I’m done celebrating my birthday with others. Next year, the finger to everybody. I’m taking my aged self to the day spa to get a mani-pedi, a massage, and plenty of Jacuzzi time. Ahh, pure …

"Everything that rises must converge" — so wrote paleontologist and priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955), who envisioned an "Omega Point" right before Christ turns on his light and we all fly unto it. I'm …

The guy next to me, who's wearing a kilt, says he's hoping for a Pink Floyd buzz from Asteroid No. 4. We're pretty psyched about the Lovetones, whose frontman, Matthew, shows how a Brian Jonestown …

After nearly 20 years of live performances, it might not be fair to expect Stone Temple Pilots to bring anything new to the table. But, during the band's rescheduled date at Viejas Arena, often-aloof singer …

Southwestern College, the Sweetwater Union High School District, and the Chula Vista Elementary School District, all located in the South Bay, have several school-board seats up for grabs in a few days. The level of …

During the October 26 Carlsbad City Council meeting, Michelle Levy, a Carlsbad resident of 20 years, cited a pair of big investments by the City of Carlsbad as financial blunders and then asked, “Are we …

The safety of city waterways and coastline and the need to patrol them was laid out at the Ocean Beach Town Council meeting on October 27. "We have done everything we could to minimize the …

Author: Donald Breese Neighborhood: Chula Vista Age: 39 Occupation: Attorney I was standing in line for the big sale. There were about 40 of us there, waiting for the event to begin. I had only …

On October 27, the Escondido City Council held a workshop regarding the minor-league ballpark proposal put before the City by a Padres ownership group led by Jeff Moorad. The business-model presentation was made by Padres …

At an Escondido City Council meeting on October 27, an attorney for the Escondido City Employees Association declared an impasse and urged councilmembers to send their negotiators "back to the table." Regarding recent budget cuts, …

During its October 26th meeting, the San Diego Unified School District board discussed the future of the district's police force following the most recent school-budget crisis. "Our number-one mission is safe schools," schools chief of …

San Diego's Development Services Department wants to tear down some of the restrictions built into the City's Land Development Code. Among the bundle of changes included in the department's update are regulations dealing with “companion …

Remember all that employer-speak about making companies leaner and more efficient? Well, it’s about to happen. And not in the traditional way of eliminating layers of middle management and laying off unproductive workers. A new …

Two years ago a friend confided that she was concerned after two of the four other workers in her department were laid off. She – the department manager – and the two remaining workers had …

Vibrant two-toned houses covered in corrugated aluminum siding dot the cobblestone streets of Reykjavik, brightening the ancient Viking town even during the longest of dark days. Like a cross between a 1940s Monterey and a …

Referencing the book The Lost Horizon, the P.R.C. changed this town’s name to Shangri-La (originally called Zhongdian) in order to attract tourism. We arrived after a long, long sleeper bus ride from Kunming, the capital …

"It is not this council's policy to keep anything hidden from the people," said San Marcos’ Mayor Jim Desmond to fire chief Todd Newman during the city council's October 26 meeting. "The first time I …

Mark Martin's alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. The alarm is an air horn on the Sprinter rail line one mile from his Vista home. That sound has been the wake-up call …

“Black Magic” cooking? Often! Maria Maria is a small but growing chain co-owned by musician Carlos Santana along with a larger restaurant company (which also owns Bing Crosby in Fashion Valley). The menus are designed …

Granted, Clint Eastwood in his senior years has demonstrated a remarkable readiness to broaden his boundaries as a director. A quick check of his filmography will show that as long ago as his middle-aged Breezy, …

The San Diego Rescue Mission opens its doors to just a few homeless women each evening. Although the facility is large and houses many men, only 50 women are allowed inside a very small area. …

Amid Athol Fugard’s Nobel Prize–worthy opus are plays about individuals on the margin of the Big Picture. In Blood Knot, Master Harold and the Boys, Sizwe Banzai Is Dead, and others, Fugard shows the cruel …

Wrong Guy You have a printed letter called “A Holy Ha-Ha-Ha” (October 14) signed by “Damon Cook, via email.” My name is Damon Cook, and I am a former employee of Scantibodies, and I did …

With the exception of the brief time it flew the doomed iPayOne corporate banner, for more than four decades locals have known it as the Sports Arena. But after November 1, that changes when the …

God has appointed self-mortification for the seekers, for the training of the soul. Men are ignorant of the high station of that one who is preoccupied with his Lord, who is seen to be thinking …

My father was one of the princes of Khurasan, and I was a youth and rode to the chase. I went out one day on a horse of mine, with my dog along, and raised …

Membership: 350 families Rabbi: Scott Meltzer Age: 41 Born: Akron, Ohio Formation: Harvard University, Mass.; Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem, L.A., N.Y. Years Ordained: 14 San Diego Reader: How long do you spend writing your sermon? …

October has been very good to me. I’ll miss it. Rain and chill, overcast skies; one could squint and imagine oneself anywhere in reality as opposed to Southern California, which I never thought quite qualified. …

