garden omelette. For those looking to be adventurpoached eggs and chorizo Hollandaise sauce was an inter- ous, the seafood omelette with crab, shrimp, avocado, cream esting modern twist. cheese and Hollandaise sauce on top is a must-try.

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OFF THE STRIP

Chicken feet? Farm-to-table Thai? The best spots for Asian cuisine that aren’t in the Convoy District BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

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Throw a stone in San Diego’s Convoy District and chances are you’ll break an Asian restaurant’s window. But some of San Diego’s best Asian eateries aren’t on Convoy or in Kearny Mesa or even particularly close to it. One of the most anxiously awaited restaurant openings of the year was Din Tai Fung (4301 La Jolla Village Drive, dintaifungusa.com) at the UTC mall in La Jolla. Dim sum and Michelin stars wouldn’t seem to be obvious bedfellows but that’s exactly what this chain earned at its first Hong Kong branch. While their menu is unlike any in San Diego, their signature dish is truffle xiaolongbao (steamed soup dumplings). And the plain pork version may be better. If, for years, dim sum in San Diego meant Jasmine or Emerald, it is now Fung Fung Yuen (10660 Camino Ruiz, fungfungyuen.com) that’s the town’s busiest. While the menu may not be the longest, they excel at some more exotic dishes: stewed beef tripe and chicken feet, for example. Both are tender, rich and show why some of the best flavors dim sum has to offer are to be found in places many Westerners wouldn’t choose to look. One of the great pleasures of exploring other cuisines

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is tasting a beloved dish again as if it were the first time. That’s what happened at Bánh Mì Hội An (3145 Rosecrans St., Suite A, banhmihoiansd.com) in Point Loma. The bánh mì was already my favorite sandwich on the planet and then I learned just how much better it could be when the proteins and cold cuts are house-prepared and cured. The Hoi An Special or the egg and pâté bánh mìs prove the point.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL A. GARDINER

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There is, perhaps, no more criminally under-recognized restaurant in town—of any cuisine or style—than Masala Street (915 Pearl St., Suite B/C, masalastreetsd.com) in La Jolla. Don’t expect a buffet with indistinct “curries” and fluorescent food coloring “tandoori” over steamer tables. Expect high-end Indian food made with care and love. It is the precision of technique that makes the difference and results in deeply flavored dishes that fire all the taste buds without becoming overwhelming.

Din Tai Fung

Phuong Nga 2

San Diego has a lot of Thai restaurants but not a lot of great ones. Supannee House of Thai (2907 Shelter Island Drive, sdthai.com) in Point Loma is one of the best. Thai food is all about balancing spicy, sour, sweet and salty elements. That’s one of the reasons American Thai food—which is often non-spicy and overly sweet—is often lacking. Supannee gets it. Their food is all about incredibly fresh ingredients from their own farm that bring all those elements of flavor into balance. With only two items on its menu—bún riêu and bánh cuốn—Phuong Nga 2 (4016 54th St.) clearly has the courage of its convictions. The City Heights spot does those two things and does them well. The bun rieu is rich and meaty with tons of umami but also a pleasant sourness and hint of the sea. It features a meaty braised pork bone, crab and pork cake (light on the former and long on the latter), as well as fried tofu and pork blood cake. The entire dish feels both familiar and exotic at the same time. It’s pho for the next generation.

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G R E AT OUTDOORS

Secret waterfalls? Mile-high peaks? The best spots for bonding with mother nature BY JULIA DIXON EVANS

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Let’s be honest: Many of these spots will already be on reader’s radars, but I still think they’re arguably some of the best places to get out of the city and get outdoors. Everyone really is right about Iron Mountain (14909 Hwy 67, poway. org) in Poway. It is one of the most remarkable hikes in San Diego. At six miles, it’s harder to plan around than a quick hop up Cowles, but it’s worth the few hours on a Saturday. Or skip the a.m. crowds and watch the sun sink into the Pacific from 2,696 feet above. The trail boasts a gradual approach— even the final summit cone has gentle switchbacks—but it never feels sanitized or easy. On a weekend at Julian’s Stonewall Peak (13652 Hwy 79, parks.ca.gov), there’ll be a wait for the metal stairway drilled into the pure granitic rock summit, but yes, it’s still worth it. At 5,700 feet, it’s an impressive mountain, but it’s only around 800 feet of climbing. Survey Cuyamaca Rancho State Park’s vastness (quickly) from the top, then let someone else have a turn. Polish off the hike with a little detour on the peaceful, meadowy Azalea Glen Trail, which is adjacent to the day-use lot. Laguna Meadows (mile marker 19, Sunrise Hwy., fs.usda.gov) in Mt. Laguna is home to mile after mile of me-

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andering narrow paths, Colter pines, mesmerizing ponds, and yes, pretty grass meadows. When dusted in snow, it feels otherworldly. The approach from Sunrise Highway, using the Sunset Trail (no bikes), climbs to a west-facing lookout point before descending the forest-lined slope into the meadow below. Despite its popularity, it’ll still feel like a secret. Also, a $5 Adventure Pass is required. The options at Mission Trails Regional Park (1 Father Junipero Serra Trail, mtrp.org)—6,800 acres and growing, all right here—are nearly endless. Tackle South Fortuna’s notorious stairs, tiptoe along Oak Canyon’s hidden boulderstudded trail, scramble up Kwaay Paay, or push a stroller along the paved Father Junipero Serra Trail. The latter is my favorite city street and it’s just as striking a jaunt through the granite cliffs and riparian zones as being on the dirt.

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When it comes to more underrated or under-the-radar spots, the entire Lake Hodges area (3600 Sunset Drive, sdrp.org) in Escondido feels remote, despite being visible from Interstate-15. The trails are vast and varied; distance-seekers can head out for hours around the lake’s more rugged trails, but much of the region’s feeder trails are wide and smooth, and accessible for beginner cyclists. Count snowy egrets from the concrete footbridge, explore portions of the Coast to Crest Trail on the north lake shore, or, if hikers are feeling up for it, tackle the seven-mile Bernardo Mountain. I hiked Oakzanita Peak (Mile marker 3.1, Hwy 79, parks. ca.gov) on a Saturday and encountered zero humans. Just a gray fox and some bats. Ignore the summit’s unimpressive appearance from the road, because this 4.6 mile hike showcases Cuyamaca’s stream-riddled beauty. Toward the top, the trail hooks around to the east side of the mountain, with spectacular views of Cuyamaca to the north, the border

JULIA DIXON EVANS

South Fortuna at Mission Trails Regional Park ranges to the south, and—finally—at the summit, everything to the west. The west entrance to Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve (4300 Sorrento Valley Blvd., sandiego.gov) is a favorite among trail runners so it very quickly feels remote. The primo attraction, the waterfall, is a few miles in, but don’t miss out on the collection of sweet bridges on the way. The area is varied in terrain, flora and fauna, and the river usually runs year round. It’s the best place in town to find something green. Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve West (29510 Hwy. 78, sdparks.org) in Ramona offers meadows for miles. Otherwise tranquil, the trails aren’t flat and the vibrant grasslands put the “roll” in rolling hills. Wildflowers, shady oak groves and the wetland around the seasonal Santa Ysabel Creek make the place feel very much like a sanctuary. That is, in the wildlife and the get-out-of-town sense.

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WAYNE S. GRAZIO / FLICKR COMMONS

ON SAND AND SEA

Secret coves? No tourists? The best spots for an actual relaxing time at the beach BY JONATHAN MANDEL

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It’s a story all too familiar: Envisioning a sunny afternoon of Arcadian bliss, we hop in the car and head west to the beach, only to discover there’s no parking and every inch of sand is occupied. But nestled in nooks and crannies along our coastline are the occasional beaches that live up to the Platonic ideal, chief among them Black’s Beach (lajolla.com). Yes, yes, there are parts of Blacks that are “clothing optional,” but if nudity isn’t on the agenda, fear not: The dress code in the southern part of Blacks is strictly swimsuit mandatory. Plus it’s paradoxically the least crowded and most accessible portion of the beach (via a lesser-known paved path from La Jolla Farms Road). Similarly remote but well-known is Sunset Cliffs Natural Park (sandiego.gov) in Point Loma, which can be reached by short, steep trails from the parking lot or adjacent Ladera Street. Sunset Cliffs isn’t ideal for swimming, as the sand quickly gives way to rocks, but when it comes to laying on the beach, few beaches feel as disconnected from the hum of the city. This is thanks to the protective cliffs from which the beach takes its name, plus, there’s tons of sea glass (cool) and intriguing sea caves. For retreats closer to civilization, La Jolla’s Windansea

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Sunset Cliffs Beach (lajolla.com) remains a perennial favorite. Its southern tip at the end of Palomar Avenue, affectionately referred to as “Big Rock” by locals, offers a series of private-feeling sandy alcoves in the rocks, while its northern expanse at the end of Westbourne Street consists of open beach and pleasant shorebreak for taking a dip. In addition to its natural beauty, youthful buzz and iconic surf hut (“The Shack”), Windansea is made even better by the refreshing lack of tourists.

because of its extreme difficulty to access. The crescent of gold sand and blue water can only be reached via a steep, sketchy path, just north of where Hill Street meets Sunset Cliffs Boulevard in Point Loma. The reward is well worth it though: a quiet beach tucked into the local neighborhood, rather than the circus we all know and hate. On the theme of quiet beaches that are cooler than their next-door neighbors, Tide Beach Park in Solana Beach far outperforms the adjacent Fletcher Cove. An enclave of soft sand set back from Solana’s long, narrow strip of beach, its lower density and tourist quotient is likely due to its inconspicuous access point at the end of Solana Vista Drive. For those who prefer huge stretches of beach with shallow, rolling shorebreak, Imperial Beach is a less chaotic alternative to the likes of La Jolla Shores and Mission Beach, with parking along Seacoast Drive south of Imperial Beach Boulevard. IB is one of the final coastal hamlets to resist complete gentrification, but it won’t remain that way for long. Just make sure to avoid it after a rainstorm, when the Tijuana River becomes a sewage pump. GEOFF DUDE / FLICKR COMMONS

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Better known as a premier surf spot, the odd home of a selfrealization fellowship and a flashy Instagram check-in location, Swami’s (1298 S. Coast Hwy 101, parks.ca.gov) in Encinitas is often overlooked as a beach. But it’s classically North County, with young hippie families that have graduated from the PB scene and settled down, weirdos smoking in the parking lot and—provided the tide isn’t too high—a long stretch of sand with relatively few beachgoers. Nicer than nearby Sunset Cliffs, No Surf Beach, or “Nobes” to locals, has long escaped hype and overexposure

Imperial Beach

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NAIL BONDING

Mystery manis? CBD-infused massages? The best spots for nails, brows and more BY ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

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In the heart of one of San Diego’s most artistic neighborhoods, La Sirena Nail and Beauty Bar (2240 Logan Ave., lasirenanailandbeautybar.com) in Barrio Logan proves that art can also be found on fingertips. To help customers like me who ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA

COURTESY OF BEAUTY CARE BY KRISTY

stick to plain colors, La Sirena offers a mystery mani where customers surrender control and give the nail technicians complete artistic freedom. My advice: Build a relationship with a nail technician before committing to a mystery mani. This way, readers end up with a creative manicure but one that’s still unique to them. La Sirena also offers hair services, makeup, massages, waxing, facials and newly introduced CBD-infused oil massages during pedicures and manicures. Getting our nails done or any other kind of beauty service should not only be a relaxing experience, but a transparent one as well. We’ve all heard horror stories—a nail technician cut too much, rubbed too hard or accidentally nicked a piece of skin—but that’s never the case at Birdie Nail and Lash Lab (3032 University Ave., hellobirdielab.com) in North Park. Nail technicians at Birdie walk customers through every step of their service and will periodically ask if they need to adjust the pressure or technique. Birdie also offers lash extensions and paraffin dips, a wax dip that helps moisturize dry skin. For a complete pampering experience, Boudoir Nail Bar (1020 Tierra Del Rey, boudoirnailbar.com) in Chula Vista is the spot. Not only does Boudoir offer a range of signature manicures and pedicures, but it also hosts big group parties with spa services and drinks.

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La Sirena Nail and Beauty Bar

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The first time my mom showed me how to pluck my eyebrows, she shared a common beauty tip with me: “Your eyebrows should be sisters, not twins.” Well, in middle school, after hours of plucking, mine were not even friends. Hell, they looked more like enemies. It took years to get over the trauma. However, it’s safe to say my eyebrows are now in a better place thanks to KL Hair and Nails Salon (6362 El Cajon Blvd., klsalon.com) in the Rolando area. Their eyebrow threading service is phenomenal, but I suggest call-

Beauty Care by Kristy ing ahead of time to make an appointment. Aside from eyebrow threading, waxing and permanent makeup services to keep my eyebrows “on fleek,” the nail technicians also do an incredible job with acrylic nails. The salon itself is not as glamorous as those mentioned above, but the staff is really friendly and big on making people feel welcomed. Speaking of which, nail and beauty salons should always offer the opportunity to kick our feet up and enjoy a couple of hours of relaxation. However, during the holiday season, they can be pretty hectic environments. Luckily there’s Beauty Care by Kristy (2423 Camino del Rio South #106, nailcarebykristy.com) a quaint, Mission Valley salon that offers lemon manicures and pedicures, which smell incredible. Kristy’s does not offer acrylic nail services but they do offer eyelash extensions and waxing.

