It had been another sleepless night for Chris Squire, pedaling around San Diego delivering drugs. When the sun rolled into the sky on August 14, 2006, he knew he was looking at his last few …

Local martial arts class, 1971. Karate schools multiplied in the 1970s, but in the mid '60s the discipline began getting attention from our local daily. In 1965, it was noted that 11 martial artists wore …

Christmas gargles mule, and let me tell you why. It's not religion or my lack of it. Everyone has a deal. Your deal is what gets you through the long, cold night. If in the …

For hikers, the flattish 5700-foot summit of Mount Wilson -- home of the historic (and still viable) Mount Wilson Observatory -- is a jumping-off spot for vintage trails that run downhill in practically every direction. …

A cluster of the homeless was encamped across the street from the church, sitting on the narrow strip of lawn between the Sixth Avenue sidewalk and the hillslope leading up into Balboa Park. Inside, the …

Cry-Baby, book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, songs by David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger, based on the John Waters movie La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive Directed by Mark Brokaw; cast: Chester …

It was for just such situations that we have coined the expression "no-brainer."

"Hot wine. Hot diggety," I say. "Cold beer. Cool," says Hank.

**** 1/2 (Excellent to Extraordinary) 4529 Mission Bay Drive (at Bunker Hill Street), Pacific Beach, 858-270-5670. HOURS: Saturday--Monday 5:30--10:30 p.m., Tuesday--Friday 11 a.m.--2 p.m. and 5:30--10:30 p.m. PRICES: Sushi and sashimi $25--$35 for full dinner …

What book are you currently reading? "It's a collection of best science writing from 2007 [The Best American Science Writing 2007 (Best American Science Writing)]. It's selected by -- I know one of the two …

Blackout Party front man Brian Holwerda is grateful to Rockit Entertainment, the local booking company that set up five shows for his band in Memphis and Nashville. (Holwerda's folky six-man band includes lap steel, cello, …

"They tried to be too upscale, too downtown for that area," says a former employee of Dolce in Bonita. "That's why they are boarded up now." The restaurant and dance club -- which abruptly closed …

Post Title: [none] I'm enrolling in a culinary arts program. I've decided that in my early to mid 20s my inability to cook was fine -- almost cute to some. But now, as I stride …

In 1998, Van Halen played Philadelphia's Spectrum on their first tour with ex-Extreme singer Gary Cherone. When Todd Weiler lived in Philadelphia and worked for a caterer, he helped set up the backstage food for …

Twenty-eight years ago this week, Bob Dylan brought his Gospel Tour to Golden Hall for two nights -- November 27 and 28, 1979 -- during which he was reportedly booed during monologues about his newfound …

Some gems from November posts on the San Diego Musicians page at craigslist.org: "Looking for some people to jam with. I'm not looking for the best.... Must be willing to piss off neighbors, must like …

Thirty Years Ago Frank Curran is going to ride the issue of paving Horton Plaza until the opposition collapses under the sheer weight of his persistence. Early this year a downtown study group headed by …

Any chances that San Diego's pirate radio station will sign on again appear to have been snuffed. During its years of operation (2001--2006), Free Radio San Diego used the 96.9 FM frequency to broadcast its …

Album: SDIB (2007) Artist: SDIB Label: Aku Roots Where available/price: Online at akuroots.com for $13.99 and cdbaby.com for $14. Songs: 1) Midnight Hour 2) Sugar 3) Runnin 4) Sweet Anela 5) Wrapped Up 6) Where's …

"While living in L.A., one of my jobs was talent scouting for child actors and models. It sucked."

Artist: Steve Poltz Song: "Haters' Union" (from the CD Traveling) Heard By: Lauren Russell, North Park I thought that it was interesting, but I actually found the CD insert booklet more entertaining than the music …

My great aunt Edna is the just-so lady -- "A place for everything and everything in its place." Her home in Pasadena might be a historical museum; everything is so perfectly arranged and spotless. Not …

"The Marines got into it just recently," says Ryan Greenspan, founding member of the professional paintball team San Diego Dynasty. "They see it as a militant sport because guns are involved. I don't think there …

"We want everyone to have a fighting chance to get exposure."

