11am-dusk:Wild Willow Farm potluck with several different activities like yoga, tour, and drum jam. You can check out the schedule on the San Diego Roots website.
6-10pm: Spring Walkabout in South Park. Walk around, check out the shops and restaurants around the neighborhood, and then stop in for Long Story Short (listed below) at Whistlestop. ;)
7pm-9pm: Long Story Short presents “No car? No problem”, an improv storytelling show about people’s ups and downs with alternative forms of transportation. Evolution Fast Food, 2965 5th Avenue. $5 suggested donation.
Sunday, 3/22
6:30-9:30: Open Mic Night at Java Joe’s (3536 Adams Ave)
Tuesday, 3/24
6:30-9:30: Open Mic Night at Java Joe’s (3536 Adams Ave)
Thursday, 3/26
8:30-10pm: Sticking with the alternative transportation, VAMP presents “Mass Transit” at Whistlestop (2236 Fern St). $5 suggested donation.
Oof, my weekly “What’s Happening?” posts are going in spurts and sputters, but hopefully I’ll be more consistent in the future. I’d appreciate any help from all 3 of you readers. If you have any venues, websites, or events you’d like me to check out, please send them my way! You can email me at info@jlowatari.com or even leave a comment here.
March has been a particularly busy month of publications for me. ::party balloons fall from the ceiling::
I’m very proud of myself this month, and I hope for more and even busier months as my freelance career continues. Without further ado, here are some of my articles and blog posts you can check out!
Edible San Diego
I have not one… but TWO articles in the March/April issue of Edible San Diego. Okay, okay, one of them is a short book review, so maybe it doesn’t count, but I’m excited regardless! The other is an interview I did with date farmer Andrea Hankins, who’s supported the industry and other farmers through her hard work.
I’ve been sending in articles once a week to the Drink section of PASTE Magazine. Originally, I started reading the blog for its music section, but one day I strolled to the Drink section and was amazed at the lack of beer material! Though I will admit that I enjoyed reading about the bars highlighted in the Craft Beer Guide to San Diego, so I was inspired to hit up the editor with a few ideas.
And my Beginner’s Guide series was born, starting with the Beginner’s Guide to Craft Beer. I followed that with an interview with two BJCP judges to help give tips to newbies about tasting beer, and have been sending articles going more in-depth into each style. So far, Belgians and porters/stouts have been published, but keep an eye out for sours, lagers, and wheats!
PeriodView Blog
This one is fun, low-stress, and pretty interesting too! I always thought that I was fairly knowledgeable about women’s issues, including reproductive health, but as I’ve researched, what I’ve most learned is that I only have a very basic knowledge. Hopefully I can impart some of new knowledge to you in easy-to-read, digestible chunks.
My first post started off with my menstrual love… menstrual cups! I also talk about yoga and simple stretches to relieve menstrual cramps and tenseness at home or at your office/classroom desk.
I met the editor-in-chief Natalie at Show & Tell, a very irregular meetup for creative professionals (or aspiring creative professionals) who are stuck in their home office or studio (or wherever) all day. She encouraged me to send her some pitches. You can see the first of those pitches here, an article about recording engineer and music community builder Roy Silverstein.
Next month, you’ll find an article on Jonathan Eig, author of The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched a Revolution (<– Amazon Affiliates link). He’s an honest-to-god “real” writer and I was pretty much hyperventilating for the 30 minutes leading up to the phone interview. What if he thinks I’m a crock? I got through the interview okay, and hopefully the article isn’t a complete mess and he doesn’t hate me, but you know, whatever. I’m cool. I’m chill. ::breathes heavily for 20 minutes thinking about it::
What’s to Come
I already have a couple of upcoming assignments for Edible, San Diego Jewish Journal, and another big one that I’m crossing my fingers for. I will also continue writing for the PeriodView blog and would love to continue my relationship with PASTE Magazine. So who knows, maybe I’ll have another cool update in April?
After all my excitement, I leave you with a heartwarming yet sad video of a dog that made me cry for a half hour.
In January, I had the chance to sit down with Dan Faughnder of Sledding with Tigers, or as I first came to know him, the funny dude on Twitter who put out a great body positive music video for his song, “Not So Body Posi After All.” Equal parts irreverent and passionate, Dan Faughnder has had a long history in music.