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SHOP AROUND

litical heart to the place, which bleeds into the art, apparel, jewelery and literature sold there. I recently bought some prints from Joni Nunez (whose skull paintings are like no others) to give as gifts and they were a huge hit.

Authentic Mexican goods? Solana Beach superstores? The best boutiques from North Park to North County

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BY RYAN BRADFORD

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With an eye-popping neon sign, clean design and a bright interior, North Park’s Shop Good’s (3030 North Park Way, shop-good. co) coolness is almost intimidating. But upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that this health and beauty boutique has both style and substance. With a well-curated variety of wellness items (balms, exfoliants, serums, etc.), makeup and clothing, Shop Good proves that less-is-more can be a virtue if it’s done with care. But the best part? All their products are vegan and eco-friendly. Barrio Logan’s new kid on the block, Casa XoVi (2148 Logan Ave., instagram.com/casa_ xovi), has only been open for six months, but the boutique makes up for that lack of age with charm. They sell an impressive collection of authentic gifts from all over Mexico (as opposed to many other shops that buy exclusively from Tijuana). Traditional huipil

PHOTOS BY RYAN BRADFORD

Casa XoVi (blouses) from Oaxaca, Dia de los Muertos skulls and handmade jams/salsas are just a few items that inhabit this little shop. P.S.: I bought a jar of fig jam during my visit, and now I can’t imagine breakfast without it. Right around the corner from Casa XoVi (the two share the same address) is Golondrina (facebook.com/GolondrinaStore). More of a collective than a traditional storefront, Golondrina features goods from six artists known as Mercado Golondrina. There’s a po-

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It’s probably illegal to write about boutiques in this city without mentioning Pigment (3801 30th St., shoppigment.com) but with good reason: Pigment just gets it. It’s hard to find a store as unabashedly twee and delightful in the city. With a selection that includes quirky drinking vessels, adorablycrude greeting cards and a wall of succulents—not to mention a mural that has attracted nearly every Instagram user in the city—it almost feels like Pigment predicted millennials before millennials were a thing. You have to have a real heart of stone to not like this place. What’s the saying about wealthy people having no taste? Yes, it’s true that there’s a lot of wealth in North County, but the goods sold in Solana Beach’s SoLo (309 S. Cedros Ave., solocedros.com) are proof that at least some of them have good taste. For over a decade, the artisan superstore has a vast selection one-of-a-kind items from innovative artists and designers, including furniture, books and home decor. Forgive the pun, but there’s a reason that Graffiti Beach Boutique (2220 Fern

Graffiti Beach Boutique St., shopgraffitibeach.com) in South Park has nama-stayed in business for the past seven years: they’ve got that bohemian chic on lockdown. For those yearning for a little bit of adventure to add to their mindful living, this place has the gear. Yoga stuff, backpacks and apparel that’s both rugged and fashionable (for mountaineering or, say, attending Burning Man) are just a few of the items that make Graffiti Beach a staple of San Diego.

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BEST OF SAN DIEGO READERS POLL RESULTS SAN DIEGO LIFE BEST BEACH

★★La Jolla Shores Black’s Beach Coronado Beach Moonlight State Beach Ocean Beach Pacific Beach

BEST CAREER COLLEGE

★★National University California College San Diego NewSchool of Architecture The Art Institute of California - San Diego UC San Diego Extension University of Phoenix

BEST COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

★★San Diego State University

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD ★★North Park

Little Italy Normal Heights Ocean Beach Pacific Beach Third Avenue Chula Vista

BEST PLACE FOR A FAMILY OUTING ★★San Diego Zoo

Balboa Park Brainy Actz Escape Rooms The Living Coast Discovery Center San Diego Zoo Safari Park SeaWorld San Diego

BEST PLACE TO GET MARRIED ★★Hotel Del Coronado Bali Hai Restaurant Hilton San Diego Bayfront Prado Rancho Bernardo Inn San Diego Botanic Garden

BEST PLACE TO GO CAMPING

★★Anza-Borrego Desert State Park La Jolla Indian Campground San Elijo State Beach San Onofre State Beach South Carlsbad State Beach Campground

BEST PUBLIC PARK ★★Balboa Park

California State University San Marcos Point Loma Nazarene University University of California, San Diego University of San Diego

Bayside Park Buddy Todd Park Chicano Park Kate Sessions Park Mission Bay Park

BEST COMMUNITY COLLEGE

BEST RADIO PROGRAM

Grossmont College MiraCosta College Palomar College San Diego City College Southwestern College

Dave Shelly & Chainsaw Kramer & Geena 91X Loudspeaker Rock 105.3 The Show Xavier the X-man

★★San Diego Mesa College

BEST ELECTED OFFICIAL ★★Todd Gloria Chris Ward David Alvarez Esther Sanchez Mary Salas Matt Hall

BEST HIKING

★★Torrey Pines State Reserve Cowles Mountain Iron Mountain Trailhead Mount Laguna Stonewall Peak Trail

BEST MONUMENT OR LANDMARK ★★Coronado Bridge

Cabrillo National Monument Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial North Park Water Tower The Cardiff Kook USS Midway Museum

★★KPBS Morning Edition

BEST RADIO STATION ★★KPBS

100.7 KFMB-FM 101.5 KGB 91X 94/9 Magic 92.5

BEST SAN DIEGO DAY TRIP ★★Julian

Big Bear Lake Idyllwild Palm Springs Rancho La Puerta Tijuana

BEST SPORTS TEAM ★★San Diego Padres

Club Tijuana Xolos San Diego Gulls San Diego Sockers SDSU Aztecs University of San Diego Toreros

60 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

BEST TOURIST ATTRACTION ★★San Diego Zoo Balboa Park

La Jolla Cove The Living Coast Discovery Center SeaWorld San Diego USS Midway Museum

BEST TV ANCHOR ★★Kimberly Hunt Barbara-Lee Edwards Jason Austell Kathleen Bade Raoul Martinez Shally Zomorodi

BEST TV STATION ★★Fox 5

ABC 10 CBS 8 KPBS KUSI 9/51 NBC 7

BEST TV WEATHERCASTER ★★Aloha Taylor Angelica Campos Chrissy Russo Dagmar Midcap Jodi Kodesh Shawn Styles

Hoehn Honda Mercedes-Benz of Escondido Mossy Nissan Kearny Mesa Norm Reeves Toyota San Diego

BEST AUTO REPAIR SHOP ★★El Cajon Transmissions

Bond’s Automotive & Collision Greg’s Automotive Hillcrest Smog Test & Auto Repair Mission Hills Automotive Smitty’s Service

BEST BANK ★★Chase Bank

Bank of America California Bank & Trust Comerica Bank Union Bank Wells Fargo Bank

BEST BATHING SUIT SHOP ★★Hola Swim

Boom Boom Brazil Dale’s Gone Bananas Beachwear Paradowski’s Swim & Sport The Bikini Shoppe

BEST BIKE SHOP

★★Adams Avenue Bicycles

GOODS & SERVICES

Bicycle Warehouse Cal Coast Bicycles Electric Bike Central North Park Bikes Uptown Bicycles

BEST ACCOUNTING FIRM

BEST BOOKSTORE

★★Abbo Tax CPA

Bandemer Accountancy Corporation Beach Cities Financial Group Horizon Planning Noriega’s Tax Services San Diego Taxman

BEST ADULT GIFT STORE ★★Barnett Avenue Adult Superstore

★★Verbatim Books

Controversial Bookstore La Playa Books Maxwell’s House of Books Mysterious Galaxy BookStore The Book Catapult

BEST BRIDAL/TUX/ FORMAL WEAR SHOP ★★PreVue Formal & Bridal

Adult Emporium Deja Vu Love Boutique Hi-Lite Adult Bookstore Mercury Books Pleasures & Treasures

Bridal and Tuxedo Galleria D’Angelo Couture Bridal Men’s Wearhouse The Dress Theory Bridal Shop Winsome Brides

BEST ANTIQUE SHOP

BEST CAMERA STORE

India Street Antiques Mid Century Mission Gallery Antiques Vignettes-Antiques & Collectibles Zac’s Attic

Blue Abyss Photo Camera Exposure Encinitas Photo Center Nelson Photo

BEST ARTS AND CRAFTS STORE

★★Washman Car Wash Mission Bay San Diego

★★La Mesa Antique Mall

★★Hobby Lobby

Artist & Craftsman Supply San Diego Blick Art Materials Michaels VISUAL Warwick’s

BEST AUTO DEALER ★★Kearny Mesa Acura Ball Honda

Knowhere Games & Comics San Diego Comics Yesteryear Comics

BEST EYEWEAR ★★Hillcrest Optical

Eyeglass World Heights Optometry New Optix Optometry Specs Optometry Urban Optiks Optometry

BEST FLOWER SHOP ★★Florabella

Allen’s Flowers & Plants Bridget’s Blooms Dave’s Flower Box Native Poppy Sage Sisters

BEST FURNITURE STORE ★★Jerome’s Furniture Warehouse Boomerang for Modern Design One Living Spaces Metro Decor Mor Furniture

BEST GARDEN SUPPLY STORE/NURSERY ★★City Farmers Nursery Armstrong Garden Centers Green Gardens Nursery Mission Hills Nursery North Park Nursery Walter Andersen Nursery

BEST GROCERY STORE ★★Barons Market

Cardiff Seaside Market Frazier Farms Market Jimbo’s...Naturally! Lazy Acres Market Stehly Farms Market

BEST HARDWARE STORE

★★Hillcrest Ace Hardware Crown Ace Hardware Downtown Ace Hardware North Park Hardware Oceanside Ace Hardware San Carlos True Value Hardware ALICIA COUNTRYMAN / FLICKR

★★George’s Camera

BEST CAR WASH

Body Beautiful Car Wash Encinitas Car Wash Kwik N’ Kleen Car Wash Soapy Joe’s Car Wash & Oil Change Uptown Touchless Car Wash

BEST COMIC BOOK STORE

★★Southern California Comics Comickaze Comics Books and More Comics-N-Stuff

The Lafayette Hotel Swim Club & Bungalows

BEST HOTEL SWIMMING POOL ★★The Lafayette Hotel Swim Club & Bungalows Harrah’s Resort Southern California Paradise Point Resort & Spa Pendry San Diego Pearl Hotel The Westgate Hotel

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BEST OF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 60 BEST HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE ★★MOLLY MAID of East & South County Dustbusters Maid Service The Mighty Maids Tranquil Home Personnel Service

BEST JEWELRY STORE ★★Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers and Jewelry buyers

Bert Levi Family Jewelers Enhancery Jewelers KZ Jewelry Designs Stuart Benjamin & Co. Jewelry Designs Unicorn Jewelry & Watch Boutique

BEST LAW FIRM ★★King Aminpour

Batta Fulkerson Law Group D.J. Rausa Attorney at Law Law Office of Brett Peterson Law Offices of Jacob J. Sapochnick The Law Office of Matthew S. Koken

BEST LEGAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY ★★Urbn Leaf

Apothekare Medical & Recreational Dispensary of San Diego Golden State Greens Goldn Bloom Mankind Cooperative

SDRC - San Diego Recreational Cannabis Torrey Holistics

Copy Corral Custom Printing Services Ego id Media

BEST LIQUOR STORE

BEST MATTRESS STORE

Bine & Vine Bottle Shop Keg N Bottle Krisp Beverages + Natural Foods Par Liquor & Deli Riviera Liquor House

Jerome’s Downtown Dream Shop Mattress Pavilion Real Deal Sleep Sleep Bedder

★★BevMo!

BEST LOCAL BOUTIQUE HOTEL ★★The Pearl Hotel

The Atwood Hotel Hotel Indigo San Diego Kimpton Solamar Hotel The Lafayette Hotel Swim Club & Bungalows Tower23 Hotel

BEST LOCAL CREDIT UNION

★★San Diego County Credit Union California Coast Credit Union Mission Federal Credit Union Navy Federal Credit Union North Island Credit Union Point Loma Credit Union

BEST LOCAL PRINT SHOP

★★Any Budget Printing & Mailing A7D Creative Group BK Printing

62 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

★★Mattress Firm

BEST MEN’S CLOTHING STORE ★★Men’s Fashion Depot

Allegiance Clothing Bonobos Marios Family Clothing Center The Fresh Yard Whisky Locker

BEST MOTORCYCLE SHOP

★★San Diego Harley-Davidson Biggs Harley-Davidson Fun Bike Center JP MotorSports and Marine Moreland Choppers Triumph San Diego

BEST OUTDOOR RENTAL SHOP (KAYAK/JET SKI/ BOAT) ★★Adventure Water Sports Bike and Kayak Tours, Inc. Everyday California

Mission Bay Sportcenter The SUP Connection

BEST REAL ESTATE OFFICE/REALTOR

BEST PAWN SHOP

★★Tizoc Hernandez (Big Block Realty Inc.)

