Original cast members Rema Webb, Andrew Rannells, and Josh Gad (photo courtesy of Broadway San Diego)
It’s the show everyone’s buzzing about. Broadway San Diego’s production of the hilarious Book of Mormon runs through June 8. From the creators of South Park and the co-creator of Avenue Q, the laugh-out-loud musical won nine Tony Awards, and is making its San Diego premiere at the Civic Theatre.
Don’t have tickets? Not to worry. The producers are offering a lottery system on the day of each performance, and a lucky few will get $25 seats to the show.
Head to the box office 2.5 hours before curtain. Note: The lottery happens before each performance including matinees.
Print your name and the number of tickets you want (one or two) on the provided card.
The winning names will be drawn at random two hours before show time.
Tickets are $25 each. Only one entry per person. Cards will be checked for duplicates before the drawing. Two tickets per winner.
You must be present to win and have a valid ID, so stick around after you turn in your card.
Good luck to all who enter! Of course, we hope that you win the real lottery. But if you don’t, we think some hearty belly laughs (courtesy of Trey Parker and Matt Stone) are a pretty good consolation prize.
The Book of Mormonruns through June 8 at the Civic Theatre. For show schedule, please visit broadwaysd.com.
Abutting Balboa Park and situated between North Park and Golden Hill, South Park might be best described as a marriage of those neighborhoods’ greatest charms: North Park’s linger-worthy restaurants and shops with Golden Hill’s slower pace and envy-inducing homes. A pleasant place to gather with friends or wander solo, this idyllic neighborhood offers much to eat, see, and buy.
Slinging lattes, teas, matcha, and café bites (sandwiches, toasts, pastries, and bowls) out of a vintage trailer, Communal Coffee invites those passersby to stop, sit, and sip on the shop’s sprawling patio before browsing the thoughtfully curated onsite boutique.
2221 Fern Street
Il Posto
An Italian-born trio founded Il Posto, an airy eatery serving pasta and pizza for happy hour and dinner. The robust vegan pizza menu makes this a friendly spot for plant-based diners. If you’re down with a little meat and dairy, try the lasagna.
A one-stop shop for futuristic-sounding wellness products (quinton shots and “neuro gum,” anyone?) and healthy bites, Rad Habits Juice Co. is best-known for its smoothies, boosted with hard-to-find ingredients like cordyceps, bee pollen, and sea moss.
2967 Beech Street
Curryosity
In addition to Indian classics like butter chicken and veggie korma, Curryosity cooks up fun fusion dishes, including chicken tikka poutine and naan bruschetta. Diners can also order creative craft cocktails made with Indian spices.
3023 Juniper Street
Kindred
Plant-based eats for hardcore peeps. Guests at Kindred will hear heavy metal while sipping thoughtful bevs and chowing down on seasonal, animal-free brunch, dinner, and late-night bites that make interesting use of standby vegan ingredients such as seitan and Gardein “meat.”
1503 30th Street
Whistle Stop Bar
A fun neighborhood hang, Whistle Stop Bar is a great place to grab a drink with friends. Divey in the best way, the watering hole hosts live music, DJ-driven dance parties, and raucous Saturday night shindigs dubbed “Booty Bassment.”
2236 Fern Street
Seven Seas Roasting Co.
Seven Seas Roasting Co. specializes in direct-trade coffee, meaning that the team buys their beans directly from farmers (a more transparent process that gives more money to the source). They use ’em in tasty lattes like the choco-cherry-cinnamon Cherry Bomb.
1947 Fern Street
Station Tavern
South Park restaurant Station Tavern dwells in a building that was a trolley stop from 1929 to 1948. The restaurant has incorporated that history into its design and theme. Stop by for burgers, sandwiches, and salads, plus a full bar.
2204 Fern Street
Fernside Bar & Kitchen
The food can sometimes be an afterthought at laid-back bars like Fernside, which slings boozy slushees and cocktails both inventive and classic. But you can’t go wrong with anything from the kitchen here, especially the fried chicken sandwich and citrus salad.
