CAVANAUGH: It's been a tough week, and it will be a pleasure to wind down and relax this weekend. We have some cultural exploits for you to enjoy on this Weekend Preview. My guests, Seth Combs is freelance arts writer and nightlife editor for Zagat. Welcome. COMBS: Thanks. CAVANAUGH: And Gillian Flynn is editor in chief of Riviera Magazine. And this Bottled and Kegged exhibit, at the San Diego history center, it's about our craft brew culture, but what does this exhibit cover? FLYNN: Well, it's really an exhaustive history of the beer scene from pre-Prohibition to today. For any beer lover or night, the curator said when he started planning, there was 58 breweries in October. And we just hit the 60 mark yesterday. CAVANAUGH: While they were planning this thing? More breweries popped up? FLYNN: Yeah, there's just a new permit for intergalactic, which is going to be opening in Mira Mar. It really just proves our rock star status in the beer world. And it really lays the fabric for that community. CAVANAUGH: What is the history of beer in San Diego? How far back does this go? FLYNN: Well, pre-Prohibition, and there was a lot of collaboration with Mexico in the early days T. Ceased to exist in the '50s, then in the late '80s it really came back. And it started with home brewer, and just this collaborative community-minded effort of tasting and making beer. And home brewing was a big part of that. CAVANAUGH: So it starts in the home, goes to all these craft breweries popping up everywhere. Does it also name a few up and coming breweries that we should look out for? FLYNN: Well, a brewery, just to go to immediately is culture brewery in Solana beach. It's a former architect who was making home beer, and his friends were urging him to quit his day job. [ LAUGHTER ] FLYNN: And the result is this really, sleek brewery with these garage-style doors that open. And it's supervibrant, really modern, and it's the latest on the scene. CAVANAUGH: Beer architecture! FLYNN: Exactly. CAVANAUGH: Do you have to be a beer lover to enjoy this exhibit? FLYNN: You don't. I'm not a beer drinker, but doing research on the trends of beer here, it's the passion that's out there with these people in the industry, it's infectious. And I think if you love San Diego and tourism, then drink immediately! [ LAUGHTER ] CAVANAUGH: Bottled and kegged, San Diego's craft brew culture, running now through January20th of next year. We have a CityBeat festival of beers coming up. What is this all about? COMBS: Well, I know it seems like -- more beer! [ LAUGHTER ] COMBS: Like there's a new festival every week. But this is one of the cooler ones. It's in its 6th year. There's over 100 beers to try. You can try them in the 1-ounce cups they'll give you, in front of the Lafayette hotel in Northpark. One of my favorite aspect, if you buy a ticket, the 1-ounce simples are unlimited. So if you want to come and try all 100, I probably wouldn't recommend that, but you can if you want. CAVANAUGH: So scary! [ LAUGHTER ] CAVANAUGH: What breweries will be there? COMBS: Oh, there's tons. The local craft beer scene is probably one of the biggest if not the best in the world, and there's big names like green flash, stone, Coronado brewing company, and if you buy a VIP ticket on the website, you get to enter the fest an hour earlier and try these special VIP only brews from places like amplified elworks and monkey paw. CAVANAUGH: VIP beer, that's great. Now there's got to be food too, right? COMBS: There is. With beers like Indian Joe brewery's apricot peach -- CAVANAUGH: That is food! COMBS: Yeah, but there will be actual food like Sweeners will have sausages. Sandwiches and in-slider food truck will be there with their significant yummy little burgers. CAVANAUGH: So you have beer, you have food -- COMBS: And you have band! A bunch of bands. You have Maron Hersaw, I think they're alled oh, copy son. The family wagon, they're great. CAVANAUGH: So this happens outside the Lafayette? COMBS: Yes, outside. I went last year, you can come, just enjoy the day, it's supposed be to gorgeous this weekend. So just drink -- drink beers in 1-ounce cups, but come and enjoy the day. CAVANAUGH: Drink responsibly. >> That's what I was trying to say. CAVANAUGH: Now a couple of art openings, Jillian. You're looking forward to two openings at Quint gallery, and the others at Scott White contemporary art. FLYNN: Quint openings are my favorite. It's the who's who of the arts community. And this particular artist is a light and space movement, a pioneer, Peter Alexander coming in from LA. And he works in resin. And there are these stunning walls that just kind of illuminate on the edges. And they're captivating. And Quint, the last time I was there, it was Kelsey Brooks, the San Diego artist. And it was just a fun crowd. Kelsey's art I think sold out in three minutes. CAVANAUGH: Whoa! FLYNN: So you never know when you're going to get. It's a fun, whimsical type of evening. CAVANAUGH: And the other one is the Scott White contemporary art openings, two shows there. FLYNN: It's a group exhibit, all of women using not paint but string. It's called string theory, and they use thread. And the most interesting work is kind of like next level needlework. CAVANAUGH: That's a good way to describe it! FLYNN: She calls it renegade emprovidery. CAVANAUGH: That's also good! [ LAUGHTER ] FLYNN: She uses this 3rd century process where she hand-stitches these portraits that are just so completely realistic, and they really draw you in. It's worth it to skip down the street from Scott White from Quint. Every six weeks, it's loosely organized, it takes place on Saturday, but it's always a good time to get back into La Jolla, check out the new restaurant, grab a cocktail pregallery or nightcap at some place. CAVANAUGH: Are there other galleries along the same walk? FLYNN: Upstairs from Scott whites Joseph fellows photography gallery. I knowledge he has some black and whites on exhibit on the same night. Madison gallery is just a few blocks away. They're not participating this Saturday, but I would stick in that nook on Gerard. COMBS: And the little indie cats thumb print gallery too. CAVANAUGH: And it's also sort of an eat-walk too. There's a new restaurant you'd like to recommend that you can grab dinner or drinks at after? FLYNN: It's actually the backroom club, this