Podcasts about bankers hill

Ain't easy being a vegan. Harder being a vegan in the Midwest in the ‘90s. Your eating options were the steamed broccoli at the steakhouse (hold the butter), some room-temp air, or learning to cook in self-defense. “That's why I learned to cook,” says Roy Elam, chef and owner of Donna Jean in Bankers Hill. He's wearing a death metal t-shirt in our conference room. Actually I could have that wrong. It may be doom core or emo-dream core. So many dooms and cores. Point is, he and David are really getting along on this episode of Happy Half Hour (David plays in a doom or core band you should check out, Weight of the Sun). In the September issue of San Diego Magazine, we tasked our food writer with creating the ultimate guide to plant-based restaurants, or plant-based friendly restaurants, in the city. Donna Jean is on that list. Roy's been vegan for a few decades, having trained under one of the most-respected plant-based chefs in the country—Matthew Kenney and Scott Winegard at Plant Food in Venice, before becoming head chef at SunCafe in Studio City. He got a call from a longtime friend and one of San Diego's most prominent plant-based restaurateurs, Mitch Wallis, who owns Evolution Fast Food and Plant Power. He had a restaurant space available, wanted to create a more modern, sleek, attractive place. Elam signed on, naming the restaurant Donna Jean in tribute to his mom, who he lost to cancer. “When she was diagnosed a second time, the doctor gave her a lot of recommendations for foods that would help,” he says. “I was helping her cook, and realized most of them were plant-based. It made me realize, ‘Why wait until something bad happens? Why not just eat more plants?” spots. “I don't even want to be known for plant-based food,” he says. “I want to be known for just food.” For this episode, Matt comes in and talks music and food and plant-based and family. When you go to Donna Jean, try his pizza. He learned to make the dough by sitting at the counter of Tribute Pizza, asking questions, just watching. He says the cooks there have enormous patience. He's on his 100th iteration of his dough recipe. We eat it in house amid some conversation about POD and how many hardcore bands come from church backgrounds. It's got a garlicky white wine sauce, spinach, cashew ricotta, plant-based mozzarella, spinach, pistachio, and preserved lemon-infused olive oil. It's named “Thunderkiss 65,” a classic White Zombie song. All his pizzas are named after bands parents hate.

Long before “pivot” became a silver-lining buzzword, Tracy Borkum made a career out of it. For instance, the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla recently spent $105 million and tapped one of the top architects in the country to recast its iconic building into an ocean-facing art compound. And Borkum—a San Diego restaurateur who years ago got her BA in art history from UC Berkeley—became a big part of it. It was a dream, really: a merger of what she loved and studied (art) and what she made her name doing (restaurants). She and her chef-partner Tim Kolanko created an outdoor dining concept around the edge of the museum called The Kitchen. “We opened it, and now it's been raining for three weeks,” Borkum says, with a roll of her eyes, on this week's episode. Borkum has adapted, dealt with things, rethought, reconfigured so many times. She started with Kensington Grill in the '90s, a charming-as-heck bistro (she still has the space; it's now Cucina Sorella) where Troy served briefly as the world's worst bartender (a story he tells over and over, to Borkum's chagrin). When she took over beloved Bankers Hill eatery Laurel, it was a grand, refined, pre-theater restaurant. She gutted it, selling the furniture on the street outside the building. “We got in a bunch of trouble with the city,” says Borkum. “They came by and said, ‘What are you doing?' We said we were having a garage sale, they said, “You can't do that.'” This was 2009, the economy was still reeling, and she pivoted to a rustic Italian concept—Cucina Urbana—where everything was under-$20. It boomed, is still booming. Later, when she couldn't afford to purchase furniture for a new restaurant of hers, she convinced a local furniture store to use the space as a showroom, selling the pieces to diners who said, “I really love that lamp.” Recently, she and Kolanko have been shifting into nontraditional restaurant and catering spaces. They opened a kiosk at the Rady Shell, the now-iconic $98 million outdoor music venue that looks like a giant, hollowed-out Airpod. “Olivia Rodrigo has her first show there, and it's like 8,000 nineteen-year-olds,” says Kolanko, who made his name as the chef de cuisine of A.R. Valentien for over a decade. “So we had all this food ready to go. And none of them ate. None. We had all this food left over. We're used to making food to order. But this is a wholly different thing. So we've had to relearn.” Borkum and Kolanko recently opened a modern Jewish delicatessen, Gold Finch, and are working on finalizing their next prix-fixe dining concept—in the center of MCASD, La Jolla, with two entire walls made of glass overlooking the Pacific. They join Troy and David this week to share stories from frontlines of a radically shifting restaurant culture.

Hey kids! BNiSD is back again - Two weeks straight! Let's go! Tune in as the BNiSD crew sits down to enjoy some amazing new beers, including a very kind listener submitted beer that came with a personalized note from our dear friend, HJ Preller. We also discuss some of the biggest news stories in the world of beer including the upcoming SD Beer News Awards and how you can take part in the festivities. Hear all about the brand new North Park in Bankers Hill and a business that takes spent grain and turns that waste into paper goods. All this plus much more including Noah goes goth, Mike becomes someone's favorite cast member, the 311 cruise and the fun of being on a cruise, we discuss our love of El Segundo Brewing while sampling a couple, turning baked goods into spirits and continued from last week, we discuss the state of larger breweries based on a press release that was sent out. Tune in for all this plus tons more on the latest BNiSD!

Are you getting the office blues? Or is your workspace just feeling bland? If your office is in desperate need of a design upgrade, San Diego Office Design (@sdofficedesign) has the solution for you! Visit https://www.sdofficedesign.com today!

Ben & Woods start the 8am hour with a PSA for anyone in the Bankers Hill area, as a winning lottery ticket worth $38 million has not been turned in, and expires tomorrow! Then the guys discuss the blocking of fans on Twitter after a former Padres player went on a blocking frenzy yesterday afternoon? And then at the bottom of the hour, MLB.com's AJ Cassavell joins the show to give some final thoughts on the Padres 2022 season. Listen here!

Hi, I'm Latressa Downey. I'm the administrator here at St. Paul's Villa at Bankers Hill where we offer our Reflections Memory Care Program. Recently, St. Paul's conducted a study into Dementia and Memory Loss, and we not only looked at the care we provide our residents, but also the other many facets of living with this.These include family involvement, the transition from home to community, education for loved ones, engagement and so much more. As a result, we developed Reflections, a memory care program we're truly proud of which offers a model of care that addresses every aspect of an individual's wellbeing. Hi, I'm Andrea Rojas and I provide the Life Enrichment Services for Reflections Memory Care Program at St. Paul's Plaza in Chula Vista. For 10 years, I've had the privilege of helping seniors and their families navigate the world of dementia. And I've seen firsthand benefits of our Reflections Memory Care Program. I'm specially proud of our Reflections' pillars of care which includes compassionate transitioning, family engagement, high quality caregivers standards, and specialized social enrichment.With these four pillars of care, you can be confident that your loved ones, physical, mental, and spiritual needs will be met. In fact, they will begin to thrive as a live life to the fullest. With Reflections you no longer have to navigate this world alone. St. Paul's is here to help. If you're looking for a memory care community for your loved one, please reach out to me or anyone on our team. We have two beautiful reflection communities right here in San Diego, and we are ready to welcome you..