Like most of us, Faughnder views music “as an escape from bullshit.” In fact, he’s so passionate about music that he estimates that he saw about 400 bands in 2014 alone. It’s so refreshing to see a San Diegan actually care about the local music scene, enough so that they would go to that many shows—and actually stay for all the bands!
But even his passion for music was tested back when he was in school at the University of the Pacific, where he studied and practiced the timpani. He felt burnt out to the point that music was becoming the bullshit that he wanted to escape. Instead, he fought the burnout by picking up the guitar and ukulele, and that moment was the start of Sledding with Tigers.
Sledding with Tigers has always been a solo project for Faughnder, although people come and go to help with song arrangement and live performances. “I’ve been in a lot of bands,” he says. “It’s always stressful when everybody writes.” Now he doesn’t have to worry about that. Usually he starts brainstorming in his car. “I’ll start yelling… yelling-singing,” he says. Then comes the melody before he goes home to his guitar. “I’ll write the song, structure it, and record the basic song,” he says. “Then I bring in whoever I can con into playing with me.”
The con seems to be working. Now, Sledding with Tigers is six years old. The first two albums were joke albums. “I’ve tried to get rid of those,” Faughnder says, though he admits they’re probably around on the Internet somewhere if you look hard enough. (Does that sound like a dare?) But now his songs tend to the whimsical and folky, and sometimes as irreverent as his tweets. Listen to “A Floppy Disc Worth of a Song,” a short song that could theoretically fit in the space of a floppy disk. (And it does!)
The song can be found on their most recent release Not the Beatles Yet, released in vinyl and cassette by Antique Records. Antique Records started out as a cassette-only label, until their vinyl release of Sledding with Tigers’ A Necessary Bummer.
In an age of digital-only releases and a skydiving music industry, why even bother with vinyl and cassette releases, and in Sledding with Tigers’ case, a floppy disk release? “I’ve always wanted to do it,” Faughnder says. Plus, how can you beat the warm sound of nostalgia on physical media? However, his love doesn’t extend to CDs. “CDs are such a weird anomaly,” he says. Despite it being technically physical, it’s a compressed, digital experience. What’s the point if you’re just going to burn the CD to your computer anyway?
Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing what more comes out of Sledding with Tigers and Antique Records. You can check out his Bandcamp or order his physical releases through the Antique Records site.
5pm: Kick off the Bicycle Film Festival San Diego at Tiger!Tiger! (3025 El Cajon Blvd) with Automatic Brewing’s BFF CPA beer release. Then move on down the street to Coffee & Tea Collective for “Breakless” a photo exhibit.
Saturday, 2/28
4-10pm:Bicycle Film Festival will be screening several films and short films at the Museum of Photographic Art (1649 El Prado at Balboa Park), The Way I Roll, Cinematic Shorts, and Urban Bike Shorts.
7-10pm: Low Gallery celebrates their move to their new location at 1878 Main Street with take two of the opening reception of the art show Castles in the Sky.
Sunday, 2/29
6:30-11pm: Open mic at Java Joe’s (3536 Adams Ave)
Monday, 3/1
7pm: Words Alive (5111 Santa Fe St. #219) hosts So Say We All’s Greenroom Writing workshop, a free creative writing workshop providing a kind, supportive, and challenging community. This meeting’s topic is “The Quiet Ones.”
Tuesday, 3/2
6:30-11pm: Open mic night at Java Joe’s (3536 Adams Ave)
Wednesday, 3/3
6:30-9pm: San Diego Herb Guild presents the Herbal Marketplace taking place at Casa Del Prado in Balboa Park. Buy locally made zines, herbal products, live plants, and more! Look for it in Room 101.
Surf War launch party at Visual Shop (3776 30th Street). Enjoy some tunes and art.
4-11pm: Expressive Arts (32nd & Thorn) presents Doodle-A-Thon! “How many people can we get doodling at one time?” Meet from 4-6pm at Santos to doodle on a paper coffee cup, 6-9pm at Expressive Arts to doodle on tables, and 6-11pm at Thorn Street Brewery to doodle on a paper beer glass.
7-9pm: So Say We All presents Long Story Short: Just Lust at Evolution Fast Food (2965 5th Ave). This is their improv storytelling show of “lust gone wrong.” $5 suggested donation.
What are you guys doing this weekend? Staying in? Braving the crazy Valentine’s restaurant crowds? Me, I’ll be dead-tired from my band’s mini-tour — today we’re playing in Los Angeles, tomorrow night Ventura — but I think the significant other and I might try to do a short picnic in the park or something. I hope you guys do something that makes you feel great!
