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News & Politics Neighborhood News News Ticker Under the Radar

Food & Drink Beverage News Booze News Drinks All Around Feast! San Diego Beer Tin Fork

Movies Big Screen Movie Archives Movie Reviews Movies@Home

Happenings Fishing Report Outdoors Reader Travel Roam-O-Rama Surf Diego Theater Your Week

Music Blurt Classical Music The Gonzo Report Live Five Musician Interviews Of Note Upcoming Shows

Comics Famous Former Neighbors Obermeyer Overheard in San Diego

Archives Reader by issue date Today’s stories All of the latest stories

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news

News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

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John Mann

John Mann is a Reader contributor. See staff page for published articles.

Calculator Batteries, Killer Terms

Matt: Note the following article about an issue to be considered soon by the U.S. Supreme Court. Seems identical to San Diego's Mount Soledad issue. Will the Supreme Court's decision obtain to Soledad? John Mann Salazar v. Buono At issue: Whether the government can permit the display of a crucifix on public land as per the Establishment Clause. An 8-ft.-tall crucifix has stood on an outcrop called Sunrise Rock on the Mojave National Preserve since 1934, but in one of the court's earliest arguments of the term, the Justices will be asked to consider whether it should be removed. The battle has been brewing for a while - the cross, erected without government approval, was slated for removal by the U.S. National Park Service after a request from Buddhists to create their own memorial near the site was denied. But in 2000, Congress hastily passed a law prohibiting the use of public funds to remove the cross, in essence tying the National Park Service's hands. Congress declared the cross a National Memorial in 2002, and in 2003 it gave the small parcel of land to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) - the group that constructed the original cross. (See TIME's photo-essay "Sonia Sotomayor, the Making of a Judge.") The removal of the cross brings up the Establishment Clause, that long-debated line separating church and state that takes its name from the First Amendment (which begins, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"). This case has been in the court system since early 2000, before Congress's involvement. The National Park Service's attempt to transfer the land to the VFW, per the 2003 congressional order, has been viewed by the lower courts as an illegal way of circumventing repeated rulings compelling it to remove the cross. (Once the land is considered private property, the Establishment Clause no longer applies.) The Supreme Court will be asked to sort out the issue - and ownership of Sunrise Rock - once and for all.
— October 5, 2009 6:52 a.m.

3rd Corner Wine Shop & Bistro

Friend and I got to The Third Corner at 1:30 on a Friday. The barroom was empty, so we chose a table there, rather than in the dining room. He ordered a glass of Foxglove Chardonnay; I, a Belgian wheat beer. Both, accompanied by an Olive Sampler and a Cheese Plate, proved to be a delicious way to ease into the weekend. That, complemented by a bowl of the soup du jour, a broth fraught with seafood and veggies, for each of us, was an ample meal. We were granted much attention by both the table captain and the server. An overcharge, discovered and graciously retracted a few days later, didn't dim our enthusiasm for this pleasant neighborhood wine bar/restaurant. SUBMITTED BY JOHN MANN 6387 CAMINITO DEL PASTEL SD CA 92111
— June 20, 2009 8:22 p.m.

Bay Park Fish Company

Catherine, Carol, and I went to the Bay Park Fish Company early enough on a Wednesday evening to have our choice of table. Carol ordered a Bethel Heights Pinot Grigio, and I a Karl Strauss Wind 'n' Sea wheat beer. We were pleased with our choices. As a starter, Catherine had a cup of clam chowder, which she deemed the most delicious she'd ever eaten. Then, as a main course, she ordered three Hand Rolls – eel, blackened salmon, and albacore. Carol ordered three, as well – eel, shrimp tempura, and spicy tuna – plus a Vegi-Roll. I ordered a bowl of chowder, and agreed with Catherine's appraisal. All of the food and drink was commendable. The ambience – Fisherman's Wharf techno, with zinc tables set generously apart – was apropos and comfortable. And the service was attentive. Warning: Bay Park Fish Co could be habit-forming.
— June 4, 2009 2:40 p.m.

