Ask Joan Rivers—every girl needs to get a little work done sometimes. And Whiskey Girl is no exception. The popular, everyone’s-welcome Gaslamp bar/nightclub, which has been sitting pretty at 600 Fifth Avenue since it opened seven years ago, is moving to a new location a block away. Despite the facelift, this chick will remain recognizable. “I think it’s good to keep the same general concept,” says co-owner David Schiffman. “There’s no reason to change it, because it’s doing so well.” Say “hello” to Whiskey Girl at her new home on the former site of Trattoria La Strada when she opens her doors mid-January. Tell her she looks beautiful…but maybe don’t mention the makeover.

Whiskey Girl
702 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp
619.236.1616
whiskeygirl.com

The secret to a snazzier nightlife: it’s not what you know…actually, it is. But it’s also who you know.

The Who, in this case, are San Diego’s VIP elite, the hospitalians at the top of the nightclub food chain. Knowing these guys (you’re about to, if you don’t already) means skipping lines and not paying to get in. It also means attentive service, bottles of top-shelf alcohol delivered to your private table by hot women (men, at Eden in Hillcrest) carrying sparklers and, with certain high-roller packages offered by Stingaree, use of a stretch yellow Hummer limo.

For most San Diego clubs, the highest demand for bottle service is on Saturdays, and pricing for the limited real estate—i.e., private tables—can be much higher on those nights. But most venues offer lower prices and reduced minimum purchases on other nights, which aren’t less fun (to the contrary, they’re often more fun and with fewer tourists), just less spendy.

So, there’s the Who and the What. Regarding the Where, here are seven VIP teams—from FLUXX, Side Bar, Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, Eden, Ivy Nightclub at Andaz and Bar West—who’d love to give you the royal treatment you deserve.

As for Why? Hey, why not? It’s only money, and if you don’t have a vacation planned, might as well let the sky be the limit for at least one big night out.

IVY NIGHTCLUB AT ANDAZ

600 F St., Gaslamp
ivyentertainmentsandiego.com

Rising above the rest of downtown (literally) is Ivy Rooftop at Andaz, offering sweeping views of downtown and a personalized VIP service team that has catered to Prince Harry, among other celebrity guests.

Now you know: VIP manager Tim Brand (pictured)
For a good time, call: 619.814.2055
Most affordable nights: Thursdays (industry night)
Minimum purchase on those nights: $275 for bottle of Grey Goose vodka
Most expensive nights: Saturdays
Minimum purchase on those nights: two bottles at $325 each

SIDE BAR

536 Market St., Gaslamp
sidebarsd.com

Billed as a “swanky ultra-lounge,” Side Bar is home to the famous Industry Night Wednesdays, where bartenders get served and go-go girls swing from the ceiling and the giant birdcage that doubles as a DJ booth.

VIP manager: Matt Ridley
For a good time, call: 619.696.8040
Most affordable nights: Thursdays
Minimum purchase on those nights: $421 (during Fortune 421 events)
Most expensive nights: Wednesdays (industry night)
Minimum purchase on those nights: $750–1000

STINGAREE

454 6th Ave., Downtown
stingsandiego.com

Downtown’s veteran VIP hot spot, Stingaree (and the “club-within-a-club,” Guest House) provides nightlife opulence in the form of a private room overlooking the dance floor, shout-outs from the DJ and end-of-the-night home delivery in the back of a stretch yellow Hummer limo.

Now you know: bottle service manager Kara Knooihuizen and VIP host Zack Stephens (right)

For a good time, call: 619.544.1VIP (1847)
Most affordable nights: Mondays (industry night at Guest House)
Minimum purchase on those nights: $175 for bottle of Ultimat Vodka
Most expensive nights: Saturdays
Minimum purchase on those nights: one bottle per five people

High roller package: private penthouse overlooking the club, private bar, personal bartender and cocktail waitress, use of the Stingaree Stretch Hummer limo, DJ shout-outs to boost celebrity status. (Ten-bottle purchase minimum.)

FLUXX

500 4th Ave., Gaslamp
fluxxsd.com

This enormous, one-room Gaslamp venue is best known for its monster sound system, the fiery FLUXX Girls go-go performers and being named the nation’s 2011 Nightclub of the Year by Nightclub & Bar Magazine.

Now you know: VIP host Ariadna Jacob (left), cocktail server Sara Clift, VIP manager Jason Mitchell
For a good time, call: 619.255.1004
Most affordable nights: Thursdays and Fridays
Minimum purchase on those nights: $400–700
Most expensive nights: Saturdays and special events
Minimum purchase on those nights: $1,000–2,000

EDEN

1202 University Ave., Hillcrest
edensandiego.com

Hillcrest’s VIP boom-boom room is Eden—where to go for an alternative to downtown…and a more alternative crowd. Go-go guys take center stage at this high-energy club (and restaurant and adjoining Ciro’s Pizza), which brings together talented DJs and a warm and welcoming crowd.

Now you know: VIP host Mike Gerstel (right) and VIP bottleserver Jonathan Partida (left)
For a good time, call: 619.780.3933
Most affordable nights: varies by event demand
Minimum purchase on those nights: $250
Most expensive nights: varies by event demand
Minimum purchase on those nights: $250

HARD ROCK HOTEL SAN DIEGO

207 5th Ave., Gaslamp
hardrockhotelsd.com

Bottle service takes on new dimension at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, which offers VIP tables in its ground-floor venue, 207 (as in 207 5th Avenue), and on the pool deck at Float (home to San-Diegans-gone-wild, 2,500-person Intervention Sundays).

VIP services: VIP manager Evan Lopez and senior VIP host Paul Dilongo (pictured), who sometimes serves clients while wearing a Lamb Chop head
For a good time, call: 619.764.6926
Most affordable nights: Thursdays and Sundays
Minimum purchase on those nights: $250
Most expensive nights: Saturdays
Minimum purchase on those nights: $325

BAR WEST

959 Hornblend St., Pacific Beach
barwestsd.com

For bottle service just steps to the sand, check out Bar West, where it’s “sun down, music up” on BPM Thursdays, no-cover Fridays and $200 bottle Saturdays. Bar West’s Sunday night industry party has been a favorite spot for San Diego Chargers players for years.

