Honestly, it was the cow’s hoof. That’s the only reason I hopped off the Orange Line trolley at Encanto and headed for the rack of stores beneath the clay cliff that runs up the valley …

During the days leading up to Christmas, employees at the Fashion Valley mall's undersized Starbucks pulled out their new Verismo coffee machine and demonstrated its coffee- and espresso-making abilities for passing patrons and customers. On …

Sarah has been the old lady down the block since I moved to Point Loma a decade and a half ago. She’s an active old lady, her '90s-vintage pearl-white Thunderbird an often enough sight in …

December 26 started out in a horrible and terrifying way. I was awake for less than ten minutes when someone started pounding on my door and screaming for me. It was a neighbor, telling me …

A used food truck can cost between $20,000 and $40,000. A new food truck can be as much as $100,000.

St. Francis and I are kindred spirits. I was traveling through Europe with my dog Maya, her kennel, and an old-fashioned trunk. Visiting Assisi was a must. It was a chilly November evening. A lone …

In the aftermath of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, the country was left devastated. One San Marcos man wanted to express more than his own grief by …

Former San Diegans the Soft Pack stormed back into town for a one-off at the Griffin in Bay Park. Playing short, sweet, three-minute pop-punk songs, the band entertained the sparse rain-dampened crowd for over an …

Elaborating on textures from his 2011 debut, Sun Shadows, Beta World Peace sees a continuation of Mike Gao’s signature lurching bass lines, asymmetrical percussion, and glowing synth leads, orchestrated, in part, by his brainchild, Polyplayground …

If one goes out looking for work coming from a place of exhaustion, worry, and resentment, that is what he or she will give off.

On Thursday, December 27, flames broke out in the living room of a house located on the 2300 block of Seaside Street in Ocean Beach. At least a dozen birds died in the blaze. Although …

1) Take a Hikey, Mikey — Namesake radio-show host Mikey Esparza fired amidst flurry of speculation as to why. 2) Don't Embarrass the Hells Angels — No, they don’t use an apostrophe in the name, …

Despite Wednesday's rain, the streets of downtown dried up in time for the Big Bay Balloon Parade on Thursday, December 27, but high winds made it hard to control some of the giant balloons. Moderate …

What many locals refer to as the “Palm Patrol" was out in force on Thursday morning, December 27, scouring the streets of the Midway District and Ocean Beach for palm fronds that litter the streets …

“I never thought I would actually meet someone I’d want to marry from one of these sites.”

On Christmas Eve, I stumbled upon this van (pictured) on Newport Avenue, parked on Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach. The website “www.LennonMurderTruth, com” was written loud and clear on both sides of the van; and …

A nonstop joke machine (Billy Crystal) and his equally overbearing wife (Bette Midler) are forced to spend time with their work-obsessed daughter (Marisa Tomei), son-in-law (Tom Everett Scott), and a trio of estranged grandchildren, all …

An urban park opens to a natural, semi-wild area with a creek and a dense riparian forest. No virgin forest, but there's shade in Buena Vista Park.

When I tell friends I don’t “do” Christmas in the traditional gift-exchange sense, the most common reaction is, “How do you get away with that?” They never ask why — they just want to know …

Interview with Pastor Aaron Boehm

Charcoal House Restaurant in La Mesa offers the Wrinkle Room, full of cougars and saber-toothed tigers.

Americana popsters the Midwinters will drop their sophomore EP All There Is on January 7. Two preview tracks are streaming online and available as free downloads: “Resign” and “Gets You By.” According to singer/guitarist Paul …

There were more new brewery openings than there were months in 2012, and the field is as varied as it is extensive, ranging from veteran brewers looking to challenge the big boys to guys with …

Rosie Flores apologizes for not making her scheduled gig at Queen Bee’s last year, but she got a counteroffer to play with Chuck Berry at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Indie electro-pop duo Claudeo recently returned from their first U.S. tour.

Jessica Crosby’s YouTube music video of her doing a cover version of “Cups” from the film Pitch Perfect.

End-of-the-world sports wrap-up, giving a final tip of the hat to the biggest sports stories Earth has ever known.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW. The world’s most anticipated drama — its end — came and didn’t. Advocates of the apocalypse are probably scrambling for a new Day of Doom so they won’t have to face …

“Viejas Outlet Center has the largest outdoor skating rink in Southern California.”