1946 Fern Street
Buona Forchetta
Italian spot Buona Forchetta opened its first location in South Park in 2011, with numerous other San Diego outposts following. With a fun build-your-own pasta option and more than 30 different pizzas (including vegan and gluten-free pies), options abound here.
3001 Beech Street
Matteo
A member of Buona Forchetta’s family of restaurants, Matteo is a nonprofit eatery and bakery that donates all profits to community and educational programs for local kids. Matteo serves breakfast classics, coffee, and pastries in the morning, then switches to Italian bites at night.
3015 Juniper Street
Meraki
Another Buona Forchetta–owned business, Meraki is a new addition to the South Park neighborhood. The bar, restaurant, and event venue draws upon global influences, offering beef cheek empanadas alongside Wagyu burgers and Roman flatbreads.
1648 30th Street
The Rose Wine Bar
The Rose Wine Baris a local favorite for date nights or friend group catch-ups. The woman-owned spot lays down natural wines by the glass and the bottle, plus bar snacks, small bites, and more robust entrees like the “salad pie,” a pizza loaded with greens on top.
Jordyn Berg is a freelance writer whose favorite topics include food and travel. A Pacific Northwest native, she delights in exploring the best of San Diego, by searching for hidden gems, experiencing must-try restaurants, and soaking in the city’s amazing views.
South Park’s Newest Tenant Is an Ode to Midcentury Furniture
Whatever Gallery showcases an exclusive collection of one-of-a-kind midcentury pieces
Chad Kelco
By Sarah Pfledderer
Walking into Whatever Gallery is much like walking into your most design-savvy friend’s apartment. It’s styled to a T, and there are no price tags on the furnishings.
That’s because, as the name indicates, it is a gallery—or showroom—of Noah Feldman and Graham Loper’s proudest midcentury finds. Look, learn, and, if you feel so obliged, suggest a price.
“It’s a gallery in that we only have a few pieces displayed,” explains Feldman. “People can come in and buy. But we’re wanting to use this as a space to not just sell things but also to teach people more about midcentury furniture.”
Co-owners Feldman and Loper are capable teachers. They’ve each built their career out of a love for midcentury pieces, and their joint venture started because of one simple truth: Furniture can be heavy and hard to move.
They met about four years ago when they showed up at the same time to make an offer on a Mastercraft brass-framed sofa for sale in Point Loma. As Feldman recalls: “It was a slightly awkward situation. We were both curly-haired, scraggly guys. We’re both twins. We had all these things in common. We recognized we could help each other out, so we teamed up on that sofa and the rest was history.”
They’ve been “flipping furniture” together ever since, finding undervalued midcentury furnishings across the US, buying them—sometimes refurbishing—then selling them to those who see greater value. That’s mainly interior designers and architects, but also avid midcentury collectors.
And even as the Feldman and Loper didn’t write the book on the midcentury furniture craze, the self-taught collectors do own plenty of those books—stacked all over the floor, Loper admits—and can authoritatively argue for style’s timelessness.
“This was the first furniture designed for modern living, and that’s why it stays around, because it’s made for the spaces we still live in,” Loper explains. “It’s also a bit of a rebellion from your parents’ or grandparents’ furniture. If you sit on a piece of furniture from 1890, it’s not comfortable. They wanted to torture you a little bit. The pieces from 1950 onward, there’s an emphasis on comfort that didn’t exist before then.”
Feldman adds that many midcentury pieces can also be considered collector’s editions, since they’re often tied to a certain name, like Charles and Ray Eames, Vladimir Kagan, or Isamu Noguchi. “People are collecting them as they would art,” Feldman says. “It’s functional sculpture.”
Whatever Gallery 2
Chad Kelco
Much of Whatever Gallery’s sales are conducted through their website and Instagram, and they have a space in Barrio Logan that houses their inventory. They consider the South Park showroom, which opened just before the new year, a means for them to directly play to the demo of San Diego’s own midcentury enthusiasts and midcentury-curious.
In light of the pandemic, shoppers or even browsers can visit by appointment only. Eventually, Feldman and Loper plan to have open hours. Make an appointment by email at [email protected], or do as the millennials do and simply DM them with sourcing requests.