Now you know: VIP manager Gary Kindle
For a good time, call: 619.467.6005
Most affordable nights: varies by event demand
Minimum purchase on those nights: bottles start at $150
Most expensive nights: varies by event demand
Minimum purchase on those nights: bottles start at $200

AIRR bar manager Scott Morgans in the "white room."

By Pat Sherman
Photos by Jeff “Turbo” Corrigan

During his nearly 10 years as a bartender, Scott Morgans has become a good listener, taking things in stride when a patron starts to clear the air, put on airs or blow off steam.

Now, as bar manager of the Gaslamp’s newt hotspot, AIRR Supper Club and Night Club, Morgans is taking the hot air out of conventional cocktail ingredients, working with executive chef Brian Redzikowski to launch an innovative drink menu with a modern flavor profile.

Using a trendy culinary technique employed in the AIRR kitchen known as sous-vide (pronounced “soo-veed”), cocktail ingredients are vacuum-sealed in plastic bags, then left to stew for months at a time.

One of the resulting beverages, Blueberry on the Rocks, starts with a macerated blueberry and vodka mix that’s given the sous-vide treatment.

“We Cryovac all of the air out of the bag, and then we let that sit for four to six months,” Morgans says. “The flavor that creates is just amazing.”

The mixture is then poured into a martini shaker with ouzo (an anise-flavored aperitif) and shaken with an egg white.

“You just get this intense, blueberry-flavored cocktail,” Morgans says. “It’s amazingly creamy and rich.”

Meanwhile, when 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.

AIRR bar manager Scott Morgans relaxes on one of the red room beds with food servers Vera Alexander (left) and Darlene Powell.

“It’s got that little hint of spice on the end of it, with a sugar rim,” he says.

The restaurant, nominated for a 2011 Orchid award in interior design by the San Diego
Architectural Foundation, is divided into two disparate halves, with a cocktail lounge bathed
entirely in a spicy, red color, and the dining room done up in starkly contrasting, minimalist white.

Morgans says the red room best suits his personality.

“It’s more of a kick-off-yourshoes, jump-on-a-bed-vibe,” he says. “We’ve got these big TV trays
where people can sit down on the couches or beds and enjoy a cocktail and eat their food.

“You’ve got a cocktail in one hand and the chef ’s tuna tacos in the other. Is there nothing sexier than eating dinner in bed at a nightclub?”

How about the go-go girls gyrating in the red room windows Friday and Saturday nights?

“That doesn’t hurt,” Morgans says.

Scott Morgans
Age: 29
Neighborhood: Encinitas
Music: Hip-hop (work); Metallica or Toby Keith (fishing); classical (studying)
Sport: Snowboarding
Plan: Working toward a biology degree at Cal State San Marcos
Flick: Any of the Airplane movies
Book: Where the Red Fern Grows
Addiction: Pulling pranks on people

AIRR’s “Ten” on the rocks, comprised of habanero-infused tequila, Patrón Citronge liqueur, lime juice, simple syrup and a lime wedge.

Magician Nick Ivory has something up his sleeve at Vin de Syrah in the Gaslamp, where he performs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m.

By Pat Sherman/Photos by Rob Hammer
A blues singer, a rhino trainer and a magician walk into a bar.

It’s not a joke. It’s a peek into the night-lives of 11 cool San Diegans and their hot evening itineraries.

For his dream night out, our city’s foremost wine expert would rent a limo and take friends on a high-end, North County pub (and grub) crawl.

A dashing bouncer from Voyeur nightclub in the Gaslamp says if he had a night off, he’d go to Old Town for sushi, then head home to take respite on his couch.

As for the blues singer, she’d hit up a local casino for a night of bingo and slots, then head to an afterhours shindig until 5 a.m.

It just goes to show, in a town so fine, what comprises the perfect nightlife depends on who’s living it.

Nick Ivory captivates a few willing victims at Vin de Syrah.

Magic Man
While bar-goers at local nighttime hotspots are making cocktails disappear, Nick Ivory is combing the crowd with a wry smile and deck of cards, in search of his next victim. For one of his tricks, the Chicago-born magician (whose real name is Nenad Plavsic) has a patron pick a card, sign it with an indelible marker, then stick it back into the deck. He then wraps a rubber band around the deck and launches it into the air. When he catches it, removes the rubber band and scans the cards, the only one missing is the one bearing the patron’s signature.

“When you step into Syrah and look up at the ceiling, you’ll see thousands of cards with people’s names on them,” Ivory says. “It’s my way of helping people leave their mark on San Diego and be a part of the nightlife scene.”

Reaching into his hat to pull out his own night on the town, Ivory has no illusions about where he’d go—he’d return to the places where he works his magic when he’s on the clock.

Ivory’s dream evening starts with a cocktail at Firehouse in Pacific Beach, then progresses to the Gaslamp, where he grabs a burger at Analog before dropping in to party at Boudoir and Ivy Rooftop at Andaz. Later, he makes a late-night slice at Ciro’s Pizzeria vanish.

Catch Ivory’s magic Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Tilted Kilt in East Village; Friday and Saturday nights at Boudoir, and Saturday nights at Vin de Syrah in the Gaslamp; and Sunday afternoons at Firehouse in Pacific Beach.
nickivory.com

Lady Dottie and the Diamonds are ready to rock at Downtown’s El Dorado Cocktail Lounge.

Lady Luck
When she’s not belting out the 1959 hit Have Love, Will Travel with her hotshot young band, The Diamonds, bespectacled blues diva Dorothy Mae Whitsett (aka Lady Dottie) has her own plans.

The Lady’s perfect night begins with authentic soul food, or dinner at Croce’s in the Gaslamp, where she was once a chef and self-proclaimed “gourmet star.”

Once sated, Dottie would try her luck at Sycuan, Barona or Viejas for a night of bingo and slots.

Will she have a cocktail or two while attempting to beat the odds?

“Of course I will!” says the 60-something singer.

From there Dottie would look for an underground, afterhours reggae event to get irie, “like from 2 to 5 o’clock in the morning.”