NBC 7 News Anchors: For the factors have largely resulted in milder symptoms. As we have been reported among people who are fully vaccinated and boosted, but there's still a significantly higher risk to older people, regardless of their vaccination status, NBC 7, Joe Little visited St. Paul's Manor in Bankers Hill, an independent senior living community today to see how they're handling the latest surge of cases.Joe Little: We're being overwhelmed with stories about Omicron's impact on work, in schools, but it's just the latest nightmare for our parents and grandparents. Shirley Doyle: We were so revved up and ready for normal and then Omicron came. Joe Little: We all feel just like Shirley Doyle, but during the pandemic, Shirley has already faced too many fears.Shirley Doyle: I've uh, uh, I've been in a cancer fight. Joe Little: It's a lot for anyone let alone a senior. Shirley Doyle: Yes. I'm scared. The world is going crazy out there and I can come home. And know that I'm safe.Joe Little: Shirley lives in St. Paul's Manor in Bankers Hill. Cheryl Wilson: These are tough times! Joe Little: Cheryl Wilson is the President for St. Paul's Senior Services, retirement homes.Cheryl Wilson: It's hard on our residents. It's hard on their families, but it's really hard on our staff who just want to care for the people here at St. Paul's.Joe Little: Wilson Says it's been tough caring for residents, especially after the staff was hit hard with positive cases after the holidays.Cheryl Wilson: As an administrator, this is what keeps me up at night. What are we going to do?Joe Little: She says they're once again, following strict rules, no one's allowed to visit unless it's an emergency and there's a booster mandate for employees.Cheryl Wilson:  And wear your masks, oh, please put on your mask, people. We have to tackle it. We have to be proactive. We have to be upbeat. And we have to know that we can get through this.Shirley Doyle: We know we're safe. Joe Little: Shirley is clearly confident. It helps that she's used to facing her fears. Shirley Doyle: I'm cancer-free. Yeah!Joe Little: That's the good news everyone needs as we started another round in the pandemic.Shirley Doyle:  We're getting awful tired of it. AJoe Little: At Bankers Hill.Shirley Doyle: Awful tired of it.Joe Little:  Joe Little NBC 7NBC 7 News Anchors: Stay healthy. I like her. Cheryl Wilson says they are hosting a booster clinic tomorrow for staff and residents.

Dr. Hom has a whole family practice in Bankers Hill and specializes in Pediatric and Prenatal Care. He has also found a particular passion and skillset for kids with neurobehavioral challenges. Chiropractic techniques he includes are Webster, Sacro Occipital Technique (SOT), Diversified, OTZ, Biogeometric Integration, Gonstead, Cranialsacral, Activator, among others.The Future GenDue to extreme censorship and shadow banning, we have created a platform challenging the mainstream paradigm,to create a space to share vision and views, to create long term sustainable health solutions.To express without censorship and restriction. To allow freedom of speech and interest in ideas that will allow humanity to Evolve…Become part of the solution.We hope you've enjoyed the first half of this podcast - if you'd like to listen to the rest, please visit the Evolve Network https://evolvenetwork.tv/channel/mark-mcdonaldI'd love to know your thoughts and experiences - join the conversation on my Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/theevolvenetworkpeteevansInstagram @evolvenetworktvhttps://www.instagram.com/theevolvenetworktv/Follow Pete Evans accounts here https://linktr.ee/peteevans

Welcome back to Happy Half Hour! Today’s special guest is Dario Gallo, owner of Civico 1845 in Little Italy and Civico by the Park in Bankers Hill. Dario was born and raised in Cosenza, Italy, and after graduating with an economics and business administration degree, he moved to the US with his brother, Pietro. They opened their first restaurant, Civico 1845, in 2015, and in 2020 they opened Civico by the Park. The restaurants specialize in Calabrian dishes, pinsa Romana (ancient Roman-style pizza) made from scratch, and are noteworthy for offering vegan and gluten-free options on the menu. Dario is here to talk about how even though restaurants are reopening, many are struggling to find employees—an issue that’s happening nationwide. Troy interviewed Dario about San Diego’s employee shortage last month, but there’s so much more to unpack on this topic. Dario says he is experiencing a phenomenon where for an entire year people needed jobs, but once everything opened and Civico was short-staffed, no one was applying to work. After talking to other restaurant owners who said they’re having the same problem, he realized many were offering three to four extra dollars an hour for starting wages—which is much higher than before the pandemic. Three of Dario’s employees even quit, without notice, because another restaurant had recruited them with higher wages that they couldn’t turn down. He says it got to the point where they were so understaffed they worried they’d have to close their doors. The seemingly easy solution is to raise pay for their workers, but Dario explains that it just isn’t that easy: The restaurant industry is not a very profitable one—for every dollar that comes in, a successful restaurant is lucky to see a nickel in profits. The solution he proposes is abolishing tipping altogether. He argues that this is the only way restaurants would be able to pay their workers more, and distribute wages evenly among the front- and back-of-house staff. If the average customer tips 15–20 percent, Dario says that increasing the menu prices by that much shouldn’t devastate their wallet—and that it could solve the issue of entitled guests treating employees poorly (which he has seen far too often). In Hot Plates, a futuristic grocery store called Valet Market, which will operate without any cashiers or kiosks, is opening in East Village at the end of the month. Chef Steve Brown will be transforming Isabel’s in Pacific Beach into a butcher shop and burger bar, while chef Isabel Cruz is remodeling her cafe, Coffee Cup, in La Jolla. Randy’s Donuts, an iconic donut shop from LA, announced it plans to open 10 locations in San Diego as part of its global expansion. In Two People for Takeout / Two People for $50, my pick for the week is Trucha Restaurante-Bar in Tijuana for their unique and rich clam-chowder-covered fries. Upon returning to San Diego, David visited all his favorite spots, including The Friendly for a slice of pizza, Sushi Uno for a sushi roll, Fall Brewing Company for drinks, and Roberto’s Taco Shop for a taco. Dario recommends La Fachada in Logan Heights for an authentic Mexican food experience (get the lengua and carnitas). Troy’s $57 pick is Vaga, Claudette Zepeda’s new restaurant in Encinitas—check out his First Look and read about his experience. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com. See you next week!

On this episode, we chat with Laura Johnson, owner of You & Yours Distilling Co., a distillery and tasting room in San Diego’s East Village. Although the coronavirus pandemic has really shaken things up for distilleries in the region, You & Yours mixed up its strategy and was lucky enough to find ways to survive.We also take a look at the return of The Balboa, a popular Bankers Hill burger restaurant that was forced to close last summer due to the strain of the pandemic. It seemed like that was the end for The Balboa but then, it wasn’t.We also talk about some changes at Petco Park during this pandemic-era Padres baseball season, including where capacity stands and what’s cooking at the concession stands. This episode is bittersweet for our podcast, as we have to say goodbye to our producer, Matt Lewis.Lewis has been with us since the beginning of our podcast – and with NBC 7 San Diego for nearly 10 years. He’s moving out of town, but San Diego will always be home. He talks about why this city is so special to him and, of course, what he likes to eat.For more content from The Scene, visit this website. For more content from Eater San Diego, click here. And, to read our collaboration content with Eater and The Scene every week, click here.

Today’s special guest is chef Travis Swikard, whom we last had on the show in March 2020. Travis is a San Diego native who spent ten years working with acclaimed French chef Daniel Boulud in New York City, and moved back to San Diego to open Callie, his first solo restaurant. The pandemic delayed his original plan to open Callie last summer. We checked in with Travis to see how the long-awaited restaurant is coming along, and there’s great news: They’re planning a June 4 opening date, and are taking reservations on Tock starting May 5. Even though Callie’s debut was pushed back, Travis believes that everything happens for a reason, and the postponement gave him the opportunity to help the community: He worked with local charities and food banks, helped local chefs around the county, and held private events with ten-course tasting menus to keep his team employed. He got the chance to build strong relationships with people everywhere, including his hometown of Santee, all the way to Del Mar and Oceanside. Travis says Callie’s theme is a jovial atmosphere that reflects his experience growing up as a San Diego kid with a surfboard and a skateboard. He describes the restaurant as a “pantry of memoirs from around the world,” with decor inspired by his travels. Diners can expect Mediterranean food with clean and simple elements that keep it approachable. Some dishes to look forward to are a crunchy Moroccan carrot salad, pita breads all made in house, dips, crudo-style dishes with wild local fish, pastas, and a paella with big umami flavors. He hopes that Callie will join the ranks of other restaurants in the area, like Neighborhood and Lola 55, that are bringing the community together to get the East Village back on its feet. Also, Travis notes that the restaurant will offer diners free parking (that’s a rarity downtown!). Speaking of Neighborhood, it just reopened after getting a complete renovation and a new speakeasy, Youngblood. Troy got the First Look, where you can see the new interior. The Balboa, a popular burger bar, just reopened in their original location in Bankers Hill after having to close last summer. The owners of Dobson’s, a downtown institution, plan to open a new restaurant on Fourth and Market called Pan Y Vino. Last, some fun news: San Diego was recently ranked the fifth best foodie city in the country by Rent.com! Check out the list to see which city made No. 1 (and which placed last). In Two People for Takeout / Two People for $50, Marie’s pick was Au Revoir, a French bistro in Hillcrest (that has a small parking lot!) for their steak frites plate that comes with lavender fries. Troy’s recent find while researching an upcoming story is Friend’s House Korean for their bibimbap. Noah's pick is Communal Coffee in South Park for their almond lemon latte and avocado toast. Travis’s Friday tradition since the start of the pandemic is getting pizza from Tribute Pizza in North Park. David’s pick is The Casbah, which just reopened and has partnered with ¡Salud! Tacos in Barrio Logan—they’re serving tacos Thursdays through Saturdays. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com. See you next week!

