obama-sistable

this saturday was the big unity event day for the obama campaign, and there were loads of obama meetups in san diego, including a rather large one in balboa park. i walked over to one here in kensington with our friends from across the street, and was impressed by the turnout (35 folks or so) and the enthusiasm of the group. we watched a video from the obama campaign, enjoyed the peaceful backyard of the host, and talked about why we were interested in the campaign. it was a great opportunity to meet neighbors who have the same concerns about how things are going in this country and how we can help change it.

at the meeting, i mentioned that much of my previous campaign work for democrats has consisted of bugging people on the phone, and copping an idea i saw a while back on dailykos.com, i suggested that we perform community service/volunteer work with our obama gear on. this could demonstrate that this campaign is about more than just electing someone - it's about improving our communities by helping people who need it most during these rough times. people seemed genuinely interested in that, and i'm hoping we can use the e-mail list from the meeting to put together some volunteer events. related web resources include the events page on the barackobama.com website ("events" link on the right), various san diego groups ("groups" link) on that site, the san diego obama meetup.com group, and volunteer.org with volunteer opportunities like one to help restore the san diego river on july 26th. i'm excited to put together some events, and maybe send a message - that the trend of selfishness in this country that contributed to conservative successes over the past decade needs to be addressed and countered by this campaign.

on a lighter note, someone said the word "obamacan" to describe republican obama voters, and for some reason that triggered my memory of detroit octane's performance of the ridiculous "barack obama-sistible" on conan recently. now it's stuck on repeat in my head. here's the original video, subtitles-istable and all.

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

taste of adams roundup

we were pretty impressed with the taste of adams avenue event last sunday. starting toward the west end of the street and working our way east, we were too early for jayne's gastropub, who had a sign up saying they wouldn't be ready until 10:30. so we went down 30th to senior mango's, where they were laying out smoothies and cups full of yogurt or acai, with fruits and granola. it was a refreshing start to the day, and now i've got a smoothie place to hit before work.


back to jaynes, where they quickly ran out of the seared halibut and israeli couscous dish they served up, which was a highlight of the entire festival. we dropped in later and took advantage of their $2 draft special, cooling off with trumer pils and green flash ipa.



we crossed 30th and were impressed by the spread at antique row cafe, which had fallen off our list of neighborhood favorites after several disappointing breakfasts. sausage, a beef hash and biscuits were served up, along with free water, which came in handy as the heat set in later.



next was casa adams, where we enjoyed our ample-sized chicken enchilada. i had to skip the offerings at cheesecake company just past the 805 bridge, but everyone raved about them.



the heart of the event seemed to be around the normal heights sign, with lestats (tiny iced coffee and a brownie), starbucks (tiny iced coffee and a cookie), and casa sanchez (beef taco with some tasty salsa) just west of the event ticket area. flavors italian ice cooled us off with their usual refreshing choices there.




moving east, we were treated to cheese/mushrooms and crackers at proprietors wine reserve, rolled tacos at luz's kitchen, and a variety of beer-infused mustards at rosie o'grady's. a few doors down, a la francaise pulled off the biggest disappointment of the event with a couple of trays of quiche, of all the things they could have offered.



we were hitting some big crowds now, which made us skip mariposa ice cream and the gigantic line at di milles italian restaurant, although the patio looked like a fun place to hang out. instead we walked on to cafe cabaret and california-antilles trading consortium, which has hot sauces galore and served up some spicy salsa and chips.



we crossed the bridge and finished up with an excellent banana french toast dish at kensington grill (another highlight), french onion soup and chocolate mousse at bleu boheme, and various drinks at kensington starbucks. but it was the near full-size burgers at burger lounge, wrapped and ready to go, that made the latter part of our walk, since we were able to toss these in the fridge for dinner before heading back to get the car.






on the way back we hit zia's pizza, which had been incredibly hot when we stood in line earlier (where's the ceiling fans, guys?) only to hear they had run out of pizza. there was plenty on our return, and the crust was especially good. we knocked out the last two spots, cafe 2121 and the new twigg's bakery location, where they'll be opening in august. it was great chatting with the owners, who were very friendly, and this only added to the real community feel we came away with.