“We can source anything,” Feldman says. “That’s what we do.”
Since our last guide to South Park, the neighborhood’s impressive roster of eats has expanded with newcomers, rebrands, and pandemic pivots. Order a wagyu beef shawarma pita or plate of lemon cream chop fries at Shawarma Guys to see why this food truck was ranked no. 1 on Yelp’s list of top places to eat in 2019. Buona Forchetta’s Matteo is a 100 percent nonprofit eatery where you can shop freshly baked goods, pastas, sauces, and more to raise money for educational programs for San Diego’s youth.
Matteo
Justin Halbert
Down the street, Grant’s Market recently relaunched as Grant’s Coffee Room to better reflect its standing as a favorite for a caffeine fix. (It still offers beer and wine!) And when it’s time for your next homebound happy hour, sip one of Kindred’s to-go cocktails, like the lemon-basil Palace of Certainty.
Shop
Stop in to Thread + Seed to see owner Melanie Michaud’s refreshing rebrand. In 2020, she transformed her clothing boutique Graffiti Beach into a second location of her Bankers Hill home goods shop. Here you’ll find clean beauty products, decor, and curated gift boxes fit for every occasion.
Thread + Seed
Justin Halbert
Vintage enthusiasts will want to set aside some time to sift through Bad Madge & Co.’s expansive collection of vintage, resale, and locally made fashion and home goods. In addition to its regular business hours, the shop also offers appointments for private shopping. At Vinyl Junkies, by Eric Howarth and the Casbah’s Tim Mays, crate diggers can add to their record collection in a fun and funky setup.
Vinyl Junkies
Justin Halbert
Support
In a year already full of tough challenges, cherished local haunt Hamilton’s Tavern suffered a major blow when a devastating fire broke out in November. But when owner Scot Blair estimated the damages at around $1 million, dedicated patrons rose to the occasion. A GoFundMe was launched, raising money to go directly to Blair and his efforts to keep Hamilton’s, and its neighbor South Park Brewing, afloat. Show support for this longtime small-business owner here: gofundme.com/f/help-hamilton039s-tavern.
Switzer Canyon
Justin Halbert
Get Outside!
Nearby Switzer Canyon hugs the east side of Balboa Park in an easy—albeit a little rocky—out-and-back trail. Plan your trip during the spring season and you’ll be treated to a bounty of bold wildflowers.
Renewable energy companies building hundreds of power plants. Biotech startups using artificial intelligence to create personalized medicine for children with rare diseases. Hospitality companies quietly powering thousands of local events. Consumer brands growing from beach-town startups into national businesses. These are the kinds of companies driving San Diego’s economy today, and the businesses recognized at this year’s San Diego Business Impact Awards offer a snapshot of where the region is headed.
Hosted July 23 by San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and JPMorganChase, the second annual awards event honored four local companies for innovation, growth, and economic impact. More than 100 nominations from San Diego’s middle-market businesses were reviewed by a 10-person judging committee, with winners selected across four categories: startup, early-stage innovator, rising star, and established heavyweight.
Two-time honoree Jimbo Someck, founder of Jimbo’s organic grocery stores, also joined the event for a fireside chat on buying local, supporting emerging brands, and giving back to the community.
“San Diego’s strength comes from its makers and builders—the resilient people who endure great risks and overcome obstacles to build and scale a company,” says Aaron Ryan, San Diego Region Manager and Middle Market Banking at JPMorganChase & Co. “These awards aren’t just recognition; they spotlight the talent, grit, and innovation shaping our region’s future. By celebrating those who create and build, we foster connections and fuel the growth that keeps San Diego thriving.”
Matt Furman Photography
Building the Infrastructure Behind Clean Energy
Heavyweight honoree SOLV Energy has grown alongside the country’s rapid investment in renewable power. “It’s an exciting time for SOLV Energy as we are experiencing significant growth,” says CEO George Hershman. “The business has doubled over the last year and has almost double-digit growth since its inception.”
The Rancho Bernardo-based company designs, builds, operates, and maintains utility-scale solar and energy storage facilities. Since its founding in 2008, SOLV Energy has built more than 500 power plants.
