Thursday, January 30, 2020

Reading & Watching: January 2020

Mermaid or pinniped?
Things have been super crazy busy around my household lately. Nova's soccer is back, or at least tryouts, so I got to go to La Jolla Cove this week on one evening and then got to catch up with my old pal and boss on another. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with keeping up with work because I guess I got used to the slow December. It hasn't really left me with much time to read, but lots of time to watch a lot while I work through the wee hours of the morning. I did read Maria Semple's other book, Today Will Be Different, and while I power through her writing, the resolution just did not in any way resonate with me. So I've been on the hunt for a good book. I had the audio book of The Nickel Boys, which I was really enjoying, but I just didn't get to listen to it fast enough before it was due. I like to keep a book to read and an audiobook checked out simultaneously, but sometimes it doesn't happen that way. So while I haven't read a new book in awhile, I've been kind of obsessed with the GRAMMY controversy (no, I didn't watch the broadcast) and the clapback on American Dirt. (lots of links and more after the jump.)

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Things To Do In San Diego: Tuesday, January 28-Monday, February 3, 2020


It was another pretty great week around here. On Wednesday I got to shoot Michael Kiwanuka at the Observatory then hung out with Julie at the Office after. Thursday night was SoundDiego Live at the Casbah which was a blast, then I hung out with Dev at the Ken Club. Friday I was a super idiot and went to Saint Motel, only to realize the show was on Saturday and I'd had my listings wrong all week. Sorry for that. But I decided to chill at home instead of braving Cursive so I could be ready for Saturday with Saint Motel and KOLARS at the Observatory followed by Dirty Sweet at the Casbah. Nova and I also have been watching and loving AJ & The Queen on Netflix after finishing The Healing Powers of Dude. I've actually been enjoying a ton of new streaming stuff but I'll save that for my other posts. This week I have no real show plans besides Courtney Barnett at Pappy & Harriet's on Friday, but Nova's in soccer tryouts (which means I actually get to visit my sea lions) and I've got a festival to book, so I better get on that. Listings through Monday are after the jump.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

RIP Alberto Jurado

When I heard the news on Monday that Alberto Jurado had passed, like many in our music community, I was shocked and deeply heartbroken. So many people have pored over memories and photos and videos and I have my own memories of hanging with all the Ken Club creeps and hosting tons of after parties and there is no doubt that Alberto Jurado was a legend. His smile never faded, his enthusiasm never dimmed, and nobody will ever compare. If you can't make the fundraiser at Small Bar on Sunday, consider a direct donation to the family, via his sister-in-law: venmo: https://venmo.com/Amanda-Jurado-6

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Things To Do In San Diego: Wednesday, January 22-Monday, January 27, 2020


I feel like I haven't quite gotten into the groove of 2020 yet. My work at the Casbah and SoundDiego are amped up a little now, so I haven't quite figured out how to do all the things I need to do on the daily without wanting to go to bed at 10 like a normal person instead of the all-nighters I've been accustomed to. I'll figure it out sooner or later...but in the meantime, I'm definitely not quite catching the volume of shows I'm used to. Still, it was a mostly balanced week. Tuesday I confirmed that I'm officially booking the SDCCU Festival of Arts in North Park on May 8th and 9th which will involve somewhere approaching 25 bands, so if I'm not in contact, please reach out. On Wednesday I went to the Zoo in the morning, took the kid to futsal in the evening, then caught Run River North and New Dialogue at the Casbah and closed the night at The Office for Emo Night. I didn't do much outside of work on Thursday or Friday because Saturday was a futsal game by day and Nada Surf by night. Of course, my mind is always blown with Nada Surf. On Sunday, Darren's mom and nephew arrived from the Bay Area, so the last few days have been all tourist stops. The first spot we took them was El Panson for tacos then to the Zoo for a couple hours. On Monday, we hit the Safari Park all day and as much as I wanted to go to the Casbah, my "nap" went a little too long and I did most of these listings so I could participate with the family on Tuesday, when we took them to The Balboa, walked around Balboa Park hitting the Botanical building and the San Diego History Center, and then more Zoo time while Darren and his mom got Nova from school and then finished with takeout from the new Popeye's to round out the trip. They're leaving today, so it's a little bittersweet. We definitely don't see them enough, but it's also a lot, if you know what I mean. This week I'm hoping to catch Michael Kiwanuka, our SoundDiego live party at the Casbah on Thursday, Saint Motel and Kolars at Observatory then Casbah for Cursive on Friday, and Dirty Sweet on Saturday. I can never pull off 4 nights in a row these days, so I'm sure one or two of those won't actually happen. Listings through Monday are after the jump.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