kudos to the event organizers for providing lots of trolleys. we employed a tandem car approach, but it was a good feeling to live in a neighborhood where you could enjoy such a wide variety of restaurants on foot.

taste of adams ave; summer's here

taste of adams ave is this sunday in kensington, normal heights and university heights. that's a pretty long span of adams, so it's a good thing trolleys will be available to cart our bloated asses to the next gorging. i'm looking forward to sampling the goods at jaynes, bleu boheme, and kensington grill. and i bet ponce's, burger lounge and a la francaise will have some tasty items too. but i'm kind of stumped as to what to eat at the dozen or so coffee shops, which make up about half of the list. how many stale sticky buns can you take?

it would have been nice to see a couple more participants, especially the new farmhouse in university heights, or cantina mayahuel. and i hope we don't witness any massive lines like the one at richard walker's pancake house last weekend during taste of the gaslamp (or whatever they were calling it). nevertheless, time to start fasting, i've got 20 holes to punch sunday on my taste of adams card!

speaking of this weekend, we're hoping to hit the beach and swim for the first time this year. it really feels like summer is here, and it hasn't been a bad june gloom month compared to some we've had. today was pretty interesting at the coast as a compressed fog bank advanced and retreated throughout the day, finally giving up and leaving us with a beautiful evening. must be time to enjoy our 10 weeks of warm weather and water - although the latter could use some help.

"this is a cheap county"

couldn't have said it any better myself jerry, but then i don't get quoted in the new york times. and how funny is it that the absolute cheapest people in this cheap county, the rabid right-wingers of east county, face the greatest risk of property damage from fire? oh, they'll tell you that the pension scandal and the unions are to blame for sucking up all their tax dollars, but that's just a smokescreen to mask their stinginess. if they had their way, they wouldn't pay a penny in taxes, but still expect government services.

it's too bad charities can't perform fire protection, since these are always cited by conservatives as to where our money should go (just don't mention the repeated scandals at united way). you see, there's no requirement that you give anything to charities - plus it's tax deductible! and now that we're entering a recession, with donations sure to dip, what better time to rely on charities to perform critical services?

i guess jerry is growing a set now that he's been re-elected. who will he call out next?

(hat tip: last blog on earth)

happy gay marriage day

it was a pretty historic day for gay and lesbian couples in california today as they were finally able to legally wed. when you think that it was only a few decades ago that the gay civil rights movement really began, it's quite an accomplishment. i was happy to see that hundreds of gay couples were married at the county courthouse downtown without large-scale protests in this still-conservative city. and maybe those opposed to gay marriage were surprised to find that their marriages did not crumble just because some couples who've been living together for years made their relationships official.

while there is still no federal recognition of gay marriage (and that's where true equality lies in terms of financial impact), to have something like this happen during my lifetime makes me feel very grateful. and i think the best way to recognize that on a personal level is for jay and i to be a part of it - especially since it could be taken away by california voters come november. in fact, it would be silly not to get married because these marriages supposedly can't be invalidated. so we're shooting for a simple ceremony at the courthouse in a few months, and then a party to celebrate afterward.

given california's cultural influence across the world, it's possible that we're underestimating the long-term impact of today's events. i think people will look back on this day as a landmark moment in shifting public opinion toward recognizing that gay people deserve the same rights as everyone else.

street scene goes indie

the lineup for street scene was announced today and it appears rob hagey made an excellent decision to enlist casbah owner tim mays to help book the festival. quality acts from the indie scene, along with several major label artists, make up the majority of the lineup, which is anchored by beck and the black crowes. there's a definite move away from the pop-oriented acts that have been a major part of street scene for the past several years (black eyed peas, anyone?) toward artists that have often had critical, if not large-scale commercial success. and hagey and mays seem to have taken the pulse of the (white) cosmopolitan listener and booked bands that appeal to younger folks who live in and around downtown san diego.