Antique Thai Cuisine

Stella and I went to Antique Thai early on a Thursday evening. Only a couple tables were occupied; the place was pleasantly quiet. She ordered the chicken fried rice, I the veggie thin noodles and a Thai beer. The orders arrived speedily; the fastest slow food in town. Stella declared her meal delicious. Mine was, too, and the beer frosty-cold and hypereffervescent. I tried her fried rice and decided that next time I'd order the veggies on that instead of noodles. Next time was a week later on a Saturday evening. I was concerned about getting a table. No reason, as again most were unoccupied – a surprise, but what does that say about the economy? This time, I was with Carol. (Carol, if you're reading this, Stella and I are just friends.) She ordered the chicken mango curry and a white wine, I the veggie fried rice and a beer. Again, the food arrived in a flash, fresh, hot. Carol's dish was served bubbling over a flame, to be ladled over white rice. I tasted it. Too spicy for me, perfect for her, with her cauterized taste buds. The bouquet of her wine suggested pears; a sip confirmed that. Delicious. My dish was an ideal medley of snappy carrots, broccoli, onions, and channeled cucumber slices over seasoned rice. This is the dish I will go back for time and again. Had our waitress been as attentive and she was cheerful, I would've ordered a second glass of wine. Also, she wouldn't have brought us someone else's bill. All in all, Antique Thai is a warm, inviting restaurant that deserves to have every table occupied every evening. It also deserves to have customers more couth than the two men at two different tables wearing baseball caps.
— May 5, 2009 4:46 p.m.

Bleu Bohème

Bleu Bohème is located at 4090 Adams, the former location of The Green Tomato, so the comparison is inevitable. The first thing I noticed is that the table captain is now an attractive and attentive young lady; an improvement. The second is that, whereas the Tomato's tables were square with comfortable upholstered chairs, now the tables are rectangular two-facing-twos with hard wooden chairs; not an improvement. And the third is that the Tomato's draperies have been eliminated, so there's more light, but also more noise. My companions rated their wine, a Bordeaux Château Fonfroid, superb. My Yellow Tail beer tasted green, so I switched to a Karl Strauss, which was up to standard. Our koulibiac de saumon and boeuf bourguignon were smartly presented, except for the large chip out of my plate, and delicious. And the mousse and pyramid desserts, heavenly. Our server was attentive and engaging throughout. Even the busboy showed a proprietary interest in ensuring our satisfaction. I can't help wondering why the restaurant's name is Bleu Bohème instead of Bohème Bleue; shouldn't that adjective follow the noun and have the same gender? And why its customer-comment card asks for "vos recommendations" instead of "vos recommandations." Perhaps I'll ask the owner when I return, et je vais retourner.
— April 15, 2009 5:21 p.m.

Hexagone

Called to reserve a table for two, Carol and myself. Voice at other end had a pleasant French accent. Good, we'll be able to exercise what little we know of the language. When we entered the place, I thought we'd walked into an argument. Turned out that the three persons in the entry barroom were only talking; must've been deaf. The table captain took us to a deuce blessedly distant, parlant français en route. That's as much French as we had that evening. Our young waiter addressed us throughout our meal as "you guys." Carol ordered a wine, I an especially tasty brand of Belgian beer that was on the menu. Her wine was delicious, round, with no astringence; the restaurant was out of the beer. I ordered another brand that tasted green, inadequately aged. The bread was flavorless, the butter tightly rationed. Carol's whitefish, la spécialité du jour, was moist and delicious, as was my salmon after I returned it to the kitchen to be heated. Carol was still eating when the waiter started to remove my plate – faux pas. A party of six seated themselves at a nearby table, and despite the restaurant's thick draperies and carpeting, their voices bombarded us; they might as well have joined us. We finished off with a Grand Marnier soufflé, which was marvelous. But all in all, Hexagone n'était pas comme anticipé.
— February 26, 2009 8:17 p.m.

News & Politics Neighborhood News News Ticker Under the Radar

Food & Drink Beverage News Booze News Drinks All Around Feast! San Diego Beer Tin Fork

Movies Big Screen Movie Archives Movie Reviews Movies@Home

Happenings Fishing Report Outdoors Reader Travel Roam-O-Rama Surf Diego Theater Your Week

Music Blurt Classical Music The Gonzo Report Live Five Musician Interviews Of Note Upcoming Shows

Comics Famous Former Neighbors Obermeyer Overheard in San Diego

Archives Reader by issue date Today’s stories All of the latest stories

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

See all neighborhoods

February 28, 2024

February 21, 2024

February 14, 2024

February 7, 2024

January 31, 2024

See previous issues