This week’s special guest is Emily Green, owner of Sisters Pizza in Hillcrest. Since 2019, Sisters Pizza has been serving up New York– and New Jersey–style pizza whole and by the slice, along with other Italian dishes from family recipes. Emily opened the business in loving memory of her older sister, Kate, and she regularly gives back to the community by raising money for a different charity every month. Emily grew up in New Jersey and loves East Coast pizza, and she says that when she moved to San Diego she couldn’t find a pizza place that hit the spot quite like they do at home. Although her dream had always been to own her own pizza restaurant, at first she pursued a career in teaching. She was a high school teacher at San Pasqual Academy when her sister died unexpectedly in 2016, and though she loves teaching, Emily realized that life is short and she needed to pursue her dream now. She had been eyeing the restaurant’s future home for a while—a former hair salon in a 1930s building on Fourth Avenue—and when she saw it was up for lease she jumped at the opportunity. Between city regulations and the location’s never having served as a restaurant before, it took two years for it to open. Family photos decorate the interior, and references to Kate’s favorite TV shows appear throughout, including on the menu (such as the Uncle Jesse Pizza). Despite the pandemic, Sisters Pizza has been a hit in the community so far. Fundraising and giving back are important to Emily, and her nonprofit, Kindness for Kate, donates to the ACLU, ActBlue, and programs that support foster kids transitioning into adulthood. Donations to the organization go to whoever needs the most help that month, and she takes suggestions from anyone who comes asking for help for a worthy cause. Emily hopes to open more pizza-centric venues in the future, and promises that each one will follow in the footsteps of the original by finding ways to help the community. In Hot Plates, today is the last day for the La Jolla Village Merchants Association’s new event, Take-Out Taste of the Village. For $85, two people can enjoy a four-course meal from area restaurants like Cove House, La Dolce Vita, and Isola Pizza Bar. Tickets can be purchased online. Baba’s Hot Chicken, offering a Middle Eastern take on the Nashville classic, opened in Hillcrest last week. Those feeling carb deprived can add a scoop of mac and cheese to any sandwich—and even replace the buns with two grilled cheese sandwiches. Troy’s First Look series is back online after a year’s hiatus: The first entry features a peek inside Richard Blais’s new restaurant Ember and Rye, along with pictures of the interior by local photographer James Tran. In Two People for Takeout/Two People for $50, Emily’s takeout adventure begins at Goi Cuon for their Vietnamese spring rolls and continues at Common Stock for their spicy margaritas. Troy's final destination in his search for the best po’boy in San Diego was Cane Patch in Liberty Public Market for their fried, juicy alligator po’ boy. Marie’s pick was Azuki Sushi in Bankers Hill, where a nigiri plate is around $25 for one person and curbside pickup is still available. In anticipation of baseball’s opening day, David’s pub food pick was Barn Brewing on El Cajon Boulevard, where you can enjoy beer and blackened catfish tacos while watching the game on an outdoor patio. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com. See you next week!

Today on the Southern California Real Estate Report we talk about how Real Estate will be impacted about the new changes to the fault line map. The California Geological Survey has released updated maps showing an expansion of existing fault lines in San Diego. The biggest one being the fault line running from Mission Bay through the Airport, and into Mission and Bankers Hill. The impact to Real Estate is great. Not only are owners now finding out their property is on or near a fault line but they will need to disclose it in future sales. Owners might also need to make improvement to their Real Estate to account for the proximity of their Real Estate to fault lines. Developers may be required to conduct a fault hazard investigation on proposed construction and development projects.

Welcome back to Happy Half Hour! This episode was sponsored by Ballast Point, and two special guests from the brewing company joined us this week: Aaron Justus, director of R&D and specialty brewing, and Jeff Lozano, specialty brewer and manager. This year, the company is celebrating its 25th anniversary as a pioneer in the craft beer industry, and Aaron and Jeff debuted and tasted Ballast Point’s two newest beers, Wee Gus and Big Gus. Aaron was a meteorologist for 13 years before he ended up at Ballast Point. He said he realized being a weather anchor wouldn’t be his forever job, so at age 35 he packed up everything and moved to California to join the craft beer scene. Jeff, a Calexico and Mexicali native, also took a more roundabout way in his journey to brewing. After graduating from nursing school, Jeff decided he wanted to get a taste of what the brewing industry had to offer before locking in his career as a nurse. Jeff started working nights as a janitor at Ballast Point, and after rising through the ranks for a few years, he earned the brewer’s title. In Hot Plates, The Monsaraz Hotel is opening on Rosecrans Street in Point Loma, and will feature a new restaurant, Westerly Public House, which will have an Australian-influenced menu along with Aussie wines. Chef Brad Wise will open a second location of Rare Society, his high-end University Heights steak house, in Solana Beach’s Cedros Design District. A local Girl Scout inspired Feeding San Diego’s new donation program, Gift a Meal, where guests at participating restaurants can add $15 to their order to send a meal from that restaurant to someone in need. Participants include George’s at the Cove in La Jolla, Terra American Bistro in La Mesa, and Little Lion in Ocean Beach. Be Well + Live Well with Lisa is a new cooking show that was recently filmed at a private location in Rancho Santa Fe. It airs March 17 on Taste on TV, a Roku channel devoted to featuring people of color. Host Lisa Holmes, founder of LA-based The Honey and Company, will share her journey in living a healthy lifestyle while preparing a three-course meal. In Two People for Takeout / Two People for $50, Aaron’s choice was Wet Stone Wine Bar in Bankers Hill for a few glasses of wine and light dishes in their happy hour special. Jeff’s go-to place for takeout is Bahn Thai in University Heights, where he recommends the fish and yellow curry, as well as the drunken noodles paired with some top-shelf craft beers. Troy’s quest to find the best po’ boy in San Diego took him to Pete’s Seafood and Sandwich in North Park for their shrimp po’ boy topped with a remoulade blended with chili relish. Pop Pie Co.’s classic veggie pot pie, known for its crust and unique mix of veggies, is David’s pick this week. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com. See you next week!

Welcome back to Happy Half Hour! This week’s special guest is Avonte Hartsfield, owner of Rollin’ Roots food truck in Kearny Mesa. Rollin’ Roots has been serving comfort foods, like loaded fries and sandwiches with deep-fried “shrimp” and Buffalo “chicken” that are entirely vegan, since it opened last fall. Avonte is passionate about breaking the stigma that vegan food has to be expensive, and he started a pay-what-you-can option at the food truck and provides meals for those in need. Avonte has been working in the restaurant industry since he was 14, starting as a dishwasher and working his way up to management. He grew up in Riverside, and has been living in San Diego for about seven years after residing in Rosarito and Tijuana. He started serving vegan food at local farmers’ markets after deciding he wanted to eat less meat but couldn’t find anything vegan that he liked. He originally planned to open a restaurant, and the shutdown in March 2020 forced him to transition his business model to a food truck. Avonte doesn’t use any soy-based meat substitutes—he says they contain a lot of allergens, and that eating processed meat alternatives every day is just as bad as eating meat every day. His menu is also fighting the preconception that “vegan” just means “salad.” Avonte says he’s encouraging people to eat a wider variety of plant-based foods, both for their health and the health of the planet. Part of his goal is to create familiar foods, like deep-fried mac and cheese and po’boys, that have the same taste and texture as their non-vegan counterparts. Giving back to the community has always been a part of Avonte’s business model, dating back to when he worked at farmers’ markets donating food. After seeing and personally experiencing the financial struggles the pandemic caused, he decided to offer a free or heavily discounted meal as a permanent option at the food truck. He plans to switch to a sliding scale payment system, so that every person who comes up will pay based on their ability, to save face instead of having to ask for the free meal. Avonte readily admits that vegan food is more expensive to make, but he’s still hoping to make it accessible for everyone. You can find Rollin’ Roots parked every day at 8040 Armour Street in Kearny Mesa. In Hot Plates, Furn Saj, a popular Lebanese bakery and restaurant from LA, is bringing shawarma and saj, a grilled flatbread, to Hillcrest this summer. Resortwear line Tommy Bahama opened its Marlin Bar restaurant-retail concept, which has patio dining, in Fashion Valley mall. Breakers Coffee and Wine is getting ready to open at the Del Mar Highlands Town Center on the mall’s Sky Deck. The owner, Kyle Rosa, grows the coffee at his farm in San Marcos. In Two People for Takeout / Two People for $50, Marie’s pick is the tropical sangria and five-spice pork belly appetizer at Wet Stone Wine Bar in Bankers Hill. David’s pick is La Justina in Tijuana, where they give you popcorn seasoned with the scrapings off the grill while you're waiting for your order. At Gihon Ethiopian Kitchen, Troy recommends the tibs, meat stew, and garlic tofu, along with their distinct berbere sauce made with spices prepared and shipped by the owner’s family in Ethiopia. Avonte chose Veg’n Out in Grossmont Center for their vegan burgers, pork belly hot dogs, and kombucha. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com. See you next week!