We pause now at year’s end for a visit with some old friends: the B-Side Players. A trusty bunch of local loyalists, the Players have been a part of the hometown music scene for years. …

“When people ask what my favorite decade is, my answer is ‘Now.’”

Are you tired of sluggish economic growth? Well, you could live in Europe, which is in a recession, or Japan, which has been struggling since 1989. Local economists look for slow growth in the United …

"If I could tell you there was going to be a restaurant there, or an art gallery, an office, or a bank — I would. I will tell you there is no definite plan for …

Border Moguls I was reading your Neighborhood News article, “Border Bounty: Federal government settles border land lawsuit with county and state,” concerning Border Field State Park. That land that they’re disputing — in 1984 I …

Name: Verna Clark Car: 2005 Chevy Cavalier What do you like about your car? It gets good gas mileage. Is there anything you don’t like about it? It’s kind of a piece of junk, but …

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light: The year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. Ring out the old, ring in …

Imperial Beach blogger says she loves taking a stroll down everyone’s crazy block.

To God How many things they say about you — that you created the expanding universe, or was it that the world’s people created you? Whose side do you choose? The rich — who take …

Christmas Eve was not a festive time for residents of a Sunset Cliffs home in Point Loma. A smoky fire was reported just after 2 a.m. on December 24 at a home located on the …

A 1989 Chevrolet Corvette that was stolen from a Morena car dealership when new was for sale on an eBay Motors auction this week. The Corvette was reportedly taken off the C&M Chevrolet lot and …

The weekend before Christmas 2012 was not kind to water pipes (or traffic) in the Midway District. Two incidents of burst pipes and localized flooding occurred: one along Sports Arena Blvd on Saturday, December 22, …

Mahatma Gandhi believed that we should not let the idea of seeing individual actions as insignificant deter us from contributing to and participating in the changes we wish to see. Apparently, he isn’t alone in …

About 2000 SDG&E customers in Cardiff were without power for a short time on Saturday night, December 22. The east-of-the-freeway neighborhoods of Park Place, Poinsettia Heights, and Sea Village were affected by the 8:30 p.m. …

John Cale is not psychic! (Unless he is.) The man couldn’t have predicted Steve Albini’s second-motioning those mundane haters of Cher’s “Believe”; but he intuited that tipping point where the hip(sters) went (reflexively) bleech at …

In the beginning of MTV it seemed that any band with a video got airplay, then "genres" caught on. One of those was the rockabilly revival spearheaded by three main "Cat” bands; the Stray Cats, …

Four apartment complexes in Carlsbad have recently experienced thefts of checks and money orders totaling nearly $50,000 from rental payment boxes. Police have notified local property managers of the thefts. National City, Vista, and Oceanside …

An elderly man in a wheelchair was clipped by a car in an Ocean Beach crosswalk on Tuesday, December 19, at around 11:00 a.m. As the man crossed Voltaire Street at the Ebers Street intersection, …

What am I going to do in Cleveland? That was my very first thought when my boyfriend asked me to go there with him for a friend’s wedding. Since he was part of the wedding …

In the thick of night, you can almost always hear the tree branches rattling in a rhythmic chorus of nighttime symphonies. A tap starts at your window; a breath of air shakes a group of …

San Diego police descended on the Stonewoood Gardens apartments, located on the 3800 block of Midway Drive (where it intersects with Sports Arena Boulevard), early on the morning of Wednesday, December 19. Four police cars …

At 7:00 in the morning on November 6, on a quiet block of houses in Lemon Grove, three pit bulls escaped from their yard. They attacked a seven-year-old, tan "cha-weenie" mix named T-Bone, who was …

Harold and Maude is a good movie to screen for friends once you get to know them better. After all, love it or hate it, you should be able to say something nice about Harold …

My first movie is a holiday classic, Holiday Inn. It was made in 1942 and features Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. For my family and me, it’s a tradition to watch this movie when the …

Quentin Tarantino fails to do for slave owners what he did for Nazis in this, his long-awaited western (southern?) follow-up to the epic war comedy Inglourious Basterds. Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz returns to the Tarantino fold …

You’ll need to commit to a deadline. This is going to be the true measure of your goal.

The Apple Tree Market in Ocean Beach is closing at the end of the year and a new Foodland Market is said to be moving into the 4949 Santa Monica Avenue location. The Hirmez brothers, …

An American couple moves to Tijuana to avoid the high cost of living in the U.S. They become food smugglers for Mexicans living in the U.S.