16th Annual San Diego Restaurant Week: Sunday, January 19th, 2020 through Sunday, January 26th, 2020

Next week is San Diego Restaurant Week and it's a great time to try those restaurants that have been on your list but you just haven't gotten around to. Of course there's a very enthusiastic press release, so I'll post that after the jump. I'm gonna be honest here and say that I honestly can't remember the last time I participated because of our resident picky eater, but she's grown a lot and we can pretty much eat anywhere now and know she'll find something on the menu to satisfy her tastes. But we're also a family on a budget, so most of our favorite spots wouldn't ever be on such a list. (At the moment, when we do eat out, it's some rotation between 777 Noodle House, The Balboa, Fairouz, Yak n Yeti, Volare, or even Black Angus because she keeps winning these free kids meal things for all of her reading, but mostly we try to cook at home.) Regardless, this info is probably valuable to you out there, dear reader, so catch the press release and full list of participating restaurants after the jump, or just check out the official San Diego Restaurant Week site here.

Honey jalapeno wings from 777 Noodle House...NOT a participating SDRW restaurant


Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Things To Do In San Diego: Tuesday, January 14-Tuesday, January 21, 2020


I don't really like to make a big deal about the end of a year or the beginning of a new one, it all seems rather arbitrary. But thus far 2020 has been pretty good. I don't make resolutions, but I guess I've been trying to do three things daily. Like last Wednesday, I hit the San Diego Zoo, La Jolla Cove and Children's Pool while Nova was at soccer, and Bowie night at the Casbah. Other days it's less ambitious, like Monday when it was sleep in, finish these listings, and get to bed before sunrise. But mostly it's been more successful. On Saturday, for example, we did San Diego River Estuary Cleanup on our canoe, went to Fiesta Island Off Leash Dog Park at sunset, and then went to the comedy and Mrs. Henry show at the Casbah. On Sunday, Nova and I caught the bus to the Zoo before closing, then walked through Balboa Park (since we were walking to get the van I'd left the night before near the Casbah) and instead met Darren for dinner before retrieving the van. This week I'm gonna play it by ear, but you'll for sure see me on Saturday at Nada Surf. It's also MLK Jr day on Monday, so I did listings through Tuesday just in case. Full listings after the jump.

Tuesday, January 07, 2020

Things To Do In San Diego: Tuesday, January 7-Monday, January 13, 2020

Oh man. New year, new listings. Let's see, since I last posted, New Year's came and went. Nova was gone all week, I started feeling a little sick, so I devoured tons of liquids and slept a ton and was feeling better by New Year's Eve. Though I had this big plan to catch the free bus to the Zoo and walk to the Casbah from there, I had some work stuff I had to finish up and Darren was working anyway so he dropped me off for the big NYE show which was a blast. He was able to pop in around midnight, then got me home safely, worked a little more, then when he came home we had some drinks and played music and had our own little celebration. Luckily New Year's Day was chill and I decided it was time to update my Annual Events listings, caught up on work, and by Friday it was time to get Nova from the airport and kick back into mommish mode. I really wanted to catch Swedish Models but couldn't pull the trigger, but on Saturday I finally followed through with my big plan to ride the bus to the Zoo, this time with Nova in tow, until Darren picked her up for a sleepover at my mom's, and I wandered around the Zoo, through Balboa Park, and eventually down to the Casbah for Petty 2 night. Sunday was chill thinking Nova was back to school on Monday, but turned out she actually starts back today, so while I would've loved a last trip to Wild Holidays at Safari Park or something, she was happy to settle back in at home. Everyone seems to be back at work and whatnot, so back to the email grind for me, though I do hope to catch the Bowie party at the Casbah on Wednesday and maybe Joyce Manor or King Khan on Friday. My NBC SoundDiego interview with The Cavemen will air on Saturday night at the new time for the show, 1:30am, and the rest of the week I'm just gonna play by ear. Listings through Monday are after the jump.

Friday, January 03, 2020

While I Was Sleeping: Coachella 2020 Lineup Announced

The Coachella lineup for 2020 has been announced. I don't really know how ticketing works anymore but it looks like you can register for weekend 2 passes. Weekend 1 is "sold out". If you're thinking about it, I would just wait to get tickets as weekend two passes seem to have been dumped the past couple years. Either way, Coachella takes place the weekend of April 10-12 and April 17-19, 2020. General passes start at $429.