Kandice Medina: St. Paul's Senior Services Nursing and Rehabilitation is an award-winning 59 bed center in the heart of Bankers Hill, which offers 24/7 nursing and excellent rehabilitative care. We offer individualized care plans from assistance with activities of daily living to physical speech and occupational therapy.What sets us apart is our well-trained and professional staff. We serve with kindness and compassion, providing the highest quality care in San Diego. Richard: I feel confident that my, my wife is receiving loving care. I really can't speak too highly of the competence and dedication of the staff in this establishment. They're terrific. And it's all given with great cheer, big smiles and and freely.John: At St. Paul's Senior Services, my mother has gotten a level of care that actually turned her health around. It's just been a good experience from a personal standpoint. That you can walk in, you see people smiling, always attentive, and it's just a really great atmosphere. And it's really great for us knowing that she's getting more care than just medical care.Neill Meehan: At St. Paul's, we assist seniors in the healing process by helping to restore their independence. Our newly renovated therapy areas are bright and spacious. Jean: The physical therapy that I've had has helped me to be more mobile. St. Paul's therapy was wonderful to me. They helped me quite a bit. I've made so much progress. And I'm so proud of them and they're so giving and understanding that will wonderful work is here and  God bless them all Kandice Medina: Beyond therapy, we know that attending to mental, spiritual, and emotional needs is also important. There's a beauty salon onsite, a non-denominational chapel with several services, as well as peaceful outdoor areas for relaxation. Randy: St. Paul's has provided outstanding care for my mom and I, especially like the warm and welcoming atmosphere of all the staff here that work with her. I feel so much more confident and relaxed knowing that my mom is so well taken care of here at St. Paul's.Kandice Medina: Come and see for yourself why St. Paul Senior Services Nursing and Rehabilitation is a leader in the industry of senior care.

Mark: Dad and I've known about St. Paul's for years because we live in the neighborhood. In fact, I'll never forget about 10 years ago, he mentioned that maybe he'd like to live here one day. So, when we decided it was time for dad to find a safer place to live. This was yeah, safer than in our old house. Then we knew that this was one of our priority places to look at.Tisa: When my mom needed to move into a place that was more care for her.  She used to live on her own independently. Um, I did a lot of research and I went around San Diego and it just felt the most comfortable here. It was clean. The staff felt like family like Teresa, the director greeted us as a family member immediately. And I just felt very comfortable. Eileen: The best part of it. Everyone is so happy and motivated. Shannon Lewis: What makes St Paul's Villa so special is that we have two very different communities under one roof. We have our Assisted Living Facilities, which is, uh, geared towards our more independent  residents and we have our Memory Care for which caters to our residents that have Alzheimer's, different forms of dementia, and that need more supervision and oversight.Tisa: I can count on these people. Day or night, 24 hours a day, and that's, what's really important to me and my family. Mark: When you have a big adjustment, like changing where you live, there's always going to be a transition time, but the staff rallied and they've gotten to know my dad as a person and who he is. And every time I come here, he's doing something or he's with somebody. And that just makes me feel so good and so happy you made the best decision. Shannon Lewis: Residents at St. Paul's Villa love the activities program. We go on lots of outings to lots of different locations. We have lots of activities such as exercise, music, and they rave about our food. Sheila: I think the best thing for me about living at the Villa is its low rent in a high rent area. After all this is Bankers Hill. We're a block from Balboa Park. How lucky can you get? It's lovely. Terry: My memory is starting to fail. I misplaced names. Uh, I know where I'm going. I don't get lost. What I enjoy doing here is reading believe it or not. I never seem to have enough time in my life to read, and you have a good library and there's people around who have the same interests as I do.Evan: It's just outstanding to live here. I lived at other places and it was didn't compare to how they make you feel. We're one big happy family here. I really love it here.

Elden Thompson: Think very seriously about getting your vaccine.Teresa Sardina:  How the vaccine rollout is impacting senior living.CBS 8 Studio Anchors:  As we've seen time and time again, the pandemic has made life tough for San Diego's senior community, forcing them to adapt to change and tirelessly wait for the vaccine. News 8, Teresa Sardina reports from St. Paul Senior Services at Bankers Hill, and has more on how COVID-19 is impacting our senior population.Teresa Sardina:  I spoke with the CEO of St. Paul Senior Services. She says the company's top priorities are safety and keeping seniors connected.Ellen Schmeding: Our staff are the ones that are bringing in the virus.Teresa Sardina: St. Paul's Senior Services at San Diego is currently vaccinating seniors and staff, and all departments, assisted living memory care , and independent senior living. Chief Executive Officer Ellen Schmeding says since September a handful of  senior residents tested positive for COVID-19. Ellen Schmeding: We have extreme measures at our front door to take temperatures. We have an electronic screening system. Teresa Sardina: She says there have been many challenges during the pandemic for both staff and residents. Seniors coping with separation from families, limited visitors and the uncertainty of the vaccine rollout.Schmeding now sees some relief. St. Paul's Senior Services is registered with CVS Pharmacy and has held seven clinics as of this week. Ellen Schmeding: We were among the first to receive the vaccine on December 30th, and we were kind of a guinea pig at that point with CVS. It was challenging. I'll be honest. But there was a feeling of celebration in the air.Teresa Sardina: This is residents, Elden Thompson, getting the COVID 19 vaccine at St. Paul's first clinic on December 30th. He says his experience reminds him of the polio outbreak. Elden Thompson: Yeah. I was one of the first people to get the vaccine. Teresa Sardina: So far, 70% of the company's staff has been vaccinated receiving both doses. 90% of their seniors have received the first dose. Now those 350 residents are waiting for their second shot.Since COVID 19 cases have increased, visitors are not allowed indoors and socially distance outdoor visiting stations are set up. Ellen Schmeding: We just looked for ways to keep that connection going. It's the most important thing.Teresa Sardina:  Schmeding says it's been a long time waiting to get these clinics set up. And it took a lot of collaboration between families, seniors, and staff, to get them educated on the vaccine and its side effects. For more in the story, we'll have it at cbs8.com reporting at Bankers Hill.I'll send it back to you in the studio. CBS 8 Studio Anchors: Thanks Teresa.