Golden Hill Jewelry and Loan Leo Hamel Jewelry & Gold Buyers Music Rental Co & Pawn Palace Pawnbrokers The Pawnshop Inc

Mitchell Asa (Keller Williams Realty) Nathan Abbo (Berkshire Hathaway) O’Byrne Team (Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty) The Selby Team (Selby Sells San Diego) Traci Beaulieu (Berkshire Hathaway)

BEST PET SERVICE

BEST SCOOTER SHOP

★★CashCo Pawn

★★Doozydog! Club

Camp Run-A-Mutt Dogtopia of Miramar Happy Paws Grooming Nanairo, Inc. Paw Commons Pet Resort South Bark Dog Wash

BEST PET STORE ★★Pet Kingdom

Dexter’s Deli EarthWise Pet Supply Noah’s Natural Pet Market Pet Me Please Pet Palace

BEST PLACE TO BUY A GIFT ★★Bazaar del Mundo

Casa Artelexia Leaping Lotus Leo Hamel Jewelry & Gold Buyers Mystical Dragon Pigment

★★Vespa Motorsport

Electric Bike Central Fun Bike Center Main Street Scooters The Scooter Farm Pro Scooter Store

BEST SHOE STORE ★★Footwear Etc.

DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse Journeys Shoes Just Run Road Runner Sports SKETCHERS

BEST SHOPPING CENTER ★★Fashion Valley Mall

Del Mar Highlands Town Center Grossmont Center Las Americas Premium Outlets Westfield Mission Valley Westfield UTC

BEST OF CONTINUED ON PAGE 64

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BEST OF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 62 BEST SKATE SHOP ★★Hanger 94

Grandeur Overload Pacific Drive Skateboard Shop Slappy’s Garage

BEST SMOKE SHOP

★★Illusions Vape Smoke Shop Dragons Den Smoke Shop Holy Smoke PB Tobacco Smoke Shop Vape & Smoke Universe

BEST SOLAR STORE ★★Sullivan Solar Power

Baker Electric Home Energy California Solar Systems Elor Energy, Inc. Home Energy Solutions

BEST SPORTING GOODS STORE ★★Play It Again Sports AB Sporting Goods Adventure 16 Milestone Running Shop Turner’s Outdoorsman

BEST STORAGE FACILITY ★★A-1 Self Storage Big Box Storage Diablo Mini Storage

Pacific Highway Storage San Diego Self Storage Stor ‘em Self Storage

BEST SUNGLASSES SHOP

★★Sunglass & Optical Warehouse 9FIVE Eyewear Cali Life Co. Oakley Store Quay Australia

BEST SURF SHOP

★★Ocean Beach Surf & Skate Shop San Diego Birds Surf Shed Encinitas Surfboards Mitch’s Surf Shop South Coast Surf Shop Surf Diva Shop & Surf School

BEST THRIFT STORE ★★Buffalo Exchange

Frock You Vintage Clothing Goodwill La Loupe Vintage Plato’s Closet

BEST TOUR COMPANY ★★All In Limo & Party Bus Baja Winery Tours Brewery Tours of San Diego MJ Tours California Old Town Trolley Tours Social Cycle

64 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

BEST VAPE SHOP

★★Vape & Smoke Shop Universe Illusions Vape Smoke Shop Lavish Smoke Shop The Switch SD Vape Shop Vape Supplies On Point Vapor Invasion

BEST VETERINARIAN ★★Bodhi Animal Hospital

All Pets Animal Hospital B Street Veterinary Hospital VCA Main Street Animal Hospital Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego

BEST VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE

★★Flashbacks Recycled Fashion Bad Madge Boutique Buffalo Exchange Frock You Vintage Clothing La Loupe Vintage The Girl Can’t Help It

BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING STORE ★★My Sister’s Closet Chycas Boutique Graffiti Beach Boutique Mimi & Red Boutique Temptress Fashion The Girl Can’t Help It

FITNESS, HEALTH & BEAUTY BEST BARBER SHOP ★★Floyd’s 99 Barbershop

Barber Side Classic Cuts Barber Shop Dinks Barbershop Pappy’s Barber Shop San Diego Rawknykz Barber Shop

BEST CHIROPRACTOR ★★Spence Chiropractic Center

Barker Chiropractic Clinic CHIROPRACTIQUE Urban Retreat Gaslamp Chiropractic Good Vibrations Family Chiropractic The Joint Chiropractic

BEST COSMETIC SURGEON

★★Jaibaji Plastic Surgery The La Jolla Institute of Plastic Surgery Laser Cliniqúe Pousti Plastic Surgery SD Body Contouring True Electrolysis

BEST DAY SPA

★★Girl on the Go! Night Spa Omni La Costa Resort & Spa Paradise Point Resort & Spa Revive Salon & Spa

The Catamaran Spa Rock Spa at the Hard Rock Hotel

BEST DENTIST

★★Dr. David Freeman DDS Dr. David Eshom DDS Dr. Andrew Zakarian DDS Dr. Jeffrey S. Keeny DDS Dr. Richard J. Ewing DDS Dr. Grey Cunningham DDS

BEST HAIR SALON ★★The Electric Chair Detour Salon & Store Gila Rut Aveda Salon Groom the Salon Hair Drezzers On Fire Plaza Hair Salon Smart Set Aesthetics

BEST HOSPITAL

★★Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego Scripps Green Hospital Sharp Grossmont Hospital Sharp Memorial Hospital Tri-City Medical Center Thornton Pavilion

BEST LASER EYE CENTER

★★Lasik & Vision Care Center Eye Care of San Diego Motwani Lasik Institute

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BEST OF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 64 NVISION Eye Centers - San Diego San Diego Lasik Institute Shiley Eye Institute at UC San Diego Health

BEST MMA OR BOXING GYM ★★BoxFit

Art of Eight Training and Fitness Center TITLE Boxing Club San Diego North Park UFC GYM Mission Valley Undisputed Victory MMA & Fitness

BEST NAIL SALON

★★Hello Birdie Nail & Lash Lab Happy Nails Kim’s Nails & Spa La Sirena Nail & Beauty Bar Mission Nails And Spa ProfessioNAIL

BEST PLACE FOR ACUPUNCTURE

★★CHIROPRACTIQUE Urban Retreat Cupping4Life Eastlake Acupuncture North Park Acupuncture Pacific Center of Health Santee Acupuncture

BEST PLACE TO GET A MASSAGE

BEST TATTOO ARTIST

Ahhh Inspiring Massage Girl on the Go! Night Spa Karma Relaxation Spa Simply Spa Therapie Day Spa

Alec Bauer (Funhouse Tattoo) Bill Canales (Full Circle Tattoo) Mike Villalobos (Chapter One Tattoo) Su’a Sulu’ape Angela (Big City Tattoo) Tomas Archuleta (True Fit Tattoo Studio)

BEST PLACE TO GET PIERCED

BEST TATTOO PARLOR

Apogee Body Piercing Big City Tattoo Inc. Body Piercing By Tracy Dutch Touch Tattoo & Piercing E C Tattoo & Body Piercing

Avalon Tattoo II Big City Tattoo Inc. Full Circle Tattoo Guru Tattoo

★★Bodhi Massage & Wellness Center

★★Enigma Professional Piercing

BEST PLACE TO GET WAXED ★★LunchboxWax Hillcrest EnviouSkin Gingerly Wax Le Wax Boutique The Pretty Kitty The Undercarriage North Park

BEST TANNING SALON

★★Summer Sheen Spray Tanning AfterGlo Beauty Lounge Glow Up The Organic Tan Studio The Tan Banana Little Italy Urban Skin Care

66 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

★★Cash (Chapter One Tattoo)

★★Chapter One Tattoo

BEST WORK OUT GYM

★★Orangetheory Fitness Aerial Revolution Chuze Fitness CrossFit East County Fit Athletic Club Point Loma Sports Club

BEST YOGA STUDIO ★★Hoppy Yoga

Bird Rock Yoga Ginseng Yoga Mission Beach Yoga Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga Yoga Six

ART & CULTURE

Michael J Wolf Fine Arts Sparks Gallery Thumbprint Gallery

BEST ANNUAL ART EVENT

BEST BOWLING ALLEY

★★Mission Federal ArtWalk Art Around Adams Art San Diego Barrio Art Crawl San Diego Festival of Arts SDCCU Festival of the Arts

BEST ANNUAL EVENT (NON-MUSIC) ★★San Diego Comic-Con

Adams Avenue Street Fair Chicano Park Day Balboa Park December Nights San Diego County Fair Tiki Oasis

BEST ART FRAMING ★★Aztec Graphics

Art of Framing The Frame Maker Nainsook Framing + Art Ray Street Custom Framing Sean’s Framing

BEST ART GALLERY ★★La Bodega Gallery Adelman Fine Art The Chuck Jones Gallery La Playa Gallery

★★Bowlero Chula Vista Kearny Mesa Bowl Parkway Bowl Poway Fun Bowl Punch Bowl Social Tavern+Bowl East Village

BEST CASINO

★★Harrah’s Resort Southern California Barona’s Resort and Casino Pala Casino Spa and Resort Sycuan Casino Valley View Casino and Hotel Viejas Casino + Resort

BEST COMEDY CLUB ★★American Comedy Co.

National Comedy Theater Old Town Improv Company The Comedy Palace The Comedy Store - La Jolla The World Famous Mad House Comedy Club

BEST CULTURAL FESTIVAL ★★San Diego Pride La Mesa Oktoberfest

BEST OF CONTINUED ON PAGE 68

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BEST OF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 66 Latin American Arts Fair Mariachi Fest Pacific Islander Festival San Diego International Fringe Festival

BEST DANCE STUDIO ★★Malashock Dance

City Ballet School Culture Shock Dance Center Edge Dance Academy GlitterTribe Studios San Diego School of Ballet

BEST FILM FESTIVAL

★★San Diego International Film Festival Oceanside International Film Festival San Diego Asian Film Festival San Diego Jewish Film Festival San Diego Latin Film Festival San Diego Surf Film Festival

BEST GOLF COURSE

★★Torrey Pines Golf Course Morley Field Disc Golf Course Presidio Hills Golf Course Riverwalk Golf Club Tecolote Canyon Golf Course

BEST LIVE THEATRE ★★The Old Globe

Cygnet Theatre Diversionary Theatre La Jolla Playhouse

Moxie Theatre North Coast Repertory Theatre San Diego Repertory Theatre

BEST MUSEUM

★★The San Diego Museum of Art Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego Museum of Photographic Arts San Diego History Center San Diego Natural History Museum USS Midway Museum

BEST PERFORMING ARTS GROUP

★★San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus Culture Shock Dance Center J7 Productions Malashock Dance School San Diego Ballet San Diego Homeless Choir

BEST THEATRE PRODUCTION

★★The Old Globe: The Lorax Coronado Playhouse: The Addams Family Culture Shock Dance: A Culture Shock Nutcracker La Jolla Playhouse: Summer: The Donna Summer Musical New Village Arts: Legally Blonde the Musical The Roustabouts Theatre Company: Romeo, Romeo, & Juliet

68 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

MUSIC

BEST DANCE CLUB

BEST CD / RECORD STORE

Bang Bang FLUXX Nightclub Moonshine Flats Onyx Room Nightclub Spin Nightclub

★★M-Theory Music

Cow Lou’s Records Record City Spin Records Vinyl Junkies Record Shack

BEST COFFEEHOUSE WITH LIVE MUSIC ★★Por Vida

Café 21 Java Joe’s Lestat’s West Music Venue Public Square Coffee House

BEST CONCERT CLUB ★★Belly Up

Brick by Brick Music Box Soda Bar The Casbah The Observatory North Park

BEST CONCERT VENUE

★★The Observatory North Park California Center for the Arts Escondido House of Blues San Diego Humphreys Concerts by the bay Music Box The Irenic

★★Rich’s

BEST JAZZ OR BLUES CLUB ★★Panama 66

Covo La Jolla Dizzy’s Humphreys Backstage Live Patricks Gaslamp Pub The Westgate Hotel

BEST MUSIC EQUIPMENT STORE ★★Guitar Center

Greene Music Mark’s Guitar Exchange Moze Guitars Pitbull Audio Sam Ash Music Stores

