Conversations I wish I’d heard this year. John Kern, political reporter. Evening Tribune:
- The Grand Jury when they decided not to bring an accusation against City Attorney John Witt for taking his $100 campaign contribution
- The District Attorney’s office when they decided they would bring charges against Dorothy “Sam” Kolis for election code violations
- The conversation between Mayor Wilson and District Attorney Ed Miller on Election night when they decided on amnesty for candidates who broke the election code
- The conversation between City Manager Kimball Moore and Mayor Pete Wilson after Proposition B failed
- The conversation between Dr. Gaylord Parkinson and George Millay of Sea World when they decided on arrangements for the $30,000 fund-raiser for Ray Lussa and Jim Ellis.
Best albums of the year. Mike Harrison. KPRI Program Director:
- 10 cc, 10 cc
- Quadraphenia, The Who
- Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd
- Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Brothers and Sisters, Allman Brothers Band
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John
- Passion Play, Jethro Tull
New Year baby
Best bargains of the year. CALPIRG, consumer survey study group:
- large eggs. 55¢ a dozen, February at Big Bear
- Farmer John bacon. 93¢ a pound, February at Bradshaw's
- lean ground beef, 87¢ a pound, February at FedMart
- white onions, 22¢ a pound, February at Safeway
- milk, homogenized, 56¢ a half gallon. February, almost everywhere
Worst bargains of the year, CALPIRG:
- large eggs, $1.02 a dozen. September at Mayfair
- Farmer John bacon, $1.52 a pound, September at Alpha Beta
- lean ground beef, $1.22 a pound, September at Mayfair
- white onions, 29¢ a pound, September at Bradshaw's
- milk, homogenized, bit a half gallon, November at Bradshaw’s
Luckiest people of the year, Gerry Gross, Channel 8 Sports:
- Harlan Svare, because his friend Gene Klein made him Charger general manager and pays him $50,000 for just sitting in his office
- Ron Waller, who as of yesterday (December 16) at 5 P.M. said goodbye to the pitiful mess called the Chargers
- Johnny Unitas, because he gets paid $400,000 a year without playing
- Wilt Chamberlain, because he gets $600,000 a year without playing
Best concerts in San Diego this year, Cameron Crowe, local free-lance writer for Rolling Stone:
- Joe Walsh at the Civic Theatre
- Allman Brothers Band at the Sports Arena
- Yes at the Sports Arena
- Led Zepplin at the Sports Arena
- Jesse Colin Young and the Eagles at the Community Concourse (upcoming)
The most significant deals that took place in San Diego this year, Richard Spaulding of the Daily Transcript:
- The buying of U.S. National by Crocker Bank
- The sale of the Padres (if it goes through)
- The sale of the 502-unit Plaza Apartment complex in Pacific Beach for over $10 million. (The largest sale of its kind in local history)
- The sale of USIU campus to Pasadena College and the City of San Diego for $11.4 million (when it becomes final)
- The Penasquitos, Inc. land “sold’’ by Irvin Kahn to the Teamsters Pension Fund for $22.5 million.
- The sale of Kearny Industrial Park to a Canadian insurance company for $3.95 million. (11 buildings. 14 acres). The largest sale of its kind in southern California
Where I’ve eaten the best meals of 1973, Neil Morgan:
- At home
- La Favorite
- Bamboo House
- Nino's
- The Wine and Food Society Dinner at the Westgate
Films I never expected to come to San Diego. Duncan Shepherd, local film critic:
- Letter to Jane, by Godard
- Blaise Pascal, by Rossellini
- Even Dwarfs Started Small, by Herzog
- Herostratus, by Don Levy
- I Am a Nymphomaniac (under the title The Sensuous Teenager), by Max Pecas ("le grande Max”)
Favorite albums. Gabriel Wisdom. KGB disc jockey:
- Birds of Fire. Mahavishnu Orchestra
- Mystery to Me, Fleetwood Mac
- Quadraphenia, The Who
- Innervisions, Stevie Wonder
- Last Train to Hicksville, Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks
Best books. Chuck Mulverdy. Wahrenbrock's book store, downtown:
Fiction
- Do with Me What You Will, Oates
- Burr, Vidal
- Gravity’s Rainbow, Pynchon
- Breakfast of Champions, Vonnegul
- Time Enough for Love, Heinlein
- Come Nineveh, Come Tyre. Drury
Non fiction
- Asian Journal, Thomas Merlon
- How To Do Your Own Divorce, Sherman
- Wittgenstein's Vienna, Toulmin
- Journey to Ixtlan, Casteneda
Best surf of the year. Bill Andrews. P.B. Surf Shop:
- August 17. Windansea. Good, clean, soft, south swell
- Last of October (27-31). Variety was good at all beaches and reefs.
- December 14. Good northwest everywhere. Biggest surf of vear.
Best concerts. Ted Burke, local rock writer.
- Ellon John at Balboa Stadium
- Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention at the Sports Arena
- Yes at the Community Concourse
- Mahavishnu Orchestra at UCSD Gym
- Edgar Winter at Balboa Stadium
Worst concerts. Ted Burke:
- T. Rex at the Community Concourse
- John Mayall at the Community Concourse
- Yoko Ono at San Diego Stadium
- Chicago at San Diego Stadium
Best entertainment values in San Diego politics. Staff of San Diego Edition:
- Financier and Padre owner C.A. Smith traded to a minor league by the Washington Revenuers
- “The Group." a coalition of right-wing Republicans, making a successful entry into local politics
- Rav Lussa's unsuccessful $40,000 bid for a $5000 City Council seat.
- In its first year the S.D. Regional Coastal Commission's approval of 1005 out of 1100 applications
- Builders' candidate Lee Taylor appointed to the County Board of Supervisors, giving developers a majority interest on the Board