Outside In

SENSITIVITY TRAINING: In the old days, when bigger almost always meant better, San Diegans probably felt some pangs of inferiority living in the shadow of our great, gray neighbor to the north. But times have changed. After San Diego Magazine ran a story listing 111 criteria by which to test the “San Diego-ness” of our readers [“How San Diegan Are You?” by Ron Donoho, April], the Los Angeles Times weighed in. In his Only in L.A. column, Steve Harvey took apparent offense at one of our criteria: “Have always hated Los Angeles.” “If Los Angeles Magazine conducted a questionnaire about the characteristics of an Angeleno,” he wrote, “I wonder how L.A.’s neighbor to the south would be mentioned. Perhaps: ‘Have rarely given San Diego any thought.’ ” Perhaps. But then explain all those headlights heading south to our city on I-5 every Friday night and north to Los Angeles every Sunday night? Our ConVis Bureau offers a clue. Of the 15 million tourists who make overnight visits to San Diego each year, nearly a third—4.7 million—are Angelenos, who appear to be giving San Diego considerable thought.

WHAT PRICE GLORY? PBS had a little pun last month with the title of its televised documentary on the ambitious redevelopment of San Diego’s City Heights. The neighborhood profile, one in a four-part series on California, was called “The Price of Renewal.” The “Price” in the title would be Sol Price, the business mogul–turned–philanthropist. The story on the culturally diverse community referred to City Heights as the “Ellis Island of San Diego,” and focused on how government, the community and concerned citizens like Price came together to revitalize the neighborhood.

CHICKENED OUT: When can too much chicken soup be bad for you? Maybe when it’s another in the seemingly endless publishing cycle of Chicken Soup for the Something-or-Other books. Not that there isn’t some good reading to be found here. The latest entry features a fine piece by Encinitas writer Tracy Love-Geffen. But the title of this installment in the series gives a hint how far the publisher is reaching these days: Chicken Soup for the Mother of Preschooler’s Soul.

POLITICS AS USUAL: When the Lincoln Club invited eight of the 14 Republican candidates for inmate Duke Cunningham’s old congressional seat to a forum last month, logistics was a bit of a problem. They settled on a room at the Town & Country hotel that went about 10 yards deep and 100 yards wide (not unlike several of the candidates). Explained the club’s executive director, Chris Niemeyer: “We had to look far and wide for a room long enough for a head table that would accommodate all these contenders.” . . . My favorite candidate was former Chargers defensive back Scott Turner, who handled one written question from the audience rather deftly. Why, the questioner wondered, didn’t Turner run for a smaller, local office first? Why was he starting at Congress? “Which table did that come from?” Turner shot back, drawing big laughs. “That,” said moderator Reo Carr, “would be the table that’s emptying out right now.”

OUT OUR WAY: The grand reopening of the landmark U.S. Grant Hotel after an extensive facelift is now set for November 1. The cost of remodeling the 272-room downtown San Diego hotel: $52 million. The cost of building the entire hotel: $1.9 million—in 1909 .. . Among the winners in AOL’s 2006 City’s Best program: La Jolla’s Marine Room, for best restaurant and best surfside dining .. . Former Chargers bust Ryan Leaf has found work. He’s the new quarterbacks coach at Division II West Texas A&M. Job doesn’t pay much, but Leaf should be okay. He slinked out of town with about $12 million of Chargers owner Alex Spanos’ money.

SAN DIEGO AS MAYBERRY: It helps to have connections with the FBI. In the course of editing an upcoming story on San Diego’s homeless, I found myself on the phone with retired G-man Bill Gore, who’s now the number-two man in our sheriff ’s office. “You’re doing a story on homelessness?” he said. “Man, I live in Mission Hills, and the homeless problem there is getting out of hand.” “You don’t have to tell me,” I said. “I live there, too, and the homeless make camp across the street from me every night. In fact,” I added, “I think one of them stole my bike off my patio the other day.” Pause. “What street do you live on?” Gore asked. “Falcon,” I said. “I have your bike,” he said. The thief made it one block to Eagle Street before he gave up dragging the padlocked two-wheeler. Gore’s wife, Natalie, found it; SDPD impounded it; and my bike’s back where it belongs. Double-padlocked.

QUOTEWORTHY: If you have a 2006 Dave Barry desk calendar, you’ve already read this. For the rest of you: Monday, February 13—The best tactic for skiing is: Never go DOWN the mountain. Always go SIDEWAYS, which involves less gravity. You want to creep laterally along the slope, like a giant parka-wearing crab, until you reach a safe place, such as San Diego. This can take months, but it is better than going down the mountain.

Listen for Tom Blair’s Friday reports on KOGO News Radio (600 AM) at 7:25 a.m. You can also click here to listen to his column.

Items for the magazine or radio may be e-mailed to tblair@sandiegomag.com.

© 2006 San Diego Magazine
© 2006 San Diego Magazine

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