If that didn’t work, she’d “probably go home, have a sip of wine and watch a little television.

“It really puts me out— especially after I have the glass of wine,” she says. “The TV will be looking at me.”

Catch Lady Dottie and the Diamonds Wednesday nights at Gallagher’s Irish Pub in Ocean Beach and Thursday nights at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge in East Village.
myspace.com/ladydottieandthediamonds

Ian Forbes watches over the madness at Voyeur.

Night Watchman
When he isn’t helping decide who makes it past the proverbial velvet rope at Voyeur in the Gaslamp and Wave House in Mission Beach, door host Ian Forbes lets down his guard and heads to Old Town’s Harney Sushi to devour Rollz Royce and Flaming Lip rolls.

His quintessential evening with friends also includes stops at Gaslamp faves Fluxx, Side Bar and, not surprisingly, a return to Voyeur, where he “keeps it simple” with a vodkawater or light beer.

“Definitely, I’d spend the majority of my night at Voyeur,” says Forbes. “Work, to me, is a lot like going out anyways.”

When kicking back on his night off, the former professional hockey player (who grew up near Toronto), hits the gym, then heads home. “There’s a lot of nights where I just like to sit on the couch and watch a movie, because those nights are few and far between,” he says.

Evening Where?
Getting ready to hit the town for the best night ever, local fashion designers Laura Hall (left) and Gillian Mahin would invite their friends to select some of the chic, contemporary women’s fashions they’ve created for their new clothing line.

“We’d get our girls together, allow them to browse through the For Love & Lemons closet and get dressed up in some sheer, breezy sun dresses,” Hall says.

Laura Hall (left) and Gillian Mahin toast their success at C Level lounge on Harbor Island. Hall is wearing a For Love & Lemons Lulu Dress; Gillian is wearing a For Love & Lemons Bonita Cape.

Next it’s off to C Level lounge on Harbor Island for a “Desi Arnaz” tropical mojito cocktail and nut-crusted brie appetizer in a private cabana overlooking the city and marina.

“After sending a couple cocktails down the hatch, we’d head downtown to Cafe Sevilla to shake our grove thangs to some sultry salsa music,” Hall says. “We’d then head to The Vine in Ocean Beach for a late-night dinner, outside under the stars, people-watching as we share a bottle of wine, the seared ahi and butternut squash ravioli.”

The duo would wrap up the night in style, catching a late performance by a down-and-dirty blues band at Gallagher’s Irish Pub in Ocean Beach,
forloveandlemons.com

It’s nearly airtime for winemaker Howard Leight and his helocopter at Montgomery Field.

Night Leight
Howard Leight Jr. owns and pilots one of the fastest and rarest helicopters in the country, an Italian-built Agusta A109, which can reach speeds of up to 200 miles-per-hour. The successful son of ear plugs magnate Howard Leight, he also owns a winery in Malibu.

Leight’s dream night (which isn’t so different from his real ones) begins at Montgomery Field airport, where he lifts off with clients for a one-hour jaunt north and subsequent jawdropping aerial tour of his Malibu Rocky Oaks Estate Vineyards.

After orchestrating a private, twilight wine tasting for his guests, he flies back down the coast and lands on the helipad at the Grand Del Mar Resort for a gourmet dinner at Addison.

After dinner, Leight motors downtown to attend an expensive toys event at a yacht club, where he kicks the tires of cars that cost more than some condos.

Next, he stops by one of the restaurants that serve his wine, like World Famous in Pacific Beach, and then caps off the night a few blocks away at Bar West.

“Bar West is always a good time for me,” Leight says. “It’s kind of like the downtown club theme, but I live in the Bird Rock area and like being close to home.”

Leight says he’s waiting for the day when he can land his helicopter on the roof of downtown’s 34-story Symphony Towers for a sky-high dinner at the University Club. From there, he’d head to the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park to catch a play or musical.

“I’m kind of a nerd that way,” he says. “I don’t really go to movies, but I’ll do that.”
maliburockyoaks.com

Ben DeCamp feels pretty smooth (with the help of Felipe Becerra) at Lefty’s Barber Shop in Pacific Beach.

Looking Sharp

Surf photographer (and future law school student) Ben DeCamp (aka the Style Shark) may be best known for the provocative nightlife snapshots he’s captured for his website, styleshark.com.

These days, however, he and his buds are more focused on producing weekly parties through their event production company, Night Access.

Before dashing out for his perfect night on the town, the always dashing DeCamp first visits Lefty’s Barber Shop in Pacific Beach for a shave and a haircut.

“After I get all freshened up, I throw on a suit and take a date over to Wet Stone Wine Bar in Bankers Hill,” he says. “They have amazing red wine sangria and small plates.”

DeCamp then heads to Noble Experiment in East Village for some speak easy-style ambiance and a craft cocktail before wrapping up the night with VIP treatment at multi-level mega-club, Stingaree.

“I think it’s one of the classiest nightclubs in the Gaslamp, with the best-looking, best-dressed crowd,” DeCamp says.
nightaccess.com

Sax-ual Healing

Classically trained saxophonist Jason Whitmore and his booking agent (and wife), Jennifer, start their perfect night with margaritas and Mexican appetizers at La Puerta in the Gaslamp, then walk over for dinner and drinks at Searsucker, one of several places where Jason wails on his sax while DJs spin house music.

Jason Whitmore enjoys a little playtime at Searsucker in the Gaslamp.

“I show up, the DJ sets the tone and then I just improvise over the record,” Jason says.

For a special occasion (like their recent wedding anniversary), the Del Mar couple turns dinner-and- Jason’s-show into an all-night affair, staging a stealthy afterhours bash with friends in a suite at the Se San Diego Hotel.

“We’d have an open bar, some good house beats going, maybe even a DJ, and just hang out with friends until the sun comes up,” says Jason, who holds a daytime job as a sales rep for an Internet marketing firm.

“A perfect night generally involves me getting to play,” he says. “I admit I’m a little bit of an attention hog. I like to be in front of people and have them dance while I’m playing.”