All seniors and long-term senior living homes continue to get vaccinated along with the workers and the staff who care for them. I'm just grateful to the government for making the levels of the immunization very clear so that healthcare workers are number one and then our vulnerable seniors are number two on the list to receive the immunizations. Cheryl Wilson is purposely dressed in red, white, and blue. She has been waiting for this day ever since she was one of the first local health care CEOs to contact CVS pharmacies. When the government announced it and Walgreens would be getting the Pfizer vaccine.Part of the federal CDC pharmacy partnership with long-term care. All four of St. Paul's senior care communities are involved. Starting with the McColl Health Center in Bankers Hill. First round of shots, 45 residents, 95 healthcare workers and staff. Wilson told us the inoculations are voluntary, adding that all of them patients were on board, but that 40% of the workers and staff opted out to see what, if any side effects develop. Wilson was optimistic that that wouldn't be an issue, but even more upbeat over what the vaccinations will mean to the residents and their families. It's been a lot of mental anguish for families and for the seniors who have missed their loved ones. When they live in a skilled nursing home such as the McColl Health Center, they don't get out very much. And the visits from their families, uh, integral to their quality of life.January 15th, that's Cheryl Wilson's target date. That's the date she hopes will mark the fact that all four St. Paul's senior living communities have gotten a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

A senior care services facility in Bankers Hill is among the first in San Diego County to vaccinate its residents and employees. ABC 10 news reporter Marie Cornell introduces us to the first person in line. Eldon Thompson: Oh yeah, I'm ready for it. That's that's totally. Marie Cornell: Eldon Thompson. Couldn't wait to get his COVID-19 vaccine.He was so excited. He volunteered to be the first one among the group at the St. Paul's skilled nursing facility. Eldon says he didn't have any doubts about getting it, but he was worried about catching the virus. Eldon Thompson: Yeah, I'm scared because of my age, 79 years old, you know what I'm saying? Some young people younger than me, they're failing.Marie Cornell:  Cheryl Wilson as the CEO for St. Paul senior services, which runs senior independent living,  Senior Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing Facilities and senior day programs in San Diego County. She calls it a blessing. St. Paul's was able to partner with CVS to be among the first skilled nursing facilities in the County to get their residents vaccinated through CVS is 12-week vaccination program, 45 of their residents and 95 members of their staff will get vaccinated Wednesday.Cheryl Wilson: Any of these seniors went through the vaccines for the polio pandemic back in the fifties. So, they understand how incredibly important this is. And what a difference it can make in the life of every American and everybody really around the world. Marie Cornell: Cheryl says, though, there are employees that have chosen not to participate in this vaccination clinic.Many have plans to get their vaccine on January 20th. When the second dose is scheduled to be given. Either way, she believes this is the light at the end of the tunnel many have been waiting for.Cheryl Wilson:  This is the first shot. This is the beginning of this journey to become COVID free.

Happy New Year! We took a break from taping during the holidays, and now we’re back and looking forward to 2021. We kicked off our first episode of the year with chef William Bradley of Addison, San Diego’s first restaurant to receive a Michelin star, which it was awarded in 2019. William is a San Diego native, and he's been leading the kitchen at Addison since 2006. He’s been nominated four times for a James Beard Award, won Robb Report’s Culinary Masters, and has served on the council for Bocuse d’Or USA since 2013. Addison is also just one of 87 restaurants in the world to have the Relais & Châteaux designation. To adapt to the current stay-home order, Addison is now offering a takeout program so you can enjoy their fine dining at home. In this episode, we learned that William is from Chula Vista, and that he was a competitive soccer player—as a teen, he even played on a men’s league in Tijuana. He says a lot of people don’t know that before he pursued a career in the culinary arts, his first love was soccer (and he is still an avid fan of the sport). Growing up in Chula Vista, his palate was heavily influenced by the cooking of his Latinx friends and neighbors. When he moved to New York, he didn’t think he would come back to San Diego, but he eventually did to lead the kitchen at Loews Coronado Bay Resort. Addison is unfortunately closed for in-person dining again, so the team decided they needed to pivot to offer takeout (for the first time in the restaurant’s history) to keep their workers and the ecosystem of local businesses that supply the restaurant employed. How can fine dining, which is experiential, translate to takeout? William said they didn’t want to go the route of offering an extensive tasting menu to go, so instead their new program, Addison at Home, is more approachable. The four-course meals, which are available four nights a week, are “what you’d make at home, but we’ll make it for you.” There is also an option to add on wine that is selected by their sommelier, as well as breakfast for the following morning. Last, we talked a lot about the future of fine dining, and William shares what he’s looking forward to in 2021. Listen to find out! In Hot Plates, we discussed the news that Karl Strauss is leaving La Jolla after 25 years because they decided not to renew the lease (two locations remain open for takeout). The owners of Farmers’ Table just opened Smokey and the Brisket, a new barbecue restaurant near Lake Murray; and coming soon to Golden Hill is Kingfisher, a modern Vietnamese restaurant from the owners of Crab Hut. They’re doing monthly pop-up dinners to showcase the new menu, starting January 15 at Crab Hut’s Mira Mesa location. Sam the Cooking Guy is opening a new burger concept soon in Little Italy Food Hall that will be a permanent home for the “Samburgers” that he launched at a ghost kitchen in Seaport Village. In Two People for Takeout, William had two picks for his favorites: Bitchin’ Sauce, a locally made almond-based dip available at Costco and farmers’ markets (he recommends the chipotle flavor), and the Double-Double at In-N-Out Burger. Troy’s pick this week is the OBecian pizza with white sauce at Sisters Pizza in Bankers Hill, and David recommends the family-style crab boil from Louisiana Purchase in North Park. My pick is the birria ramen from The Birria Truck, which has two locations in Chula Vista and City Heights. Thank you for listening and starting the new year with us! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at happyhalfhour@sdmag.com. See you next week!

On this episode of NBC 7’s Scene in San Diego podcast, we speak with celebrity chef Brian Malarkey about how he’s running his local restaurants amid the pandemic and how his team recently rebooted their downtown San Diego spot, Animae.In addition to Animae, we’ve seen a few other local eateries revamping and rethinking their concepts during the pandemic. It’s a lot of change. This includes Cucina Urbana, who has temporarily moved out of Bankers Hill to go “camping.”But while some places have been able to shift gears during the pandemic, other restaurants simply can’t keep going. The latest permanent closure in San Diego’s food scene is Tiger! Tiger! Tavern in North Park, which really made its mark over its nine years in business.For more content from The Scene, visit this website. For more content from Eater San Diego, click here. And, to read our collaboration content with Eater and The Scene every week, click here.The Scene in San Diego Feat. Eater Podcast is hosted by NBC 7’s Monica Garske and Eater San Diego’s Candice Woo, and produced by NBC 7’s Matthew Lewis.