I got word of a party called "Goatfest 2007." As I drove into the P.B. neighborhood, I saw a party being broken up by the police. It wasn't the one I was looking for, though.There …

There are no facts, only interpretations. -- Friedrich Nietzsche 'You want some eggs with that ketchup?" "Very funny, Four-Eyes," Dad said, using the nickname he gave me when I got my first pair of glasses …

We Own The Air I admire Doug Curlee as a reporter (KUSI), but I don't agree with his letter last week (November 21) about KLSD talk shows that were all canceled by the corporate owner, …

Eric HanauerWriter, underwater photographer, and retired professorwww.ehanauer.com Now's the time my Chicago Cubs usually go into early hibernation. So, I depend on DVDs for a baseball fix to survive a long, cold winter. When It …

Belly Up Tavern, Monday, December 3, 8 p.m. 858-481-8140. $15 Iggy Pop and Frank Black and the Violent Femmes all have Jonathan Richman in common, but you're not likely to get the connection without having …

The Casbah, Sunday, December 2, 8:30 p.m. 619-232-4355. $12. In October, New Yorker magazine published "A Paler Shade of White: How Indie Rock Lost Its Soul," an article by Sasha Frere-Jones in which the always-provocative …

It's given that anyone who takes the Chargers head-coach job assures himself of temporary employment and a downhill NFL career path. Go back 20 years and except for Marty Schottenheimer (now doing piece work for …

Name: Chris Hartin Lives: Pacific Beach Surfing: South Mission Beach Jetty "I grew up in that house there," says Chris Hartin, pointing to a row of homes overlooking the South Mission Jetty. "The house with …

DJ: Astra Kelly Station: 102.1 KPRI FM SHIFT: Saturday nights, 9·10 p.m. I was working the front desk at KPRI just after moving to San Diego earlier this year. This was before taking on DJ …

Some scholars say there is no way to tell if the economy or stock market is in a bubble. Wrong. The telltale signs are maniacal initial public offerings (IPOs) -- young companies taking their stocks …

Fires make David Hogan nervous. It's not because he's afraid his Pine Valley house will burn down. It's because after every fire in Southern California, politicians start clamoring for reduction of the "fuel" that covers …

As you read this, 40,000 people in the world are "in-world." This doesn't mean that these people have left our world, the real world. It means that their real bodies are sitting in front of …

Were not I thine only nurse, I would say thou hadst suck'd wisdom from thy teat. -- William Shakespeare I was standing in the kitchen, weighing the exertion of making my own coffee against the …

Actress Lita Milan, in a phone booth on Harbor Drive and Market Street, 1958. An aide to Dominican general Rafael Trujillo Jr. seems to be offering counsel. Our local paper learned that Milan fled the …

Last week, the Evangelical Philosophical Society held its annual conference (in conjunction with the Evangelical Theological Society) at the Town & Country Convention Center in Mission Valley. On Friday afternoon, a crowd gathered in the …

Startling me from sleep, my clunky phone lit up and buzzed on the nightstand. Ding ding! Brrrr! I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, fumbled with the phone's blue backlit controls, and read the text …

The racing season is long over at Del Mar, but 20 state legislators and their relatives no doubt have happy memories of the meet, thanks to the generosity of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. According …

Album: Cathouse Thumpers (2007) Artist: Cathouse Thumpers Label: self-released Where available/price: At live shows for $10. Online at cdbaby.com for $11.99. Songs: 1) Our Neck of the Woods 2) Cool 18 3) Chicken Legs ·4) …

The federal Centers for Disease Control has just released 2006 statistics for sexually transmitted diseases, and San Diego County ranks near the top in two categories. In numbers of reported chlamydia cases, we're 7th nationally, …

The California state auditor has come out swinging against lax oversight of top executives' pay and fringe benefits at the California State University system, including San Diego State and its president, Stephen Weber. Issued earlier …

Avenue 5 *** (Very Good) 2760 Fifth Avenue (between Nutmeg and Olive Streets), Bankers Hill, 619-542-0394, http://avenue5restaurant.com. HOURS: Lunch Tuesday--Friday 11:30 a.m.--2:30 p.m.; dinner Tuesday--Sunday 5:30--9:30 p.m., Friday--Saturday until 10:00 p.m. or later. PRICES: Salads …

Artist: Canobliss Song: "Riot" (from the CD Liberation of Dissonance) Heard By: Alan Castaneda, Lemon Grove Right away, I think I'd listen to it again. It's wasn't too predictable. They were combining a lot of …

Few fruits evoke the sunny blue skies of the Mediterranean and the balmy days of September quite so poignantly as the fig, but local farmers and advanced agricultural science may be turning that image inside …

"I was built to bartend. It's what I was put on this planet to do."