Lori Ruedi of Carlsbad exited the long line at the Aviara Parkway post office on December 11 and said she would return in the morning. Then she decided to try a self-service kiosk that had …

The ghost comes and sits in Chanel’s husband’s chair. “I heard the chair creak. Then I looked, from ten feet away, right here by the curtain, and I saw it, the empty chair, bounce back …

They were new last year: the San Pedro el Cortez band, home-based in Tijuana, where there is currently a resurgence of rock bands that follow different camps: shoegaze, psych, British mod, American garage. SPeC fit …

The deafening, complex roar of urban movement finds kindred company in Tristan Shone’s homespun sound machines.

Photographer Rick Gould’s ’70s concert photos were made into art for the interior of Sports Arena.

At my desktop computer, I have clicked over to YouTube and typed in “Christmas music.” First up is, “Christmas Music Playlist Part Two For Your Christmas Party.” I click again. The party begins with Elvis …

I’m into delayed gratification. For example, if someone gives me a cookie, I’ll rarely eat it right away; instead, I’ll save it for a time when I’ll get maximum enjoyment from eating it (such as …

Another piece of unfinished business for new San Diego mayor Bob Filner: deciding what kind of expensive new-fangled solar-powered, radio-controlled parking meters to buy. “The City still has approximately 4,700 single space parking meters that …

My youngest daughter always feels ripped off at this time of year because her birthday comes just three days after Christmas. She gets a second dose of presents, but we’re usually too wiped out to …

Tim Foley is best known in San Diego as a multi-instrumentalist performer with the Celtic-folk group Skelpin and for his solo work, but for his appearance in the upcoming season eight of Bravo television’s reality …

Discover Indian rock art and grinding areas on this desert hike.

I picked Alien because it’s a perfect example of what a horror movie should be: tight, dark corridors, the crushing black of space, and a creature you never quite see until the end. This one …

Tale of a stealthy super PAC. During the days leading up to last month’s election, a mail piece was dispatched to voters in San Diego’s third county supervisorial district, where Republican Steve Danon was facing …

Heymatt:I live near two parks that have hundreds of ducks that pair up during mating. When they all scatter from kids or dogs chasing them or from someone feeding them, the ducks quickly rejoin each …

Sleep-apnia device-maker ResMed threatens to leave San Diego because CEO says it’s too hard to run a business in California. Valid gripe or jobs blackmail for taxpayer funds?

Hey Matt! I’m an alcoholic and I’ve recently cut down my consumption to the point that I’m not hammered all day every day. Well, I’ve converted to nonalcoholic beer for the daytime — ’cause I …

Staci Johnson, a 26-year-old Marine , recently became the fifth diver to die while diving the Yukon, a Canadian escort ship sunk off of Mission Beach in 2000. Because the vessel is on its side, it is disorienting.

“I realized that booking and promoting shows was a risky business to be in, and it wasn’t a sufficient way to make a living,” says Sulo King, whose career in concert promotion included a trouble-plagued …

After seeing a window painting of Santa smoking a pipe and a snowman holding a water pipe at an Oceanside smoke shop, I decided to see if there were any other businesses that had pictures …

Heymatt: Why is a Mexican flag included at the courthouse at Third and H streets in Chula Vista? Does this mean some courtrooms there follow the “guilty until the level of extortion has been satisfied” …

Border Clarifications The news titled “Border Patrol to the Rescue” (Neighborhood News, December 6) is almost certainly misleading. When crossing the border by car you will be inspected by a U.S. Customs Agent. Very rarely …

O good Father in Heaven, albeit there is nothing that we greatly fear, having the merciful unto [sic] us and while mutual love and charity each with other maketh us thy children of more strength …

An estate sale makes the author sad for the deceased’s scattered fragments of life.

Because he was a butcher and thereby Did earn an honest living (and did right), I would not have you think that Reuben Bright Was any more a brute than you or I; For when …

In a December 17 posting on El Sol de Tijuana’s website, it was reported that a member of the PRI political party stated that a reliable database must be created to keep track of children …

While on a recent visit to Siem Reap, Cambodia, to see friends, I got to know my tuk-tuk (taxi) driver rather well and relied on him to take me places most tourists don’t get to …

Built in 1913, Switzerland’s Gstaad Palace is an icon of Old World charm. By the ‘50s the posh hotel was attracting an international jet set, playing host to singers like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. …

The Fourth Avenue Professional Center in Bankers Hill is no more. Boarded up and overgrown with weeds, the Spanish-style building with a clay-tile roof will soon be remodeled into a condo complex in the Park …

Wear little or no cologne or perfume. What smells good to you may not smell good to the interviewer.