On episode four of our podcast, Scene in San Diego Featuring Eater, we talk about a few of the new restaurants that have managed to open in San Diego during the coronavirus pandemic – despite restaurant rollbacks and ongoing restrictions.One of those debuts is the long-awaited Portside Pier dining complex along San Diego’s North Embarcadero, a $25 million project five years in the making from Brigantine, Inc. To talk about that project, we’re joined by our guest, Mike Morton Jr., co-owner of the Brigantine Inc. Morton discusses how Portside Pier plans to operate safely in these times of COVID-19.Of course, it’s not just about what’s newly open these days in our local food and drink scene. Sadly, we’ve also lost many beloved San Diego restaurants to the economic impact of the pandemic. We touch on a few of those closures, too.Episode 4 Show Notes: San Diego Restaurant OpeningsLast month, public health officials ordered San Diego County restaurants to shut down their indoor dining rooms – the second time that’s happened since the coronavirus pandemic reached San Diego County in mid-March. Restaurants are still allowed to operate, only they must move all dining areas outside. San Diego County remains on California’s monitoring list, and that means those restrictions will likely continue, at least for now.Despite these restrictions, there have been some restaurant openings across San Diego’s dining landscape over the past few months. We take you to three of those debuts in three parts of town: the Gaslamp Quarter, Liberty Station, and the downtown waterfront.3 San Diego Restaurants That Have Opened During the PandemicLumi (Gaslamp Quarter)The indoor dining ban continues to be tough on restaurants, but San Diego’s weather does give us a bit of an advantage when it comes to the shift towards outdoor dining. Lumi opened in late June in the Gaslamp, before the dine-in ban. Since it’s a rooftop restaurant, it has been able to stay open. Lumi serves Japanese-Peruvian cuisine and the chef behind the restaurant, Akira Back, has a Michelin-starred restaurant in Asia and an expansive global portfolio.The Presley (Liberty Station)Over at Liberty Station, The Presley recently opened, a family-friendly, mostly-outdoor eatery from Good Time Design – the same group that runs The Blind Burro and Moonshine Flats. This space works for the times we’re in: 2,070 square feet of the property is entirely dedicated to patio dining. On Executive Chef Todd Nash’s menu, patrons will find everything from flatbreads, sandwiches, and salads to dishes such as everything-crusted seared ahi, mussels with linguica and lobster broth. The drink menu includes such concoctions las the Dole Whip mimosa, frozen gin fizz, and classic lava flow – just the right selections for a boozy Sunday brunch.The Presley replaces Fireside by The Patio at Liberty Station, one of The Patio Group restaurants formerly owned by embattled business executive Gina Champion-Cain, who recently pleaded guilty to defrauding investors in a $400 million Ponzi scheme. That’s, of course, a story for another day, which you can catch up on here. Oh, and to read more about how Liberty Station is embracing the outdoor dining trend amid pandemic-related restrictions, check this out.Portside Pier (Embarcadero)The final stop on our tour of a few recent openings is Portside Pier along downtown’s waterfront. Portside Pier is a $25 million project from the Brigantine, Inc., featuring four restaurant concepts housed in one complex: Brigantine Seafood & Oyster Bar; Miguel’s Cocina; Ketch Grill & Taps; and Portside Coffee & Gelato.Five years in the making, the 42,000-square-foot Portside Pier is part of the Port of San Diego’s redevelopment of the North Embarcadero. The restaurant hub sits on a familiar site: San Diego dining staple Anthony’s Fish Grotto operated for more than 50 years at that location. (Disclosure: Monica Garske’s husband works for Brigantine Inc.) Brigantine Inc. was among the many companies that bid for this prime waterfront location after Anthony’s time there was up five years ago.Guest Interview: Mike Morton, Jr., of Brigantine, Inc., & Portside PierThe Brigatine Inc.’s Mike Morton Jr. joined us on this episode of our podcast to talk about how the Portside Pier project came together – pandemic and all.“We were about 4 months from finishing the project when the shutdown happened,” he explained.The company continued to build, not really knowing if they’d be able to open the property as planned.But they pressed on and were fortunate enough to open.With more than half of Portside Pier’s 1,000 seats situated on the property’s scenic patios, Morton Jr. called the outdoor-friendly layout of the property “fortuitous,” given our currently public health restrictions.“We’ve got a ton of outdoor space here. We didn’t have a crystal ball – we just got lucky,” he added.With Portside Pier in a high-traffic, iconic location, it’s bound to attract a lot of people. But, during a pandemic, crowds must be curbed for public safety. Morton Jr. shares how his team plans to use reservations, social distance protocols and other measures to keep the restaurant, customers, and employees safe as the pandemic continues.Morton Jr. said reservations are highly encouraged, via Open Table.3 San Diego Restaurants That Have Permanently Closed During the PandemicWhile these restaurant openings are great news for our food and drink scene, there’s just no denying the other side: the permanent closure of some local eateries. The restaurant industry has been hugely impacted by the pandemic, and it’s unfortunately resulted in a wide range of eateries across San Diego having to close – and not just during the pandemic shutdowns, but for good. Both NBC 7 and Eater San Diego are keeping a running list of shuttered restaurants on our websitesThe Balboa Bar and GrillKnown for its burgers, The Balboa Bar and Grill in Bankers Hill recently closed to the disappointment of its many, many fans. The Fifth Avenue bar was small, dark, and cozy – all qualities that don’t align with current health orders. An offshoot of The Balboa, which opened last year in Chula Vista and has patio seating, will continue to operate. If you’re still hankering for that Balboa burger fix (ahem, guilty), Eater has details on that Chula Vista location here.WhisknladleAnother big, surprising closure was that of Whisknladle, which had been on Wall Street in La Jolla for the past 12 years. Well-respected for its farm-to-table menu, the restaurant had snagged a spot on Eater’s list of the 38 essential restaurants in San Diego. The group behind the restaurant still has Catania in La Jolla as well as Gravity Heights and Park Commons in the Sorrento Mesa area.Waypoint PublicOur final closure of this episode is in North Park and that is Waypoint Public. Though it’s been open for seven years on 30th Street, the gastropub’s owner has put it up for sale, saying that the business can’t survive on the fraction of normal sales it’s currently doing due to the pandemic. As a 5,000-square-foot restaurant that has just a small patio, the numbers just don’t add up. If you enjoyed this episode of the Scene in San Diego Featuring Eater Podcast, subscribe, rate and review us on your favorite podcasting platform: HYPERLINK to Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher.For more content from The Scene, visit this website. For more content from Eater San Diego, click here. And, to read our collaboration content with Eater and The Scene every week, click here.The Scene in San Diego Feat. Eater Podcast is hosted by NBC 7’s Monica Garske and Eater San Diego’s Candice Woo, and produced by NBC 7’s Matthew Lewis.

Chef Kevin Alvarado talks about cooking in SD, how it changed after getting jumped, how the pandemic lead to a political awakening, and why he can’t stop watching the shining. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Laramie Logan answered the door at her Coronado home one afternoon in early December to be greeted by a chaplain with the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office. “He told me the devastating news that my brother was hit by a car and didn't make it,” said the 40-year-old mother of three. “I just dropped to my knees and cried.” Her brother, David Henry Hill, was one of 24 pedestrians killed in traffic-related accidents in the city of San Diego last year — compared to 25 in 2016 after the city first pledged to eliminate such fatalities as part of the nationwide Vision Zero campaign. Lt. Cmdr. David Henry Hill, 37, was killed crossing India Street near West Olive Street and an off-ramp from north I-5 in Bankers Hill on Dec. 2, 2019.(Courtesy of Laramie Logan) The city has invested in a number of safety improvements in recent years, overhauling dozens of streets and crosswalks at crash-prone intersections, as well as launching a public awareness campaign. Those efforts appear to be paying off to a certain degree. In 2019, officials recorded the lowest number of traffic-related deaths and injuries, including motorists, in the last four years, according to data from the San Diego Police Department. That comes after a bloody 2018 when pedestrian deaths and injuries spiked to 127 up from 92 the previous year.

Our third episode of PROJECT : CONNECT features MARYAH (Metro Area Real Estate Professionals For Young Adult Housing), and their charitable efforts to The Center’s Sunburst Youth Housing Project. In this clip, founding member Richard Woods discusses MARYAH’s inception, and what it does for the community. About PROJECT : CONNECT The reason behind our podcast is that we lost one of our beloved title reps to suicide a few years ago, and have since then made community involvement on the issues that impact our everyday lives and San Diego community one of our corporate cornerstones. We strive to emulate our motto of Good People Doing Great Work. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR GUESTS & ORGANIZATIONS MENTIONED: Richard Woods is a founding member of MARYAH, and a real estate professional in San Diego County. Seth Struiksma is a current MARYAH board member, and also a realtor in San Diego County. MARYAH has spent the last 15+ years supporting The San Diego LGBTQ Community Center’s Sunburst Youth Housing Project through bi-annual fundraisers in the summer and fall. The Summer Solstice occurs in May, and is open to the general public. Harvest Howl occurs the Thursday before Halloween each year, and this year falls on October 24, 2019 from 6-9 PM at The Abbey in Bankers Hill (2825 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103). For More information about MARYAH, please visit: http://MARYAH.org. The Sunburst Youth Housing Project helps at-risk and homeless adults aged 18-24 by supplying affordable housing. The project specializes in LGBTQ+ and HIV+ youth. Before the program, these high-risk youth were living in the streets or public spaces, many after being ejected from their homes due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. For More information about the Sunburst Youth Project, please visit: https://thecentersd.org/programs/yout.... The mission of The San Diego LGBT Community Center is to enhance and sustain the health and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV communities by providing activities, programs and services that create community; empower community members; provide essential resources; advocate for civil and human rights; and embrace, promote and support our cultural diversity. For more information, please visit: https://thecentersd.org. -- About Lawyers Title San Diego: At our core, we are good people doing great work. Our commitment to top-shelf customer service sets us apart, and is unparalleled in San Diego County. For more information about Title Insurance, feel free to visit our website: http://LTICSD.com, or email DigitalSD@LTIC.com.