in the past, street scene has tried to appeal to various audiences within the same festival, but there's little effort to do that this year. since part of the deal in securing the site was apparently capping attendance to a reasonable number, it makes sense to largely book acts with low-to-moderate price tags and focus on a target demographic. but are there enough people in that demo in san diego? coachella built its early success on a similar formula, and many of that festival's attendees are from throughout southern california, so it seems reasonable.

for me, the festival highlights are:

- beck: people seem to be falling off his bandwagon recently, but there's no denying that beck is one of the premier alternative artists of the past two decades. plus his live shows are consistently good, whether it was the vamp of the midnite vultures tour at coachella in '99 or pairing up with the flaming lips at copley symphony hall downtown in 2002.

- spoon: hard to beat their last two albums for sheer quality of songwriting

- hot chip: too much fun at coachella this year, impossible not to dance to

- tv on the radio: how hard is "wolf like me" going to rock?

- justice: mixed reviews from coachella, but their set should be an intense end to the night on one of the stages

- others: new pornographers (will neko case be there? regardless, just go light on that last cd); cat power; the national; vampire weekend; the hives. a friend of mine is very high on man man and devotchka, so i'll have to listen to them soon. i'm hoping the lead singer's voice for cold war kids will be in better shape than what i heard at coachella, and that the number of fights during x will be less than 20 (with social distortion conspicuously absent from street scene, that might be possible).

ticket prices are very reasonable - just $75 total for both days at this time. this is another smart move by hagey - the concert industry appears to be soft right now, and i've been seeing 2-for-1 ticket deals for the george michael concert here and for big-grosser kenny chesney elsewhere. by making the tickets affordable to the target audience, they stand a good chance of hitting that attendance cap - if people turn out, which i really hope they do. we need to support this incarnation of the festival, because 50 year-old jimmy buffet fans sure won't be coming.



one interesting thing is the stage layout, which utilizes the eastern side of tailgate park east of petco, but also two closed street blocks. i don't see how they're going to accomodate any large turnouts on those street stages shown.

a downer is the complete lack of any hip hop acts at the festival, but it's better than booking a couple of token acts that the crowd ignores. so i'm posting an mp3 here from the new lil' wayne cd as a reminder that hip hop can appeal to the indie crowd. stay tuned for street scene act previews here in the next few months.

children's museum and park

we had babysitting duties for my nephew caden this weekend so we figured it was the perfect time to check out the new children's museum downtown. after a quick run around the bases at the park at petco, we hit the new park outside the museum (more below) and then walked across the street into the wide-open interior.


housed in a rob quigley-designed building, you walk across a bridge over the basement floor into an open space where the membership desk is located. since it's a bit spendy ($10/person) we got an annual membership, so i can take my nephew and jay can take his niece and nephew. we figure three visits will pay for the membership, and we'll be back often based on caden's reaction today.



there are some really creative interactive areas, including a room that projects video onto the walls that's just fine for making hand shadows with, a big ramp for sliding hand-made cars down, and art-oriented features like the painted car shown here.



speaking of art, there's are interesting "pieces" on various walls, including the popular climbing area. but the biggest hit of all (and the only line in the place, which was not overly crowded) was the room full of tire-shaped pillows. caden loved burrowing in these and sliding down the mattress leaning against the wall. in fact you may have to do battle with your kid(s) to leave the place, as we did even after spending a couple of hours. now what other museum can you say that about for a 3-year old?

we had read the new park was a bit disappointing, and it sure felt that way. a couple of lonely swings, a spider-like contraption to climb on, and that's about it. there's still room for more items, so let's hope it improves.

san diego coffee and tea and spice and crap

you know the feeling when a good friend lets you down? someone you used to depend on but that you can't anymore? that's kind of how it feels with san diego coffee tea and spice, the current incarnation of the non-starbucks coffee shop in kensington. i've always avoided the starbucks across the street (gotta support local businesses) even as i gaze longingly at the new comfy orange cushions on the patio furniture while my ass goes numb on the rickety wooden patio chairs at sdct&s. but as the quality of service erodes and the pet peeves increase, it makes you wonder why you're even there.

