Downtown San Diego Stories
I’ve been a singer — around town and internationally — for a long time. Opera, operetta, musical theatre, variety — these were my stomping grounds. My talents, and the experience …
Downtown pedicabs with dazzling lights and thumping stereo systems are undergoing a significant change — many operators no longer play loud music, especially near the convention center. This shift has …
Two days after we got a new (old) President, I found myself back Downtown to check out a new live music space called The Beat. Despite all the noise leading …
After decades of limping along with concert venues based on old movie theaters and whatever the Civic Theatre is based on, San Diego now has a world-class classical music hall. …
Downtown San Diego Stories
On September 9, a confrontation at the Henderson Sports Complex in the Mountain View neighborhood turned violent when a 37-year-old man was shot in the head, according to the San Diego Police. Though the victim …
Cortez Hill is tucked away east of Little Italy and south of Balboa Park. Interstate 5 is its northern boundary and Front Street to the South. It’s named after the El Cortez building, which is …
It was 6:45 in the evening, overcast. A couple of sprinkles nicked me while I was on the ferry from Coronado to the Convention Center, but it wasn’t a bad way to travel, and just …
Video:FEAST!:Following pistachios to Lucca Italian Sandwich ShopIf you look over at just the right moment, you might spot the little counter shop as you pass by its B Street location. But you could be standing …
“You’re dealing with a bunch of Gen Zers and Millennials who never get out of the house because of anxiety,” says Sonya, a mother who goes to shows with her daughter. She’s sporting a “No …
Selfies taken in San Diego have earned us international acclaim. The most recent buzz was generated by actress Jennifer Garner, who took a selfie video while stuck in an elevator at Comic-Con over the weekend. …
Starting in August, Caltrans is running a California Road Charge Collection Pilot program that, if passed, will tax California drivers for the amount they drive. You heard that correctly — a Road Charge for every …
Video:GONZO: House of Blues’ Voodoo Room hosts Mind’s EyeA cursory look at the downtown House of Blues’ calendar reveals that the venue has been booking nearly as many acts into their smaller events space (the …
One morning, after surfing at Imperial Beach, my friends and I were hanging out and bragging about one thing or another. Someone shared a story they had heard about how easy it was to catch …
Video:TIN FORK: Dobson's Bar and RestaurantIt’s not often that a restaurant commissions a song in honor of itself. But Marcos Luciano, the Mexico City-born restaurateur who took over Dobson’s Bar and Restaurant from the man …
Before 1 pm on May 22, a tragic incident unfolded in South San Diego when a person was struck and killed by an MTS trolley, according to 619newsmedia.San Diego MTS tweeted in part that Wednesday, …
“Use the force, young Skywalker” reads the note attached to the mixing board at Little Italy’s Music Box. Jedi hijinks might help to explain the flow at Commotion Explosion, which sees several bands taking the …
Hundreds of threatened animal species live in neighborhoods where the city wants to build more housing and trails for humans.Where will the non-humans go?Blueprint SD, an update to San Diego's general plan, is supposed to …
Video:TIN FORK: Kiko’s Place gets a new space downtown on C Street. The OG fish taco is still just $3.50.My true love Diane and I have been to Kiko’s Place — the food truck near …
In the streets of San Diego County, a shady trend is on the rise—sneaker thefts. But these aren't your average shoe burglaries; we're speaking of sneakers that cost as much as a home rental payment. …
“You ever seen a prettier car show than this?” asks Tim. He’s into cars. We’re walking among antique and vintage classics parked in this brilliant green meadow, under trees, with the smell of wildflowers mixing …
It’s an odd feeling. I’m standing here at 12th and Imperial, waiting for my stretch limousine, aka the number 901 bus, when I spot these gentlemen. And gentlemen they are: they’re dressed in white shirts, …
Video:BLURT: Archie Thompson sings “My My My Little Baby” from the Bill Burr film Old DadsArchie Thompson’s music-intensive life is back in full swing after being derailed by Covid for a couple of years. His …
An East Village house given historic designation in 2021 won't be saved, even though supporters say there are very few Victorian era buildings left in San Diego.The city council on Monday unanimously overturned the Historical …
Nearly 7,000 graffiti reports have been logged onto San Diego's Get It Done app since the start of the year—many of which were spray painted at places where young children with their parents and guardians congregate. …
Today, the gentrification of San Diego’s Downtown and the attendant transformation of the city’s skyline is nearly complete. It’s a feat that’s been a long time in the making.The opening of Petco Park in 2004 …
During the recent heavy rainfalls and floods in San Diego County, cars were swept away and moved to other locations, parking meters were not correctly functioning, and streets and city parking lots were inaccessible, losing …