For months, everything went wrong for Blackwater Worldwide (formerly Blackwater USA), the mercenary firm that wants to put a training camp in tiny Potrero, 45 miles east of San Diego and almost on the border. …

It was nice to go to two events that were in close proximity. The first was a glass art show in Balboa Park called "Splendor in the Glass." There were a couple of musicians playing …

Since 2002, the insectoid stage outfits worn by the Locust have been created by fashion designer Ben Warwas. "The first outfits I did were green, with masks that had mesh over the eyes," he says. …

Schoolyard scuffle

A blogger named GMike is not happy with Z90. The station's morning DJ, "Chino," was replaced last month by the Big Boy's Neighborhood show, a syndicated program out of L.A. "They need to keep the …

L.A.-based Carla Bozulich has been a frequent visiting performer in San Diego over the years, singing in Ethyl Meatplow and later leading alt-country indie-rock outfit Geraldine Fibbers. She's been touring the world supporting her Evangelista …

As environmentalist Jim Bell prepares to launch his fifth run for mayor, he says local bands will continue to play a role in his fund-raising efforts. "If you're trying to save the world and you're …

Less than a year old, Zeros tribute band Wild Weekend has signed a deal for two singles with Spanish indie Munster Records. (In the '90s, when the Zeros reunited, the label released an album and …

Record labels and music publishers owned by EMI are suing locally based MP3tunes for copyright infringement. MP3tunes owner Michael Robertson is named in the suit, which accuses MP3tunes' sideload.com of illegally providing free access to …

Names: Matthew and Kevin Live: Clairemont Surfing: End of P.B. Drive, Pacific Beach Father and son Kevin and Matthew emerge from the surf to sit at the water's edge and talk about their session. Dad …

Name: Chris Cokley Age: 26 Occupation: Employee at Panera bread Neighborhood: Point Loma Where Interviewed: Borders in the gaslamp What are you reading now? "Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 by L. Ron …

Thirty Years Ago I met Diane Arbus in 1967 shortly after her first major show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. My roommate at Yale, David Lippman, saw that I admired …

"According to government legislation, people aren't responsible enough to survive doing anything," says Frank H. Steensnaes. "What if footwear was determined to be a crucially important element of human survival and the government decided to …

Tripp SpragueMusician, trippsprague.com Here are two of my favorite music-related DVDs of recent years. They're very different as far as musical styles, but both capture the passion and excitement of music. Daniel Anker's Music from …

At the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Willows. Sound comes at you from the sunset, underneath the dome of an aqua-blue sky, the blue banded on its low end by a smaller band of …

The Kelly household could use some fresh holiday traditions. I want my kids thinking globally during this holiday season. Happily, I have many friends from other countries and faiths from whom to draw ideas. "In …

This trail highlights the Engelmann oak (or mesa oak) -- a somewhat rare evergreen oak tree found only in parts of inland Southern California. Along the way you'll also see the ubiquitous coast live oak, …

"We never got to go to McDonald's. Sometimes we were pretty hungry."

4th & B, Tuesday, November 27, 8 p.m. 619-231-4343. $20. There are many singer-songwriters trying to sound like the new Nick Drake, but that goal comes with some serious side effects. Fully inhabiting the role …

Cox Arena, Sunday, November 25, 7:30 p.m. 619-594-0429. $79.50 to $149.50. If 1984 was the best Van Halen album ever, then Van Halen III had to be the worst. With Sammy Hagar gone, III featured …

I am 57 years old and hardly into video games. Any sort of gaming, for that matter. With the possible exception of Scrabble, all board games bore me. Gambling bores me, even if I'm winning. …

Anthology, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, December 21-23. 619-595-0300. $21 to $63. The trick of the jazz big-band ensemble is to sound as one, such that the individual instruments are indistinguishable. Not counting the soloists, the intention …