This began with a telephone call from an old friend in Vegas. Brian is a lifelong degenerate sports bettor and so his conversation inevitably buzzes around the topics of “How I won the bet” or …

The goal of this marathon hike or mountain-bike ride is to reach Modjeska Peak, the lower of the two distinct peaks that form “Old Saddleback,” the defining summit ridge of the Santa Ana Mountains. If …

Recipe by Carl Schroeder, executive chef, Market Restaurant I have a sports background. I played football and ran track in college. I liked the physical aspect of work, but I knew that being a personal …

Hello, Matt: My neighbors have a horse, and they told me that the horse sleeps standing up. After that I tried to see if I could see the horse do that, and I think I …

“It’s everything we love,” says Shakedown Bar owner DeadTed. “Working in bars, building motorcycles, skateboarding, punk, rock and roll. It’s who we are.” City Heights native DeadTed began working on cars and choppers when he …

Marc “Mookie” Kaczor was escorted out the doors at 91X when he was fired October 15. He’d been on the air there since 2002, when he segued from the Grossmont College radio program to the …

Every October, when the colors of autumn start to show, my creativity seems to wake from a long summer slumber. I think the seeds of my creativity were sown in my childhood in New England. …

“My inspiration growing up was Billy Eckstine and Nat King Cole,” says jazz singer Jesse Davis, whose first solo gig in Las Vegas came courtesy of a recommendation from Frank Sinatra. “I’ve been compared to …

They sound better live. When I saw “Portugal. The Man” at SOMA the first time a couple of years ago, I didn’t know what to expect. I was thinking folksy indie-pop, the way they sound …

Jordan Clark moved to San Diego from a small town in Connecticut when he was 16. Inspired by local groups such as Boilermaker, Pinback, No Knife, Tanner, and Drive Like Jehu, Clark and three friends …

‘Is my team ploughing, That I was used to drive And hear the harness jingle When I was man alive?’ Ay, the horses trample, The harness jingles now; No change though you lie under The …

“You know how to play that thing?” asks an elderly hardware-store employee in a blue apron. Bianca Lara has taken a brand-new carpenter’s saw from a display, propped the handle against her leg, and is …

Thirty-Five Years AgoThere are two ways to play the blues: One is for a band to launch an uncommitted 12 bars to flesh out a sagging set, jam on one riff relentlessly with tons of …

Thursday 28That Grammy-winning animated band from Plastic Beach, Gorillaz, swings into Viejas Arena. It’s concept pop of the highest order, co-created by indie-rocker Damon Albarn (Blur) and cartoonist Jamie Hewlett (Tank Girl). The virtual quartet …

For almost 30 years Mike has helped build casinos and hotels in San Diego, Las Vegas, and even Honolulu. For several Gucci stores, he has handcrafted shell-shaped archways surrounded by exotic veneers. His work is …

A rabbit? In Little Italy? Can’t believe my eyes. But there he is, hopping up from the trolley tracks and into the bushes of one of those mega-condos near Date Street. This close to downtown? …

Robert Schneider is a gifted writer of upbeat, melodic guitar pop. With his long-running band the Apples in Stereo (or, as they prefer it, the Apples in stereo, with a lowercase s), his songs are …

On East El Norte Parkway east of North Ash Street, the Escondido Police Department staged a sobriety checkpoint On October 23 between 6 p.m. and midnight. According to a news release, 1450 cars were checked …

On October 20, GOP congressman Darrell Issa threw a birthday party for himself at Carmine’s restaurant in Washington, D.C., a brand-new branch of the famous Carmine’s in New York, which boasts serving “every meal in …

The San Diego city auditor says he has busted a scheme in which employees of a division of the City’s General Services Department sold scrap metal from city projects for $5000 and spent $3000 of …

On September 17, Richard Ledford picked up a contract to lobby on behalf of trash hauler Allied Waste/Republic Services Inc. to help it “obtain a contract for the sale and private operation” of the City-owned …

Remember the giddy days of the real estate bubble? Crooked lenders drew up mortgages without keeping track of them. Wall Street packaged them and foisted them off on naïve investors. The real estate bubble burst, …

A Santee company has been trying since 2008 to buy a chunk of land along the north bank of the San Diego River. The property is situated on a little finger of eastern San Diego …

San Diego police and sheriff’s deputies surrounded a home in Imperial Beach early on October 24, in search of a home-invasion robbery suspect. According to San Diego police Sgt. Steve Shaw, “At approximately 9:30 this …

Tayari Howard, late-night radio personality on Smooth Jazz 98.1 FM, recently slept in a tent at Liberty Station for two weeks. Every evening, from October 9 through October 22, he left the radio station at …

John Sebastian opened the first of two sold out shows at AMSD Concerts with "I'm Satisfied" from his 2007 collaboration with mandolinist David Grisman, whom he related meeting at New York University as a freshmen …

Maximum Balloon’s lead single “Tiger” is used in a video for an Esquire UK photo shoot with British beauty Daisy Lowe. Its beat is easy and the well-paced horn riffs and synth pulse keep the …