Video:GONZO REPORT: Roni Lee, Monette Marino, Shamini Jain bring love and support for Jamie Shadowlight“I can’t even begin to understand what you’re going through,” says a woman, comforting her friend as we wait in line …
When we take Unreal downtown, we usually wind up looking at a penthouse suite with commanding views of the city and San Diego Bay beyond. There’s a good reason for that: high-rise condos comprise most …
Years ago, I watched a full band open for comedian David Cross at ‘Cane’s in Mission Beach. I thought it was the most unusual opening act/headliner combo I had ever witnessed — at least until …
A program deemed cutting edge when it began in 2000 is still around — and so is a name some consider outdated: the Serial Inebriate Program. Serving mainly the unhoused whose alcohol-related issues land them repeatedly …
My last encounter with Jesse was nine years ago; it began with him standing, barefoot, outside my downtown Seattle apartment, calling my name from six stories below as he clutched a plastic hospital bag containing …
In the last few months, there's been a slew of electronic theft reports online from all over the county — laptops, iPhones, and headphones. Some local thieves are brazen enough to steal iPhones from the …
When my brother came back from his freshman year at Berkeley, he was eager to show me a short video clip he’d taken at a concert up north. “This song isn’t out yet,” he burbled, …
Kevin Grossman — formerly of Rat City Riot, now with LoudMouth — shares a memory of touring with tonight’s headline act, GBH. “There’s nothing like being in a poor punk touring band, going to Paris …
According to longtime dealers and cosplayers, the 2023 Comic-Con International, San Diego was hot. The people I interviewed on location on July 22 blame the heat inside the main hall on the SAG-AFTRA strikes — …
A writer must take care in this, the golden age of branding. Mention any particular subject more than once, and you risk becoming That Guy, the one who writes about X. After that, should you …
They're a step closer to landing on a sidewalk downtown, but not an inch closer to universal love: dozens of eight-foot-tall digital kiosks that threaten to end the city's historic ban on new outdoor advertising. …
In January, floodwaters swept away the tents, blankets and clothing of the homeless living along the San Diego River bed from Ocean Beach to Lakeside. Now some say the city is trying to sweep the …
I pull up in front of a homeless encampment on G street downtown next to the Arco, scan the meter, and pay for an hour and fourteen minutes of parking. Parking after six o’clock is …
“Well, like anything else, showing up is half the battle,” says Smash Mouth singer Zach Goode. Goode, a longtime local musician, is talking about the voiceover work he’s done for commercials, including a Taco Bell …
A note from the editor: This week, we present the second of the two entries to last year’s writing contest that investigated the long-ago murder of a young woman in San Diego. Once again, the …
The city council on Monday unanimously approved the terms and funding of a $2,446,500 state grant that will be used to house 40-50 homeless people in the East Village. Named the E Street Encampment Project, …
December Nights Balboa Park Join your fellow citizens on December 2 and 3 for the City of San Diego’s largest free holiday festival in beautiful Balboa Park. The family friendly event brings San Diegans together …
Last month drivers for the Metropolitan Transit System witnessed three accidents on their bus and trolley routes. First, on October 19, at about 4:30 pm, a black-colored vehicle collided with the trolley. Then the car …
San Diegans are switching to mopeds and motorcycles for transport to work to deal with California's highest gas prices in the U.S. and limited street parking throughout the county. But as more locals purchase or …
Jeff Silberman develops 87 apartments in East Village for La Jolla university A stiff price is being paid for the sprawling expansion of UCSD beyond its original boundaries; taxpayers remain largely in the dark, as …
Almost 8,700 apartments have been built in downtown San Diego since 2013, while the state's housing needs assessment has found the city will have to build more than 108,000 units by 2030. A report by …
“IZOLA Bakery will not exploit this local artist any longer,” reads a recent Instagram post from local singer Fre3sty13, “as they expect us to art inside their shop for free; that’s modern-day slavery… You want …
San Diego locals probably don’t think much about “city living.” Sure, there are no fewer than 19 locales within the county’s borders that bear the “City Of” moniker, but we’re not New York, Chicago, or …
MTV originated in 1981 and became available on the west coast a year later. For me, the acts that come to mind from those days are Billy Idol, Adam Ant, The Cars, Peter Gabriel, Duran …
Some call it glam rock. Others, hair metal. My friend Joe calls it butt rock: as in, on August 28 at Petco Park, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Poison, Mötley Crüe, and Def Leppard rocked …
Sharing in the shell show “You don’t need tickets to enjoy the concert.” Downtown San Diego – After the Padres game on August 2nd, I cut through the Convention Center to catch my ferry home …