The same bureaucracy that created the Sunroad fiasco has now brought forth the Mount Soledad calamity, with the enthusiastic assistance of politicians. The names of the mayors and councilmembers have changed, but the money jingling …

Deep-Fried Quesadillas Everything was just out of reach as I lay on my left side in a bed at Tijuana's newest and most modern hospital. I had to sit up or lie down only on …

There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America. -- Bill Clinton Visiting four countries over the span of five weeks led me to one astonishing revelation: I …

Crewman and dog of Rafael Trujillo Jr. (son of the Dominican Republic dictator), 1958. When his yacht docked in San Diego, news-gatherers and about 5000 people swarmed the waterfront. Most-desired glimpses included the "dapper," "handsome," …

Name:Kevin Darcy Lives: Pacific Beach Surfing: Ocean Beach jetty On his Chris Gallagher 6'0", Kevin Darcy likes the waves at Ocean Beach jetty. He says the spot "is especially fun if you're a regular footer, …

Mike Mehaffey Age: 25 Occupation: Student/Retail Lives: Ocean Beach My slang word is Barney because it's funny and it makes me laugh. A Barney is a dork or a loser -- someone who's goofy or …

Name: John Mood Age: 75 Occupation: retired/writer Neighborhood: Ocean Beach Where Interviewed: at his home What are you writing? "I have a new book out called Rilke on Death and Other Oddities. Rainer Maria Rilke …

I spent last night, a Friday night, in a Motel 6 somewhere off I-5. I don't know where exactly, but it is right around the corner from that mock Dutch windmill you see from the …

Although relatively unknown among hikers, the Piru Creek gorge offers a rugged wilderness experience less than one hour's drive away from L.A.'s northern suburbs. In 1992 the 220,000-acre Sespe Wilderness was carved out of lands …

Small-college sports don't get enough press, fans, or money. This is probably a good thing; relative poverty is a powerful tool for keeping sports as a lesser part of what a university education was meant …

For years, all I had to do was wince in the presence of my mother-in-law and out came the Advil. Mom was caring for her parents and her in-laws in their declining years; fighting pain …

"Poetry is somewhere between singing and speaking," says neurologist Ani Patel. "It's using the voice in a regulated way, with pitch and time. The Iliad and the Odyssey, before they were written down, were transmitted …

Super Cocina is the secret destination of San Diego gringos who love authentic home-style Mexican food. (It's no secret to local Latinos, of course.) If you're hoping to find something resembling the sophisticated Mexico City-style …

California's Office of Historic Preservation has just announced the recipients of the Governor's Historic Preservation Awards for 2007, and it happens that one of the winners is dear to the heart of the office's director, …

Sempra Energy spent the third quarter of this year handing out the usual raft of free food, drink, and frivolity in Sacramento and elsewhere around the state to legislators and their staffers. The utility giant …

"I always wonder how such brilliant musicians could be so unsatisfied with themselves when they have the ability to create art that touches so many people."

Any doubters of Jesse Unruh's old adage that "money is the mother's milk of politics" need only look at the 2007 endorsement questionnaire issued by the county's GOP Central Committee for city council candidates, technically …

Some comparisons are invidious. Others are ridiculous. The attempts to compare politicians' responses to the 2007 San Diego fires with the pols' performance during Hurricane Katrina two years ago are preposterous. Fox TV blusterer Bill …

San Diego needs some good news. Here's some: high-paying tech jobs continue to proliferate. Tech should get some help from the weakening dollar, although it won't be as much as it might be. Much of …

High Mountain Tempel's new CD, A Screaming Comes Across the Sky, includes the song "Fluctuat Nec Mergitur," which pays homage to Elizabeth Clare Prophet of the Church Universal and Triumphant. "She had a free cable-access …

Rumors are flying that Led Zeppelin may be preparing to tour again. A November 26 London date has been booked to honor the late Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. With 25 million ticket requests for …

Drummer Josh Olmos played music with singer Caleb Wilborn when the two attended Rancho Buena Vista High. In 2004, four years after high school, they formed the pop/reggae band Free to Burn, which played regularly …

Developer writes persuasion letter to the San Diego Development Services Department. What else is new? Read on. "Today I was brought into the fold on the neighborhood uprising regarding the Kensington Terrace project," stated Jim …