Joan Osborne and pianist Keith Cotton wowed a sold-out crowd at Anthology Friday night. Though it seemed she was fighting a sore throat — drinking hot tea and clearing her throat between songs — Osborne's …

Roger Ogden, a Hillcrest resident who claims to have worked for 30 years at a local research-and-development center as a physicist and project manager, spoke before the Encinitas City Council meeting on Wednesday, October 20, …

On October 19, the San Diego City Council moved to further analyze the adoption of an ordinance and resolution that would authorize issuance of $13 million in “Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds” to pay for more …

A group of residents named Neighbors for a Transit Solution appeared before the Del Mar City Council on October 18 to protest the possible construction of a multimillion-dollar train platform between 21st and 24th streets …

Bo-Beau Kitchen & Bar is the name given to the restaurant once occupied by Thee Bungalow. The rear exterior has been remodeled to resemble a French chateau patio with a large outdoor pizza oven. A …

Built in 1914, just two years after Boston’s Fenway Park, Wrigley Field is America’s second-oldest ballpark. But the Wrigley family (as in the gum) didn’t own the venue until 1920, when it was known as …

Was he really kickin' his habit? Although KC was cranked out during interludes from the nut house he was thrown into for heroin fixation, Pop's ferocious as ever (possibly fortified by the coke David Bowie …

With 9.2 million people, Lima is the fifth-largest city in Latin America behind Mexico City, Rio de Janiero, Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires. The municipality of Lima, Peru, has 43 separate districts, each with its …

Peering at the audience on the small dance floor of Portagalia in Ocean Beach, you realize that We Are Hip Hop II is less a concert than a family reunion. It starts onstage. Between Trust …

Michelle Gannon, spokesperson for city council president Ben Hueso, phoned this correspondent Thursday evening to set the record straight; the email sent by Stephen Hill stating that it was Hueso's decision to include Balboa Park's …

Seventh- and eighth-grade students at Encinitas’s Oak Crest Middle School rushed to the nearest classroom after being told there was a suspect that had gotten away from police on Friday, October 22. During lunch, at …

Early-morning pedestrian traffic from Mexico into the U.S. at San Ysidro is taking longer due to the implementation of document requirements as demanded by the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. For several years, border agents have …

Southwestern College held a social gathering in May of this year at Frida’s, a Mexican restaurant in Chula Vista. The event was well attended by many local dignitaries, a plethora of contractors, and most of …

“There is a loophole that would allow [a winter shelter for the homeless] in Balboa Park,” wrote Stephen Hill, policy advisor for councilmember Todd Gloria and consultant for the Land Use and Housing Committee in …

While it’s easy to imagine Mamie Eisenhower baking a pumpkin chiffon pie, it’s hard to picture Nancy Reagan (or anyone else) slicing the ends off lemons, scooping out the contents, and filling the rinds with …

Politeness is the art of choosing among one’s real thoughts. — Abel Stevens I zoomed in on a glittery globe that contained translucent swirls of pink, purple, and green. The sky was a clear, rich …

Bonnie Whiting Smith begins the Palomar College afternoon “concert hour” with a three-minute John Cage piece entitled “A Flower.” The piece consists of melodic singing and the sound of Smith’s knuckles and fingertips tapping on …

Rocket from the Tombs was a mid-’70s Cleveland band that never got a lot of recognition. But Rocket spawned bands that did gain notoriety — such as Pere Ubu and the Dead Boys — and …

Skip’s the Man Skip Frye is an icon in the surf world and a world-class boardmaker (“I Finally Got Skip Frye to Make Me a Surfboard,” Cover Story, October 14). He keeps his own schedule …

On October 17, 2000, Regina Marie Bos, a 40-year-old mother of three, performed during an open mic at Duggan’s Pub, a neighborhood saloon near her home in Lincoln, Nebraska. Her Saturn was parked across the …

Heymatt: I’ve been watching my crazy cat and was wondering if animals have mental illnesses like people do. We get schizophrenia and paranoia and other things. Are animals vulnerable to them too? Sometimes I wonder …

Countdown to Halloween right here on TGIF: the Gutenberg cyber all-hits all-the-time blogorama and alternative weekly fishwrap and freaky friday funfest!!! your DJ? Whaddami sayin? Your KJ! That’s keyboard jockey — Johnny Lira! Comin’ at …

The Messenger of God said: “While a man was walking on the road, his thirst grew strong and he found a well and descended into it and drank and was leaving, when he saw a …

“The government of God is the only government which will hold society, against depravity within and temptation without; and this it must do by the force of its own law written upon the heart. This …

I am in full Earth-mama mode these days, using a natural remedy whenever possible. So when Patrick started moaning from the bathroom about inheriting his father’s bad digestion, I started looking into aloe. Yes, aloe. …

A few months ago I went to see the XX, a young band that won just about every award available in the British music industry this year. Everything about that band is minimal and sparse, …

Trepidation is not the ideal frame of mind in which to approach a film, even around Halloween. But after I Stand Alone and Irreversible, the French enfant terrible Gaspar Noé merits nothing less and nothing …

