Big blue whales surface in San Diego
Four-hour tours on the 9 Mile Bank
Daniel Powell 9 a.m., June 29
East Village Stories
Brooklyn Bagels our best local bet
Almost urban enough to feel like New York
When I'm in New York, I eat a lot. I eat everything I can get my hands on. I don't leave without seeking out great pastrami, some kind of smoked fish, and a bagel. You ...
McDonald's commercial fooled me
I am not lovin' it.
The last time I went to McD's was in 2010 at LAX, one of the worst airports at which to eat. That day, I strayed from the burgers and got nuggets and a McFlurry. I ...
Man’s brekky here
Late breakfast and happy hour at Caffe Primo
Good to have nice, big eggs with floods of bright yellow yolk.
PhD in coffee and tea. Plus couscous.
The new Copa Vida keeps coffee complicated, food simple
My knowledge of coffee? It ranges from joe with milk to joe “au naturel.” So when I happened upon this new (couple of months, max) Place-With-No-Name (at least as far as outside signage) at J ...
What the heck is “linner”?
You can do it at Stella Public House
“Linner” (a relaxed, late-afternoon feast that covers both lunch and dinner) is one of my favorite meals. Since David and I both work from home, our days have little structure. Sometimes we’ll wake early and ...
Better sipping through technology
Copa Vida focuses on precision in its East Village
In mid-October, a year after announcing expansion to San Diego, Pasadena coffee roaster Copa Vida opened the doors of its East Village (905 J Street) storefront, and will open a smaller location in Carlsbad in ...
Palate and wallet favor cod over lobster
Taste of three dollars in a tale of two gastrotrucks
“This truck’s been open in this spot for three weeks, and already they’re popular.”
Best restaurants in the Gaslamp and East Village
Feast! Downtown
The ultracompetitive restaurant landscape around the DOWNTOWN neighborhoods of Marina, Gaslamp, and East Village leaves little room for error in what's already a risky enterprise. The mere fact these restaurants survive recommends them. That they ...
Earth movement broadcasts at Fault Line Park
Listen to shifting tectonic plates in the shadow of 46-story structures
On Friday, August 28, Fault Line Park officially opened on Island Avenue in East Village. The park spreads over 1.3 acres between 14th and 15th streets. It is the first public park to be established ...
Weak at the knees — That's What Cheese Said!
Cheesy dream of a gastrotruck docks at Mission Brewery
Fact is, I’m in a bit of a hurry. Bus to catch in 20 minutes. Just time to down a couple of those $2 quickie beer tasters they have here at Mission Brewery on 13th. ...
SD belches out the beer jobs and revenue
About $600M made in 2014 (Comic-Con brought $488M over three years)
Often lost in the discussion about how many beer producers call San Diego County home these days is the impact on the economy — and particularly on local employment. According to the City of San ...
Farewell, bus angel
How’s your Italian? Nonja worry, Victoria’s got you covered.
“My family were dairy people from the Azores. We adore things like cheeses and anchovies.”
Rare Form’s pastrami sandwich
Would I step over other pastramis to get to this one?
Whenever I mouth off about what makes a good pastrami sandwich, somebody’s around to chime in about one restaurant’s in particular: Rare Form, Consortium Holdings’ take on a Jewish deli. Now, I’m almost as big ...
Peckish, bookish
I go for the Jane Austen. Man, so glad I did. It has bacon, sautéed garlic, plus cream, gruyère, swiss...
As much as I love the new Central Library and kinda go “Wow!” every time the bus or trolley I’m in rolls under its beautiful dome, I’ve never gone inside. And the reason is just ...
Jumbo Doggz, not your average wiener
Pop-up hot dog tent isn’t cheap but may have the best dogs in town
“Honestly,” says Carla. “This is the best damned dog I have ever had. Ever.” Is somebody paying her to say this? Not possible, because I’ve just brought this baby back to her from a pop-up ...
Tommie on the comeback
Homelessness behind him, Project 25 participant says he hardly drinks at all
The United Way–funded Project 25, in which 36 homeless people who cost San Diego the most in public resources were placed in apartments and closely “managed,” saved public agencies more than $110,000 per person — ...
Selma + gospel at the Central Library
It’s being heralded as the biggest movie event the San Diego Public Library has put together since moving to its expanded 350-seat digs at 330 Park Boulevard. Ralph DeLauro has for years been heading up ...
Listen, the All-Star Game's here next year. You guys better clean up East Village
The smell of human piss, puke, and shit is thick in the air.
It takes a village.
Banana burgers?
Caribbean Escape replaces buns with plantains
A burger with buns made of bananas? Welcome to the Caribbean, East Village-style! It takes the form of a big blue truck with “Caribbean Escape” pasted over its sides. It’s parked in the Quartyard space ...
Need: males, Republicans, Latinos
Stadium vote: "challenging but winnable"
The passing of a new Chargers stadium ballot measure next year will be "challenging but winnable," according to a study by the National University System Institute for Policy Research. The Republican-Latino coalition that put the ...
Get me into the ballgame
New security measures delay entry into Padres home opener
Walk-through metal detectors, electromagnetic hand wands, and other new airport-style security measures led to confusion and a slower-than-usual entry for thousands of fans at the Padres’ annual home opener April 9. New security and screening ...
Quartyard’s other eatery
The Quartyard Bar has scads of nosh and quarts of beer
The Quartyard is going great guns. It’s the empty lot that students from NewSchool of Architecture & Design have turned into a social gathering place for East Villagers. See Tin Fork for review of S&M, ...
Sausage party at the Quartyard
Sustainable pigs!
Shipping containers, Porka-cola, 'roo sausage, and downtown denizens brought to the 'yard.
Pop-up BBQ pops up downtown
Don Ellis brings his BBQ roadshow to Mission Brewery
I smelled it first: BBQ. Then, as I crossed 14th Street, a block from the ballpark, I saw the flare of flames bursting up from a gas cooker on the night sidewalk. It was right ...
East Village: Contain yourself! Your temporary town square's almost ready
Meshuggah Shack first to open in Quartyard
“Ring for kisses,” says the red bell at the counter. “See how it feels.” Oh, I see: The "See how it feels" bit is talking about the tip jar. Still, the bell sets the atmosphere. ...