The upstairs tenants who forced Twiggs to cease live music in February have left the building, says Twiggs' former music coordinator John Ciccolella. But the music won't be coming back to the University Heights coffeehouse. …

Regular rockabilly shows in San Diego have diminished during the past decade. The Screamin' Solo Flights (featuring Omar Romero), the Hooligans, and Rip Carson used to rock and bop regularly at Tio Leo's and other …

When Ozzy Osbourne plays the Sports Arena on Tuesday, November 20, the venue "must have a real ear, nose, and throat doctor on site [and] must be able to administer if required a B12 shot …

Moving Day Dear Noah, You found out today that the girls next door are moving. You are very upset about this. You told me you would have to say goodbye to them forever, all the …

Del Cerro, which is Spanish for “of the hill,” is located just off I-8 at College Avenue. Turn north onto College and there it is, welcoming visitors and residents alike with a small cement sign. …

The Average White Band

The naturalistic acting comes across as unnaturally actorish.

Thirty Years Ago WEEKEND NATURE LOVER, Cuyamacas, deserts, etc. Seeks paying passengers to diminish car expenses. At destination we split. Come return time, my Magic Bug will be there. Mike 222-8557. DRIVING TO PHOENIX for …

'I always had a passion for play-making," says Robert Landis, co-founder of the legendary Footlights Theatre of San Diego (1947) and equally legendary Scripteasers (1948). "Theater has always been -- how to put this -- …

My first note upon hearing the band at Grace was "powerful." Not so much the lyrics — the songs were familiar enough that I remembered at least three from last week's service at another church …

A red-eye flight, six miles above the black icy Atlantic, winging toward Greenland is the quintessential setting to make a pillow fort and work on creative projects, I've found. Think of it. You have free …

Babette MangolteFilmmaker and professor, UCSD Visual Arts Department Michael Powell is probably best known for The Red Shoes and Black Narcissus, made after the war with his collaborator Emeric Pressburger. But the films they made …

Album: Stay Awhile (2007) Artist: The Isam Band Label: self-released Where available/price: Lou's Records in Encinitas for $9.99. Online at isamband.com for $12. Songs: 1) Gypsy Girl 2) You Stole Their Hearts 3) Stay Awhile …

"Lamby joes. No question. You get two. They're so tasty. Shall we go for that?"

Artist: High Mountain Tempel Song: "Ruins of the Empire" (from the CD A Screaming Comes Across the Sky) Heard By: Craig Oliver, South Park It's very soundscape-y. It reminded me of the "star gate" sequence …

"I've been on every day since April of '78 & five original shows a week."

On Saturday, October 27, there were several more Halloween parties to crash. I planned to hit two or three... The first one I got wind of was in Encinitas. It started early, and as I …

"I'm breaking up with you guys, dumping you in the gutter, and jumping your sinking doomed ship on its destined voyage to hell," wrote Poway High teacher Luke Wientzen to 91X. He feels his costume …

AcousticMusicSan-Diego, Saturday, November 17, 7:30 p.m. 619-303-8176. $18 or $22. I thought Sing You Sinners was a fearless gesture, given Erin McKeown's catalog of funky, hip-hoppy (and sometimes countrified) folk/punk/swing. She belongs to that musical …

Belly Up Tavern, Sunday, November 18, 8 p.m. 858-481-8140. $6. There are now more bands with the word "wolf" in their name touring North America than there are actual wolves in the wild. But Los …

Hey, M.A.! Given the following hypothetical -- two identical twin brothers, Joe and Moe, marry two identical twin sisters, Jean and Jane, at double wedding ceremony. They both consummate their respective marriages on the same …

I don't envy the native San Diegan. Being born and raised in paradise must be difficult. How do you avoid becoming hopelessly spoiled? How do you gain a sense of the great, big, messy, cold, …

DJ: Rick Station: Star 94.1 Shift:Monday·Friday, 3:00·7:00 p.m. Adam Levine is the lead singer for the group Maroon 5. Adam Levine is cool. It is a warm summer afternoon on a Wednesday [in 2002], and …

In 1958, looky-loos tried to catch a glimpse of anyone aboard the 350-foot yacht Angelita, owned by Dominican general Rafael Trujillo Jr. (whose given first name was Ramfis). The 29-year-old and his crew docked in …

Dracula, by Stephen Dietz, adapted from the Bram Stoker novel North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach Directed by Christopher Vened; cast: Matt Thompson, Brenda Dodge, Robert Grossman, Jason Heil, Sean …

Album: This and That (2007) Artist: Meld Label: self-released Where available/price: At live shows for $5 Songs: 1) Quickly 2) The Gambling Song 3) Sarah's Lullaby 4) Bad Ass 5) Manumana 6) Marbles 7) And …

A transparent phony playing a transparent phony is perhaps too much phoniness.

