It’s a shell of a thing.
May 13, 2015
News & Stories
Shambhu's debut
“San Diego offers the best combination of wellness, spirituality, and business opportunities for me,” says guitarist and electric sitarist Shambhu, aka Neil Vineberg, who arrived in San Diego late last year. Specializing in meditative and …
May 13, 2015
Another for the Tijuana morgue
The shrieking of bystanders followed gunfire in the Zona Norte section of Tijuana on Tuesday afternoon, May 12. An unidentified man lay writhing on the ground as onlookers awaited authorities to arrive on the scene. …
May 13, 2015
“Jesus Is Condemned” and “Jesus Meets His Mother”
Jesus Is Condemned I tried to think for half an hour About the face of earthly powers That would condemn a god to die. I listened for its menacing cackles, The crack of whips, the …
May 13, 2015
Juice cleanses to feel lighter and tighter
“A juice cleanse is when you drink only juice for some period of time, typically three days,” said Hanna Gregor, owner of OH! Juice in Downtown (619-760-1292; ohjuicecleanse.com). “It gives your digestive tract a break, …
May 13, 2015
Plummer, rhymes with...
A few years have passed since the one-time drummer for Black Heart Procession and Modest Mouse, and current drummer of the Shins and Cold War Kids, Joe Plummer, considered San Diego his part-time home. Despite …
May 13, 2015
Wax is back!
“There was more of a connection going on between the artist and the public with vinyl.”
May 13, 2015
The way figs feel
The charro and the pioneer lady set the kids into teams. “Now, don’t worry about breaking the eggs,” says the lady. “They’re made of wood. First team back with the egg still in the spoon …
May 13, 2015
Kind of like a health shake
With a bumper crop of booze, veggies and crustaceans behind it, the Duck Dive’s Jamaican Me Crazy Bloody Mary is exactly that — a genuine cocktail. According to its creator, Duck Dive general manager and …
May 13, 2015
Surfers saved a whole lot of paddling in San Quintín
San Quintín sits about 200 miles south of San Diego near the southern end of the Valle de Guadalupe. The large bay there is ringed by inactive volcanoes; the main industry is berry farming. San …
May 13, 2015
Is jazz the new rock?
Is jazz the new rock? Yes and no. Some of jazz culture will forever remain mired in the 1950s, which the industry will support by design not unlike radio’s ultracautious love for tried-and-true music like …
Breaking: Local ingrate forgets Mother's Day, Reader saves day twice
Dear Hipster: So, I was reading the Mother’s Day issue of the Reader, which I didn’t get a chance to look over until Monday, and it hit me that I forgot to send my mom …
May 13, 2015
Two-thirds of the Thermals have a secret past
Casual fans of the Thermals may be surprised to learn that the duo at the core of the punk-leaning trio, Hutch Harris and Kathy Foster, recorded an acoustic folk album about a year before the …
May 13, 2015
God just loves us. He can’t help himself
Membership: 35 Pastor: Mike Alcorn Age: 72 Born: Schenectady, NY Formation: San Diego Mesa College, San Diego; Frederick K.C. Price School of Ministry (Crenshaw Christian Center/Ever Increasing Faith Ministries), Los Angeles Years Ordained: 30 San …
May 13, 2015
The Legend begins
First came the band. Lucky Lucifer is a well-traveled P.B.-based “gothic Americana, garage-rock” band. Then came the label. Lucky Lucifer front man Joe Luciano, 29, launched Legend Records in 2012 so that unsigned local bands …
May 13, 2015
Waterfall to rocky summit
Hike to the top of this profile that looms 3000 feet above Borrego Springs.