BEST MUSIC SCHOOL IN SAN DIEGO ★★School of Rock San Diego

Bertrand’s Music & Lessons San Diego International Academy of Jazz Recreational Music Center Rios Music Project Young Lions Jazz Conservatory

BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE (ALL AGES) BEST OPEN MIC NIGHT ★★The Observatory North Park

California Center for the Arts, Escondido Panama 66 SOMA Ché Café The Irenic

★★Lestat’s West Music Venue PB Cantina Pour House Saddle Bar American Comedy Co. Winstons Beach Club

BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE BEST PLACE TO SEE (OVER 21) LOCAL BANDS ★★House of Blues San Diego Belly Up Brick By Brick Moonshine Flats Music Box The Casbah Winstons Beach Club

★★The Casbah

Belly Up Brick By Brick Soda Bar The Tower Bar Winstons Beach Club

BEST OF CONTINUED ON PAGE 70

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BEST OF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 68

Steph Johnson Trio The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble

BEST SAN DIEGO AMERICANA BAND

BEST SAN DIEGO MUSIC EVENT

Berkley Hart Eve Selis Band Grampadrew’s Flim Flam Revue Jackslacks Sara Petite and the Sugar Daddies

Adams Avenue Street Fair CRSSD Fest Gator By The Bay San Diego Blues Festival San Diego County Fair

★★Trouble in the Wind

★★KAABOO Del Mar

BEST SAN DIEGO BLUES BAND

BEST SAN DIEGO ROCK BAND

The Bayou Brothers Bill Magee Blues Black Market III Jesse Nova and the Second Line Casey Hensley Band

Authentic Sellout The Farmers Electric Mud Safety Orange The UpShots

★★Whitney Shay

★★The Schizophonics

BEST SAN DIEGO CLUB DJ

BEST SAN DIEGO SINGER/SONGWRITER

DJ Artistic DJ Beatnick DJ Cros One DJ IDeaL DJ Red Sonya

Jeff Berkley Michael Tiernan Sarah Rogo Skyler Lutes Tolan Shaw

★★DJ Mancat

★★Shane Hall

Psydecar Split Finger Tribal Theory

The Broken Yolk Cafe The Menu

FOOD

★★Great Maple

BEST BAGEL SHOP ★★Big City Bagels Cafe D.Z. Akin’s Garden State Bagels I Love Bagels Influx Cafe P.L. Bagels

Blackmarket Bakery North Park Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe Hans & Harry’s Bakery Panchita’s Bakery Sugar and Scribe Bakery - Fine Food

BEST BARBEQUE ★★Phil’s BBQ

BBQ House Cali Comfort BBQ Coop’s West Texas BBQ Corbin’s Q Grand Ole BBQ Y Asado

Allison Adams Tucker Euphoria Brass Band Quartet Nouveau

Hirie Marujah

70 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

BEST BRUNCH SPOT 94th Aero Squadron Bali Hai Restaurant Breakfast Republic Hash House A Go Go Tom Ham’s Lighthouse RYAN BRADFORD

Breakfast Republic Richard Walker’s Pancake House Swami’s Cafe

Iowa Meat Farms Sepulveda Meats and Provisions Siesel’s Meats The Butcher Block Carniceria Meat Market Tip Top Meats

BEST CAJUN RESTAURANT

★★Bud’s Louisiana Café Bud & Rob’s New Orleans Bistro Crab Hut Crab Pub New Orleans Creole Cafe Proud Mary’s Southern Bar & Grill

★★Bread and Cie Bakery/Cafe

BEST SAN DIEGO WORLD BEST BREAKFAST MUSIC BAND ★★Hash House A Go Go ★★B-Side Players

★★The Heart and Trotter Butchery

BEST BAKERY

BEST SAN DIEGO JAZZ BAND ★★Gilbert Castellanos

BEST BUTCHER SHOP

BEST CASINO BUFFET

Hodad’s ★★The Buffet at Valley View

BEST BURGER ★★Hodad’s

Rocky’s Crown Pub Slater’s 50/50 The Balboa The Friendly The Heart & Trotter Butchery

BEST BURRITO

★★Lucha Libre Taco Shop Beerfish El Zarape Mexican Eatery Lolita’s Mexican Food Señor Grubby’s The Taco Stand

Casino & Hotel

Choices the Buffet at Pala Casino Spa & Resort Paipa’s Buffet at Sycuan Casino Seasons Fresh Buffet at Barona Resort & Casino The Buffet at Harrah’s Resort Southern California The Buffet at Viejas Casino & Resort

BEST CASINO RESTAURANT

★★Barona Oaks Steakhouse at Barona Resort & Casino

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BEST OF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 70 Black & Blue Steakhouse and Lounge at Valley View Casino & Hotel Fiore Steakhouse at Harrah’s Resort Southern California The Great Oak Steakhouse at Pechanga Resort & Casino The Grove Steakhouse at Viejas Casino & Resort Wachena at Sycuan Casino TJ OYSTER BAR / FACEBOOK

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT

★★Dumpling Inn & Shanghai Saloon Chin’s Szechwan Cuisine - Oceanside Jasmine Seafood Restaurant Mandarin House OB Noodle House Bar 1502 Royal Mandarin

BEST CUBANO SANDWICH ★★Havana 1920

Big Front Door Embargo Grill Havana Grill Miss B’s Coconut Club Pete’s Seafood and Sandwich

BEST CUPCAKES

★★Babycakes San Diego Cupcakes Squared Cute Cakes & Bakery and Cafe PURE Cupcakes Sprinkles Cupcakes and Ice Cream Yummy Cupcakes, Cakes and Truffles

TJ Oyster Bar BEST DELI

BEST CEVICHE ★★TJ Oyster Bar

Baja Oyster and Sushi Bar Ceviche House Karina’s Ceviches & More Oscar’s Mexican Seafood Senor Grubby’s

★★D.Z. Akin’s

Big Front Door Elijah’s Milton’s Rubicon Deli The Heart & Trotter

72 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

BEST DESSERT

★★Extraordinary Desserts Chocolat Hillcrest Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro Figaro Dessert Cafe Sugar and Scribe The Baked Bear

BEST DONUT SHOP ★★Donut Bar

Donut Star Mary’s Donuts & Coffee Nomad Donuts Rose Donuts VG Donut & Bakery

BEST ETHNIC FOOD MARKET ★★99 Ranch Market

Balboa International Market Mitsuwa Marketplace Northgate Market Zion Market

BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT

★★Filippi’s Pizza Grotto Corvette Diner La Bella Pizza Garden Station Tavern & Burgers Studio Diner Waypoint Public

BEST FARM TO TABLE RESTAURANT ★★Juniper & Ivy

Anthem Vegan Farmer’s Table La Mesa Jaynes Gastropub Nate’s Garden Grill Tiger!Tiger!

BEST FARMERS MARKET ★★Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market City Heights Farmers’ Market Hillcrest Farmers Market North Park Thursday Market Ocean Beach Farmers Market Oceanside Sunset Market

BEST FAST FOOD ★★In-N-Out Burger Burger Lounge Chick-fil-A Plant Power Fast Food Roberto’s Taco Shop Rubio’s Coastal Grill

BEST FISH TACOS

★★Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill Beerfish The Brigantine City Tacos Pacific Beach Fish Shop Señor Grubby’s

BEST FISH-N-CHIPS ★★Shakespeare Pub

Beerfish Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill

Churchill’s Pub & Grille Pacific Beach Fish Shop Princess Pub & Grille

BEST FOOD TRUCK ★★Tacos la Mezcla

Corazón de Torta Devilicious Food Truck Grater Grilled Cheese Mastiff Sausage Company Monster Crafts Food Truck

BEST FRIED CHICKEN ★★The Crack Shack

Cross Street Chicken and Beer Hash House A Go Go Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken Small Bar StreetCar Merchants of Fried Chicken Doughnuts + Coffee

BEST GELATO SHOP ★★Gelato Vero Caffe An’s Dry Cleaning Chocolat Cremerie Gaia Gelato Gelato Paradiso Pappalecco Caffe

BEST HOT DOG ★★Barrio Dogg

Daddy’s Hot Dogs Dog Haus Biergarten San Diego Fathom Bistro, Bait, and Tackle

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BEST OF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 72

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Arrivederci Ciao Ristorante Italiano Civico 1845 Piacere Mio Solare

Las Cuatros Milpas Old Town Mexican Café Ponce’s Mexican Restaurant SALUD! Señor Grubby’s

BEST LOCAL CATERING COMPANY

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Cohn Restaurant Group Gringas Tacos and Catering The French Gourmet The Wild Thyme Company Catering & Events Urban Kitchen Catering

Bivouac Ciderworks Grubby’s Poke & Fish Market Hundred Proof insideOUT STK San Diego Waterbar

★★Buona Forchetta

Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria Snappy Dog Chicago

BEST ICE CREAM SHOP ★★Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Yogurt Lighthouse Ice Cream Mariposa Handmade Ice Cream Mr. Frostie Salt & Straw ROYAL INDIA / FACEBOOK

★★San Diego Taco Company

BEST LUNCH SPOT ★★Carnitas’ Snack Shack

Royal India

C Level Lounge City Tacos Panama 66 Point Loma Seafoods The Local Eatery & Drinking Hole

BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT

BEST MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT

Himalayan Cuisine Himalayan Kitchen India Palace Punjabi Tandoor Taste of the Himalayas

Aladdin Café Luna Grill Mama’s Bakery & Lebanese Deli Mezé Greek Fusion Troy’s Greek Restaurant

★★Royal India

★★Olympic Café

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★★Cocina 35

★★Born and Raised

BEST ORGANIC FOOD STORE

★★Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Market Anthem Vegan Barons Market Jimbo’s...Naturally! Lazy Acres Natural Market Stehly Farms Market

BEST PHILLY CHEESESTEAK

★★Gaglione Bros. Famous Steaks & Subs Alex’s Brown Bag Calozzi’s Cheeesesteaks

Giorgino’s Philly Frank’s Steaks Surf Rider Pizza Co.

Pokirrito Valley Farm Market

BEST PIE SHOP

★★Julian Pie Company

★★Bully’s East Prime Bistro Sports Bar

Betty’s Pie Whole Saloon Mom’s Pie House Pop Pie Co. Chicken Pie Shop Village Kitchen & Pie Shoppe

Born and Raised Donovan’s Steak and Chop House Harley Gray Kitchen & Bar Island Prime The Butcher Shop

BEST PIZZA

BEST RAMEN

Borrelli’s Pizza & Italian Food Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria Pizzeria Luigi The Haven Pizzeria Woodstock’s Pizza

Beshock Ramen and Sake Bar Hachi Ramen Menya Ultra Rakiraki Ramen & Tsukemen Underbelly North Park

BEST PLACE FOR LATE NIGHT DINING

BEST RESTAURANT STAFF

Red Fox Room and Steakhouse and Piano Bar Rudford’s Restaurant Señor Grubby’s Studio Diner Tacos El Gordo The Taco Stand

Bleu Bohème Buona Forchetta CUCINA Enoteca Del Mar La Bonne Table Mister A’s

BEST POKE

★★Bali Hai Restaurant

★★Filippi’s Pizza Grotto

★★Brian’s 24

★★Grubby’s Poké & Fish Market Fish Pit Sushi POKÉ 123 Poki One N Half

BEST PRIME RIB

★★Tajima

★★Juniper & Ivy

BEST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT Coasterra Duke’s La Jolla

BEST OF CONTINUED ON PAGE 76

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OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 75

BEST OF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 74

Cheba Hut San Diego Ike’s Place Rubicon Deli The Deli Llama

Harney Sushi Sushi 2 Sushi Deli 1 Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub

BEST SALAD

BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

BEST TACOS

Barons Market Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse MAKE pizza+salad Rei Do Gado Brazilian Steakhouse Salad Style

Beerfish Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill Ironside Fish & Oyster Mitch’s Seafood The Brigantine

BEST SAN DIEGO CHEF

BEST SPANISH RESTAURANT

La Bonne Table Mister A’s The Marine Room

★★Souplantation

★★Anthony Wells (Juniper & Ivy) Abe Botello (Old City Hall) Chef Davin Waite (Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub) Chef Danilo “DJ” Tangalin (Bivouac Ciderworks) Gregory Chavez (Wine Vault & Bistro) Kevin Templeton (Barley Mash)

BEST SAN DIEGO RESTAURANT ★★Juniper & Ivy Born and Raised Buona Forchetta CUCINA urbana Herb & Wood Urban Solace

★★The Fish Market

★★Cafe Sevilla of San Diego Andres Restaurant Bar Bodega Berta’s Latin Cuisine Costa Brava Cueva Bar

BEST STEAKHOUSE

★★Cowboy Star Restaurant & Butcher Shop Born and Raised Donovan’s Steak & Chop House Island Prime STK San Diego The Butcher Shop

BEST SANDWICH SHOP

BEST SUSHI RESTAURANT

Big Front Door

Azuki Sushi

★★Board & Brew

★★Sushi Ota

76 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

★★City Tacos

Aqui es Texcoco ¡SALUD! Tacos El Gordo Taqueria 2 Potrillos The Taco Stand

BEST THAI RESTAURANT ★★Bahn Thai

55 Thai Kitchen Amarin Thai Bangkok Spices Thai Restaurant Rim Talay Thai Cuisine Saffron Thai

BEST VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN FOOD ★★KINDRED

Anthem Vegan Café Gratitude San Diego Plumeria Vegetarian Restaurant Sipz Vegetarian Fuzion Café Tiger!Tiger!

BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

★★OB Noodle House Bar 1502 Banh Mi Hoi An Phở Ca Dao Phở Hoa

Pho-Ever Saigon on Fifth

BEST WINGS ★★Dirty Birds

Arizona Cafe Cross Street Chicken and Beer Epic Wings N’ Things OB Noodle House & Sake Bar Redwing Bar & Grill

BEST YOGURT SHOP ★★Fiji Yogurt

Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt Paradise Yogurt Yog-Art Frozen Yogurt, Smoothies + Boba Teas Yogurt Mill Yogurtland

DRINK BEST BAR IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY ★★Waterfront Bar & Grill Bluefoot Bar and Lounge The High Dive Knotty Barrel The Tipsy Crow Wonderland Ocean Pub

BEST BAR TO PLAY POOL ★★McGregor’s Ale House Black Cat Bar Bluefoot Bar and Lounge

College Billiards Society PB Tidewater Tavern

BEST BEACH BAR

★★Wonderland Ocean Pub Fathom Bistro, Bait, and Tackle Lahaina Beach House Mavericks Beach Club PB Shore Club The Local Pacific Beach

BEST BLOODY MARY ★★Small Bar

Baja Betty’s Breakfast Republic GARAGE Kitchen + Bar Señor Grubby’s Wonderland Ocean Pub

BEST CIDERY

★★Newtopia Cyder Bivouac Ciderworks Julian Ciderworks Raging Cider & Mead Co. Serpentine Cider Turquoise Barn Cider

BEST CIGAR LOUNGE ★★Cuban Cigar Factory

Churchill Cigar Lounge and Wine Bar Cigar Grotto Excalibur Cigar & Scotch Lounge Hoffer’s Cigar Bar

BEST OF CONTINUED ON PAGE 78

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OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 77

BEST OF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 76 BEST COCKTAIL LOUNGE ★★Starlite

Bar Pink Pacific Shores Polite Provisions Seven Grand Sycamore Den

BEST COFFEE ROASTERS ★★Dark Horse Coffee Roasters Better Buzz Coffee Roasters Bird Rock Coffee Roasters Caffè Calabria Manzanita Roasting Company and Coffee House OB Beans Coffee Roasters

BEST CRAFT BEER STORE ★★Bottlecraft

Ale Tales Bine & Vine Bottle Shop Keg N Bottle Krisp Beverages + Natural Foods San Diego Wine & Beer Co.

BEST CRAFT COCKTAIL BAR ★★Polite Provisions Craft & Commerce KINDRED The Manhattan Seven Grand Sycamore Den

BEST COFFEEHOUSE

BEST DOWNTOWN / GASLAMP BAR

Better Buzz Coffee Cafe Madeleine North Park Cafe Moto Pannikin Coffee & Tea Pappalecco

Bootlegger Bub’s At The Ballpark The Local Eatery & Drinking Hole The Shout! House The Tipsy Crow

BEST CRAFT BEER BAR

BEST GENTLEMEN’S CLUB

★★Caffè Calabria

★★Hamilton’s Tavern

Fathom Bistro, Bait, and Tackle Machete Beer House O’Brien’s American Pub Small Bar Tiger!Tiger! Toronado Pub

★★BarleyMash

★★Cheetahs

Exposé Goldfingers Gentlemen’s Club Hong Kong Gentlemen’s Club Les Girls Pacers Showgirls International

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BEST HAPPY HOUR

★★OB Noodle House Bar 1502 Baja Betty’s Beerfish GARAGE Kitchen + Bar Señor Grubby’s Tavern at the Beach

BEST HOOKAH LOUNGE ★★Myst Lounge

Art Hookah Lounge Cleopatra’s Lounge Phantom Lounge and Nightclub Red Velvet Hookah Lounge The Sheesha Lounge

BEST IRISH PUB ★★The Field Irish Pub

Hooleys Public House O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant Rosie O’Grady’s The Harp The Ould Sod

Gilly’s HIVE Redwing Bar & Grill

BEST LGBTQ BAR ★★Gossip Grill

Redwing Bar & Grill Rich’s The Merrow The Rail Urban MO’s Bar & Grill

BEST LOCAL CRAFT BEER

★★AleSmith Brewing Company: San Diego Pale Ale .394 Belching Beaver Brewery: Peanut Butter Milk Stout Duck Foot Brewing Co.: Secret Spot IPA Mike Hess Brewing: Grapefruit Solis IPA Mother Earth Brew Co.: Cali Creamin’ Resident Brewing: Chasing Citra IPA

BEST JUKEBOX AT A BAR

BEST LOCAL CRAFT DISTILLERY

Cherry Bomb Small Bar The High Dive The Silver Fox Lounge Turf Supper Club

619 Spirits Distillery + Tasting Room Henebery Spirits Malahat Spirits Old Harbor Distilling Co. You and Yours Distilling Co.

BEST KARAOKE BAR

BEST LOCAL CRAFT SPIRIT

★★Live Wire

★★The Lamplighter

Carriage House Cocktails & Karaoke Cheers Bar and Grill

★★Cutwater Spirits

★★Cutwater Spirits: Bali Hai Tiki Gold Rum

619 Vodka: 619 Vodka Henebery Spirits: Small Batch Infused Rye Whiskey Malahat Distilling: Cabernet Barrel Aged Rum Old Harbor: San Miguel Southwestern Gin Trust Me Vodka: Trust Me Organic Vodka

BEST MARGARITA ★★Cantina Mayahuel

PB Cantina Ponce’s Rockin’ Baja Lobster Señor Grubby’s Tamarindo Latin Kitchen & Bar

BEST MARTINI BAR ★★Turf Supper Club

Born and Raised Cowboy Star Restaurant & Butcher Shop Martinis Above Fourth | Table + Stage Pacifica Del Mar Tony’s Martini Bar

BEST MICHELADA ★★Bar Sin Nombre

The Blind Burro Cerveza Jack’s Galaxy Taco Ponce’s Mexican Restaurant Puesto

BEST OF CONTINUED ON PAGE 80

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OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 79

BEST OF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 78 BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR ★★Nunu’s

Bluefoot Bar and Lounge Hamilton’s Tavern Live Wire OB Noodle House Bar 1502 Rosie O’Grady’s MACHETE BEER HOUSE / FACEBOOK

Bar Sin Nombre insideOUT Punch Bowl Social Waterbar

Bagby Beer Company Karl Strauss Brewing Company SD TapRoom The Local Eatery & Drinking Hole

BEST NEW BREWERY

BEST SAN DIEGO BREWERY

★★Northern Pine Brewing

BLACK PLAGUE Brewing Deft Brewing Latchkey Brewing Company Savagewood Brewing Company Wild Barrel Brewing Company

BEST NORTH COUNTY BAR ★★Señor Grubby’s

Machete Beer House

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR TO DANCE AT ★★The Whistle Stop Bar

The Air Conditioned Lounge Bar Pink Park & Rec Silver Dollar U31

BEST NEW BAR ★★Raised by Wolves

619 Spirits Distillery and Tasting Room

Encinitas Ale House Mission Avenue Bar and Grill Mr. Peabody’s Bar & Grill Live Music The Regal Seagull Union Kitchen & Tap

BEST OUTDOOR BAR

★★Panama 66

Beerfish Fathom Bistro, Bait, and Tackle PB Shore Club Sunshine Company Saloon The Local Pacific Beach

BEST SAN DIEGO BREW PUB ★★Blind Lady Ale House

Amplified Ale Works Kitchen + Beer Garden

80 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

★★Ballast Point Brewing Company AleSmith Brewing Company Duck Foot Brewing Company Fall Brewing Company Mike Hess Brewing Societe Brewing Company

BEST SAN DIEGO BREWERY TASTING ROOM

★★AleSmith Brewing Company Belching Beaver Karl Strauss Brewing Company Tasting Room and Beer Garden Modern Times Flavordome North Park Beer Company Second Chance Beer Lounge

BEST SAN DIEGO DIVE BAR ★★The Silver Fox Lounge Aero Club Live Wire The High Dive The Lancers Waterfront Bar & Grill

BEST SAN DIEGO WINERY

★★Orfila Vineyards and Winery

Bernardo Winery Carruth Cellars Urban Winery + Tasting Room Cordiano Winery Fallbrook Winery Vesper Vineyards

BEST SANGRIA

★★Cafe Sevilla of San Diego Costa Brava Del Sur Mexican Cantina Encontro Pokez Mexican Restaurant The Blind Burro

BEST SMOOTHIE/JUICE BAR ★★The Mad Beet Nékter Juice Bar Northside Shack Senor Mangos Swami’s Cafe Unico Juice Shop

BEST SOUTH BAY BAR ★★Machete Beer House Bar Sin Nombre La Bella Pizza Garden The Manhattan Silver Dollar Third Avenue Alehouse

BEST SPORTS BAR

★★McGregor’s Ale House Arizona Cafe Bluefoot Bar and Lounge Bub’s at the Ballpark ElbowRoom True North Tavern

BEST TEQUILA BAR ★★Cantina Mayahuel

Baja Betty’s El Agave Tequileria El Chingon La Puerta Tamarindo Latin Kitchen & Bar

BEST UPTOWN BAR ★★Park & Rec

Bluefoot Bar and Lounge Cherry Bomb Hundred Proof The Merrow Uptown Tavern

BEST WINE BAR ★★Vin de Syrah

Carruth Cellars Urban Winery Pali Wine Co. Splash Wine Lounge and Bistro The Rose Wine Bar

BEST WINE SHOP

★★San Diego Wine & Beer Co. Bine & Vine Bottle Shop The Rose The Wine Bank The Wine Lover

@SDCITYBEAT

OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 81

CULTURE | FILM

Ordinary people

Beautiful Boy

Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet can’t save a meek addiction drama by Glenn Heath Jr.

But Van Groeningen’s direction and pacing is mostovies about drug addiction usually fall into two groups: visceral descents into hell that ly tedious and bafflingly inert. Conflicts and apologies use cinematic style to replicate the euphor- repeat and blur together, mirroring the endless rotaic rush of narcotics (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, tions between recovery and relapse to an almost funTrainspotting), or numbingly serious portraits of those damentally austere level. This might make for a faithloved ones who find their lives turned upside down ful depiction of both the source material and real life occurrences involving addiction, but it doesn’t transmerely by association (Ordinary People). Felix Van Groeningen’s Beautiful Boy, a blatant and late well to the screen under the Belgian director’s eye. Making matters worse, the film’s awkward score well-meaning lunge for Oscar gold, falls squarely into the latter category. Based on the memoir of the same encroaches at all the wrong times, suffocating genuname, the film jumps around in time as San Francisco- ine moments of inflection with horribly timed clasbased freelance writer David Sheff (Steve Carell) tries sic rock crescendos. Never trust a film that won’t let to help his teenage son Nicolas (Timothée Chalamet) a dramatic moment breathe without the crutch of music. Beautiful Boy (opening Friday, Oct. 19, at Landovercome a crippling dependence on crystal meth. Through the non-linear editing approach, child- mark Hillcrest Cinemas) doesn’t have the guts to dehood innocence juxtaposes with adolescent isolation pict addiction as an experience that could exist outas Nicolas’ gradual path to addiction comes into fo- side the comfort zone of mainstream aesthetics. Compared to Half Nelson, a brave 2006 indie starcus. Feelings of insecurity stemming from his parent’s ring Ryan Gosling as a high school divorce suggest that the young teacher being obliterated by man feels stuck between identidrugs, Van Groeningen’s film is, in ties. In the meantime, David has BEAUTIFUL many ways, a perfectly calibrated remarried and fathered two other BOY movie-of-the-week. Its end credchildren. But even with added its are precluded by stats regardcomplexity of familial disconDirected by Felix Van Groeningen ing drug addiction in modern nect, the rationale behind NicoStarring Steve Carell, America, as if the story’s theme las’ self-destructive tendencies Timothée Chalamet, needed an exclamation point for remains obtuse at best. Maura Tierney and Amy Ryan good measure. Each stage of the difficult proRated R On the surface, Beautiful Boy cess perpetuates more cycles of emits a perceived honesty about trauma. For every supportive and the complexities of human inpro-active gesture David makes to help Nicolas, he offers an equally authoritative out- teraction thanks mostly to the superb cast. But deep burst. Nicolas also seems torn by competing impulses, down, it’s a manipulative tearjerker shoving toughnamely the need to fill a void with drugs and the simul- as-nails real life experiences through a cinema straintaneous desire to seek treatment. Eventually, the situa- er. What comes out the other end is perfectly shaped tion splinters outward to affect other family members, and limp as a noodle. including David’s new wife Karen (Maura Tierney). Which is a shame because there’s potential here This isn’t the first time Van Groeningen has dealt for a more abstract and lasting assessment of the curwith the topic of emotional suffering. His 2013 film rent opioid epidemic. Carell and Chalamet are both The Broken Circle Breakdown is similarly interested in superb actors obviously willing to dig deep in order to the compromises and frustrations that arise within a discover their characters’ inner tumult. And yet Van family under distress. During its best moments, Beau- Groeningen chooses to deliver their pathos on a silver tiful Boy matches that film’s raw intensity. Sometimes platter, with just enough rough-around-the-edges reit even becomes a moving testament to the resilient alism to trick you into thinking it’s raw. The end result familial bonds that allow people to weather years of is akin to attending a two-hour funeral for someone uncertainty and stress. One austere coffeehouse ex- who’s still alive. change between father and son uncovers the unspoken shame that fuels anger in both men, leaving them Film reviews run weekly. stricken by helplessness. Write to glennh@sdcitybeat.com

82 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

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CULTURE | FILM

The Guilty

@SDCITYBEAT

The Guilty: In this single-location thriller from Denmark, a corrupt beat cop receives a distress call that makes his last night on the job especially stressful. Opens Friday, Oct. 19, at Landmark’s Ken Cinema.