I have been living with my 30-year-old son for three days now. He invited me here while I transfer from one living situation to another. As yet I don't know what that will be. For …

I nod toward the refrigerator, call out, "No food, bucko." Frank turns around, disappointed. I pour two cups of coffee, hand one to guest, take the other, and sit down at my desk. "You know …

The fires hit close to home; a few friends were evacuated. "We took nothing with us," said Andra, "which wasn't the smartest. If the fire took our home we would have had nothing left." Helene …

"With the fires, we saw just how dry it is," says Marty Eberhardt, executive director for the Water Conservation Garden. "We only get 10 percent of our water locally." At least 85 percent of the …

Michael Addis performed as a drummer 20 years ago in Playground Slap, a top original San Diego band of their day (they reunited a few months ago, sans Addis). More recently, the former SDSU film …

Sophie 103.7 FM switched from an all-talk format to an adventuresome "hot AC" (adult contemporary) format in June. The latest Arbitron ratings indicate the station is 28th in popularity among all local listeners. Those sluggish …

Bassist/songwriter Eric Verniere says the latest, local incarnation of the Wrecking Dead is "...a psychobilly band, but we don't do that whole silly zombie thing." Born in the U.S., Verniere moved with his family to …

After being hospitalized for a protracted illness, Guy Lopez, bass player of the late-'70s punk band the Upbeats, died October 2. The younger brother of Robert Lopez (better known as El Vez and one of …

The just-released Madonna tribute Through the Wilderness includes the Prayers, who cover her 1989 single "Cherish." "We originally wanted to do the song 'Like a Prayer,' " says singer/sax player Brandon Welchez, "not only because …

Artist: As I Lay Dying Song: "Nothing Left" (from the CD An Ocean Between Us) Heard By: James Younger, Clairemont It reminds me a lot of really early Type O Negative. It's actually pretty decent; …

Jon Shimmin is a hard-working local drummer with a day job; at night, he's at area clubs behind the skins. He has played in several bands such as the Reaganomics, Junk, and Negative Filter. Sometimes …

Casbah patron Marc Pierce got a surprise October 27 while watching Southern Culture on the Skids perform. "About three-quarters of the way through the show," he blogs, "midway through the song, [guitarist] Rick [Miller] pulls …

Names: Jeff Knox and Seth Fisher Live: Imperial Beach Surfing: Imperial Beach, end of Imperial Beach Blvd/Coronado Avenue Drive to the end of Imperial Beach Boulevard. There you'll meet locals Seth Fisher and Jeff "The …

Live Nation's major competitor, AEG, has consummated an agreement that will allow the concert company to open a 12,500-capacity outdoor venue on the grounds of the Chargers summer training facility at 4020 Murphy Canyon Road. …

Democratic congressman Bob Filner ranks as one of the most liberal members of the House, frequently castigating the Bush administration about everything from its economic policies to its invasion of Iraq. Yet Filner and some …

Mistake. As soon as I mentioned the storyline, the Chinese lady waiting tables in the Gaslamp Quarter's Moon Cafe clammed up. "We don't talk to the newspapers," she said. That was that. Of course, she'd …

When asked, "How's your wife?" the late comedian Henny Youngman used to crack, "Compared to what?" The local economy is like that these days. If someone asks, "How is the San Diego economy going to …

"Jahja Ling's always in. And the mayor, he sits here, at table number two."

"The people at Saturday School are my people; I keep it to groups of 12."