A reader recently asked whose food-writing I enjoy. Truth is, after so many hours of scribbling food prose, I’m totally full — when I hit the pillow I want mainly mysteries — Andy Dalziel, Inspector …

Here’s a brief catch-up for last week’s truants: Patric Douglas, 42, is CEO of Shark Diver, a shark-cage-diving enterprise that will hook you up with a 20-hour boat ride to Isla Guadalupe, one of the …

What Makes the Grizzlies Dance June and finally snow peas sweeten the Mission Valley. High behind numinous meadows ladybugs swarm, like huge lacquered fans from Hong Kong, like serrated skirts of blown poppies, whole mountains …

Thursday 21Chicago instrumental trio Russian Circles rolls into town behind its third and finest effort, Geneva. This proggy iceberg of a record drifts and splinters in the vein of Mogwai, replacing the Glaswegians’ ice-ax percussion …

“It’s kind of disheartening to put so much work into a CD, get it up on iTunes and Amazon, and then have someone just make it available for anyone to steal,” says singer-guitarist Scott Samuels …

“Our first guitarist, Eric Rad, died onstage mid-song at the Mabuhay Gardens from an apparent heart attack,” says saxophonist Bob Bartosik of his long-defunct punk band Housecoat Project. The group’s unreleased 1988 album Girlfiend comes …

619 hip-hop kingpin Mitchy Slick did not win “Best of” in his category at last month’s San Diego Music Awards, despite a spirited write-in campaign launched by SDRaps.com. But at least considerable debate was generated …

Thirty-Five Years AgoThese days, Tom Waits is sleazier than ever. He looked like he’d wandered in off Broadway that night, straight from the doorway he’d been sleeping in. It isn’t often that you see a …

Of course, he didn’t stay here. Most likely, you wouldn’t either, not if you were young and ambitious and living a two-hour drive up the freeway to get to Hollywood. Not if you’d grown up …

Membership: 1000 families Pastor: Monsignor Lawrence Purcell Age: 70 Born: Indio, California Formation: University of San Diego–St. Francis Seminary, San Diego; Pontifical North American College, Rome, Italy Years Ordained: 45 San Diego Reader: How long …

You can try to love this part of town, but it’s hard. I’m at First and Ash. Land of monthly-stay hotels and parking lots. Just a stone’s throw from City Hall and its concourse, the …

In Walden, Henry David Thoreau says doing good can have selfish motives. Goodness, he writes, “must not be a partial and transitory act, but a constant superfluity, which costs him nothing and of which he …

On the evening of October 18, things got “nutty” at University City High School, where the first of eight “Budget Town Hall” meetings was held. The meeting was organized by mayor Jerry Sanders’s office to …

The National Science Foundation is planning what it calls a “marine seismic research” project during which “various research vessels operated by U.S. academic institutions or government agencies” will use a variety of underwater devices such …

"We just want the uncertainty to end,” says Donna Fenter. “We’ve been living in limbo for years. It’s torture. It feels like a damn internment camp. We can’t make any plans. We can’t do anything …

Alma Vasic, owner of F Street Corporation, which runs the adult bookstore chain and website by the same name, contributed $2500 to Democratic assembly candidate Toni Atkins on October 11, according to state filings. The …

Who has been the biggest recipient of Senate campaign cash from Sempra Energy’s political action committee this year? According to figures compiled by the OpenSecrets.org, as of October 3, it’s none other than majority leader …

Justin Fornelli, Chief Rail Engineer for the North County Transit District, appeared before the transit system's board of directors on October 19 at NCTD’s headquarters in Oceanside to report on the status of the temporary …

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on October 18, the driver of a GMC Jimmy SUV lost control of their vehicle on Lake Street. The truck hopped the curb, demolishing a street sign, and then traveled down …

The San Diego City Council on October 18 unanimously approved an "equal benefits ordinance" proposed by openly gay District 3 councilmember Todd Gloria. The measure requires city contractors to provide domestic partners of employees the …

I had not hiked up Cowles Mountain since June but did so again on October 17. I was stunned to discover the severity of damage done to the main trail and the surrounding habitat during …

At the Escondido Downtown Street Faire on October 17, the Coalition of Escondido Mobile/Manufactured Home Voters was giving away free T-shirts to anyone who was willing to wear them for an hour or two. "Had …

After a three-month hiatus, the San Diego Master Chorale opened its fall season with a lively concert at College Avenue Baptist Church in the College East area. The two-hour event included choral music from Henry …

After a year of San Diego pollution and traffic noise, I anxiously anticipated a week in the wilderness — the brilliant blue sky, the sound of the wind in the pine trees, the scent of …

Are you so desperate for work that you would risk your life for a paycheck? Well do I have a job for you! No, it’s not a stint in the military or a job at …

Mark Erwin, founder of Erwin Financial in La Jolla, offers advice on the do’s and don’ts of spending money during hard times. Please tell me a little bit about your company. We do customized, client-focused, …

Let’s be honest. Salespeople have a bad rep. They are maligned, ridiculed, avoided. When a salesperson walks toward you, do you run the other way? Many people do. But is their reputation deserved? Let us …