—Glenn Heath Jr.

The Craft: A high school girl meets three new best friends who are very interested in exploring her telepathic powers. Screens at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas.

Call waiting

n The Guilty, a single-location thriller from Denmark, hearing something doesn’t necessarily make it true. Benched cop Asgher Holm (Jakob Cendergren) awaits a ruling regarding his suspicious officer-involved shooting by serving desk duty at Emergency Services. Most of the calls from injured drunks or shady men ripped off by sex workers test his patience; the street is where he feels most aggressively at home. Director and co-writer Gustav Möller, making his feature film debut, uses each phone conversation to build tension with words filling

He’s used to relying on his eyes to assess any given scene, but his ears aren’t up to the task. Emotion fuels his every wrong move. There’s a limit to the film’s effectiveness being set entirely in the glass corridors of the police station. Scenes that rely heavily on intricate sound design really pop, but the visuals (cumbersome close-ups, tepid two-shots) lack the energy to match. When all is said and done, Asgher’s faux-heroism is more indicative of a reckless individual who’s simply prolonging the inevitable.

in the gaps of an ongoing case that changes minute by minute. Spatially, the cold confines of Asgher’s dispatch center resemble a prison cell, with the calls to Iben and other key players serving as his only lifeline out. In classic fashion, this breakneck experience helps reveal the compromised ethical principles that landed him here in the first place. Rushing to judgment turns into a critical motif in The Guilty (opening Friday, Oct. 19, at the Landmark Ken Cinema), providing the necessary gust of wind that realigns Asgher’s moral compass.

OPENING Beautiful Boy: Steve Carell stars as a writer who tries to help his teenage son (Timothée Chalamet) kick an addiction to hard drugs in this drama based on real events. Opens Friday, Oct. 19, at Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas. Halloween: Director David Gordon Green reboots John Carpenter’s classic slasher film about a massive knife-wielding maniac out to murder his estranged sister. Opens Friday, Oct. 19 in wide release. The Hola Mexico Film Tour: This traveling film festival features eight of the most popular and acclaimed recently released Mexican movies. Opens Friday, Oct. 19, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.

The Happy Prince: The tragic last days of Oscar Wilde’s life are depicted in this period comedy by star and director Rupert Everett. Opens Friday, Oct. 19 at Angelika Film Center–Carmel Mountain. The Oath: Ike Barinholtz directs and stars in this nasty dark comedy set in an eerily familiar America where the government has asked every citizen to sign a loyalty pledge. Tiffany Haddish co-stars. Opens in wide release Friday, Oct. 19.

ONE TIME ONLY

Edward Scissorhands: Johnny Depp plays a gentle young man with scissors for hands in Tim Burton’s magical romance about conformity and individuality. Screens at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma. Psycho: Alfred Hitchcock’s twisted thriller about a mommy-obsessed killer who runs a roadside motel. Screens at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18 through Saturday, Oct. 20, at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

For complete movie

listings, visit Film at sdcitybeat.com.

OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 83

STEFFANNIE WALK

MUSIC

Luz Elena Mendoza n life there are no coincidences, and Luz Elena Mendoza’s first name is proof. The heart of Portland band Y La Bamba, Mendoza is a warrior of light, resilience and creative ingenuity. Born singing mariachis of Michoacan in Southern Oregon, her haunting yet calming bluegrass folk vocals are rooted in Mexican tradition. Mendoza’s voice resounds with a profound sense of history, her guitar strumming soft but with gripping presence. Ojos del Sol, Y La Bamba’s fourth album, was released in 2016 and chronicles a deeply intimate journey of personal growth and perseverance. The record came after a nearly four-year-long hiatus that Mendoza spent processing and healing from past traumas. The Chicana views her music and art as the bridge between her own experiences and the shared histories of her family and ancestors. Mendoza and I have never met, but recently discovered we are related by blood. Throughout our conversation, nearly every question I ask slowly morphs into stories of Mendoza’s family. That’s because as much as Ojos del Sol is her story, it’s also equally

her family’s story. “Every time I make a record, I think of my family,” she says. “It’s for them. I always want to write music that they can understand and connect to.” She yearns for acceptance and reciprocation of her love, a theme constant in her music. Mendoza feels the weight of the world on her soul, mourning her own losses with those of others past and present. Instead of becoming paralyzed, she has fought hard over the past years to free herself of anger’s grasp. This evolution in finding her sense of peace is marked in her verses throughout the album. On “Ostrich” she sings, “I may have lost all of my reason so I could love the way that I can.” Mendoza’s capacity for love is vast. In many ways, Ojos del Sol is a plea to end the cycle of suffering. “I am constantly healing the oppressed through sound and energy,” she explains. “Music for me is my diary and philosophies. I’m growing and people get to watch my evolution [through] music.” She equates her time away from Y La Bamba with a head-

84 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

ache—something that came with no apparent rhyme or reason yet to which she had to succumb. We talk about the album being framed as a comeback. She laughs and says that emotional comebacks don’t exist. “People forget that music is healing in nature. Music is an extension of how I feel inside, and it’s my process. It’s so important for us to hold space when we need to.” When asked how she knew she was ready to make music as Y La Bamba again, she says, “The same way I knew I had to stop.” As we share tales of our overlapping chronology, it becomes evident that the deeply sensitive Mendoza also holds boundless empathy for others. I joke about screwing the haters; she asks for their tolerance. I refer to toxicity; she refers to the darkness. Her language is intentionally wrapped in positivity, and it isn’t an act. “In vulnerability comes understanding.

If you’re not vulnerable, then you won’t be able to hold space for another person,” she explains. Mendoza is also a dreamer. “I want to invite new ways to court one another [and] feel that there needs to be a revolution of change of how we are vulnerable with one another.” Ojos del Sol is also an account of navigating identity and the duality of being Mexican-American. She flips the script of being “half,” and instead tries to express how hard it is to house two whole identities as a woman who is 100-percent Mexican and still 100-percent American. It can be overwhelming, but she assures me that we are blessed in our duality. Like her music, Mendoza seamlessly swaps between English and Spanish as we speak. “When I sing in Spanish, I am singing the song of my blood. I feel that I am not alone. I sing [to my family and ancestors]. I see them there.” She pauses. “When I sing in English, it’s where I connect everything. It [represents] the gift of knowing another way to think and express, and having the opportunity to think for myself [having been] raised in America.” Creating music and art is second nature to Mendoza. “I am driven by a force que no soy yo,” she reveals, alluding to the pull she feels beyond herself. Built into the Ojos del Sol’s Kickstarter campaign were resources for Mendoza to produce a series of visual art pieces for each song. The intricate, hand-cut stencils are both powerful in imagery and delicate in durability. What began as an inexplicable desire to make kites on tour slowly evolved into yet another form of expression mastered. “It was a mirror,” she says. “Whenever I was hard on myself, doing my art made me more free in my music. They were buddies that needed each other.” Mendoza continues to undo grief, and sees the pain she’s endured as a guide toward strength and compassion. Pain has been her teacher, and this album celebrates her countless triumphs. While she warns “there is a danger to stay asleep when one is alive,” in the song “Ulysses,” she hopes that her words can awaken others to their own value and stre ngth. Above all else, Ojos del Sol pushes listeners one step closer to a world where we’re all connected and loved.

@SDCITYBEAT

OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 85

MUSIC

IF I WERE U

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

Our picks for the week’s top shows

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 17

PLAN A: U.S. Girls, Heavy Hawaii @ Soda Bar. If you’re not familiar with the onewoman revolution that is Meghan Remy, you owe it to yourself to check her out. The artist behind U.S. Girls has been releasing experimental indie-pop for over ten years, mixing in everything from reggae breaks and disco hooks to Eno-esque synths and hip-hop samples. PLAN B: The Joy Formidable, Tancred @ The Casbah. This Welsh trio reminds us of a millennially updated version of ’90s band Garbage. Check out their new singles, “The Wrong Side” and “The Better Me” for a sense of their loud/quiet/loud sensibilities. And we really like opener Tancred’s grungy, anthemic indie-rock. BACKUP PLAN: St. Lucia, The Night Game @ Observatory North Park.

THURSDAY, OCT. 18

PLAN A: Le Butcherettes, Le Ra, Stars at Night, Niña Dioz @ The Casbah. For over a decade, Butcherettes frontwoman Teri Gender Bender has been a garage-punk wrecking ball. 2011’s Sin Sin Sin remains an

understated masterpiece of intersectional rage, but this year’s Bi/Mental, sees the Guadalajara-born group exploring darker, synthheavy territory. Thankfully, Bender’s guttural howl remains front and center. PLAN B: Fidlar, Dilly Dally, The Side Eyes @ Observatory North Park. Fidlar’s 2013 debut was a kick-in-the-face blast of snidey punk and even though the group doesn’t release new albums very often, have you heard their 2015 single, “West Coast”? It’s a blitzed bro bop. BACKUP PLAN: StayLoose, brothel. @ Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, OCT. 19

PLAN A: Devon Welsh, T. Gowdy @ Soda Bar. For those who haven’t heard Devon Welsh’s band Majical Cloudz, stop what you’re doing right now, listen to the song “Downtown” and try not to be haunted by the man’s magical pipes. Oh, and those pipes are certainly on display on his recently released solo album, Dream Songs. PLAN B: At the Gates, Wolves in the Throne Room, Thrown into Exile @ House of Blues. If former music editor Jeff Terich were still here, this show would probably be Plan A.

86 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

At the Gates’ new album, To Drink From the Night Itself, is a blistering 45 minutes of melodic death metal that should be played on repeat at the San Diego Magazine offices. BACKUP PLAN: Braxton Cook @ The Loft @ UCSD.

SATURDAY, OCT. 20

PLAN A: Michael Nau & the Mighty Thread, Erin Rae @ The Casbah. Nau is probably best known for Cotton Jones, but his side project is just as good, as evidenced on their recently released selftitled album, which mixes Americana leanings with singer-songwriter pop in the key of Harry Nilsson. PLAN B: “Scallywag!” w/ Rancid, Less Than Jake, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Interrupters, Hepcat, Beach Goons @ Waterfront Park. Honestly, the only reason this is in here is because our web editor Ryan Bradford loves to skank and pump his fist to “Ruby Soho.” That’s it. BACKUP PLAN: D.R.I., Scullcrack, Big Scary Robot @ Brick By Brick.

SUNDAY, OCT. 21

PLAN A: Madeline Kenney, Rose Droll @ Che Café Collective. Originally from Oakland, Kenney packed her bags after the release of her first album and headed to the woods of North Carolina. The result is the

recently released Perfect Shapes, a stark but somehow still lush set of songs that sound like St. Vincent at her most reserved. PLAN B: H2O, Comeback Kid, The Eulogy @ Soda Bar. Ryan Bradford describes this show as “old-school, hardcore punk” and thinks “you would hate this, but this would be a dream for 15-year-old me.” ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ BACKUP PLAN: Nowehereland, The Littlest Viking, Secret Lynx @ The Casbah. SHERVIN LAINEZ

MONDAY, OCT. 22

PLAN A: Matthew Sweet, Mostly Sunny @ Belly Up. ’90s kids will remember Sweet from his two underrated masterpieces (Girlfriend and 100% Fun), but he hasn’t stopped making new music. We’re not sayTancred ing all that music is good, but Sweet is known to play the hits. BACKUP PLAN: AJ Froman, Demasiado, Braggers @ Soda Bar.