I heard of about 20 different parties over the two weekends before Halloween. Most of them were cancelled because of the fires. The first weekend, I had intended on going to four of the parties …

At Faith Chapel on Sunday, the crisis had passed; the evacuees had returned to their homes. The 150 air mattresses, donated to the church along with blankets and pillows, had been packed away. The 150 …

My heart goes out to all who will have to give thanks for their lives and families in restaurants this year instead of at home, as a result of the fires. For whatever the reason, …

A month of moved or canceled shows at 4th&B (among them Big Head Todd and the Monsters, the Black Crowes, the Tragically Hip, Ghostface Killah, and Rakim) has culminated in some type of resolution. Insiders …

Name: Moe Occupation: Navy Diesel mechanic Neighborhood: Downtown Where Interviewed: Koi Pond, Balboa Park What book are you currently reading? What page are you on? "The Grace Awakening by Charles R. Swindoll. Page one." Tell …

"Here," my girlfriend said and handed me a sheet of paper. "Read this." "All right." I cleared my throat and snapped the paper twice for theatrical effect. "Number one," I read. "You're too theatrical." "It's …

At church, my dad -- he's a pastor, have I mentioned that? -- sometimes invites the congregation over to the house for pizza and Scrabble. In a few months, it will have been a year since I last talked to my sister.

Thirty Years Ago You've got a good weekly newspaper. One way to make it even better would be to fire that ignorant pseudo-intellectual, Duncan Shepherd. His movie reviews are totally worthless to the general public …

Marisa ScheinfeldDocent and educator programs manager, Museum of Photographic Arts With a new Coens' film coming out, we've chosen to highlight the Coens' cult classic The Big Lebowski for MoPA's next POP (Photos off the …

I speak two languages, Body and English. -- Mae West Exposed as I was to the elements, I was relieved it wasn't raining, but I was thankful for the clouds, which muted the sun's glare …

House of Blues, Friday, November 9, 7 p.m. 619-299-2583. $15. From the moment I first heard the song "Ageless Beauty" from Stars' 2005 album Set Yourself on Fire, I was smitten. I kept on being …

The Casbah, Friday, November 9, 8:30 p.m. 619-232-4355. $12. Heavy Trash (Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray) is like a snapshot of a familiar subject taken from a different angle and in harsh lighting. The Beat …

Smack dab in the middle of the most desolate part of the Borrego Badlands stands a remarkable triad of palm oases. The best known of these, Seventeen Palms, is a popular destination for park visitors. …

Matt: Is my cat left-handed? Whenever she plays with her toys or her food, I've noticed that she uses her left paw more than her right. Do animals have a dominant side like people do? …

I was homeless exactly one year, from March 2001 to March 2002. I'd known it was coming, and I even sort of welcomed the impending challenge(s), but I had no idea how long it would …

A cycle cop demonstrates unsafe riding in a parking lot, 1966. Same year, a columnist at our local daily observed that, "If you have a California license to drive a car, you are eligible to …

Even if he knew any shortcuts, he wouldn't take them.

Mike Stax moved from the U.K. to San Diego in 1981 to join his favorite band, the Crawdaddys. Two years later Stax launched Ugly Things magazine. "We cover underground garage bands, many of them obscure …

"Our deal [with U.K.-based Inka Records] started out as a CD," says Greaser, guitarist for garage/surf-rock trio Thee Corsairs. "We said we wanted vinyl. They came back and suggested a picture disc. They only made …

Title: A Life of Vaginal Heroics Address: http://trickeration.livejournal.com Author: Trickeration From: Paradise Hills Blogging since: 2001 Post Date: September 10, 2007 Post Title: A 99-cent Chicken Sandwich, Justin Now in an itinerant state of mind, …

"I knew I wanted to move to California since the fifth grade," says singer/guitarist Jared Andrews. "It's the promised land of music. There is no real scene in Indiana." Andrews says Sublime interested him in …

"We sold our house, all our furniture, and my wedding ring to make the move to Nashville," says San Diego singer/songwriter Erin McCarley. After three years of playing venues such as 'Canes, the Casbah, and …

Downtown's all-age jazz club at 344 Seventh Avenue, Dizzy's, was shut down in June for a city-mandated earthquake retrofit. Owner Chuck Perrin says the planned November reopening has been delayed until mid-2008. In the interim, …

"The main thing we have to worry about is how to get phosphorous out of the water coming in," says Sherrie Nuyen, special project coordinator for the Desert Shores Improvement Association. Desert Shores is a …

Forty-three years ago today -- 11/1/64 -- the Rolling Stones played an evening show at Balboa Park Bowl after appearing that afternoon at Long Beach's Civic Auditorium. Tickets cost $3.50, and the show started at …

Name: Erik Meza Lives: La Jolla Surfs: Black's Erik Meza moved to San Diego two years ago to attend UCSD. He began surfing soon after and now rides his 7'8" Ebert board all over the …

"They've been fighting fires all day. What da heck have we done?"