We’re taping from our sponsor, 10 Barrel Brewing this week, where they’re celebrating their two-year anniversary with a hazy V-IPA, brewed by the pub’s most loyal customers, as well as an early 2000s-themed party at the end of the month. We’re honored to have Wally Sadat, marketing director and part owner of The Kebab Shop, as our special guest this episode. The local chain won this year's critic's pick in Best Restaurants for Best Middle Eastern Food, and you've probably had their doner kebabs and fries. But something you might not know about the company is that it’s still family-owned, or that they once auditioned for a reality show on Bravo. They're opening their 15th location next month—the first one outside of California—in Austin, Texas. Sadat explained how The Kebab Shop went from concept to reality, and how the famous cilantro sauce found its way to the menu. His pick for Two People, $50 is Barbusa Modern Sicilian, and the staff liked Northgate Gonzalez Market’s menudo, Village Vino in Kensington, and Bay Park Fish Company. This week in Hot Plates, we have new celebrity chefs in town. Michael Mina and NBA-star wife Ayesha Curry are opening their upscale BBQ chain, International Smoke, next month in One Paseo. Little Frenchie, a Parisian-style bistro with a “drink by numbers” wine-pairing system, recently opened in Coronado with Chef Matt Sramek (Thomas Keller's Bouchon) leading the kitchen. The owners of U-31 are opening The Original 40 Brewing Company in North Park, and our very own Troy Johnson got a look at the new spot. The brewmaster is from Mikkeller, and the chef, Luke Johnson, has worked at Melisse in L.A. and Sky Room at La Valencia. Last but not least, Sisters Pizza just opened in Bankers Hill, where first-time restaurant owner Emily Green serves New York and New Jersey-style pizza by the slice, as well as whole pies. In regards to Hot Topics, Star Wars fans, listen up: Disneyland just opened the Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge theme park. The 14-acre park also includes Oga's Cantina, where fans can get a Star Wars-themed cocktail. It's the first and only bar in Disneyland that serves alcohol. Please come and join us and see the Happy Half Hour live at Eppig Brewing’s Waterfront Biergarten on July 8 at 3 p.m. We will be sampling the first of three collaboration beers we are doing with Eppig, Fall, and Coronado brewing in celebration of our Best of San Diego issue. There is no charge to come down, but there will be discounts for everyone in our Insider’s Program. We hope to see you there! We want to hear from our listeners! Call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a message. Or if you’re too shy to call, you can email HappyHalfHour@sdmag.com. You can give us your recommendations for Two People, $50, tell us about any news happening in San Diego’s culinary world, or let us know who you’d like to hear featured as a guest on the podcast.

This week, we’re at the pool deck of the Westgate Hotel, which is famous for its elegant Sunday brunch and high tea, and chatting with local jazz hero Gilbert Castellanos about its Sunset Poolside Jazz Series. Our special guest this week is Chef Quinnton “Q” Austin, who recently moved to San Diego from the Big Easy and leads the kitchen at Louisiana Purchase. Chef Q was chef de cuisine at the legendary Antoine’s, and he shared with us what it was like to work at a place with so much history. He also revealed how insanely busy that restaurant is (they serve 700 people at lunch time on average), his impression of San Diego’s dining scene and how it differs from the chef culture in the French Quarter, and what goes into the alligator andouille cheesecake he created for the North Park restaurant. In Hot Plates, the big news was the Michelin Guide’s reveal of its Bib Gourmand picks for San Diego, which included eight restaurants, and we have a lot of opinions about the list. H Mart revealed a cool Korean food hall at its new location on Balboa Avenue, Bibigo Kitchen recently opened a Korean BBQ spot in Fashion Valley, and Bankers Hill gets its first brewery and tasting room with Pure Project. David’s 60 Second Beer Review this week is Pariah Brewing’s Intermittent Availability IPA. In Hot Topics, we talked about the new Taco Bell-themed pop-up hotel in Palm Springs and wondered who this would appeal to, and the staff’s picks for Two People, $50 are The Smoking Goat, Din Tai Fung, and Miguel’s Cocina in Point Loma. A listener called in and said their pick is Tribute Pizza. Please come and join us and see the Happy Half Hour live at Eppig Brewing’s Waterfront Biergarten on July 8 at 3 p.m. We will be sampling the first of three collaboration beers we are doing with Eppig, Fall, and Coronado brewing in celebration of our Best of San Diego issue. There is no charge to come down, but there will be discounts for everyone in our Insider’s Program. We hope to see you there!

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! We are taping this episode at Petco Park, and our very special guest this week is Mark “Mud” Grant, who has been the color commenter for the Padres for 24 years. He talks about his favorite places to eat in Petco Park, and what his diet was like when he played professional baseball in the late ’80s compared to how MLB players eat today. Mud says he will eat anything, but confesses there are two things he can’t stand (eggplant is one of them!). His pick for Two People, $50, was The Brigantine, and the staff liked Puesto, HiroNori Craft Ramen, and Coronado Brewing’s Bay Park location. In Hot Plates, we talked about Il Dandy, a new Italian restaurant in the base of the Mister A’s building in Bankers Hill, which opened with much fanfare (and Troy got the First Look). A new modern Vietnamese restaurant, Kingfisher, is taking over the former Kafe Sobaka space in Golden Hill. The owners of Farmer’s Bottega in Mission Hills are opening Two Bleu Ducks in North Park, which will serve breakfast in the morning and then beer, wine and light snacks in the evening. Finally, there’s lots of new vendors opening in Liberty Public Market, like BOPJO Seoul in a Bowl…or Tortilla! (a Korean-Mexican fusion restaurant) and Rob Ruiz’s new sustainable sushi spot, Hold Fast. The Hot Topic this week is fake meat: Is it taking over real meat? Beyond Meat was recently valued at $1.5 billion at its IPO, and The Impossible Burger is testing its meatless patties at Burger King—hear what Troy and the gang have to say. We want to hear from our listeners! Call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a message or email HappyHalfHour@sdmag.com. You can give us your recommendations for Two People, $50, or tell us about any news happening in San Diego’s culinary world.

There are a lot of breweries in San Diego County, but Pure Project founder Jesse Pine says that competition helps elevate the craft beer industry as a whole. The three-year-old brewery has increased its production capacity in Miramar, is nearing the opening of its second tasting room, which will be in Bankers Hill, and has more plans for growth in North County.WWWW

What started out as a small burger venture in Bankers Hill grew into a viral phenomenon on Facebook group Eating and Drinking in San Diego and now, The Balboa is set to open second location in Chula Vista.

Today’s episode starts with news about one of the city’s buzziest restaurant openings: Fort Oak. Troy had the First Look and tells us about its seafood-centric menu, the high design, and how a parking garage caused major problems. Elsewhere in Hot Plates, we discuss Sister Ray’s, a new chili dog and burger concept from the teams behind The Balboa Bar & Grill and Luigi’s Pizzeria; an Italian concept moving into Bankers Hill this May with Michelin-star resumes; and a New York Times piece on the omakase-only Kearny Mesa restaurant Hidden Fish. Today’s guest is Moe Girton, a pioneer of Hillcrest’s restaurant scene and a partner at Mo’s Universe, which includes Gossip Grill, Urban’s Mo’s, Hillcrest Brewing Company, and Baja Betty’s. She talks about starting her career as a “door girl” at The Flame, moving up from bartender to management, opening Gossip Grill 10 years ago, and her new venture at InsideOut. We’re talking about how gay rights negatively impacted Hillcrest’s LGBTQ scene, why she calls Gossip Grill a “women’s bar” rather than a “lesbian bar,” and more. Our hot topic is about just how vegan San Diego really is according to a recent survey. And in Two People/$50, we’re recommending Muzita, Facing East (and Troy’s quest for the best xiao long bao in San Diego), Pomegranate, and El Carrito.