TUESDAY, OCT. 23

PLAN A: Insane Clown Posse @ Brick By Brick. According to the aforementioned Ryan Bradford, “This should actually be the only thing in IIWU,” but hey, if singing along to “Miracles” and getting drenched in Faygo isn’t your thing, we recommmend… BACKUP PLAN: Deap Valley, The Paranoyds, Low Volts @ The Casbah.

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OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 87

MUSIC

CONCERTS HOT! NEW! FRESH!

The Offspring (BUT, 11/7), Beekeeper (Soda Bar, 11/23), Har Mar Superstar, Sabrina Ellis (Casbah, 12/7), Death Valley Girls (Soda Bar, 12/14), Poolside (Music Box, 12/27), Ozomatli (Music Box, 1/25), Buck-O-Nine (Casbah, 1/26), Wild Child (Soda Bar, 1/30), Atmosphere (Observatory, 2/8), Okilly Dokilly (Casbah, 2/1), Radar State (Casbah, 2/10), Sharon Van Etten (Observatory, 2/28), Adia Victoria (Casbah, 3/5)

CANCELED The Magic Numbers (Casbah, 10/22).

GET YER TICKETS Insane Clown Posse (Brick By Brick, 10/23) Thievery Corporation (BUT, 10/23), Jay Rock (SOMA, 10/25), Dawes (Observatory, 10/29), Agent Orange (Observatory North Park 10/28), Jim James (BUT, 11/1), Cloud Nothings (Casbah, 11/1), Wolfmother (Observatory, 11/1), Maxwell (Humphreys, 11/2), Dia de los Deftones w/ Deftones, Future, Rocket from the Crypt (Petco Park, 11/3), Lucero (Observatory, 11/7), Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin (Irenic, 11/7), Milo (SPACE, 11/8), Little Dragon (Observatory, 11/8), Morrissey (Copley Symphony Hall, 11/10), Ghost (Spreckels Theatre, 11/12), Blitzen Trapper (BUT, 11/12), J Mascis (Soda Bar, 11/15), Billie Eilish (SOMA, 11/17),

88 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

Joywave, Sir Sly (Observatory, 11/18), Every Time I Die (Observatory, 11/20), Eyehategod (Brick by Brick, 11/20), Cat Power (Observatory, 11/24), Municipal Waste (Brick by Brick, 11/25), How to Dress Well (Casbah, 11/27), Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus (Observatory, 11/29), Godflesh (Brick by Brick, 12/1), Old 97s (BUT, 12/2), Fucked Up (Soda Bar, 12/5), Squirrel Nut Zippers (BUT, 12/6), Pale Waves (Irenic, 12/7), Neko Case, Destroyer (Observatory, 12/8), Fleetwood Mac (Viejas Arena, 12/8), Kurt Vile (Observatory, 12/9), Amine (Observatory, 12/11), Middle Kids (Soda Bar, 12/13), Thou (Che Café, 12/13),The Soft Moon (BUT, 12/17), Ministry (HOB, 12/18), Donavon Frankenreiter (BUT, 12/28-29), Jefferson Starship (BUT, 1/9-10), Bananarama (Observatory, 1/27).

OCTOBER WEDNESDAY, OCT. 17 St. Lucia at Observatory North Park. Thievery Corporation at Belly Up Tavern. U.S. Girls at Soda Bar. The Joy Formidable at The Casbah. Growlers at SOMA.

THURSDAY, OCT. 18 FIDLAR at Observatory North Park. Bret Bollinger and the Bad Habits at Belly Up Tavern. Genitorturers at Brick by Brick. Le Butcherettes at The Casbah. Chase Atlantic at The Irenic. StayLoose at Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, OCT. 19 hed(p.e.) at Brick by Brick. Metalachi at Belly Up Tavern. The Lemon Twigs at Mu-

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 89

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MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 88 sic Box. Maggie Rogers at Observatory North Park (sold out). The Silent Comedy at The Casbah (sold out). Abolishment of Flesh at SPACE. Devon Welsh at Soda Bar. Slow Hollows at Che Café.

SATURDAY, OCT. 20 Allen Stone at Humphreys by the Bay (sold out). Michael Nau and the Mighty Thread at Soda Bar. Roast of Ronnie Radke at The Irenic. D.R.I. at Brick by Brick. Alex Clare at Music Box. Tom Misch at Observatory North Park. Welshly Arms at Belly Up Tavern. Orgone at Music Box. Motopony at Soda Bar. Vinyl Theatre at House of Blues Voodoo Room.

by the Bay. Mac Ayres at Soda Bar. Jim James at Belly Up Tavern. Cloud Nothings at The Casbah. Anthony Jeselnik at Balboa Theatre. The Meteors at Brick by Brick. Wolfmother at Observatory North Park.

FRIDAY, NOV. 2 Maxwell at Humphreys by the Bay. Lil Pump at SOMA. Rozwell Kid at Che Café. The Selecter, The English Beat at The Casbah (sold out). Gorgon City at Observatory North Park (sold out). Mr. Twin Sister at Soda Bar.

SATURDAY, NOV. 3 Clan of Xymox at The Casbah (sold out). The Internet at Observatory North Park (sold out). Mac Miller at Open Air Theatre.

Dia de los Deftones: Deftones, Future, Rocket from the Crypt at Petco Park.

SUNDAY, NOV. 4 The Menzingers at Music Box. CKY at Brick by Brick.

MONDAY, NOV. 5 MC Chris at Soda Bar.

TUESDAY, NOV. 6 Suffocation at Brick by Brick.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7 Paper Kites at House of Blues. Lucero at Observatory North Park. Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin at The Irenic. Vundabar

at House of Blues. Musiq Soulchild at Music Box.

THURSDAY, NOV. 8 Film School at Whistle Stop. Goo Goo Dolls at House of Blues. Kuinka at The Casbah. Goatwhore at Brick by Brick. Three Dog Night at Belly Up Tavern. Little Dragon at Observatory North Park. Milo at SPACE. Birdtalker at Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, NOV. 9 Greensky Bluegrass at Observatory. Kyle Craft at Soda Bar.

SATURDAY, NOV. 10 The Crystal Method at Music Box. All

Them Witches at The Casbah. Khruangbin at Observatory North Park (sold out). Pepper at Del Mar Fairgrounds. Morrissey at Copley Symphony Hall.

SUNDAY, NOV. 11 Digital Lizards of Doom at The Casbah.

MONDAY, NOV. 12 Ghost at Spreckels Theatre. Tacocat at Casbah. Blitzen Trapper at Belly Up Tavern. Jesse Dayton at Soda Bar. Rex Orange County at Observatory (sold out).

MUSIC CONTINUED ON PAGE 90

SUNDAY, OCT. 21 Whethan at Observatory North Park. KT Tunstall at Belly Up Tavern. Tamia at Music Box. Michaele Graves at Brick by Brick. Madeline Kenney at Che Café. H2O at Soda Bar. Nowhereland at The Casbah.

MONDAY, OCT. 22 ZHU at Observatory North Park. Matthew Sweet at Belly Up Tavern. Simple Minds at Humphreys by the Bay (sold out). The Magic Numbers at The Casbah. Ingested at Brick by Brick. AJ Froman at Soda Bar.

TUESDAY, OCT. 23 Basia at Humphreys by the Bay. Thievery Corporation at Belly Up Tavern. Jesse and Joy at Music Box. Insane Clown Posse at Brick by Brick. Deap Vally at The Casbah. Billy Strings at Soda Bar.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 24 Alina Baraz at Observatory North Park. Exploded View at Whistle Stop.

THURSDAY, OCT. 25 Alina Baraz at Observatory North Park. Mad Caddies at Brick by Brick. Goldfish at Belly Up Tavern. Mouse on the Keys at Irenic. Jay Rock at SOMA. Molly Burch at Soda Bar.

FRIDAY, OCT. 26 Tribal Seeds at Observatory North Park. The Donkeys at Soda Bar. Dead Man’s Party at Belly Up Tavern.

SATURDAY, OCT. 27 Tab Benoit at Belly Up Tavern. The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band at Soda Bar. The Creepy Creeps at The Casbah. Børns at Observatory North Park.

SUNDAY, OCT. 28 Agent Orange at Observatory North Park. Jesse Colin Young at Belly Up Tavern. Michigan Rattlers at Soda Bar.

MONDAY, OCT. 29 Real Friends at The Irenic. Joshua Hedley at Soda Bar. Y La Bamba at SPACE. Dawes at Observatory North Park. Tech N9ne at House of Blues. Real Friends at The Irenic.

TUESDAY, OCT. 30 Still Corners at The Casbah.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 31 In Flames at House of Blues. Caamp at Soda Bar.

NOVEMBER THURSDAY, NOV. 1 Lea Michele, Darren Criss at Humphreys

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OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 89

BY CHRISTIN BAILEY

ASTROLOGICALLY UNSOUND Weekly forecasts from the so-called universe ARIES (March 21 - April 19): Like a snake shedding its skin, the memory of you lingers even after you leave the room… and it’s really grossing everybody out. TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. But when that chain breaks in half, you just have two structurally perfect chains instead of one faulty one, so what’s the problem? GEMINI (May 21 - June 20): May it soothe you to know that however badly you behave, you will never be half as malevolent and evil as a common desktop printer. CANCER (June 21 - July 22): If you stomp around in sopping socks, you’ll never have to endure the split-second terror that occurs when you accidentally step in something wet while barefoot. LEO (July 23 - August 22): The world is in the middle of a mass extinction event and serious climate crisis so if you’re listening to anything other than Greatest Hits compilations, you’re wasting your time. VIRGO (August 23 - September 22): You have the look of a naked tin can in the back of a pantry; dangerous, mysterious and possibly expired, but no one can dispose of you until they find out for sure.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22): When you look back on your life this week, some things may stand out as uniquely special. Unless you go to an aquarium, in which case you’ll just confuse it for the other times you went to an aquarium. SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): It is of minor importance to practice forgiveness. Sure, it’s nice, but it is much more crucial to practice locating sources of potable water in the scorched wilderness. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 December 21): If 1/12th of the people reading this column all jumped to reading this horoscope because it aligned with their birthdate, would you jump to it too? CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19): There is something special that sets you apart from everyone else, and it’s not your DNA—wait, I said too much. Forget the thing I said about other people having your DNA. AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18): Let the commercials run without pressing “skip ad” for the same emotional release as running your tongue over a pained tooth. PISCES (February 19 - March 20): Don’t look now but that guy in the tattered cloak is totally checking you out. Oh my god, he’s literally beckoning you with his menacing, skeletal finger right now. You’re so lucky.

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

MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 89 TUESDAY, NOV. 13 Rex Orange County at Observatory (sold out). Paula Abdul at Copley Symphony Hall. Black Lips, Iceage at House of Blues.

rCLUBSr

710 Beach Club, 710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach. Wed: Open Mic. Thu: ‘Liquid Courage Karaoke’. Fri: Lady Dottie & the Diamonds, The Naked I. Sat: Joey Harkum, Kyle Smith Band, The Gravities. Sun: ‘Sunday Funday Karaoke’. Tue: Reverie Noise. Air Conditioned Lounge, 4673 30th St., Normal Heights. Wed: ‘Hip Hop House SD’. Thu: ‘Funky Lil Beat’. Fri: ‘House Music Friday’. Sat: DJ Mike Czech. Sun: ‘Chvrch’. Mon: ‘Organized Grime’. Tue: ‘Kizomba Night’. American Comedy Co., 818 B Sixth Ave., Downtown. Thu: King Bach. Fri: Dan Soder. Sat: Dan Soder. Tue: Open Mic. The Bancroft, 9143 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Wed: Karaoke. Thu: Full Monty, Pervert, the Mendenhall Experiment. Fri: Lost Dakota, Dead End DriveIn, The Midnight Bock, Lineup Rookie, The Waste Aways. Sat: Research, FOCR. Sun: Sol, Necrodancer, Neurotic Mirage, Kanok. Mon: ‘Trivia with Arnie’. Tue: Karaoke. Bang Bang, 526 Market St., Downtown. Wed: Thu: Fri: Touch Sensitive, Adam Salter. Sat: Ladies of LCD Soundsystem.