Catch Jason Whitmore performing (he rocks) at Airr Supper Club, Firehouse, Searsucker, Side Bar, Stingaree, Vin de Syrah and various other cool locations.
jasonwhitmore.com

Master Sommelier Eddie Osterland has great taste at Addison restaurant at the Grand Del Mar resort.

Pour Guy

When he’s not assessing the flavor and complexities of vintage wines, Eddie Osterland, who was anointed as America’s first Master Sommelier in 1975, treats his friends to unforgettable evenings, one of which included a surprise, chartered flight to Las Vegas, during which the finest champagnes and wines flowed non-stop.

Osterland says his ideal night is one he has replicated frequently. He rents a limousine to shuttle six of his closest compatriots to a primo progressive dinner that includes visits to Advanced Sommeliers Dan Chapman of Georges at the Cove in La Jolla, Jesse Rodriguez of Addison at the Grand Del Mar resort and Brian Donegan of Market Restaurant and Bar in Del Mar.

Arriving at George’s for sunset, Osterland has Chapman recommend one of Georges’ signature cocktails and a few appetizers for his lucky friends. At Addison, Rodriguez recommends some out-of-this-world entrees, then Donegan delivers a heavenly desert at Market—all stops and limo interludes including copious sips of the world’s finest wines.

“You can’t do any better than that,” Osterland says.
eddieosterland.com

Laura Weiner spends a tame evening with an Indian Rhino at the San Diego Zoo.

Night Owl

Senior zookeeper Laura Weiner, who spends her days training and caring for rhinos and camels at the San Diego Zoo, often works late into the night, and she’ll be on the job when the zoo launches its nighttime hours this summer.

Since rhinos sleep in the evening, however, Weiner is occasionally free to roam the urban jungle after putting her bulky charges to bed.

A great night for her begins with Indian food at “fancy, but relaxing” Royal India downtown. From there, it’s a short walk over to swanky ultra-lounge Side Bar for a night of dancing with friends.

“I am a big Side Bar fan during the week,” Weiner says. “They have a late happy hour we go to, and then there’s dancing after that.”

Next, Weiner reenergizes with a decadent treat from Hillcrest’s late-night sweet spot, Extraordinary Deserts, which stays open until midnight Fridays and Saturdays.

A night with friends might beat one with rhinos, but Weiner says zoo visitors—especially those who sign up for a private feeding and petting session—are surprised at how personable the horned creatures can be.

“A lot of people look at them and think it’s kind of a big moving rock, but once you take the time and patience to know them a little better, they are really quite intelligent,” Weiner says. “They know a lot of behaviors and will pay attention to you.”

If only all dates could be so chivalrous…
sandiegozoo.org

Chef Brian Malarkey and Stingaree owner James Brennan survey the site of their new North County eatery, Burlap. (Brevin Blach)

By Pat Sherman
On 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.

Never content to rest on their laurels, San Diego’s architects of ambiance are keeping buzzy, always looking toward their next new project or renovation—determined to keep their brands fresh, and San Diegans satisfied.

PacificSD checked in with a few of the city’s leading nightlife purveyors to learn about their plans to expand their empires and rock our worlds.

Good Time Design
Ty Hauter (who met his wife on a blind date featured in this magazine) is owner of Good Time Design and managing partner of RT’s Longboard Grill in Pacific Beach; Bubs @ the Ball Park in East Village; Tipsy Crow and Culy Warehouse & Event Center in the Gaslamp; and a few other San Diego County locations. He currently has a construction crew working on new digs at Market Street and 8th Avenue downtown, the site formerly occupied by Bar Ninety.

The project, a new East Village eatery & nightspot called The Bootlegger, is being developed in partnership with the owners of P.B. Shore Club and is less than 60 days from opening, Hauter says.

The Americana-themed resto will take diners back to the time of prohibition and feature “choice comfort food, cool cocktails and classic rock.”

Construction work at the Knotty Barrel Gastropub.

Hauter and longtime night-lifer Kenneth Lovi also just launched a new eatery at Market Street and 9th Avenue called The Knotty Barrel Gastropub, which will offer an array of craft beers and feature a rustic ambiance comprising wine barrels and reclaimed wood surfaces. Ted White, executive chef of Kensington Grill, and sous chef Eric O’Connor, formerly of La Jolla’s Whisknladle, are also onboard. The menu will include items such as bison or salmon burgers, seared Ahi street tacos and a Duroc pork dry aged porterhouse with hickory smoked sea salt.

In September, Hauter hopes to break ground on a project similar to Bub’s somewhere near 30th Street and Adams Avenue. Meanwhile, plans are also in the works to open yet another eatery on Coronado Island, this one offering patrons a relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy a glass of wine or craft beer while sampling contemporary cuisine infused with authentic French and Italian flavors.
knottybarrel.com, goodtimedesignsd.com

NightlifeSD
NightlifeSD’s David Laurent, who owns Eden nightclub in Hillcrest and is a partner in Side Bar in the Gaslamp, foresees greater exposure for his brand in the coming year.

NightlifeSD is also part-owner of the recently opened Ciro’s Pizzeria and Beerhouse in Pacific Beach. There are additional plans to open several additional Ciro’s locations around the county.

Laurent says he’s also in negotiations for a sushi restaurant concept in the Gaslamp.

“It will be kind of an upper-end, trendy restaurant on Fifth Avenue,” he says. “We’d definitely look to have live entertainment, like a DJ.

“It’s not a done deal as of yet,” Laurent says, “but if all works out, we’re looking at a potential opening in the first quarter of 2012.”

Laurent also hopes to capitalize on the growing popularity of electronic dance music, creating a 1,200-person capacity concert venue featuring big-name DJs.

“I’m looking at a couple of potential spaces,” he says. “This will be the biggest project that I look to embark on in San Diego.”
nightlifesd.com

An architectural rendering of Stingaree’s new Guest House venue.

SD Creative Media (SDCM)
Matthew Spencer is co-owner (with Tyler Charman) of SD Creative Media, which owns Firehouse in Pacific Beach and is a partner (along with Cohn Restaurant Group) in Vin de Syrah and Analog in the Gaslamp.