Guitarist John Abercrombie brought his New York Quartet to Anthology for a rare San Diego appearance. Abercrombie shared the spotlight with violinist Mark Feldman, bassist Thomas Morgan, and downtown favorite, drummer Joey Baron. The concert …

Clapton’s 19th solo album is an entertaining mix of songs old, songs new, songs borrowed, and songs blue. That is, blues as only "Old Slowhand" can sing and play them. He is joined by name-brand …

It was inevitable that Saviorself, half of National City hip-hop duo Old English, would branch out and release a solo project. In previous Old English music, he clearly comes across as the lead. Self-Employed Mixtape …

No matter how many times you've seen the Melvins, you’re never prepared for the onslaught. No onstage banter at a packed Casbah this Monday night — the band got down to business and never let …

During the Encinitas City Council meeting on October 13, Cardiff-by-the-Sea resident George Hejduk expressed concern for the concrete barriers that have been placed around freeway on-ramps to the Interstate 5. “I didn’t realize that I-5 …

Several Del Mar residents and members of the press surrounded a table in Nancy Fisher's Del Mar living room. At the table sat the executive director for North County Transit Matt Tucker, chief rail engineer …

“Where, in fact, is a legitimate location for us?” asked Kate McClellan as she appeared before the city council on Tuesday, October 12. McClellan is a middle-aged homeless woman that previously sought shelter in the …

During the Escondido City Council’s “oral communications” portion of their October 13 meeting, resident Bruce Sims expressed his views concerning the upcoming council vote regarding the construction of a ballpark in the city. Padres majority …

During the San Diego City Council’s October 11 meeting, the decision was made to hold off on calling for a moratorium on the opening of new medical marijuana dispensaries in San Diego. Instead, the council …

Sequoia National Park is home to the largest living thing on the planet. The tree, General Sherman, is tucked away along Generals Highway, about five hour’s drive from San Diego. Although not the tallest tree …

I relax in the hammock, the sound of gently crashing waves reverberating in the near distance. I muster up the energy to raise my head and see a girl in her twenties relaxing on a …

On October 13, the Escondido City Council authorized a payment from the City’s public art fund to allow an art project to be constructed in the California Center for the Arts Escondido Museum courtyard. According …

From late 2006 through mid 2007, most of the curbs at Pacific Beach intersections were jackhammered in order for concrete handicapped ramps to be poured. Now, in the southwest quadrant of P.B., one cannot help …

"I am keenly aware that I have been accused by some people in the community of sensationalizing this, as has Chief [William] Lansdowne," said San Diego Fire Chief Javier Mainar during a presentation before the …

After a decline in grisly displays of drug-related violence, the decapitated corpses of two men were found hanging from a bridge over the Tijuana-Rosarito highway early on October 11. Bound hand and foot, the bodies …

When You Are Old When you are old and grey and full of sleep, And nodding by the fire, take down this book, And slowly read, and dream of the soft look Your eyes had …

Chargers On UHF Please let all NFL football fans know that they have more choices (“Sporting Box,” October 7). TV Azteca is a UHF station. They broadcast a game every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Just …

Thirty-Five Years AgoTom Hayden...came to a fundraising garden party in his behalf.... Admission at $15 a head included Jane Fonda and Jon Voight, finger food, plus the Versailles-type garden of the hosts. Drinks extra, at …

I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals. — Winston Churchill Bella held a mini carrot over the pygmy pig’s head, but as the animal’s …

Searsucker’s chef Brian Malarkey became a celeb when he got to the finals on one of those TV chef contests. He didn’t win, but his roguish style and outgoing personality made him famous. At the …

In Frightened Rabbit’s song “Swim Until You Can’t See Land,” a man dares himself to enter the icy waters of the North Sea. He compares it to a baptism or a “drowning of the past.” …

A Gratifying Information Experience A banner hangs in the lobby of the San Diego Union-Tribune, displaying a letter from publisher Ed Moss to “our readers.” It reads, in part: “After months of polling thousands of …

Congregants: daily, 100–150; Friday weekly prayer service, 1200 Weekly Services: 12:15 & 1:15 p.m., Fridays Imam: Taha Hassane Age: 41 Born: Tenes, Algeria Formation: University of Algiers-Institute of Islamic Sciences, Algiers, Algeria; Graduate Theological Foundation, …

For the regeneration of the world it was requisite that the Divine Being should enter the abodes and hearts of men and dwell there; that a belief in Him should be received which would include …

Christians are not distinguished from the rest of mankind by either country, speech or customs; the fact is, they nowhere settle in cities of their own; they use no peculiar language; they cultivate no eccentric …

Heymatt: I’ve gotten to wondering, how does 3D TV work? I’ve never seen it, but I’m having a hard time figuring out how it would work. — Bob S., Tierrasanta Bob S. has been bathing …

Twelve years ago, Eric Howarth was living in San Francisco and running a label called M-Theory Records, which released albums by Slackjaw, Alien Crime Syndicate, Mars Accelerator, his band Suplex, and, later, Congress of the …