Growth has translated directly into hiring. About 200 employees work from the company’s local headquarters, including roughly 20 interns. “Our intern program is a big part of the way that we grow our workforce,” Hershman says. “Last year, 43 percent of our interns became full-time employees. We believe San Diego is a great community to build and grow a high-tech infrastructure and technology company because of the incredible workforce—the ability to attract top talent and draw from world-class universities.”
Developing Medicine One Patient at a Time
Startup honoree La Jolla Labs is tackling one of medicine’s biggest challenges by developing personalized RNA therapeutics for patients with rare diseases—many of them children with neurological disorders like ALS. Using proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, the biotech company develops treatments tailored to each patient’s specific genetic mutation.
CEO Tamar Grossman says the recognition reflects how far the company has come despite limited resources. “We’re honored to be recognized for our ability to change and save patients’ lives and turn our lean startup into a clinical company with very minimal resources,” she says.
Grossman credits San Diego’s concentration of research institutions—including UC San Diego, the Salk Institute, and Scripps Research—with creating a pipeline of talent and collaboration. “San Diego is one of the world-leading centers for technology, genomics, and RNA therapeutics,” she says. “We have over 30 RNA therapeutics companies here, and we support each other and help with anything related to drug discovery.”
She says that collaborative spirit extends beyond formal partnerships. “You can walk around Torrey Pines, go into a café, and find colleagues from the industry and have an ad hoc conversation,” Grossman says. “That’s something very unique to San Diego.”
While Snake Oil Venue Company may not be a household name, chances are many San Diegans have attended one of its events. The early-stage innovator honoree has expanded from beverage catering and mixology consulting into venue management, operating Julep Venue in Mission Hills, Bramble Bay Venue in Imperial Beach, Vesper Venue, the Chapel at Liberty Station, and five outdoor venues throughout Liberty Station—more than 500,000 square feet of event space altogether.
“We do a lot of launch parties for corporations and new products,” says CEO Mike Esposito. “I really like working on the entrepreneur side of things, where new businesses are entering the San Diego market and looking to make a splash.”
Snake Oil has executed more than 16,000 events, employed more than 1,000 people, and partnered with more than 900 local vendors, including caterers, florists, photographers, entertainers, and other hospitality businesses. The company also works with many of San Diego’s nonprofits, museums, and cultural institutions. “We get to celebrate people’s most important moments,” Esposito says. “Whether that’s a wedding, celebration of life, or quinceañera, we’re fortunate to be involved in the community in so many different ways.”
Matt Furman Photography
Growing a Beach-Town Brand into a National Business
Rising star honoree ALOHA Collection is proof that a simple idea can grow into a thriving company. Founded by two roommates who wanted a better way to carry wet swimsuits after a day at the beach, the lifestyle brand has grown into a business while maintaining strong year-over-year growth.
Now headquartered in Carlsbad, ALOHA Collection employs more than 100 people and operates its California flagship store in Encinitas, which is slated for a remodel. With roots in Hawaii, the company is known for its lightweight, splash-proof travel bags that have become a familiar sight on beaches in San Diego and beyond.
“‘Aloha’ is part of our name, but it’s also how we move through the world,” says CEO Lynna Barnard. “It’s how we show up for people, the way we travel, the way we give back.” Since day one, the company has maintained a 5 percent giveback to Hawaii conservation efforts, contributing millions of dollars over the years.
“I think what’s so inspiring about ALOHA Collection, and the founders in particular, is when you dream big, those dreams can come true when you work hard and trust in the universe,” Barnard says. “It’s inspiring to be a role model for other people wanting to start businesses from humble beginnings. Start small and watch it grow.”
Together, businesses like these form a cornerstone of San Diego’s economy—not only through the jobs and revenue they generate—but through the local workers they hire, vendors they support, and investments they make in the region. Their growth doesn’t happen in isolation; it ripples outward, strengthening the broader business community and the people who call San Diego home.
Four Questions With…Josh Malmuth, Creator of New NBC Sitcom Set in South Park
“Abby's” introduces viewers to an illegal bar in a South Park backyard—and the very San Diego characters who frequent it.
