The perfect place to become human again

The team of Gilbert and Lorraine Castellanos make music together and apart. She plays guitar and sings in Besos de Coco and her own sextet, and he might be San Diego’s busiest jazz musician.”

The twosome did not hesitate when quizzed about their favorite music venue in San Diego. “The Westgate Plaza Bar,” says Lorraine. “It’s intimate. It’s an actual listening crowd, and there’s an amazing energy from the musicians and the audience, and you feed off that.”

“I would agree,” affirms Gilbert. “I’ve been playing there almost every Friday for four years and it feels like a second home to me.”

Each has a different attitude about catching live music on a night off. “I feel energized and inspired by hearing music so I encourage him to go out,” says Lorraine; her husband is more circumspect: “I just feel like I need to let the jet cool down and recharge my batteries. My dog is my therapist, so I really enjoy staying at home and hanging with the pets.”

Both are into fitness. “That’s kind of my New Year's resolution,” says Gilbert. “To take better care of myself. Lorraine is the inspiration for that. She makes time to do yoga, and we love to go walking.”

Those daily walks take them from their home in Normal Heights out to the greater San Diego area. “The whole neighborhood has so many gems,” says Gilbert. “We love the diversity and the mix of cultures.”

“We like to go to the Grape Street dog park and hang around,” said Lorraine. “And anything to do with food. We have the best Mexican food right in the neighborhood — Cantina Mayahuel and Super Cocina are favorite hangs.”

As for where to go to unwind post-gig, both of them find the Red Fox Room essential. “Gil believes that it’s the perfect place to become human again,” says Lorraine. “And I feel a really serene energy in there.”