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Bar Pink, 3829 30th St., North Park. Thu: ‘Throwback Thursday’. Fri: Teenage Goo Goo Muck. Beaumont’s, 5665 La Jolla Blvd., La Jolla. Fri: Born Fighters. Sat: Pollinators. Tue: Joanna Gerolaga. Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Wed: Thievery Corporation. Thu: Bret Bollinger & The Bad Habits. Fri: Metalachi. Sat: Welshy Arms. Sun: KT Tunstall. Mon: Matthew Sweet. Tue: Thievery Corporation. Black Cat Bar, 4246 University Ave., City Heights. Fri: Hiroshima Mockingbirds, Thee Allyrgic Reaction, Twin Guns. Sat: Infinity Eyes, Bosswitch, Wizard Woes. Blonde, 1808 W. Washington St., Mission Hills. Wed: ‘Dance Klassique’. Thu: ‘Chocolate’. Fri: ‘We Are Your Friends’. Sat: ‘Bump’. Mon: ‘Blue Monday’. Tue: ‘Techno Tuesdays’. Brick by Brick, 1130 Buenos Ave., Bay Park. Thu: Genitorturers, Echo Black, The Offering, Killing Tyranny. Fri: Abolishment of Flesh, Begat the Nephilim, Mutilated by Zombies. Sat: D.R.I., Skullcrack, Big Scary Robot, D.V.T. Sun: Michale Graves, Argyle Goolsby, Nim Vind, Dusty Mitchell, The Writhers. Mon: Ingested, Enterprise Earth, I Declare War, Bodysnatcher, Aethere. Tue: Insane Clown Posse, Clownvis Presley, O.i.b.1 – Mr. Nortorious. The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. Wed: The Joy Formidable, Tancred. Thu: Le Butcherettes, Le Ra, Stars at Night, Niña Dioz. Fri: The Silent Comedy, Creature Canyon, Stray Monroe. Sat: Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread, Erin Rae. Sun: Nowhereland, The Littlest Vi-

king, Secret Lynx. Tue: Deep Vally, The Paranoyds, Low Volts. Che Cafe, UCSD campus, La Jolla. Thu: Chris Haze. Fri: Slow Hollows, Temporex. Sat: Buddha Trixie, North Space, The Rinds, Well Well Well, Cardboard Boxer. Sun: Madeline Kenney w/ Rose Droll. Dizzy’s, 4275 Mission Bay Drive, Bay Park. Fri: Kornél Fekete-Kovács. F6ix, 526 F St., Downtown. Fri: ‘Birthday Orgy’. Fluxx, 500 4th Ave., Downtown. Sat: DJ Bamboozle. House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., Downtown. Wed: Stick To Your Guns, Emmure. Thu: Noah Cyrus. Fri: At the Gates. Sat: Amanda Miguel y Diego Verdaguer. Sun: Nacho. Tue: Sylvan Lacue. Humphreys Backstage, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island. Wed: Len Rainey. Thu: NuVintage. Fri: Wildside. Sat: GruvMatic. Sun: Cerissa McQueen. Mon: Blue Largo. Tue: Billy Watson. The Irenic, 3090 Polk Ave., North Park. Sat: The Roast of Ronnie Radke. Kava Lounge, 2812 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. Sat: ‘Purps ‘N Turqs’. Sun: ‘Family Reunion’. Kensington Club, 4079 Adams Ave., Kensington. Fri: Zombie Barbie, Motorbabe, DinosaurGhost, The Pictographs, DJ Dyno. Sat: The Fictitious Dishes, Masteria, Le Saboteur, Wicked Echoes. Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Sat: Tommy Regan. Sun: Healthy Junkies, Damian Sage, E.X.S. Mon: Open Mic.

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MUSIC MUSIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 90 Mc P’s Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado. Wed: Fish & JG. Thu: Ron’s Trio. Fri: Ron’s Garage. Sat: Miss Demeanor. Sun: Gonzology. Tue: Sophisticats. The Merrow, 1271 University Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: FireBug, Amigo, Brother Joe’s Venom. Fri: ‘Punks with a Purpose’. Sat: Cardiac, Eken Is Dead, The Grind. Tue: The Sometimes Island, Fairplay, The Spider Ferns, Grand Curator. Mr. Peabody’s, 136 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas. Thu: Steelehorse Country. Fri: The Traumatics. Sat: Adrienne Nims & Spirit Wind. Sun: Anthony Ortega Jazz Quartet. Mon: Open Mic. Tue: Karaoke. Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy. Thu: Soundslave, Faux Fighters, A Perfect Tool, The Black Crowes Revival. Fri: The Lemon Twigs, Jungle Green. Sat: Orgone, The Routine, Wise Monkey Orchestra. Sun: Tamia. Tue: Jesse Y Joy. The Office, 3936 30th St., North Park. Wed: Queen Undercover. Thu: ‘No Limits’. Sat: ‘Strictly Business’. OMNIA Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave., Downtown. Fri: Cash Cash. Sat: Crankdat. Panama 66, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park. Wed: ‘The Wednesday Jam Session’. Thu: Miss Erika Davies. Sat: Uptown Rhythm Makers. Sun: Besos Trio. Parq, 615 Broadway, Downtown. Fri: Juicy J. Sat: Obscene. Pour House, 1903 S. Coast Highway, Oceanside. Wed: Open Mic. Thu: Motorbabe. Fri: Custard Pie. Sat: Gift Machine. Sun: Shane Hall. Mon: Trivia. Tue: DJ Lexicon Devil.

Overdrive with Andre Grossi. Sycamore Den, 3391 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Wed: Paul Gregg. Thu: Nathan & Jessie. Sun: Clinton Davis, The Attaboys. Til-Two Club, 4746 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: ‘Witchy Wednesday’. Thu: ‘Original Stylin’. Fri: Hellmarch. Sat: Roman Lions. Sun: ‘Pants Karaoke’. Tin Roof, 401 G St., Downtown. Thu: Sound Vault. Fri: Keep Your Soul. Sat: Phoenix Rising. Tue: Keep Your Soul. Tio Leo’s, 5302 Napa St., Bay Park. Wed: ‘Jazz with Leonard Patton, Tripp Sprague & Danny Green’. Thu: Mercedes Moore. Fri: Blue Largo, Before the Devil Steals Your Soul. Sat: Detroit Underground. Mon: ‘Sexy Salsa’. Tue: The Jazz Pockets. Tower Bar, 4757 University Ave., City Heights. Wed: OrchidxMantis, Plexus, Mammal. Fri: Salem’s Bend, Stone Deaf, Mean Heat. Sun: Puppy Hour. U-31, 3112 University Ave., North Park. Wed: ‘The Hump’. Thu: ‘Boombox Thursdays’. Fri: Kid Wonder. Sat: DJ Qenoe. Sun: Jahkobeats, Krooktone Classics. Mon: ‘#31 Flavors’. Whistle Stop, 2236 Fern St., South Park. Wed: Good Time Girl, Kan-Kan, Con*tact. Thu: Hexa, Tuxedo Gleam. Fri: ‘Fucking in the Bushes’. Sat: ‘’80s vs. ’90s’. Mon: ‘Electric Relaxation’. Tue: ‘Sketch Party’. Winstons, 1921 Bacon St., Ocean Beach. Wed: ‘Club Kingston’. Thu: ¡Mayday! Fri: Kaminanda Live Band, DJ Alchemic. Sat: Consider the Source, Atomic Ape. Sun: Karaoke. Mon: Electric Waste Band. Tue: The Corderman Detail.

Proud Mary’s, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road, Kearny Mesa. Wed: James Reed. Thu: Tomcat Courtney. Fri: Sue Palmer. Sat: Wounded Veterans Benefit. The Rail, 3796 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. Thu: Trivia. Sat: ‘Girls’ Night Out’. Mon: ‘Industry Monday’. Rich’s, 1051 University Ave., Hillcrest. Wed: DJs John Joseph and Kinky Loops. Thu: DJ K-Swift, Pretty Slick, Dos Borrachos, Casa Nuova & Oblivion. Fri: DJs DrewG and Will Z. Sat: DJs Hektik and Paulo Ramirez. Sun: DJs Hektik and Paulo Ramirez. Riviera Supper Club, 7777 University Ave., La Mesa. Wed: Jason Hanna & Friends. Thu: Brennon Orndorff. Fri: Suspicious Grits. Sat: Chickenbone Slim & the Biscuits. Sun: Acoustic. Tue: Everything and Anything Jam. Rosie O’Gradys, 3402 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. Mon: ‘Jazz Jam’ with Louis V. Tuesday: The Spiritual Motels. Seven Grand, 3054 University Ave., North Park. Wed: Glen Scotia & Loch Lomond Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Society. Soda Bar, 3615 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: U.S. Girls, Heavy Hawaii. Thu: StayLoose, brothel. Fri: Devon Welsh, T. Gowdy. Sat: The Delta Bombers, Hard Fall Hearts, Johnny Deadly Trio. Sun: H2O, Comeback Kids, The Eulogy. Mon: AJ Froman, Demasiado, Braggers. Tue: Billy Strings, Clinton Ross Davis. SOMA, 3350 Sports Arena Blvd., Midway. Wed: The Growlers. Fri: Portamento, Shameface, Blu Nites, Group Photos, No Kings, Jaws, Beldum. SPACE, 3519 El Cajon Blvd., City Heights. Wed: Pigment Project. Thu: ‘Soul Food!’ Fri: Abolishment of Flesh. Sat: ‘Rollin’ Wit Tha Funk’ with DJ Boogieman. Sun: Gold Steps, Till I Fall, Alive & Well, Wanted Noise. Tue: Karaoke. Spin, 2028 Hancock St., Midtown. Fri: SD UNION w/ LTJ Bukem. Sat: Techniche &

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OCTOBER 17, 2018 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · 91

CannaBeat Best buds H OT

There aren’t a lot of legal dispensaries in San Diego at the moment, but a handful of them are more popular than others. The following trendy businesses ended up in our hot category due to their variety of products and popularity with consumers. March and Ash (2835 Camino del Rio S. #100, marchandash.com) looks more like a trendy North Park restaurant rather than a cannabis retailer. It has flooring with geometric designs, an elaborate cashier’s counter and eye-catching product displays. Customers are able to pick up and examine products on their own time without budtender assistance. March and Ash carries most of the major lines as well as clones, a feature I haven’t seen much at other stores. Hell, the new store had a grand opening in September that featured an appearance from Tommy Chong. Urbn Leaf (1028 Buenos Ave., urbnleaf. com) is a popular recreational dispensary located in Bay Park. Its central location, sleek modern look and dozens of choices for flower, oils, dabs, salves and more, make it a consis-

tently popular destination. Urbn has several upcoming philanthropic promotions so customers can toke for a good cause. This month, sales from limited edition Urbn Leaf Pink products will benefit Shades of Pink Foundation, a California breast cancer nonprofit. COURTESY OF URBN LEAF

Urbn Leaf Mankind Cooperative (7128 Miramar Road #10, mankindcannabis.com) is located in the industrial area of Miramar in a small shopping center. Like March and Ash, it allows customers to touch and pick up products without budtenders watching their every move. Shopping is made even easier because Mankind takes credit cards. Most dispensaries are forced to be cash only because

92 · SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT · OCTOBER 17, 2018

COURTESY OF THE HEALING CENTER SAN DIEGO

banks won’t take them on. Mankind works around this thanks to a blockchain payment system called MTrac.

CO O L

Recreational cannabis businesses only recently became legal in California, but there’s been medicinal dispensaries operating in the city long before. The “cool” dispensaries below have been on the scene for a while, but aren’t as well known to recreational users. The Healing Center San Diego (3703 Camino del Rio S. #215-A, thcsd.com) is located in a quiet Mission Valley office complex. Its acronym is THCSD so it’s hard to forget a name like that. It opened as delivery and medicinal, but got a storefront and now serves recreational customers as well. THCSD is small but has a fair amount of items including co-owner Ray Taylor’s flower brand “Bad Grandpa.” It takes cards like Mankind and those down to wake-and-bake should visit their morning happy hours on Monday and Wednesday for a 20 percent discount. Outliers Collective (OutCo, 8157 Wing Ave., outliersco.com) is medicinal-only, but still doing some cool things in and outside of their dispensary. OutCo is a cultivator and manufacturer and helped create former NFL running back Ricky Williams’ cannabis line and has their own brand name cannabis items. OutCo is highly involved in local politics as well, hosting fundraisers benefit-

The Healing Center San Diego ing pro-cannabis candidates and PACs. The company even has an employee on staff who provides politicians tours of its facilities. Southwest Patient Group (658 E. San Ysidro Blvd., southwestpatientgroup.com) is located less than a mile away from the U.S.Mexico border in San Ysidro. Its founder, Alex Scherer, created the store with consumer education in mind. He also founded the United Medical Marijuana Coalition, a cannabis trade association that was handson in helping develop local regulations. Southwest carries a decent variety of products like flowers, cartridges, edibles, and even clones and seeds. There are often educational workshops at the San Ysidro facility, offering tips on cannabis cultivation, the plant’s health benefits and more.

—Lara McCaffrey

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