There is no greater feeling than the satisfaction you get from helping people resolve a dispute.

Some Imperial Beach residents who own beachfront condominiums are worried. They say they have been complaining to city hall for months after high-tide water started pooling in an area of beach that was rebuilt with …

There’s only one place to drink in Copalis Beach. The river winds through a short slough to the ocean and, just south (as "just south" as it could be), sits Green Lantern Tavern. The nondescript …

Friday, December 14, on the eve of his 65th birthday, on the last day of the fall semester, Southwestern College English professor Philip Lopez suffered a heart attack and died. Many people consider Lopez an …

Part of Tahiti and French Polynesia, Bora Bora is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful islands in the world. Although it's just an eight-hour flight from LAX, visiting Bora Bora is like stepping …

The city of Helsingborg, Sweden, is a lot more charming and laid back than you would imagine Sweden’s busiest fruit port, the place where Nicorette was invented and still made, and the headquarters for Ikea. …

Until the other day, the upper pond at Lindo Lake Park had been dry since the beginning of last summer. The pond is full of water once again, thanks to the storm runoff from this …

Long lines and long waits appear to be the daily order at the border this holiday season. Earlier this week, pedestrians stretched back a quarter of a mile; those waiting to cross in cars went …

The taxpayer-funded Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve was the only public entity on a list of 31 outfits that received a warning letter from the California Regional Water Quality Control Board for not filing …

While at the Starbucks in Pacific Beach this week, I overheard some of the employees saying that the La Jolla Starbucks was selling the new, $7-per-cup "Geisha" coffee. The new brew getting a lot of …

The December 8 meeting at the Peacefield Orchard on Wynola Road was described by the Julian Apple Growers Association as a lesson in pruning trees. About 30 people showed up. Ray Meyer, acknowledged as the …

“Wind of Change” by the Scorpions was on Bulgarian radio again. I listened while staring out the window at Sofia’s graffiti-speckled buildings on the taxi ride back to my downtown apartment. The next song sounded …

Nevada's finest are back in action with guns blazing. After nearly four years, the Las Vegas-based alt-rock band the Killers released their fourth studio effort, Battle Born. After the band's previous release, Day & Age, …

The “Chris Isaak Christmas Show” rolled into town for two nights at the Belly Up in Solana Beach. The Stockton, California, native and swoon-worthy crooner charmed a sold-out crowd with an energetic set that ranged …

A posting today on the Tijuana Press website reported that, following heavy rains in the border area overnight and throughout the morning, a homeless couple had to wait around four hours before being rescued from …

One of my favorite TV shows is called Storage Wars, and I like to go down to Kobey's Swap Meet at the Valley View Casino Center (Sports Arena) to look for the collectibles I like …

It would be easy, and it is certainly tempting, to use a review of The Hobbit as the occasion for an all-out assault on High Frame Rate (HFR) digital cinema. HFR is, after all, the …

San Diego took a step back in time on Sunday, December 9, as over 125 people of all ages donned vintage clothing and rode old-school bikes in the fourth annual San Diego Tweed Ride. It …

Ever been volcano boarding? Consider adding it to your bucket list – especially if you're in Nicaragua. Volcan Cerro Negro is 25 kilometers from the colonial city of León, Nicaragua. The country is populated with …

UltraStar Mission Valley at Hazard Center. Has there ever been a less appealing name for a theatre? Wasn't this digital transformation supposed to make it easier on all of us? The birthplace of "Pure Digital …

San Diegans have had varying degrees of success raising money for their business ventures through Kickstarter.

After the fanfare was over at the Sweetwater Union High School District meeting on December 10, after San Diego mayor Bob Filner stood by recently reelected Pearl Quiñones's side as she was sworn in (referring …

Heymatt:I was born and raised in San Diego County. Now I am living in North Carolina and I NEED an answer to my question. Back in the 1960s there was a late-night/early-morning television show. The …

Bistro d’Asia in Coronado was a Mexican restaurant when Marilyn Monroe and Errol Flynn came to dine.