Josh Malmuth on the set of <em>Abby’s</em> | Photo courtesy of NBC
By Chase Scheinbaum
Abby’s, a new NBC sitcom set in a makeshift bar in South Park aired its first episode on March 29. Wouldn’t you know it, the show’s creator, Josh Malmuth, a veteran of comedy hit New Girl, is a son of San Diego, now living in L.A. The setting—an unlicensed bar in a suburban backyard—is more “Cheers” than “Baywatch.”
“I didn’t want it to feel surf- or beach-centric,” says the Carmel Valley native. “I wanted it to be a different side of San Diego maybe people hadn’t seen before,” We caught up with Malmuth to find out more.
I just love it there. Writing for TV, it’s more practical to live in L.A., so maybe it’s a way to keep one foot in San Diego. There’s a really interesting mix of people down there. You’ve got the strong military influence, and also the younger generations who are doing really interesting things in food and beer. South Park is really multi-generational and diverse, I knew it would be a good setting for a show of people hanging out at the bar. I wanted to create this place where an audience could come and hang out and have a good time—San Diego has that feel built in.
What are some very San Diego aspects of the show?
Abby, the main character, was a marine. That’s how she ended up in San Diego to begin with. Her stalwart regular is a guy named Fred who worked doing commercial fishing and deep sea fishing charters with tourists. Another character is an engineer who works at Qualcomm. I wanted it to feel relatable to people who aren’t in San Diego also, so I tried to balance a specific sense of place with things everyone has in common.
Are any other San Diegans involved?
A couple of people on the crew are from San Diego, and another one of the writers, Russ Finkelstein (Malmuth’s fellow graduate of Torrey Pines High School). Russ used to a do a lot fishing and spearfishing, so he was my go-to person for that stuff.
You’ve already turned heads with how you chose to shoot this show.
We shot it outside, with an outdoor audience, which has never been done before. Part of the experience was dealing with planes, and a few skunks walked through the set when we were shooting.
Four Questions With…Josh Malmuth, Creator of New NBC Sitcom Set in South Park
Josh Malmuth on the set of Abby’s | Photo courtesy of NBC
Two Food Festivals You Won’t Want to Miss in September
Two mid-month food festivals to take in much of what these foodie neighborhoods have to offer
The Daily Scoop is among the participating locations in Taste of South Park
By Chase Scheinbaum
The list of eateries to check out and revisit in this city grows less manageable by the minute. These two half-day food festivals make it easier to stop in to try new things and revisit old favorites in a couple of San Diego’s hottest food neighborhoods.
Taste of Downtown
Where: East Village, City Center, and the Gaslamp Quarter
When: Sept. 13, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Downtown San Diego has far too many eateries to explore at once. The next closest thing to doing that is the Taste of Downtown, a four-hour extravaganza of sample bites from 40 restaurants. Tickets ($40, day of) include free shuttle service around the participating areas. Among the eateries are names like McFadden’s, Gaslamp BBQ, Ciros Pizza, Café Sevilla, Monzu Fresh Pasta, Gaslamp Fish House, Gourmet India and plenty more.
Taste of South Park
Where: South Park at Fern St.
When: Sept. 15, noon to 4 p.m.
Take yourself on a tasting tour of some of South Park’s—and San Diego’s—most notable eateries. Ticketholders will be given a map to 20 participating restaurants, including Buona Forchetta, Kindred, The Rose Wine Bar, Cafe Madeleine, Communal Coffee, and Mariscos Nine Seas. The event is for all ages and limited to 400 people. Purchase tickets here.
Two Food Festivals You Won’t Want to Miss in September
The Daily Scoop is among the participating locations in Taste of South Park
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Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa
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Cultivé Medical Aesthetic
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Starlite Aesthetics and Wellness
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The “It” List
In the rapidly advancing field of aesthetic medicine, it can be hard to tell what’s worth the hype. Here are some of the latest, most advanced, and most popular options out there.
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Treatment Stacking: Sometimes it’s the more the merrier when it comes to aesthetic procedures. Combining multiple non-surgical treatments in a single session allows users to address several issues efficiently, with less downtime.