This time, the gang talks about what they’ve been listening to as well as play through a few singles from The Woolen Men, The Sonder Bombs, and Rave Ami. Also, Ian had the pleasure of sitting down with David McCandless of Andalusia (you can hear his music every episode this season) and reviewing the new El Ten Eleven album “Bankers Hill." This episode has a lot of firsts for us and we really hope you dig it! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/no-static-at-all/support

Brian Tracy ist ein kanadisch-amerikanischer Motivationsredner, Unternehmer und Managementtrainer. Er ist Autor von über 80 Büchern, die in Dutzende von Sprachen übersetzt wurden. Seine bekanntesten Bücher sind “Ziele: setzen, verfolgen erreichen”, “Eat that frog!” und “Keine Ausreden: Die Kraft der Selbstdisziplin”. Er ist Vorsitzender und CEO von Brian Tracy International, einem Unternehmen, das er 1984 in Vancouver, Kanada, gegründet hat. Sein Unternehmen bietet Coachings und Seminare zu Themen wie Führung, Verkauf, Selbstachtung, Kreativität und Erfolgspsychologie an. Heute hat das Unternehmen seinen Hauptsitz in Bankers Hill, San Diego, Kalifornien. Vor seiner Firmengründung war Tracy als Chief Operating Officer einer Entwicklungsgesellschaft tätig. Er ist außerdem Präsident in 3 weiteren Firmen und hat in seinem Leben bereits in über 5.000 Unternehmen gearbeitet. Website Facebook Buch “Eat that frog” von Brian Tracy Buch “Ziele: Setzen, verfolgen, erreichen” von Brian Tracy Quick Links: Sichere Dir jetzt kostenlos eine Leseprobe von „Unbox Your Life“ im Audio Book Format direkt als Download. https://unboxyourlifebuch.de Masterclass of Personality Sichere Dir jetzt 25% Rabatt auf Deine Buchung mit dem Gutscheincode: "PODCAST25" Hol dir jetzt Zugang zu deinem kostenlosen Persönlichkeitstest im Wert von 99€! Bewohnerfrei.de Mehr Infos und alle Folgen des Podcasts findest du hier!

Brian Tracy ist ein kanadisch-amerikanischer Motivationsredner, Unternehmer und Managementtrainer. Er ist Autor von über 80 Büchern, die in Dutzende von Sprachen übersetzt wurden. Seine bekanntesten Bücher sind “Ziele: setzen, verfolgen erreichen”, “Eat that frog!” und “Keine Ausreden: Die Kraft der Selbstdisziplin”. Er ist Vorsitzender und CEO von Brian Tracy International, einem Unternehmen, das er 1984 in Vancouver, Kanada, gegründet hat. Sein Unternehmen bietet Coachings und Seminare zu Themen wie Führung, Verkauf, Selbstachtung, Kreativität und Erfolgspsychologie an. Heute hat das Unternehmen seinen Hauptsitz in Bankers Hill, San Diego, Kalifornien. Vor seiner Firmengründung war Tracy als Chief Operating Officer einer Entwicklungsgesellschaft tätig. Er ist außerdem Präsident in 3 weiteren Firmen und hat in seinem Leben bereits in über 5.000 Unternehmen gearbeitet. Website Facebook Buch “Eat that frog” von Brian Tracy Buch “Ziele: Setzen, verfolgen, erreichen” von Brian Tracy Quick Links: Sichere Dir jetzt kostenlos eine Leseprobe von „Unbox Your Life“ im Audio Book Format direkt als Download. https://unboxyourlifebuch.de Masterclass of Personality Sichere Dir jetzt 25% Rabatt auf Deine Buchung mit dem Gutscheincode: "PODCAST25" Hol dir jetzt Zugang zu deinem kostenlosen Persönlichkeitstest im Wert von 99€! Bewohnerfrei.de Mehr Infos und alle Folgen des Podcasts findest du hier!

I had a blast sitting down with one of the pioneers in the San Diego dining scene, Mister Bertrand Hug. He started his restaurant career in 1973 as managing partner of Le Cote d'Azur, and later went on to own Mister A's in Bankers Hill and Mille Fleur in Ranch Santa Fe.  

Tune in as Kat Humphus talks with restaurateur Terryl Gavre about her 25 years as a restaurant owner in San Diego, what it takes to maintain successful restaurants, and the importance of being passionate in the industry.

Rents in San Diego continue to rise. Why rent when you can buy and pay the same monthly payment on a mortgage. Check out my thoughts. Join me April 17th for my Millionaire Real Estate Investor Seminar. It will be held at the Keller Williams San Diego Metro office at 2250 Fourth Avenue #300 in Bankers Hill. Questions? Call me at 619-818-2992 CA BRE #01785713 CA BRE #01295699 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chris-spade/support

On today’s episode of the Happy Half Hour, hosts Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson, along with producer Archana Ram are coming at you from La Jolla at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego’s Dream House. The organization—which provides accommodations, food, and more for families with a critically ill or injured child at a local hospital—is hosting its 14th annual raffle. There are more than 2,300 prizes to win, from a Maserati and a New Zealand vacation to the $4.9 million mansion we’re podcasting from. Enter to win at sdraffle.com (early bird deadline is February 16!). In Hot Plates, we’re chatting about the new Lucha Libre in North County, a noodle shop now open in Coronado, the Portland ice creamery that’s making waves in San Diego, and where Extraordinary Desserts will move after its Bankers Hill lease is up this year. Our guest is Kevin Templeton, born and raised San Diegan and Executive Chef of Gaslamp’s Barleymash, Smoking Gun, and Spill the Beans. He talks about running three restaurants in the downtown neighborhood, how the area has changed, and his work with Olivewood Gardens (he takes more than 700 pounds of compost to the National City non-profit every week!). The rest of his free time? He’s playing in the local death metal band Godhammered.

Today’s Happy Half Hour is our special year-end wrap-up, with hosts Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson, along with producer Archana Ram and digital wizard (our “guy with the wires”) David Martin We’re starting as we always do with Hot Plates, including a new sushi spot in Leucadia and two openings in Bankers Hill—a coffee shop from a popular local roaster and an Italian restaurant courtesy of a father-son duo from Rome. This week’s Hot Topics include a New York Times story about how recent Southern California wildfires have devastated avocado and lemon groves, and the biggest food trends of 2017, according to USA Today. Finally, we’re bringing you our favorite food moments from the past year, along with some of our most memorable Happy Half Hour episodes: New Restaurants Minou Born & Raised Officine Buona Forchetta Meal of the Year Grand Ole BBQ Market Restaurant + Bar Biga The Hake Trust New-to-Us Finds The Puffle Barleymash Giardino Masala Street Herb & Eatery Civico 1845 Favorite Happy Half Hour Guests Jason McLeod of CH Projects Restaurateur Terryl Gavre Matteo Catteno of Buona Forchetta Matthew Lyons of Tribute Pizza Lucila De Alejandro of Suzie’s Farms (a tearjerker!) We’re off next week—see you in 2018!

A female chef event at Cucina Enoteca, a new ramen spot in Bankers Hill, and “The Craft Beer Attorney” stops by

Episode 14: This episode covers the beginnings of chiropractic and why it has never garnered a lot of respect from the medical industry. Kim interviews Dr. Stanton Hom, who discusses the intentions of chiropractic, and how all of the body systems are so dependent upon the health and alignment of the spine. Dr Stan talks about his work with prenatal and pediatric clients, and how adjustments during pregnancy can greatly assist in the health of the baby. Dr. Stanton Hom grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles and claims to be a ‘global’ Southern Californian. His parents raised him with a balance of American and Asian culture which included a conservative approach to health and healing. Dr. Stan enrolled in West Point, where he studied Life Science and Mechanical Engineering. In 2010, he graduated cum laude from the Southern California University of Health Sciences. Dr. Stan has a whole family practice in Bankers Hill and specializes in Pediatric and Prenatal Care. He has also found a particular passion and skillset for kids with neurobehavioral challenges. Chiropractic techniques he includes are Webster, Sacro Occipital Technique (SOT), Diversified, OTZ, Biogeometric Integration, Gonstead, Cranial-Sacral, Activator, among others. Because of his diversity in training, Dr. Hom has a unique ability to adapt his technique to meet each patient’s need. He is also trained in functional blood chemistry analysis and for many families in his practice acts as a natural primary care provider. He prides himself on his compassion and kindness, his ability to connect with his patients. Dr Stan's website: http://www.drstantonhom.com/  Podcast website: http://woowoofortheskeptic.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/woowoo4ts  Kim Polinder's website: http://kimpolinder.com