Stephanie O’Mary-Berwald’s halibut ceviche recipe speaks for itself.

The annual nighttime holiday boat procession known as the Mission Bay Parade of Lights, held on Saturday, December 8, was not what it was advertised to be. Some websites stated approximately 100 boats would participate, …

Since when is straight eggnog not good enough?

Carlsbad Music Festival gets NEA grant

Did you hear the one about the triathlete who crashed and broke her arm trying to ride her bike down the sidewalk? I did. Heard it straight from the bruised party’s mouth at the third …

Interview with Temple Solel associate rabbi Josh Burrows.

If you’re not ready for Tijuana, try El Uno Bar in City Heights.

Colin Smith emails from London that when the Blood plays San Diego, they plan to open with “Megalomania.” That was the band’s first single, a short little blast that ridiculed the Pope. It almost sounds …

Jane Austen’s characters read each other like novels. They inspect qualities, every human chapter and verse, and sum them up in lists of checks and balances. In Persuasion, Austen writes, “Her manners were open, easy, …

My nephew Brian greeted us just inside the door to my mother’s house. On his head was a fuzzy Santa hat, and in his hands he held a black plastic camera. “Say, ‘Cheese,’” he said …

La Jolla millionaire R.B. “Buzz” Woolley, the charter-school advocate and founder of the Voice of San Diego online news site, didn’t exactly have a great political year. The labor-union foe and hotel investor was one …

Gulp. An American icon, fast food, has a bellyache. In October, once-invincible McDonald’s reported that monthly sales in United States units open for a year (called same-store sales) declined for the first time since 2003. …

The video for “Into the Depths” by the Soft Moon is filmed in grainy black-and-white, with claustrophobia-inducing camera work. It shows a woman who keeps looking over her shoulder in fear as she runs through …

Little Italy venue Anthology to close in 2013 for repairs and renovations

Hills Like Elephants headed to South by Southwest

One of the finest trails in Palomar Mountain State Park is this loop with great surrounding views and interesting plants.

Now that Chargers coach Norv Turner and manager A.J. Smith will be shown the door at the end of the season, who will be the next coach?

Besides performing Wayne Riker teaches guitar at Coleman Tech High School in Kearny Mesa.

Marisa Siervo writes about Orestes, the seven-foot-tall Italian-Greek pen pal she couldn’t fall in love with.

It’s December, what better time to be looking for a gift-raiser? San Diego State University is in the market for one. “The primary responsibility for this position is to raise major gifts for the College …

Hot pizza started it, maybe more than one knife ended a conflict involving an ex-boyfriend, another man, and crystal meth in Escondido

Former San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders left office last week in a familiar way, reporting the gift of a free Chargers ticket he made to a fellow pol. The final disclosed recipient of Sanders’s largesse: …

Ramona’s main street, named Main Street, is where Highway 67 from the south merges into SR-78 coming in from Oceanside on the way to Julian and the desert. The eucalyptus on the west end of …

What’s that odd building near Miramar?

How to rescue a helpless puppy?

Enough of Apple Pie Don Bauder’s November 21 article, “Hispanic vote calls shots in San Diego (City Lights),” regarding changes to voting demographics, was definitely a factor in the recent election. However, I believe that …

Taking little notice of her womanly ambitions he captured her with words of love and all of the positions, explored her beauty bodily from lip to breast to bottom, but left her mind a mystery, …

As San Diego County’s due date for paying the first installment of property taxes loomed on December 10, an additional $150 tax bill began arriving in property owners’ mailboxes. The new per-parcel tax, sent to …

It was our second night in Prague, and the Old City shops were closing early and making me angry. Mark, my husband, and I were delayed by my dives into shops whose proprietors had not …

Just don’t get sidetracked in Vegas. That’s the key to arriving in Zion National Park from San Diego within a day with enough daylight left to explore the canyons. The park, located in the southwest …

Tuesday morning, December 11, about 8:40 at the Kensington Starbucks: "What? No more big black Escalade with the entourage following you around?" Laughter at the counter. I look up and see former mayor Jerry Sanders …

Yes, the general election was over more than a month ago. And although Carl DeMaio, Brian Bilbray, and several other candidates had to wait a few days to know their fate, 23-year old Michelle Fawcett …

Border Field State Park was the scene of cross-border Christmas prayers and songs on Saturday, December 8, as more then 200 people gathered for the 19th annual Posada, formally the celebration of Joseph and Mary's …