The seasonal section of the grocery stores has been beckoning, particularly the apple butters and pumpkin butters. Last shopping night, I bought every one I could find. A couple of them came from a local …

"Are you seeing another woman?” It’s Carla, on the cell. “Sweetheart, corazón, what da heck makes you ask that? Seriously.” “You never come straight home these days. You’re always calling from a different place.” She’s …

If San Diego (and I don’t think we’re alone) can take Halloween as a month-long theme, why not me? And why not here? I don’t think the chamber of commerce has adopted the once-pagan holiday …

The Desert View Trail in the Laguna Mountains delivers exactly what its name says, but there’s more to see than just the distant desert. From the nearly 6000-foot heights of the trail, you can enjoy …

Thursday 14Scottish indie rockers Frightened Rabbit scurry into House of Blues tonight. Since his 2003 six-track days, Scott Hutchison’s broken from the bedsit vibe, and his warren has grown to five (you know how rabbits …

When I arrived at Nick’s house by Grim and Upas in North Park around 10:30 p.m., all that remained of the day’s barbecue were a few slices of watermelon, a block of cheese, some burger …

The Black Heart Procession has a new EP out, Blood Bunny/Black Rabbit, from Temporary Residence Limited. Featuring three new songs, the 40-minute set includes their collaboration with dub godfather Lee “Scratch” Perry as well as …

This November, local indie-pop quartet Echo Revolution will release their fourth studio CD, Counterfeit Sunshine. Since 2003, the band has released three full-length CDs through their own label, Open Arms Records. They hit a trifecta …

Two different Dead Man’s Parties will play locally just before Halloween. Tickets will go on sale soon for “Johnny Vatos’s Dead Man’s Party featuring former members of Oingo Boingo” October 23 at 4th&B. Six days …

“We never know who the client is until the last possible second. Their front men contact us.” On the phone is Patric Douglas, 42, CEO of Shark Diver, a commercial shark-cage diving outfit offering five-day …

Recipe by Gavin Schmidt, executive chef, Blanca I like eating. A lot. When I was in high school, I took a job as a dishwasher in a restaurant because it allowed me to eat all …

When Scott Mercado ordered a Johnny Burger in Italy while on tour with Italo-French folk-rock group Grimoon, the last thing he expected was a ciabatta bun, mayo, a tomato, and a hot dog cut in …

The County of San Diego is in the market for some brand-new cars, including a 2010 Dodge Challenger SE, which the Yahoo! auto site says lists at $23,345; it’s a muscle car touted by its …

The former owner and publisher of the Union-Tribune, longtime Republican donor David Copley, has come through with a $1000 donation to the assembly campaign of Democrat Toni Atkins. Copley’s occupation is listed as retired. Atkins …

Democratic San Diego city-council candidate Howard Wayne has finally shut down his “Howard Wayne for State Senate 2012” campaign committee. According to an October 6 filing with the California secretary of state’s office, the group …

Howdy, Matt: My mom says that when she was a teenager she worked as a carhop. She said she wore roller skates for her job, but she couldn’t tell me why she was called a …

This story begins ten years ago in the year 2000. My transition from Northern California to San Diego, specifically Pacific Beach, specifically one block up from a great surfing beach, was complete. The beach is …

Meklit Hadero’s ascension as a popular and critically acclaimed singer-songwriter began five years ago, when she first sang in public. Born in Ethiopia and raised in numerous cities across the U.S., Hadero came to San …

‘I woke up one morning and thought, I hate looking at news on my iPad — it’s boring. I called my friend Matt Ausonio with an idea. He was gracious enough to jump in — …

The City robbed its employees’ pension fund to help pay for the 1996 Republican National Convention. Government labor unions went along but later got their reward. In the early 2000s, the city council gave workers …

On September 27, Southwestern College vice president Nicholas Alioto organized a golf tournament for the Southwestern College Foundation. The tournament raised a great deal of money while utilizing the resources and prestige of the college …

“Whenever we enter the political season, it is important to make sure that certain processes of government stay out of politics entirely,” said councilmember Carl DeMaio at the outset of Monday's meeting of the Audit …

On their sixth studio set, Rasputina’s dropped the cello-femmes-trio bit. A lot of the cello here comes from Daniel DeJesus, who doubles on a two-stringed Chinese instrument called an erhu. The three-cellos bit was fine …

Steve Martin says Hollywood will never buy the truth — that he happened upon a performance by bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers during a vacation to their hometown of Asheville, North Carolina — so he's …

On October 9 at 6:30 p.m., “porn pastor” Craig Gross of XXXChurch in Las Vegas and porn king Ron Jeremy debated at the Rock Church in Liberty Station. Pastor Miles McPherson made several comical attempts …

The Escondido Democratic Club held a meeting at their headquarters in downtown Escondido on October 9. Open to the public, the meeting’s purpose was to hear presentations by San Diego Padres representatives along with pro …

On October 9 at about 11 a.m., two ambulances arrived at the San Diego County Library in Encinitas after two senior citizens — who were attending a speech given by actor Richard Dreyfuss — became …

