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HEARTFELT: David Copley, who inherited the family-owned Copley Newspapers chain last year on the death of his mother, Helen, had been rumored to be near death himself with heart problems for more than two years. Last month, for the first time publicly, he addressed his health concerns in a brief article on page B-2 of his own San Diego Union-Tribune. But a day earlier, the word went out to Copley employees in an e-mail “to friends and coworkers” from David himself, who said he was home “recovering rapidly” after heart transplant surgery at Sharp Hospital. Noting that Sharp physicians had “literally saved my life several times,” Copley also expressed gratitude to the family whose decision to allow “the donation of their loved one’s organs for transplant and research” gave him his new heart. Neither the e-mail nor the article mentioned the heart donor’s name, but sources say it likely came from a 19-year-old youth who had died in a skateboarding accident hours before the transplant. The young man, they say, was the nephew of a well-known San Diegan, prominent in the local arts scene.
SAN DIEGANS’ INK: Nonagenarians Craig Noel and Frankie Laine will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards at Bravo’s performing arts gala in November. Between them, the Old Globe’s Noel and singer Laine have racked up 140 years in show business . . . San Diego’s Ken Blanchard (The One- Minute Manager) made the cut in Amazon.com’s 25 best-selling authors of all time . . . Tempestuous Tom Cruise, who’ll be on location here for Mission Impossible III, has been scouting for local bodyguards . . . A drink at Sami Ladecki’s Fresh restaurant in La Jolla has made the Wall Street Journal’s Top 10 list of “Cockamamie Cocktails.” The “Gazpacho,” says the WSJ, “is like chewing celery and gargling vodka.”
DOWN IN WRITING: Criminal investigator Tom Basinski, who writes in this issue of his brief and stormy tenure as City Attorney Mike Aguirre’s bodyguard, is now part of a minor investigation by Aguirre himself. A former colleague from the district attorney’s office phoned Basinski to say, apologetically, that he had to comply with a public-records request from Aguirre. The city attorney wanted copies of all e-mails to and from the D.A.’s office that mentioned Mike or Michael Aguirre by name. Basinski, it turns out, did send one e-mail that qualified: “Today is my last day at the city attorney’s office. Since I am now unemployed, I’m going to have T-shirts made to sell to all the city attorney employees who have left since December. The shirts will say: ‘I did NOT survive Camp Aguirre.’ ”
CRITICAL MASSES: Magazine editors love it when readers want to interact. And when we want interactive, all we have to do is write about food—or ask about it. Nothing gets our readers’ gastric juices flowing like the opportunity to sound off in the “Gripes & Comments” section of our annual Best Restaurants poll. When it comes to restaurants and food service in San Diego, everybody’s a critic. And this year, the grousers are in fine fettle, indeed.
The quality of restaurant food, in general, has been on a steep upward curve for the past few years. But “service is deteriorating,” writes Lauren Tanny, who seems to speak for the majority. Tanny has a specific gripe: “Servers clearing plates before everyone is finished eating has become rampant!” Louis Knierim is fed up with “Surfer servers without a clue.” And Rochelle Manson elaborates: “Great service is lacking throughout the area. The general attitude seems to be: Smile, tell them your name and disappear.”
Cheryl Gilbert would like servers to just remember their place. “I do not want to be pals with my waiter,” she sniffs. “Please ask them to not kneel down or sit next to me at the table.”
As usual, readers would like us to expand our ballot categories. Some make sense. Todd Farmer wants a “Best Happy Hour.” Who doesn’t? Sharon Bristol wants “more fusion categories.” Gerri Moncilovich says “This survey needs a Best Hawaiian category and Where To Have Lunch with the Girls.” Jack Grucza suggests “Best Food Served Too Quickly by Rushed Servers.” Grucza eats with tongue in cheek. Lucreatria Holloway wants “Best Latin American” and “Best Soul Food” categories. Kevin Ray says we need a “Best Health/Mexican” category. Which may not be an oxymoron.
And the oenophiles are restless. “Wine by the glass costs a fortune!” writes Nancy Bradley. “Wine by the glass is not a good deal,” echoes Philip Nichols, who offers a solution. “Buy the bottle and take home the extra.”
But not all is despair out there.
“San Diego County is blessed with many wonderful restaurants,” says Barbara Huff-McTyer. Writes Elizabeth Hanecak: “San Diego is great—much variety, and improving all the time.” Susan Stoddard likes us, too. “Loved San Diego Restaurant Week,” she says. “Thanks for sponsoring it!” And Cheri Freathy: “I love the diversity of San Diego dining venues. We are very blessed with an amazing array of choices!”
On the other hand, sighs Janice Davis, “I wish I could afford to eat at these wonderful places.”
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.
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Best of North County Party 2012Photos from this year's event held at the Park Hyatt Aviara on April 27 |
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Best Restaurants Voting KickoffWe kicked off our Best Restaurants voting in style at bulthaup San Diego |
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MADCAPS Benefit ShowMothers and Daughters Club Assisting Philanthropies donned tap shoes and ball gowns to raise about $42,000 for local charities |
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Girl Scout Day at Bloomingdale’sGirl Scouts San Diego hosted an event to honor their most generous donors at Fashion Valley on March 14, 2012 |
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