You don’t have to be a movie critic to know the cinematic cliché: you don’t get to choose your relatives, but you do have to spend the holidays with them. And hey-ho whaddya know: every …

Before “A Christian” indulged in a tirade about persons being “degraded by Asiatic effeminacy,” he should have recollected that almost all the ancient prophets and patriarchs venerated by Christians, nay even Jesus Christ himself, a …

I’m a sucker for character studies of unlikeable people, and Listen Up Philip (USA, 2014, Tribeca Films) pulls no punches. Jason Schwartzman is repellant and yet strangely relatable as a pompous author who alienates everyone …

Brandon “Tiny Doo” Duncan raps about gang life, but he had never been to jail until June 19. “I just got out of the shower and was headed to work,” Duncan, 34, tells the Reader …

Two San Diego County lawyers have gotten a public reproval from the California bar, both for drunken driving. According to the report by the bar, Richard James Schneiders of Carlsbad was reported October 4, 2013, …

Discount retailer Big Lots needs to pay closer attention to its surveillance cameras, and the company's negligence is responsible for failing to prevent an attempted sexual assault at a Clairemont store in March 2014, according …

Bebel Gilberto was born in New York in 1966, two years after a jazz record titled Getz/Gilberto made a style of music called bossa nova wildly popular in America. At the Grammy Awards in 1965, …

Aaron Calcagno fit the description: he is white, has sideburns, and is in his 30s. Aside from those similarities, claims Calcagno in a federal lawsuit that he filed against the County of San Diego and …

On a cold, wet night (on the rare occasion we get one in San Diego), my first suggestion is John Carpenter’s In the Mouth of Madness (USA, 1994, New Line Cinema). I recommend the Blu-ray …

Go the Extra Mile Re: “Good Fences Don’t Make Good Neighbors,” November 27 cover story. You have to wonder why Mr. Pastenes hasn’t sued her for defamation of character? I also wonder why he hasn’t …

East Village continues to attract specialty coffee shops. On November 12, North Park’s third-wave torchbearer Coffee & Tea Collective announced it would be opening a second location in early 2015, at 631 Ninth Ave. Technically, …

Over 1100 MP3 songs currently grace the 3900-plus band pages in the Reader’s Local Music Database, playable from the performer pages as well as on their upcoming event pages and via the website playlist at …

At night, that long walk up from the 8th Street trolley stop to National City Boulevard can get a little spooky. Especially when you’re walking the echoey stretch under the I-5. But then you cross …

Chew your way into a new world. Munch leaves. Molt. Rest. Molt again. Self-reinvention is everything. Spin many nests. Cultivate stinging bristles. Don’t get sentimental about your discarded skins. Grow quickly. Develop a yen for …

Diplomacy employs a brave dramatic premise: as the Allies approach Nazi-occupied Paris, the German military governor of the city prepares to follow his orders and blow up the City of Lights. Notre Dame, the Louvre, …

Dear Hipster: My company’s holiday party will feature a White Elephant, and I want to put something cool into the gift pool. I’d rather give people a laugh than a crock pot, if you know …

You might want trekking poles for that descent into Indian Valley.

I first met Terry Hendricks showering off by the lifeguard tower after a morning surf in Ocean Beach around 1970 or ’71. At the time I was unaware he was a noted scientist and held …

Either way, Santa Rancho Bernardo The 125-year-old Bernardo Winery keeps a holiday traditions alive at its Rancho Bernardo vineyard, where its Holiday Nights events run December 11th through the 14th, from 5:00–9:00 p.m. Lights and …

I cut in to mention that David is an avid amateur cook who loves to “bring it” for any culinary occasion, but that when one of our guests is a professional chef he pulls out the stops.

You can choose and cut your own tree, or if you are not feeling your inner lumberjack, the farm will cut your tree for you.

Piggy-bank friendly North Park Self-described as a “functional goods, kitchen essentials, tabletop decorations, and gifts” boutique, Kaleidoscope opened in May by two retail mavens with more than 20 years’ experience and whom designed the original, …

Handmade holiday at the downtown library From grandparents, moms, and dads to teens and toddlers, there’s something for every member of the family at this holiday fiesta. Enjoy live music presented by Rarefied Recording, and …

Dear Hipster: How do I get my roommate to wash more dishes? She always says she will do it “later,” but then the dishes pile up and pile up and she’s “too busy” to clean …

J. Douglass Jennings boasts that he knows the tax loopholes. But he and his wife owe more than $7 million in taxes and are charged with embezzlement.

Let nature provide Hills, valleys, and seaside Let the seasonal bouquet of East County and coastal chaparral inspire homespun holiday treats. A pungent whiff of Cleveland sage on Sycuan Peak or Sycamore Canyon might inspire …

Gift’s got stamina Hillcrest Craftsmen at the Planet Rooth Design Haus make heirloom-quality furniture out of reclaimed wine and bourbon barrels. Elegant in the way that overstuffed classic American furniture will never be. Sturdy and …

Post Title: Transformations Post Date: October 17, 2014 As a personal trainer, I encounter a diverse amount of personalities. Introverts, extroverts, people with all the confidence in the world, and people who need help building …

Well-traveled stuffers Solana Beach This shop is a bargain-hunter’s paradise amid the fun (but pricey) shops of the Cedros Avenue Design District in Solana Beach. Stocking stuffers galore, and all with a touch of thoughtfulness …

Warren Oates, the great character actor of many Sam Peckinpah films, got to be a star in Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (USA, 1974, United Artists). It was made after the commercial failure …

Get into the gourd Fallbrook Painting and carving gourds has to be the most fun gift-making hobby in, well, actually, 15,000 years. That’s how long our ancestors have been using and carving gourds. And we …

South Park Walkabout Bundle up and head to the South Park Walkabout on Saturday, December 6, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. The tree-lined business district is lit up for the holidays and will lead you …

Pauseworthy gift paper Fashion Valley, Westfield UTC, Del Mar Highlands Town Center The wrapping paper is your gift’s equivalent of a first impression, its chance to dress up for the party. It doesn’t need to …

Why not teach the teen to cook? Fashion Valley Practice and prepare for your holiday meals with hands-on cooking classes featuring instruction on classic dishes and treats from prime rib to eggnog, and from snowflake …

No local reports from the fleet due to weather... From the long-range fleet: The Red Rooster III fishing the first day of their 16 Day trip after arriving at the Clarion Island area south of …