it hasn't always been this way - when kensington coffee company changed ownership a few years back it was remodeled with new hardwood floors, an interior paint job, bigger windows, and some decent furniture. 2006 or so seems to be a high point when they had a super-friendly staff and fun regulars, but it's been solidly downhill since then. from deteriorating furniture to certain borderline-hostile staff to wireless that consistently never works, sdct&s hits all the low points.

staff are a mixed bag, but for the most part the service is slow and can be a train wreck during peak times. our friend stood in line for 10 minutes on a recent weekend and bailed to starbucks when it became clear he wouldn't be getting his fix anytime soon. as some have noted on yelp, staff often stand around or chat in the back while one person bears the load. and unless you're decked out in all your hipster greatness you can be subjected to the cool disapproval vibe. but that's actually preferable to the blatant man-hate a particular barista projects.

i can appreciate funky old furniture in a coffee shop, but this place has featured a table at below-knee height, leather couches that you can't get out of, and patio furniture straight out of the museum of man's torture exhibit. step into cafe cabaret across the SR 15 bridge on adams or filter on 30th in north park and it's clear that comfortable yet usable cafe furniture isn't too hard to do.

finally, what's up with the wireless? it hasn't worked the last half-dozen times i've been in there. and don't expect the staff to help - "the music's working so the wireless must be". hmm... does that mean someone on the internet actually still has a hard on for "comfortably numb"?

i'm not going to give up on sdct&s though, since it's the only independent that i can walk to. just keep an eye on that electrical box, since the next fire that erupts from that thing might not wait for the fire extinguisher to arrive from across the street.

city beats the reader

i was reading the city beat summer guide on the plane to miami last week and i couldn't get over how much more engaged these guys are with the san diego core neighborhoods than the reader. it's one thing to slap together a bunch of long-winded stories, a stuffy music roundup, and occasionally useful restaurant reviews between page after page of botox ads like the reader does. yet when has the reader ever had any interaction with their audience - do they ever sponsor any events, or even provide coverage of major events like street scene? no, they just put out a rag that exists solely to bring in (big) advertiser income that its editor can then use to fund state propositions that would deny rights to a significant portion of its readers (abortion access, gay marriage), simply because, well, "the bible says so".

the summer guide was packed with really useful info, like good eats on el cajon boulevard, new restaurants that are opening in the urban 'hoods, and plenty of locally-infused humor. in particular, the consistently funny enrique limon is a real find. i like that city beat has a gay writer(s) on its staff to provide an alternative to the gay and lesbian times, which isn't exactly the edgiest publication. i mean, when would you ever read "Nothing says “sexy” like pairing a skimpy mesh tank top with some size 28 True Religion jeans" in glt? poking fun at the gay community doesn't come easy to them. and you won't find the reader skewering del martians like v.h. mcloughlin does - "A bunch of tackily dressed, overly pretentious drunken assholes in the Coors tent pretending like they know anything about horse racing" - because moneyed north county pricks are the reader's target audience.

a new feature that's been turning up in my inbox has been their red list, a weekly roundup of interesting events in town that appeal to cosmopolitan folks interested in art, music and food. when has the reader ever done anything like that? and city beat has been rocking the community events, with the beer festival in north park, the summer fashion party at the laffayette hotel (complete with runway extending over the pool) and the city beat beer club. so instead of having a one-way relationship with their readers (publish crap, suck up ad dollars), they actually provide useful services and interact with them.

i wonder if a lot of people take city beat for granted, and with newspapers in decline, we probably shouldn't. so support them and their advertisers, and think twice before you spend your money on something you saw in the reader. that money could end up being used against you.

south beach

i was in south beach last week for a conference and had some time after it ended to enjoy the warm water (82), the art deco architecture (flickr photo set), and what is a very walkable area. my hotel was on lincoln rd., which is a long pedestrian mall full of restaurants with outdoor dining. they're all well equipped with umbrellas, which comes in handy when the tropical showers roll through, which they did during dinner one night.

