Virtual Issue
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Crystal Peers
Pacific Beach bartender unites colleagues for community goodTo establish greater solidarity in her sandy corner of the industry, Ciara Guedesse formed the Beach Bar Guild—a collective of bar owners and their staff who meet each month at one of the member’s venues
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Soaking it In
Assimilating bartending expertise, one drink at a timeAccording to Sarah Ellis at Jayne’s Gastropub in North Park, becoming a great bartender is simple. “The best way to learn about drinks is by drinking them, and I dedicated quite a bit of time to my studies,” she says.
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Bringing His ‘A’ Game
New mix master makes the grade at Mister A’sFor mixologist Shawn Barker, landing at the venerable Betrand at Mister A’s high above Bankers Hill is a career pinnacle.
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Sand and Deliver
Punk-loving pageant winner finds her niche bartending in Mission BeachDuring her recent tenure as “Miss Emerson,” the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club’s (OMBAC’s) community spokes-model, Stephanie Woods fell in love with the tight-knit community of Mission Beach—so much so that she found herself a gig slinging drinks at the neighborhood’s Sandbar Sports Grill.
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AIRR Quality
For one Gaslamp bartender, less air means more flavorWhen someone is up in the air about what they want to drink, Morgans recommends the Eight—AIRR’s signature cocktail, comprised of Grey Goose L’Orange vodka, an orange slice, lemon and cranberry juices, with a muddled Serrano chili.
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The Night Stuff
San Diego's nightlife visionaries reveal their next big thingsOn any given night, tens of thousands of San Diegans flock to the city’s swanky night clubs and restaurants—marveling at light displays, killer DJs, gorgeous go-gos and other flourishes. What club-goers usually don’t see is the extensive planning and foresight that go into designing, building and running a top-tier nightspot.
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Well Drinked
Tatted tender wears her art on her sleevesAlexis Piotrowski, who slings drinks at North Park’s U-31 four nights a week, sees it all the time. On at least one occasion, she’s had to toss patrons out for sexing it up in the club’s memory-making contraption.
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Old’s Cool
Turquoise Room schools parched young'uns on the classicsPoring over the cocktail menu at La Mesa’s Turquoise Room is like liquid archaeology—an exploration marked by progressive sips, proving just how cool our grandparents could be.
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Body Shots
A local bartender grins and bares itWhen you’re pouring drinks without a shirt on, pickup lines are part of the game. “It just comes with the territory,” says Timothy Giebel.
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Rad Hair Day
A dreaded bartender returns from "reality"On November 30, seven of our Finest City’s finest bartenders converged on one of San Diego’s most respected cocktail destinations, downtown’s El Dorado, to determine, once and for all, who is the pourest of the pour.
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Ice, Ice, Baby!
A cold front is blowing in from the WestWhat’s the coolest thing you can do by the beach? If bartender Jenica Martin has anything to do with it, it’s having a drink at Bar West in PB.
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Skirting the Issue
An East Village bartender puts on something a little more comfortableFor Kris Denton, tending bar at the Tilted Kilt in East Village presents a unique challenge. “We sometimes have a bit of a problem with the ladies that come in here.”
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Super Sonic
One man, countless bars and high-frequency airwavesSean “Sonic” Leckie’s bartending resume includes prominent local hotspots: the W Hotel’s Beach, Onyx Room, Vin de Syrah and even Petco Park.
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Son of a Preacher Man
Meet the local rocker who's out of the church and behind the barFrom the looks of him, Analog Music + Burger Bar bartender Aaron “A-Fresh” Thompson looks to have quite the wild side.
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A Date with Destiny
Meet a country firecracker who can determine the fate of your next cocktailWhen it comes to her name, Destiny Newton’s heard all the lines. “The one that I hear most often is, ‘Oh, did you know you’re my destiny,’” she says.