Spencer says he has several projects on the horizon, including a sushi lounge and a speakeasy-style venue specializing in craft cocktails—on a larger scale than has been done in San Diego.

“I really want to find a space where half of it is hidden,” Spencer says, noting the “one-stop-shop” essence of New York City’s underground SOHO club, the Kenmare.

Spencer wants to open his sushi lounge in Pacific Beach or an adjacent beach community. It would feature punked-out Harajuku-style food servers.

“You know, the girls around Japan that wear all the Hello Kitty stuff and the crazy watches,” Spencer says, adding that old Bruce Lee films will be shown on TV monitors, as chill lounge music plays in the background.

“We’re kicking around the name, Kung Foo Sushi,” he says.
sdcreativemedia.com

Femme fatales celebrate nearly-finished construction and design work at F6ix.

RMD Group
Mike Georgopoulos of RMD Group (part-owners and operators of Fluxx, Side Bar and Ciro’s Pizza) is still amped about the recent opening of Ciro’s Pizzeria and Beerhouse in Pacific Beach.

Georgopoulos and RMD Group are poised to open San Diego’s much-anticipated, 350-person capacity hip-hop club, F6ix, at the Corner of F Street and 6th Avenue in the Gaslamp—the former, subterranean site of Sin night club. The club is set to open sometime around June 1.

“Our tagline is ‘redefining the hip-hop experience,’” says Georgopoulos, who envisions F6ix as the antidote to San Diego’s house music-heavy club vibe. “We really think we can make this a very RMD -type place, with great service, a good crowd and great music,” he says.
rmdgroupsd.com, F6ix.com

Enlighten Hospitality Group
James Brennan, the visionary behind mega-club Stingaree and the unimaginably popular Gaslamp restaurant, Searsucker (co-owned by chef Brian Malarkey), is a majority partner in Enlighten Hospitality Group.

One of Brennan’s current projects is preparing for the transformation of Stingaree’s first floor into the standalone Guest House venue, which is set for a June 6 opening with DJs Scooter and Lavelle.

The venue, Brennan says, will have an intimate, library feel and will feature electronic dance music, big-name DJs, fireplaces, bookshelves, catwalks, go-go dancers and leather arm chairs.

John Lyons Systems, the company that created the sound and lighting for Encore Beach Club at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel, is taking on the same task for Guest House.

“I really think it’s the missing piece of the puzzle from what we set out to create six years ago at Stingaree,” Brennan says.

Banking on the continued success of Searsucker, Brennan is preparing to open a North County restaurant and night spot called Burlap, at the corner of Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real in Carmel Valley. Searsucker’s award-winning chef, Brian Malarkey, conceived Burlap’s America-Chinese bistro menu.

The roughly 9,000-square-foot space, which will include an outdoor patio with koi ponds, a bar and fire pits, is being designed by Thomas Schoo (Searsucker’s designer), and will have a capacity of about 500 persons.

Verant Group
Eric Lingenfelder of Verant Group (owners of True North and West Coast Tavern in North Park, Brewley’s Pint and Tavern at the Beach in Pacific Beach, Sand Bar Sports Grill in Mission Beach and Offshore Tavern in Bay Park) will open their first Gaslamp venue sometime in August.

The 8,000-square-foot space, located at 5th Avenue and Market Street (the site of the soon-to-close Whiskey Girl), will be similar in theme and ambiance to West Coast Tavern, Lingenfelder says.

“We’ve been excited to get into the downtown market, because we’ve been around for 13 years,” says Lingenfelder. “This location became available—and we jumped on it.”

The as-of-yet unnamed, two-story eatery will cater to sports fans and others with more than 40 widescreen TV s, a VIP lounge, three bars and 30 draught beers.

Trivia On Tap: “Verant” is an anagram of “Tavern,” a nod to the group’s first venue in Pacific Beach. verantgroup.com

Bar West owner ventures 100 feet east of I-5
Mike Reidy, owner of Bar West night club in Pacific Beach, is in the final throes of opening a bar at 1310 Morena Boulevard in Bay Park, the current site of live music venue O’Connells (located just off I-5).

Reidy will assume ownership of the venue June 6, with plans to reopen it sometime around July 15 as The Griffin, named after the mythical beast that is half lion and half eagle. Reidy will replace old, stained carpeting with hardwood floors, adding comfortable booths, new lamps and a red color scheme.

“We’re going to roll it out and bill it as more of a dive bar—pool tables, the whole deal,” Reidy says, noting that after two months he will begin booking DJs and live bands.

Reidy hopes to cater to students at nearby University of San Diego. Hours of operation will likely remain 11 to 2 a.m., seven days a week.

Other touches may include food trucks, televised UFC fights, Keno games and bar trivia nights.

“It’s going to be an interactive type bar,” Reidy says. “It’s not a place where you’re going to go there and just sit and drink your sorrows away. There’s something you’re going to be able to do every night of the week.”

Also on the Horizon …
Opening in July is the new La Jolla location of steak and seafood chain Eddie V’s Prime Seafood (on the site of the former Chart House restaurant at 1270 Prospect Street).
eddiev.com

Now open at 1108 S. Coast Hwy 101 is Union Kitchen & Tap, from Eric Leitstein, owner of PB Ale House.
localunion101.com

Slated to open June 15 is Barry Braden’s Local Habit, a new restaurant at 3827 5th Avenue in Hillcrest, serving craft beer and pizza made with organic ingredients.
mylocalhabit.com

Nunu’s old pro, John Watson, prepares martinis with a sure and steady hand.

By David Moye
Photos by Brevin Blach

In his 40 years as a bartender, including 27 spent slinging drinks at Nunu’s cocktail lounge in Bankers Hill, John Watson has seen the rise and fall of the Fuzzy Naval and several martini fads.

In her 23 years mixing drinks at Qualcomm Stadium and the Red Fox Room in North Park, Linda Hanover has witnessed the same parade of cocktail kicks—from shooters comprising a blend or layers of liquor (such as a kamikaze or B-52) to the current furor over immersions, in which fruit, peppers or other ingredients stew for days in vodka or other spirits to give drinks an added flavor profile.