May 13, 2015
Justice delayed
A top lobbyist for San Diego business interests has switched jobs, but as is traditional with the city’s revolving-door politics, he hasn’t wandered too far from home. Sean Karafin, formerly registered as an influence peddler …
May 13, 2015
Angelik changes coming to Carmel Mountain
Your humble critic made the move to Escondido in February. I was just getting accustomed to calling Reading Cinema’s Carmel Mountain my new base of operation, when last week’s check for showtimes (I needed a …
May 13, 2015
Teams we love to hate
Players change teams. Teams change stadiums. Teams change cities. Owners die. Owners sell. Teams are named. Teams are renamed. No matter what the change, fans continue to hate. At some point in a fan’s life …
May 13, 2015
Blame the frat brothers for dad-body popularity
Dear Hipster: I want to blame hipsters for making us aware of the “dad body,” aka “the stupidest trend of the year so far,” but, before I do, I thought I would consult you. This …
May 13, 2015
Not that horrible woman from the Reader!
Half of them have holes in their mouths where their teeth used to be, and the other half have sets of some-large-some-small teeth.
May 13, 2015
East County pork excursion
Carnitas Uruapan “One ($2.50) crispy carnitas taco, please.” “Crispy taco, or crispy carnitas?” Because when you’re this good with pig meat, it could go either way. I chose the taco, because nowhere else have I …
May 13, 2015
Flavors that had never appeared in a folded tortilla
Tacos El Rey Calle Segunda (2nd) and Avenida 5 de Mayo, Centro, Tijuana Like many taco stands in Tijuana, Tacos El Rey has no menu anywhere. Except this is not a taco stand but a …
May 13, 2015
Where are the trout in California?
A 2015 fishing license will set you back $47.01, plus a $5.21 ocean fishing stamp. Out-of-state residents will shell out $126.36. Sportsmen active in the politics say the increasing cost of fishing licenses is due …
May 13, 2015
The city’s most expensive taco
Oscar’s Mexican Seafood Though open less than five years, Oscar’s already feels like a regional classic. Its seafood tacos have always set the standard for the entire city. To begin with, it offers what I …
May 13, 2015
Frazee’s crazee Point Loma estate
If an intensely private gated estate is your thing, bust out the wallet.
May 13, 2015
Customers flock here constantly
Tacos El Paisa There’s a lot to be said about a San Diego taco shop that is mindful enough to press fresh masa tortillas with every order. It speaks to a certain authenticity, one that …
May 13, 2015
California public utilities vs. us
Utilities commissioner Peevey accused of terrorizing colleagues who stood up for consumers.
May 13, 2015
Hating San Diego (or not), and more letters on pit bulls
Merciless Sun After a few words of “Is There Anything to Hate about San Diego?," my blood pressure went up. The perfect city? Like Julie, I'm a person who calls Chicago her home, and I’d …
May 13, 2015
What makes a great taco?
Grill House at Big Ben’s Big Ben’s is a 65-year-old grocery outlet famous for its carnitas tacos right in National City’s Old Town. A disastrous 2013 fire was good luck for us. They did an …
May 13, 2015
Sempra’s organic influence
It was off to the virtual organic farm earlier this year for a crew of California Democratic legislators being wooed by San Diego–based Sempra Energy, not always known for its love of nature. According to …
May 13, 2015
A line out the door since 1933
Mitch’s Seafood Whenever I’m at family-owned Mitch’s Seafood I think, This is why I live in San Diego. Beer-battered rock cod ($3.05) or seasonal fresh grilled fish and seafood ($3.60) are almost exclusively from San …
May 13, 2015
Fish counts from the last two days
May 11 and 12 dock totals Chubasco II Sportfishing sent 49 anglers out aboard two 1/2 day trip and reported 35 rockfish, 55 calico bass,1 sheephead and 3 sculpin caught and kept. Another 45 calico …
May 13, 2015
Firecrackers and fresh masa
Cantina Mayahuel For taco lovers, Cantina Mayahuel is happy-hour heaven — six whole hours every day devoted to taco-and-tequila deals. I recommend taking advantage of the tequila discounts but skipping the street tacos (three little …
May 13, 2015
Easily the best carnitas in San Diego
Albert’s Mexican Food Albert’s, located in a lowly strip mall, is known for gigantic rolled tacos that are huge and filling. One of the daily specials is usually a burrito with some form of meat …
May 13, 2015