is papa Doug Manchester, an offshoot of his Myer restaurant at the grand Del Mar. It's as opuleant as it gets. And in this odd dichotomy, they serve this dressed-down southern comfort food. CAVANAUGH: They've got a great website, I'll tell you that much. It made me hungry. [ LAUGHTER ] FLYNN: The chef is from down south, and they have devilled eggs and meat loaf, fried chicken. But in the backroom, it's this retro, cabaret type club, and there's some jazz going on there Saturday night. CAVANAUGH: And where is that located again? FLYNN: That is right across from George's. CAVANAUGH: So the opening receptions for perception of desire, lamp black, titanium white, and spring theory are this Saturday evening in downtown La Jolla. And you, Seth, have two events in one, almost. The revival tour 2013, and record store day. COMBS: Well, the revival tour was started six years ago. And it's a national touring group of a bunch of different musicians. And they just go out annually, it has featured dozens of artists. The emphasis is on getting back on that folk rock tradition of songwriter, but with singers who might otherwise not -- they otherwise play in a fuller-sounding band. So for example, this tour that's happening right now features chuck Regan from hotwater music, and these are musicians who play in what could be considered punk rock bands. So basically they're stripping down and getting back to that emphasis on the lyrics and the building of the song. CAVANAUGH: Tell us about the newcomer, Jenny O., her new album is automechanic. COMBS: Yes, very good. And she's a real up and comer, in my opinion. She's really stripped down already, like she doesn't play in a punk band or anything. But this new album, it's taken a lot of critics by surprise in that she is really under the radar. And now it's popping up in the New York Times and paste magazine. They're all talking about this new Jenny O. And she's stylistically all over the place. CAVANAUGH: Let's hear something. (Audio Recording Played) CAVANAUGH: Why do they call it revival tour? COMBS: It's actually been going on for six years, and they have had a bunch of different musicians participate in it. And it's, yeah, they go all over the United States and Canada. And it's just the emphasis on getting musicians who wouldn't otherwise play a folk rock kind of standard tradition kind of music and getting them to just come in and strip their songs down. CAVANAUGH: Speaking of music, you'd also like to mention record store day! This Saturday. We don't have a lot of time left, but what is this? COMBS: I love record store day. I'm looking forward to the weekend just for this alone. It started in 2007 as a means to get people to just get off their computers and their iTunes and go into the actual record store and plop some money down and support a local business. It's become a huge thing unto itself where record labels are releasing limited edition that day only releases from huge artists like Jack White. So go into your local record store, and they're going to have some really, really cool one of a kind stuff. And probably some performances as well.
San Diego is no stranger to craft beer and this weekend brings us two events with local beer as the highlight. Just in case you're not a beer fan, there are plenty of other things to do, including two gallery openings in La Jolla, a stripped-down set by indie musicians at the Belly Up and Record Store Day, a national celebration of vinyl.
The San Diego History Center is celebrating the rich history of craft beer in San Diego with its latest exhibit: Bottled & Kegged: San Diego's Craft Brew Culture. The exhibit tells the full story of San Diego's history with beer, from its nonexistent origins to its struggle during Prohibition to its major present day comeback. Even if you're not a big beer drinker, the history of our local beer industry is sure to intrigue. The exhibit's interactive elements take you inside the brewing process, how San Diego County brewers achieve such expansive flavor profiles and the science behind matching beers with food. The exhibit runs through January 20 and there are plenty of events planned to go along with it, so make sure to check the website.
Once you've learned all about San Diego's beer history, you can head to the CityBeat Festival of Beers on Saturday. While you won't learn too much about history, you'll definitely have the chance to drink lots and lots of beer. The list of participating breweries is a who's who in the industry, and many of them will have exclusive pours just for this occasion. Everyone from the big guys (Karl Strauss, Sam Adams) to the little guys (Societe Brewing Company, Thorn Street Brewery) will be there. To round out all that beer, there will also be live music from local acts Family Wagon and The Palace Ballroom, as well as street food.
Two galleries will open three new art shows Saturday evening, making La Jolla the place to be for art enthusiasts. At Quint Contemporary Art, check out "Perception of Desire" featuring new works by Peter Alexander. See resin sculptures and drawings by the Los Angeles-based artist that focus on his fascination with light moving through the atmosphere. Over at Scott White Contemporary Art two concurrent exhibitions are opening. "Lamp Black, Titanium White" features monochromatic landscape, portrait and paper paintings by Los Angeles-based artist Roni White whereas "String Theory" is an all-female exhibit featuring fiber works by Devorah Sperber, Kumi Yamashita and Cayce Zavaglia. Head to the recently-opened Amaya La Jolla for dinner or drinks to finish off the evening.
On Sunday evening, Solana Beach's Belly Up Tavern hosts The Revival Tour, an acoustic, collaborative showcase. Featuring sets by Dave Hause of The Loved Ones, Tim Mcilrath of Rise Against, Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music and newcomer Jenny O, The Revival Tour celebrates music of the stripped down sort. Before you head out to that show, head to your favorite local record store on Saturday in celebration of Record Store Day. The music industry has changed so much since its early days, but Record Store Day aims to get people excited about how music began: on vinyl. Record stores across the county will have events throughout the day, including live in-store performances, exclusive releases and special guests.