7-9pm: Poetry & Art presents the anniversary of SDSU’s MFA program and Poetry International (their annual publication). Several alumni and students will be reading their poetry with a $50 prize on the line, along with live music.
8pm-10pm: Open Mic Showcase at Java Joe’s featuring Isaac Cheong, Gabriela Aparicio, Aaron Bowen, Cortney Preis, Fernando Del Rio, and Heidi Hughes.
Saturday, 2/14
Happy Valentine’s Day! Doesn’t matter if you’re single, you all deserve love from friends and family too. :)
7-10pm: Expressive Arts (32nd & Thorn) presents Valentine’s Art Happy Hour. For $25/person you’ll get art prompts to work on with your significant other or by yourself. Wine and snacks provided with donation or bring your own. RSVP 619-251-8474 or tish@expressiveartssandiego.com.
Sunday, 2/15
6:30pm: Weekly open mic at Java Joe’s (3536 Adams Ave)
Tuesday, 2/17
6:30pm: Can’t go wrong with another open mic at Java Joe’s at 3536 Adams Ave!
5-7pm: Opening reception for “Hello, My Name Is“, organized by Lynn Susholtz in collaboration with immigrant and refugee students, many who have experienced trauma and violence. The reception is at Bread & Cie (350 University Ave) and the exhibit runs until March 1st.
Saturday, 2/7
3-9pm: South Park’s Make Good (2207 Fern St) is celebrating their redesign with “Remade,” an event where you get to meet the makers of the handcrafted goods you’ll find at the shop! Food by Tacos La Mazcla, C&T Collective coffee, photo booth, and live music.
Sunday, 2/8
6:30-11pm: Open Mic Night at Java Joe’s (3536 Adams Ave)
Tuesday, 2/10
9pm: Villains Records releases their annual Villaintine’s compilation. Join them at The Hideout (3519 El Cajon Blvd) for free handscreened posters and CDs.
Welcome back to another edition of “What the F*#@)! is happening this week?” We’ve got a couple of open mics, an art opening, some improv, and a writing workshop! And like always, if you know of something that I missed or you have any suggestions or events for future posts, please shoot me an email.
Friday, 1/30
7-10pm: Low Gallery (3778 30th St) presents the opening reception of “Castles in the Sky” featuring new art by several different artists. This will be the last exhibit at their North Park location before they move.
Saturday, 1/31
8pm: Two improv teams compete at Finest City Improv for a spot at the San Diego Improv Festival. Your votes matter!
Sunday, 2/1
6:30-11pm: Open Mic Night @ Java Joe’s (3536 Adams). Signups are 6:30 if you want to perform.
Monday, 2/2
7-9pm: So Say We All holds their free Greenroom Writers’ Workshop at Words Alive (5111 Santa Fe St). The workshops encourage the community to “meet, write, and better one another.” This particular one is centered around the theme “Showing not telling.”
Tuesday, 2/3
6:30-9pm: Open Mic Night again at Java Joe’s (3536 Adams Ave). Signups at 6:30.
8-10pm:Outspoken is So Say We All’s LGBTQ Storytelling series featuring 8 storytellers. This Valentine’s inspired show is themed “Love Confection: Stories about Romance that Looked Sweeter than It Tasted.” $5 suggested donation at Martinis Above Fourth (3940 4th Ave).
I’m pretty excited about this weekend, not necessarily because there’s much going on, but because I’ll be seeing Sullen Ray play 3 nights in a row, with one night being in San Diego on Friday at the Ken Club. So maybe I’ll see you there?
Friday, 1/23
7:30pm & 9:30pm (two showings): Disoriented Comedy presents “the first ever mostly female Asian American standup comedy tour” right at our very own Comedy Palace (8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd)! Angry Asian Man tweeted about this and you can get $10 off with the discount code listed on the site. I want to know who the surprise veteran comedian is!
This sounds interesting and exciting! Whistle Stop (2236 Fern St) will be hosting an open mic for electronic music. “If it has an on/off switch, bring it out.”
Thursday, 1/29
8:30-10pm: “Crime Pays” is the theme of this regular storytelling event put out by So Say We All/VAMP at Whistle Stop (2236 Fern St). $5 suggested donation.
eat.drink.craft. 