With 60 years of liquid psychiatry between these seasoned sixty-somethings, patrons are drinking in a little knowledge between sips.

“You know, back in the 1980s, there was a whole martini craze,” Hanover says. “I’ve been seeing revivals of older cocktails for years.”

Shaken or stirred? What makes a true martini remains something of debate among connoisseurs.

“I only shake them when people request it,” Watson says, with a laugh. “To me, a good quality martini is made with good gin. I have to be careful when I’m out on the town to make sure bartenders don’t shake them. I think that ruins the true flavor.”

Hanover is more like James Bond when it comes to martinis.

“I do like them shaken,” she says. “To me, a good martini has to be really cold.”

Though their knowledge is vast, these classic cocktail creators don’t take a condescending tone with thirsty whippersnappers. In fact, Hanover believes today’s young adult drinker has a more educated palate than in recent generations.

“There is a more discerning culture these days,” she says. “I see them ordering classics like side cars and old fashioneds, and I do think they understand what makes a good cocktail.

“If someone doesn’t know what they want, I’ll suggest my favorite, a Mandarin Madras,” she says. “That has Absolut Mandarin vodka, orange juice and cranberry juice.”

Watson also sees hope in the current generation of drinkers, though he is a strong believer that good drinks require the proper proportions and the proper perspective.

Veteran bartender Linda Hanover keeps spirits up at the Red Fox Room in North Park.

“I look at some books and the recipes are wrong,” he laments. “Like mai tais with cherry juice? Or brandy? Also, I don’t recommend ordering high-end vodka like Grey Goose with cranberry juice, because it just negates the taste.”

If you want to impress Watson with your alcohol acumen, try ordering a “Smoky Martini,” a variation that uses whiskey instead of vermouth.

“I had a guy ask for that once,” he says. “I usually make it with Belvedere, and this guy wanted me to add Glenfiddich whisky on top. He said the one I made was the best he’d ever had.”

Hanover—who recommends good ol’ rum and Coke for folks having their first legal drink (“It tastes good and is a grown-up drink”)—has some motherly advice for those seeking the truth about what they tipple.

“Honestly, those foo-foo cocktails that are popular—bartenders make them up because they’re bored.”

Catch these seasoned mixologists weekdays at Nunu’s and the Red Fox Room.

nunuscocktails.com, lafayettehotelsd.com

By Pat Sherman

Though the phrase “dive bar” once evoked the image of grizzled, bulbous-nosed old salts, spewing war stories amid the stench of cigar smoke, bile and rock-gut gin, these enduring (and endearing) neighborhood drinking spots arouse a sense of adventure in today’s urban spelunker.

There’s also the lure of copious cheap drinks.

From the black-light glow of Pacific Shores in Ocean Beach to the Art Deco spire of the Tower Bar in City Heights, San Diego’s dive bars wear their frayed edges and garish motifs like a badge of honor.

The crew at Star Bar in downtown San Diego. (Photo by Brevin Blach)

Star Bar
423 E Street, Gaslamp • Hours: 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., daily

Inconspicuously nestled on E Street across from Horton Plaza, Star Bar hasn’t changed much since the parents of current owner Y. Star Thompson (pictured above) purchased the bar in 1972, naming it after her (originally as Star Club).

For Thompson, the bar is steeped in memories of her now deceased parents, including the image of her bookie father, Lloyd, tucking her in to nap in a bar booth. Her no-nonsense Japanese-American mother, Yukkiko, was one of San Diego’s first female bar owners, operating the Gaslamp’s now defunct Club Tokyo (at which she is rumored to have extinguished her cigarette on the hand of a sexually advancing barfly).

“It’s a great love story,” Thompson says of her parents. “They were only together for maybe three or four years when my mother passed away (from cancer). My dad pined for her a very long time.”

Though Star Bar only accepts cash, a Jackson will get you a lot of liquid love. Or for those who feel like splurging, Star Bar’s kitchen sink-nature drink, the Mojo—made from vodka, gin, rum, Southern Comfort, cherry brandy, beer, O.J. and pineapple juice—costs $8.50.

Drink prices are labeled on each bottle, a tradition started by Thompson’s father, who she says sought to offer their blue collar clientele “an honest drink at an honest price.”

Cocktail heaven at SRO Lounge in Bankers Hill. (Photo by Stacy Keck)

SRO Lounge
1807 5th Ave., Bankers Hill • Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., daily

Asked to describe the décor of the SRO Lounge, bar manager James Duguay, who’s celebrating his 28th year on the job, likens it to an “Italian San Francisco bordello,” replete with gold-leaf statues, sconces and chandeliers procured from the historic U.S. Grant Hotel.

Located on the periphery of San Diego’s LGBT community, SRO is the Friday and Saturday night go-to spot for the city’s transgender community.

“We’ve always been come-as-you-are, but don’t bother the person next to you—whatever their flavor,” Duguay says. “It’s always been a neighborhood bar with a comfortable mix of people.”

The subterranean Silver Fox in Pacific Beach. (Photo courtesy Julie Kazmi)

The Silver Fox
1833 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach , silverfoxlounge.com
Hours: 6. a.m. to 2 a.m. daily

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “dive” was originally used to denote a “drinking den” or undesirable establishment housed in cellars or basements, where thirsty patrons could “dive in” or out, unobserved.

In this sense, the subterranean Silver Fox in Pacific Beach is a dive in the most old-school sense.

Silver Fox co-owner Julie Kazmi, who treats regulars like family by preparing regular holiday feasts, says she only takes offense to the phrase “dive bar” when it is accompanied by the assumption that her establishment is unclean.

“I’m okay with the dive (label),” says Kazmi, whose parents purchased the bar in 1980. “It’s just when we’re accused of being in that realm of a dirty dive bar that I get frustrated, because we really try to keep it clean.”

The Aero Club in Little Italy. (Photo by Tim Anderson)

Aero Club
3365 India St., Little Italy, aeroclubbar.com
Hours: 2 p.m. to 2 a.m., daily

When it opened in 1947, the Aero Club was owned and operated by female pilot Marian Prophett, who soon tired of the business and sold it.