"I paired wine with mac-n-cheese, Tater Tots, PB&J, and gooey chocolate cake."

Long a big financial backer of KPBS, the public broadcasting operation owned and operated by San Diego State University, the Union-Tribune seems to have switched horses. The newspaper currently has a push on to promote …

San Diego district attorney Bonnie Dumanis has been spending public money lobbying the legislature up in Sacramento. According to official filings with the secretary of state, her office spent a total of $35,680 during the …

October 28 marked Citywalk Church's entrance into the practice of weekly Sunday worship. Prior to that, communal worship events had been monthly; the weekly gatherings were smaller and held in people's homes downtown. Church member …

Marine Captain Duncan D. Hunter, who's running in next year's GOP primary to replace his father Duncan L. Hunter in Congress, has picked up some heavyweight financial support from none other than Donald Rumsfeld, the …

On September 28, the Salvation Army closed the doors to its Door of Hope Children's Learning Center day care in Kearny Mesa. The center had been in operation since 1983 and had cared for children …

Imagine what would have happened if our Founding Fathers had made the Casho-cracy concept a part of the U.S. Constitution. The number of ballots per voter would have been determined by wealth, and corporations would …

When I was six years old, my favorite sport was playing badminton with my mother. This was 1950s America, so she took care of her four kids, her husband, cooked the meals, cleaned the house, …

Name: Crystal Occupation: Tourist/Former recruitment consultant Neighborhood: London, England Where Interviewed: Outside the San Diego Natural History Museum What book are you currently reading? What page are you on? "Three to Get Deadly by Janet …

There are few things as vile as a thrift-shop lady. They're drawn to the mothball air like a mummy to its crypt, and they exist only to offer people a glimpse of what an evil …

James Colt HarrisonFilm reviewer, The La Jolla Village News The sparkling Funny Face offers a Fred Astaire-Audrey Hepburn musical set in Paris. Nobody was as good as Astaire as a film dancer. Miss Hepburn proves …

Thirty Years Ago This is not a mañana neighborhood. Its people are tillers of the soil, hard workers even unto the ripening of years. Grandpa Cruz worked in the fields until he was well into …

A recent Friday night in San Marcos, at the Melrose apartment complex, indicated to me a whole new level of the living comatose. Toe tags should be issued by the score for those in these …

Is Quarter Kitchen the proverbial riddle wrapped in an enigma? The glam new high-end restaurant at the Ivy Hotel has been getting loads of "buzz" -- but the buzz-tones range from the happy murmur of …

There is no such thing as a weird human being; it's just that some people require more understanding than others.-- Tom Robbins I gazed out the rain-streaked window and watched a colorful collection of birds …

Artist: The Bankhead Press Song: "Shame" (from their self-titled EP) Heard By: Aaron Witherell, Golden Hill They've got the Ray Charles thing going on with the keyboards like that -- and the blues. It's got …

One sunny day a few months ago I went to a tiki party in Escondido.

In the early 1960s SDSU Professor Emeritus Joel Henderson stayed for a while in Boston. "I was probably living the life," he says, "that Jack Kerouac wrote about." He took a room over the Golden …

New York band Robbers on High Street gets a lot of comparison to Spoon (for Robbers drummer-singer Benjamin Trokan's raspy voice and the band's taut rhythms) and the Kinks (for Trokan's smart, detail-rich lyrics) and …

Richard Aguirre says he is serious about running for the 2010 gubernatorial seat. His new band is scheduled to play Humphrey's Backstage at his campaign kickoff on December 21. The singer/guitarist has disbanded the Karl …

Formerly remote Lower Otay County Park, perched on a hillside above the dam of Lower Otay Reservoir, is now only a few minutes' drive from tens of thousands of new South Bay residents in communities …

I got curious about reflexology after my sister-in-law convinced me to let a woman at a spa rub hot rocks against my feet for an hour. By the time she was finished, I felt more …