In the early morning hours of October 7, flames broke out in a detached unit located on the 800 block of Palm Avenue. National City fire crews immediately responded and quickly knocked down the flames, …

Two members of the Linda Vista community, Sarah Flora Palma and Joel Cruz, appeared before the San Diego City Council on October 5 in order bring to light problems that residents have had with the …

Who's gonna chuck one of rock's MVPs (Faces, Stones, Jeff Beck Group) outta bed for eating crackers? Music bearing Wood's brand has been a window into all-nighters with the major talents he calls friends. Shining …

The sign at the bar read, "No drinks served after show begins," which started promptly at 8 p.m., leaving me two people back from a cold one. I don't know if Morrison’s reputation for total …

Richard Rachel steps out of the front lobby of the Egyptian residential mid-rise where he owns a condominium and walks ten feet to the bus stop at Park Boulevard and University Avenue. Buses stop at …

Councilmember Todd Gloria appeared before San Diego's planning commissioners on Thursday on behalf of a new city ordinance that would protect small neighborhood markets by making it more difficult for mega-retail stores exceeding 90,000 square …

During an October 5 San Diego City Council meeting, councilman Todd Gloria announced that an agreement had been made that will result in Hillcrest having more parking spots. “The Department of Motor Vehicles parking lot …

Bits of blue, red and yellow colored glass cuts into odd shapes and formations, as creatively painted murals liven up murky walls in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The usually boring, nondescript walls lining Philly’s alleyways reflect years …

And there he was. The most interesting man in the world. Better yet, he was the encapsulation of the advertised Dos Equis man: someone who bathed with piranhas, dodged bullets, drank gasoline, and combed his …

The 2010 Restaurant Issue, covering dirt to plate: foods locally grown and raised in San Diego County, top restaurant picks, top chefs to watch, and new food trends.

The title of Neil Young's new solo album, Le Noise, is a play on words from his collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Daniel Lanois. If you erase “Le,” you have a definitive review of the album. …

It was raining outside and dripping sweat inside, as Liz Phair blasted into "6'1"" from Exile in Guyville, then the poignant "Divorce Song." Phair has come a long way since her early years of stage …

"On July 1, 2011, we have a budget gap of $12.5 million, which depending on the outcome of Proposition H, could grow to $18 million," said Chula Vista City Manager Jim Sandoval during Tuesday's city …

What’s in the sack? That’s all they care about.Is it a rock or a rolled-up giraffe?Is it pickles or nickels or busted bicycles?And if we guess it, will you give us half?Do they ask where …

Membership: 100 Pastor: Will Carreras (of a three-member pastor team) Age: 47 Born: Ramey Air Force Base, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico Formation: Azusa Pacific University, Azusa Years ordained: 2 SDR: What is the most prevalent sin …

To speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks. — Ben Jonson "I think we should hit Whole Foods first, then Fry’s, and then Iowa Meat …

San Diego is a town that loves its Halloween. I noticed this when I moved here in the first week of October 1980. Retail shops displayed PVC pumpkins and skulls amid ubiquitous floor-to-shoulder-height displays of …

Thirty-Five Years AgoFood cooperatives in San Diego County began in June 1970 when approximately 50 students from UCSD unified their enthusiasm with two grants from the university and an assessment of ten dollars a household. …

“I have been friends with Kendra for a very long time but did not know Mr. Malil until that horrific night,” says Spanish guitarist David Maldonado, who spent two days testifying at the recent attempted-murder …

“I had all these visions of that scene from Almost Famous, where that guy says, ‘I’m a golden god!’ and jumps into the pool from the roof.” When Jake Feala signed up for Better Than …

“I’ll know in a couple of weeks how my schedule is gonna roll for me,” says Mark Huff, the new singer for ’80s headbangers Quiet Riot. (Original vocalist Kevin DuBrow died from a reported cocaine …

The latest project from Justin Pearson (Locust, Holy Molar, Crimson Curse, etc.) and former Some Girls bandmate Nathan Joyner, is one of 42 artists featured on a David Bowie tribute album released in September. We …

Thursday 7Fluxx downtown is bringing old-school hip-hop heat with Cypress Hill producer DJ Muggs and Wu-Tang’s “Genius” GZA. Muggs runs the decks while Geezy runs his mouth. The pair’s ’05 offering Grandmasters is a hardcore …

Sort of a Sorry, Wrong Number for the cellphone age, Buried is a gimmicky thriller whose single gimmick, if you have not been tipped off beforehand, dawns on you with a mounting sensation of hopelessness …

Where Children Live Homes where children live exude a pleasant rumpledness, like a bed made by a child, or a yard littered with balloons. To be a child again one would need to shed details …

Being assured, therefore, that God is not mocked, we are obliged to live in a manner befitting His commandment and glory. Deacons, likewise, must be blameless when judged by His rule of rectitude. They are …

At Gun Tan Castle, some men were building a house and Milarepa approached them for alms. Saying that they had no time and were busy while he appeared to be idle, they invited him to …