Built prior to the construction of Interstate 5, the bar was one of the first buildings on India Street, drawing thirsty employees from nearby aircraft manufacturing plants.

Since then, it has had a succession of owners, including a group of Greyhound bus drivers who pooled their money to purchase it in the ’80s.

Current owner Bill Lutzius says he modeled his version of the Aero Club on the drinking spots of his native Brooklyn, in the hope that it never again be referred to as the San Diego Gun and Knife Club (its rumored nickname in the ’60s).

“I hear these stories from neighbors,” Lutzius says. “A guy was telling me that his parents owned it in the ’70s. It was a cop bar, where all the police hung out at that time. His father would leave them the key at 9 o’clock, go home, and the cops would lock the bar when they left.”

Lancers Coctail Lounge in University Heights. (Photo by Jonathan Donhowe)

Lancers
4671 Park Blvd., University Heights
Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., daily

During its five-decade run, University Heights’ dimly-lit, corner cocktail lounge has experienced everything from explosions to gunfire. A bullet hole is still visible in the bar’s wood paneling from the time a patron reportedly tried to shoot up a jack-o-lantern.

Three decades ago, a passerby chucked a half-stick of dynamite through the door on New Year’s Eve, while owner Marc “Bubba” Rosenberg was pouring champagne for the toast. Though Rosenberg was able to dodge the explosive, two people near the door were sent to the hospital.

“There was a lot of blood,” says Rosenberg. “It was so powerful it blew a girl’s boot right off her foot and her boyfriend right across the room.”

Fortunately, both bar and bombing victims survived.

Today, Lancers looks much as it did when Rosenberg’s parents purchased the 2,000-square-foot, L-shaped lounge in 1978.

Bar manager Jonny Donhowe says Lancers’ no frills vibe and $2.50 well drinks keep customers young and old coming back.

“This is one of the last, typical old neighborhood bars,” Donhowe says. “There are no windows. It’s dark and it’s quiet.

“I prefer to find those kinds of bars. It’s just really old and cool—and it’s never going to change.”

Photo by Stacy Keck

Tower Bar
4757 University Ave., City Heights, thetowerbar.com
Hours: Mondays, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Tuesdays through Thursdays, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Fridays through Sundays, 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Aminor architectural marvel that opened as a drive-in ice cream parlor in the fall of 1932, the Tower Bar is crowned by a more than 80-foot tall tower, making it one of the city’s most iconic landmarks (the original spire was demolished in the ’90s and replaced several years ago).

In the decades since it opened, the octagonal, Art Deco building has been home to an array of restaurants and several beauty parlors. In 1964, a car crashed through the front wall, killing a bar patron.

These days, a tattoo parlor is located on its second floor, while the street-level bar is known for its punk and alternative repertoire. The Tower serves absinthe (seven varieties) and the ever-popular Pabst Blue Ribbon, which can be enjoyed as a “Pabst Smear,” with a float of Guinness stout on top.

A promise-land of affordable libations at Pac Shores in Ocean Beach. (Photo by Jeff "Turbo" Corrigan)

Pacific Shores
4927 Newport Ave., Ocean Beach • Ho urs: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., daily

For those who prefer a deep sea dive, Ocean Beach landmark Pacific Shores welcomes drinkers with fluorescent, marine-themed wall frescos and faux clam shells hovering over the bar.

Pac Shores, which, as the story goes, opened on Dec. 6, 1941 (the day before Pearl Harbor was bombed), is currently celebrating its 70th year in business.

Owner Kariann Medina’s father and uncle, both local tuna fishermen, purchased the bar in 1952.

“Not much has changed,” Medina says. “There are photos from when there was nothing else on the block except Pacific Shores. Even our sign out front looks the same.

“We can’t keep our prices as low as 1941,” Medina says, “but we try not to do a lot of increases.”

Pacific Shores (Photo by Jeff "Turbo" Corrigan)

Quick Dips

 

 

More great spots to get down and dive-y

Red Fox Room and piano bar
2223 El Cajon Blvd., North Park • redfox.menutoeat.com

NuNu’s
3537 5th Ave., Bankers Hill • nunuscocktails.com

Captain Keno’s
158 N Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas

Norma Jean’s
5286 Baltimore Dr., La Mesa

London’s West End
5157 La Jolla Blvd., Pacific Beach

Ye Olde Plank Inn
24 Palm Ave., Imperial Beach

Live Wire
2103 El Cajon Blvd., North Park, livewirebar.com

Red Wing Bar & Grill
4012 30th St., North Park, redwingbar.com

Fermenting Fact
San Diego’s dens of drink (and iniquity) would have made even the patron saint of dive bars, poet and novelist Charles Bukowski, tip his tumbler of scotch in grumbling approval.

Actor Sean Penn was so enthralled by Bukowski’s work that he offered to play his alter-ego, Henry Chinaski, in the 1987 film, Barfly, for as little as $1. Penn didn’t get the part, though he went on to appear in a 2003 documentary about the author’s life, Bukowski: Born Into This, which also included former San Diegan Tom Waits and U2’s Bono.

The game room at Pacific Shores. (Photo by Jeff "Turbo" Corrigan)

Chillin' with a cold Pabst at the Tower Bar. (Photo by Stacy Keck)

Smoke break at the SRO Lounge. (Photo by Stacy Keck)

]]> http://www.pacificsandiego.com/2011/05/28/dive-in/feed/ 0 http://www.pacificsandiego.com/2011/04/26/get-up-sand-up/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=get-up-sand-up http://www.pacificsandiego.com/2011/04/26/get-up-sand-up/#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:28:55 +0000 alyson http://www.pacificsandiego.com/?p=7328

African music ensemble Bateke Beat performs at an Ocean Beach festival last fall. (Photos Courtesy Joe Ewing)

O.B. Beach Ball
WHEN: May 21, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
WHERE: Sands of Ocean Be ach
INFO: obbeachball.com, oceanbeachsandiego.com

By Alex Zaragoza

Nothing captures Midwesterners’ view of Southern California quite like Ocean Beach—Hacky Sack-playing hippies; people practicing yoga on the beach; Bob Marley music wafting through the salty, mota-tinged air.