On safari in Tanzania, a close encounter with the king of beasts moved from a wonderful experience, to an ordeal, then finally a funny story. Spotting a pride of lions, our guide parked us within …

Even with the unexpected winter closure of June Mountain*, skiers and snowboarders are finding June Lake village to be a welcome getaway – to get away from the crowds of nearby Mammoth. While Mammoth's skiing …

A tow-truck driver was killed in Cardiff on Saturday afternoon, December 8, when a southbound Amtrak plowed into his rig. At around 2:30 p.m., the tow-truck driver had just turned off of Coast Hwy. 101 …

Even though the general election was over a month ago, it took the past four weeks to count thousands of provisional and absentee ballots that were cast just prior to, or on, election day. When …

A 16-year-old Eagle Scout candidate from St. Charles Church Boy Scout Troop 211 is going to fix a tripping hazard outside the lifeguards' entrance to the Dempsey Holder Safety Center. The Imperial Beach City Council …

On December 3, drivers on Interstate 8 west saw an addition to the picture of district attorney Bonnie Dumanis on the 14-foot tall, 48-foot wide billboard near the El Cajon Boulevard exit. On the billboard …

The coast was stark and abandoned. We'd discovered a natural wonder with no foot traffic – a landscape of vibrant colors and fluid sunsets that belonged in a watercolor. Before my eyes, the Black Sea …

Seventeen years ago I put on Scott Walker’s album Tilt for the first time; the real-life Phantom of the Opera began to sing as I watched a storm overtake a city center, from my picture …

Matt Vasquez for president! That’s what I was thinking as Delta Spirit rocked House of Blues on election night, giving fans of the band a much needed break from politics. Delta Spirit delivered a full-throttle …

A project to enhance and upgrade O.B’.s main lifeguard station with a bronze statue is being suggested for the lawn adjacent to the tower on Abbott Street. At the December 5 Ocean Beach Planning Board …

Starting with two bicycles and $100 in capital in 1907, James E. Casey went on to build United Parcel Service.

New rectangular columns of steel rebar sprout into space from a plot of land on the Mexican side of the border at San Ysidro. The columns, easily reaching the height of the multistoried office building …

I visited Norway for the first time this summer with my girlfriend Kat. The story starts in Gardermoen, Norway, with a man named Werner Hålien. We’d met Werner in San Diego through the hospitality exchange …

"It's a mom-and-pop operation with just Mom," says Pat (last name withheld) of North Park antique-and-collectible shop Pat's Corner. The boutique has been at its current location on 30th and Upas for eight years, offering …

Besides jobs in the oil fields, job seekers can find gigs in construction, health care, and even hair salons.

Seeking a bargain on Disneyland Hopper Tickets, Kim posted a want ad on Craigslist. Now the young woman from North County is telling others, through a subsequent ad, doing so may not be a good …

I didn’t know who this poor girl was to be so hated by Jimmy, but I felt sorry for her. I was the lucky girl who got to share a desk with him. “It’s YOU!” …

Last Friday, November 30, I was reminded of the dangers of electricity as I ignored orange safety cones and approached SDG&E workers at an open transformer box at Melrose Drive and Rancho Santa Fe Road. …

On Tuesday, December 4, the federal government agreed to pay $7 million to the county parks, state parks, and California Coastal Conservancy for land that was condemned in order to build additional layers of border …

Marcelo Radulovich of Nice World creates music on his iPod and iPhone.

Ma Eugenia’s Kitchen in Logan Heights prepares several traditional stews daily.

‘My band Jungle Fire was recently asked to make an appearance on the Showtime season finale of their show Dexter,” says Mission Valley percussionist Steve Haney, who also plays with the Anthology House Band and …

David’s parents seemed surprised when, upon entering their house, David remarked, “So, Riley got skunked again, huh?” “How did you know zat?” Ency asked. “What do you mean, how did — I can smell it,” …

My phone conversation with Mountain Goats mastermind John Darnielle gets off to a bad start when I ask him about his love of black metal. He corrects me: he is a fan of death metal, …

Sympathy for Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher; minimal thoughts for his 22-year-old girlfriend Kasandra Perkins after Belcher’s act of murder-suicide.

Name: Gina Granier Car: 2008 Toyota Prius Do you like it? I love it. I like its fuel efficiency and its comfort. I think Toyota has done a really good job making a sedan that’s …

A temporal mural that's stood time's test.