Hey, Matt: I want some information on multitasking. Everybody seems to be able to do it. Sometimes I’m on my computer and texting and doing my homework at the same time. How does my brain …

Mission Gorge is arguably San Diego’s (city, not county) most spectacular topographical feature, with walls on both sides rising several hundred feet at a nearly 45-degree pitch. From a geological perspective, the gorge was carved …

My cable service went out and stayed out for six days. I loathe cable companies as much as the next man, but if cornered, I‘d have to admit this has never happened before. I was …

Where’d The Ladies Go? I picked up a copy of the Reader today… This week’s cover is about the classic naked ladies of Balboa Park (“Who’s Looking Out for These Ladies?” September 30), but, alas, …

In one of his gleefully apocalyptic pronouncements, William S. Burroughs said we should regard consciousness as a “failed experiment.” The Man in Dostoevsky’s Notes From Underground (1864), which Burroughs committed to memory, says consciousness is …

Based in Encinitas, the New Archaic was formed in early 2007 by Joe Harrison (guitar, keys, vocals) and Sean Carroll (drums), friends since grade school. The duo emerged from the local punk scene with their …

Jesus BasuelWriter and filmmaker My first pick is Mostly Martha, a German flick about life, food, and love. And it covers all kinds of love: parental, romantic, friendship. The film boasts solid acting from leads …

Colin Hay doesn’t have what you’d call a household name, he doesn’t look or act like a rock star, and his solo shows don’t sell out big stadiums, but you probably recognize his slightly raspy …

“A lot of people had no idea it was us when they first heard it.” Chris Frantz reflects on the surprise success of a song that he, his wife Tina Weymouth, and a handful of …

A key political ally of San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders has been on the campaign trail for Democratic congressional candidate Francine Busby, who is battling GOP incumbent Brian Bilbray. Jim Waring, who was forced out …

On October 3 at about 8:15 p.m., San Diego police responded to a disturbing-the-peace call at the Santa Fe Depot on Kettner Boulevard. The incident occurred shortly after 8:00 p.m., when a taxi driver dropped …

Pssst! Wanna double your money in one day? Yes, the stock of Actis Global Ventures, based in Carlsbad, soared from $0.0001 to $0.0002 on September 2. Officially, the stock’s price is still $0.00, according to …

The San Diego planning catchword “infill” might sound nice in quiet hilltop homes. But daily life in the closer quarters below usually means ever noisier conditions. In the interest of more livable neighborhoods, those who …

Democratic congresswoman Susan Davis, who regularly travels the world for free, thanks to junkets staged by the Washington-based, nonprofit Aspen Institute, has been at it again. From August 14 through 21, according to House travel …

Conversion of the former World Trade Center at 1250 Sixth Avenue into a “one stop” homeless center moved closer to reality October 5: the San Diego City Council, convened as the San Diego Redevelopment Agency, …

Today, October 5, as I exited the San Diego Trolley in Mission Valley for a relaxing day of fishing on the San Diego River, I was not prepared to see the sight that greeted me. …

In the drizzly early afternoon of October 4, a crowd of about 50 people gathered outside the San Diego County Administration building, where the “Mad as Hell Doctors” held a rally. The Oregon-based group formed …

On October 3, about 40 members of the San Diego Animal Defense Team gathered in front of San Diego Humane Society and SPCA to protest. According to the Animal Defense Team website, the demonstration was …

Have you been kicked to the curb by corporate America? Handed your walking papers by Wall Street? Given the boot by your boss? Well, if your dream is to work for yourself, now is the …

Maybe the trickiest part of the job-search process is finding appropriate references. You’ve probably heard the saying “you should never ask a question you don’t know the answer to.” When it comes to job references, …

Wielding acoustic guitars, Local Natives treated O.B.'s dog beach visitors to an impromptu jam session. Those fortunate enough to catch the intimate set found themselves in exclusive company, as finding tickets for the Natives' sold-out …

“They tried to make me go to rehab: I said meow, meow, meow…” Here's a cure for the common Hollywood rehab story: Deep in the Brazilian cerrado lies a rehabilitation center for eight species of …

Shanghai is an exciting place to visit and live – it’s essentially the New York City of China, where East meets West. It boasts not only one of the most vibrant economic centers, but also …

Famosa Slough is home to various wildlife species. As such, there has been a problem with people dumping unwanted birds and pets at the 37-acre wetland. During the years of residing near the slough, I …

The Manic Street Preachers previous album had new music set to old words written by their missing and presumed-dead guitarist Richey Edwards. It seemed like a swansong, an apt epitaph to their body of work. …

Two years ago, Thomas Weller, San Diego's "Highwayman," decided not to get behind the wheel at night because he was worried he'd pose a danger on the road. Weller, who has spent the past 40 …

Don Kvashay appeared before the San Diego City Council on September 28 to find answers on how to deal with an unidentified drainage pipe that falls inside his property line. Kvashay is the owner of …

TV Buddha's have been dealing with evenings like the one in New Orleans — when both audience and promoter no-showed — by posting tongue-in-cheek vlogs documenting an often dismal American debut. While the Israeli trio's …