On May 21, the first annual O.B. Beach Ball will amplify the good vibes with a celebration of sports and music by the water. The all-day festival, to be held on the sand just north of the O.B. Pier, is sponsored by the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association (OBMA) and local beach bar, Winstons.

The event was meant to get rollin’ last May, but rather than throw an okay party in 2010, OBMA executive director Denny Cox says the association decided to take an extra year to ensure the Beach Ball blew other street festivals out of the water.

On tap are a beachside beer garden serving up 24 styles of microbrews, a 60-foot-tall Ferris wheel, live music from 10 bands and three DJs, plus enough grub to satisfy even the harshest case of the munchies. Ocean Beach Surf and Skate will offer skateboarding and kayaking demos and provide an area for skaters to practice their kickflips and ollies. Temptress Fashion will conduct vintage beachwear fashion shows, while go-go dancers provide visual distraction on the main stage.

Providing additional entertainment—and maybe a bit of embarrassment—are athletic challenges that will test partiers’ brains and brawn. Among these is the Human Haulin’ competition, a race to see who can finish an intense obstacle course in the shortest time, while carrying a teammate.

“Sounds easy,” says Cox, “but it’s done in the sand…not so easy.”

By Ida Rosenberg
Photos by Brevin Blach

In the 1970s, the South African town of Jeffrey’s Bay (aka J-Bay) was a haven for counterculture. Today, it’s one of the world’s top surfing destinations and host to the Billabong Pro J-Bay surf tournament, to be held July 15 to 25 at Supertubes, a 1,000-foot stretch of coastline regarded as one of the planet’s toughest high-performance surf breaks (beautiful beach, long flight).

Lucky for us, Dieter May and his crew at the legendary Pacific Beach eatery, World Famous, have brought South Africa closer to home with the South African J-Bay Wine Spritzer. This clearly irresistible thirst-quencher looks like a tall, cool glass of water, but it’s actually a refreshing blend of crisp, South African chenin blanc wine; sweet, wild elderflower liqueur and a lemon-lime splash.

May hopes this cocktail and the other drinks comprising his annual list of beachthemed concoctions will kick-start summer in San Diego. If the rate at which people flock to his restaurant is any indicator, May may get his wish.

Visit the beaches of Hawaii, Brazil, Tahiti and more at World Famous, located on America’s Finest beach at the end of Pacific Beach Drive. worldfamous.comsignonsandiego.com

16 Number of beach-themed drinks on the menu at World Famous

9,868 Number of miles from San Diego to the beaches of Cape Town, South Africa

$2,363 Cost of driving to Cape Town from San Diego (assuming 20 MPG, $4.75 per gallon and paved oceans)

26 Number of years since Dieter May opened World Famous

Silver Blossom Martini

Other delicious beach drinks available at World Famous

Silver Blossom Martini
This Sunset Strip favorite is made from rock candy syrup, fresh lemon juice and Nolet’s Silver gin, shaken and served up with a splash of champagne.

Maui Cosmo
World Famous was inspired by the island of Maui, blending organic Ocean sugarcane vodka with sweet passion fruit and cranberry juices, served up in a chilled, blue-stem martini glass.

Cape Hatteras Sweet Tea

Cape Hatteras Sweet Tea
From Hatteras Island on the outer banks of North Carolina (known as the blue marlin capital of the world), World Famous serves up this mix of Sweet Tea vodka and lemonade, served over cracked ice.

Citroen Lemonade
World Famous pairs its lemonade with Ketel One Citroen vodka, sweet and sour mix, a Cointreau splash and a fresh lemon squeeze, served over ice.

St. Germain Pear Martini
St. Germain elderflower liqueur is mixed with Grey Goose La Poire vodka, chilled and served in a sugar-rim martini glass with a California sparkling wine splash.

Absolutely Ruby Red
Absolut grapefruit vodka is iced in a pint glass with California sparkling wine and fresh grapefruit, cranberry, lemon and lime juices.

Pomegranate Mimosa
Did you know orange squeezing can lead to premature arthritis? Take a break from the traditional orange juice mimosa and try this concoction of chilled California sparkling wine, served in a flute glass with a pomegranate liqueur float.

Cubana Mojito
Writer Earnest Hemmingway once scribbled on the wall of a bar in Havana about his love of this traditional Cuban drink. World Famous’ version uses Matusalem Platino, a premium Cuban rum, key lime juice, cane sugar, fresh mint and a splash of soda.

Skyy Bloody Caliente
This bold bloody is made with World Famous’ secret 1970 mix, atomic horseradish and Skyy Vodka.

Carribean Mai Tai

World Famous Caribbean Mai Tai
This local take on the Caribbean-inspired masterpiece (which was actually created in Northern California) is made from Mount Gay Eclipse and Myer’s rums, with coconut and tropical juices.

Pisco Sunrise
Pisco, a spirit made from Muscat grapes that is famous in the coastal towns of Chile and Peru, is mixed with orange juice and almond liqueur, served over rocks with a squeeze of lime and a cherry.

Pisco Sunrise

DJ Brett Bodley

DJ Brett Bodley
Age: 26
Turf: Pacific Beach
Hangouts: Bar West,Thrusters Lounge
Hobbies: Boxing, snowboarding
Groove of Choice: House
Drink: Patrón and Pineapple
Favorite Beach: South Beach, Miami

By Pat Sherman • Photos by Rob Hammer

I really like to hit ‘em hard,” says DJ Brett Bodley. “When I hit an exercise or boxing session, I go hard until it’s done. I do the same with DJing.”

A native of Boulder, Colorado, Bodley, 26, began spinning high-energy house beats four years ago at Stingaree, where he first paid his dues as a lighting and sound technician. These days, he spins at Fluxx, Sidebar, Andaz and 207 at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, downtown; plus Thrusters Lounge in Pacific Beach.

“My whole sound is very up-tempo, high energy, in-your-face,” he says. “I feel that you always have to bring that energy, no matter what kind of mood you’re in. You always have to take the party to the next level.”

DJ Brett Bodley headlines at Fluxx nightclub (pictured above) May 20.

Twitter @djbrettbodley