there's loads of art deco architecture along ocean and collins avenues, running parallel to the beach. another block in is washington, full of souvenir shops and what should be cheap eats, but this is south beach. strangely, the drunken late night dining options here seem to consist of pizza and more pizza. that meant my traditional visit to sombrero's upon returning to san diego was even better than usual.

art around adams saturday

the annual art around adams event is this weekend in kensington and normal heights, and if past years are any indication, it should offer up some interesting art in a wide variety of businesses. we've viewed art in hair salons, real estate offices and future pizza joints, and watched dj's in front of an auto repair shop. i wouldn't miss it - if it i was in town, but i'm at a conference in south beach instead. go meet some friendly business owners and check out some local art if you're in the area - it'll be well worth your time.

cowboy star

after a long wait, it looks like cowboy star is about to open on 10th ave downtown. we peered in the windows sunday and it looks really unique inside. the bar area on the left is a trip with animal-skin lounging chairs, classy stools and a modern-meets-western look. to the right is the relatively small butcher shop, which had not been stocked with any meats yet. can't say much about the dining area, which must be in the back.

the menu looks intriguing, although the steak (from their butcher shop, which features meat from "high-integrity farm practices") prices are a bit steep. good to see there will be another brunch option in the east village, especially one with a variety of offerings - from duck confit to bison burgers to banana pancakes? now that's covering all your culinary bases.

eclipse chocolat father's day bbq

per scott parish, the father's day chocolate bbq at eclipse sounds like a lot of fun. for $35 you get:

Chile-roasted Corn on the Cobb with House-made Cocoa-nib Butter
Heirloom Tomato-Goat Cheese Brulee with White Chocolate-Balsamic Drizzle
Bar-B-Que Baked Beans with Cocoa-Glazed Bacon (veggie option)
Cocoa Nib-Smoked Pulled Pork Sammie with White Chocolate Slaw (veggie option)
Milk Chocolate S’mores with House-made Vanilla Bean Marshmallow

There will also be an optional Grilled Artisan Sausage Platter to complete the meaty occasion. Custom made by local Knight Salumi, these babies will be from the same master-mind who brought us our Cocoa-Glazed Bacon this past Mom's Day Brunch.

wow that's a lot of food and creative thinking from the folks there. we stopped by a couple of sunday evenings ago but they close early then, unfortunately. i'll definitely have to get over there soon to see what else they can infuse chocolate and cocoa into.

hula's crosses the pacific

rage magazine's bar listings this month include hula's at 142 university ave. in hillcrest, which puts it directly west of, and across the street from, urban mo's. in case you've never been to waikiki beach (and you're not gay), hula's is a 33-year-old mainstay of the gay scene there; several years ago they moved to their current location in the waikiki grand hotel just down the street from the beach.
there's nothing on their website or on google about a san diego opening, and i haven't seen any ads (nor been down that part of university recently), but i'll take rage's word for it. hula's should be a great addition to hillcrest - a bar within walking distance of mo's, and one that likely shares its casual, outdoor theme. now someone can take the spillover when that sunday afternoon line stretches around the corner at mo's.

another plus is that this replaces what was apparently an awful restaurant, seasons 142, at least according to the yelp reviews. i think it was the same owner as the prior restaurant in this spot, brazil on the hill, and i can testify to that place being a disappointment. while it's sad to see someone fail, i'm looking forward to this spot being more vibrant, considering there's plenty of good restaurants nearby and a high-rise going in just down the street.

i have a special fondness for hula's in waikiki - we rolled in there with my brother and his wife after a few drinks, thinking we had made clear that it was a gay bar. apparently we hadn't, as they were flabbergasted by the islander go-go boys dancing onstage, and creeped out by a middle-aged guy smiley who would not stop leering at my brother. anyway, there was a completely loaded older woman really digging on one of the go-go boys as he danced with this ridiculous thing flopping back and forth in his banana hammock. after several minutes of gyrating and hollering at him, she actually reached out, grabbed his package, and held on to it in front of the entire bar. to this day my brother still tells the story of the floppy and the misguided cougar. san diego could use some of that island charm.