A short, steep desert trail gives bird’s eye view of canyons and mountains.

No one’s naming names, but somebody over at San Diego city hall wanted to be video star. Before the recording began, however, an opinion from City Attorney Jan Goldsmith was sought. “Does a member of …

Coda Reactor frontman Miles Orff gets ejected from Boar Cross’n for dropping his trousers in protest over his band’s abbreviated set.

With the court’s recent 4th&B verdict, will Public Enemy still take the stage at the downtown venue on December 12?

Hey Matthew:Has there been a mayor in the history of the San Diego who hasn’t been generally considered a self-serving weasel?— Fred I guess it’s a general rule of thumb for any public official: give …

I couldn’t believe the sunshine, 75 degrees, a soft wind playing over my skin. My husband and I grinned as we made our way from where we’d parked our car on Narragansett Avenue to Ranchos …

My favorite Chris Robinson story takes place in a beach bar, back when the Black Crowes was playing small venues. Someone in the audience had bounced a lime wedge off his brother’s dome. He stopped …

On August 17 of last year, San Diego Chargers flack Mark Fabiani told a KPBS audience that local taxpayers would have to pick up most of the tab for a new stadium so the team …

Jennifer Pankey, a formerly homeless mother of two, works five days a week inside a greenhouse tending the lettuce and basil crops at Solutions Farms, an aquaponics farm in Vista. She works silently as she …

Sleepless in University Heights The comments printed with “Like Beirut,” News Ticker, support the repeated complaints I have heard regarding noise from helicopters — especially at night. Despite living in a relatively low crime area, …

What are you reading? “Two books, actually. I’m finishing up The King of Torts, by John Grisham, and I’m reading a book on numerology.” Tell me about the Grisham. “It’s about a lawyer. He’s, like, …

National drone watchdogs have been having trouble getting details about San Diego County’s plans, if any, for robotic aerial intelligence gathering. But county documents confirm that Sheriff Bill Gore is eager to proceed with at …

Chula Vista residents who have been battling the city and the developer about a proposed 284-condo/apartment complex in eastern Chula Vista were alarmed last week when earth-movers appeared on the scene. Barney Reed, a spokesperson …

As the sheriff shops for high-tech spy gear, the county is looking to farm out its “response services to hazardous materials incidents,” according to a November 8 request for information from would-be contractors. “There are …

Tales from a San Diego landlord with shady tenants.

I watch you walk up our front path, the entire right side of your body stiff and unbending, your leg dragging on the ground, your arm not moving. Six different times you ask me the …

Many tourists visiting Morocco overlook the sprawling oceanfront city of Casablanca and instead head for more exotic cities such as Marrakech. Morocco has retained its reputation of being the most stable country in North Africa, …

Last week, North County coastal residents started receiving live telephone survey calls from the San Diego County Association of Governments (SANDAG) regarding questions on the upcoming I-5 expansion. Officially known as the North Coast Corridor …

The Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles (or "Xolos”) made history on Sunday, December 2, by beating the favored Toluca Red Devils in Toluca, 2-0. The Xolos, only three seasons into the first division of Mexican soccer, became the …

How you talk about your employer says a lot about how you like your work.

The gravedigger noticed me looking a bit lost among the weeds and snakes of the old cemetery. He shouted to me. "Bakra, over there." I looked up. "More further," he said, wiping the sweat away …

A short jaunt north of Anchorage, Alaska, is the quaint town of Talkeetna, considered the jumping-off point for climbers looking to tackle Mt. McKinley. Talkeetna suddenly swells in size starting in April through July. That's …

Wearing a gray fedora and dressed in a white T-shirt, vest, shorts, and black shoes with bright white laces, Joe Spelton performed magic tricks at on Thursday, November 29, for a temporarily captive audience. The …

Whether you're a foodie, a farmer or an animal rights’ activist, you’ll learn a lot and clear up many misconceptions by visiting Hudson Valley Foie Gras. You may have seen the episode of No Reservations …

The merge from the 2300 block of Midway Drive where it turns left to become southbound Barnett Avenue in Point Loma did not go so smoothly on the morning of Sunday, December 2. At around …

Some people at the Vons shopping center at 3645 Midway Drive are puzzled by an odd-looking tree that is growing along the driveway behind Fantastic Sam's. Some mistakenly identified it as an avocado tree. This …