L a r i s a H.'s Profile

The Del is historic both for it's actual structure and for the action it's seen over the years. A favorite of movie stars, and the location where much of the classic movie Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis was filmed, so the place just oozes glamour. Some of the guest liked it so much, they decided to stay even after they kicked the bucket. Keep an eye on the Travel Channel's haunted shows for the Del.

It's right on the sugary shore of Coronado, so you will pay a premium for the storybook location. Speaking of storybook, I heard the Wizard of Oz was written here. He got the idea for the yellow brick road from the golden trolley tracks or something. I was told this by a crazy old bus driver, so you may want to verify it with a less loopy source.
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Inside, the Del looks grand, impressive and expensive. The rich, glossy woodwork and shimmering chandeliers set the tone, and you can see why Hollywood types would eat up the opulence. The ravages of time are evident when you walk down a hallway, and can see the undulation of the floor and ceiling. The room I was in wasn't huge, and there were strangely small doors, I guess people used to be smaller before they put hormones in beef.

Gelato Vero is the best place in town to pretend that you are a jaded European art/philosophy student. In addition to the distinctly European offerings of gelato and italian sodas, the cafe itself is sort of small and old, the sidewalk tables front the busy intersection where you can sigh at each passerby to show off your very stylish ennui. Don't be afraid to wear a beret. Upstairs you can play chess and smoke like a chimney while debating who was smarter, Nietzsche or Jung.

So you want to be on TV, but you don't really have any talent? Even though you can't get on MTV's Laguna Beach, all hope is not lost! You can be an extra, or 'background actor'. You will be thisclose to famous people, you will get on tv and you will get paid. All you have to do is be shorter than the male star, uglier than the female star, quiet and visible on film.

Go to one of BGSD's open castings, fill out the application, leave them a picture, and wait for the call. The shows and movies that film at Stu Segall Productions fill those beach and party scenes with people from their database.

If you get the call, expect to show up before 8 am, and be there until 7pm or later. They will feed you pretty much all day long, and you will spend most of your time sitting around waiting for the 'real' actors to be ready, the lights to be moved, etc. Most of the time, you will wear your own clothes and makeup, so pay attention to the guidelines they give you when choosing what to wear, and ladies show up camera ready!  

It's also just a good way to get to know other people in San Diego who are into acting. You'll have plenty of time to sit around and chat with them on set about classes, agents and photographers.

Guess what the theme is at the Studio Diner? Yes! Moviemaking, and TV making, I guess, but that doesn't sound as cool. Sleek and shiny, like a classic Airstream camper, film, reels and marker boards permeate the decor. The food is classic diner fare, executed nicely, the experience is definetely above Denny's, not quite up to Corvette Diner. 24 hour food, real food anyway, is hard to come by in San Diego, and this part of Kearney Mesa is the last place you'd expect to find it.

If Lorenzo Lamas was still filming Renegade next door, I'd be at the Studio Diner more often.

I remember the old Soma, and the old old Soma. Soma left the siteof the old old Soma before some of the kids that go to the new Soma were born.

I know it's annoying to go to a show with petulant 14 year olds who think they are so much cooler and smarter than you. I know it's lame to not be able to get a drink during a show. I know it lacks cushy seats, good ventilation and a glamorous powder room. I still have to give Soma five stars because it would nearly kill the local music scene if it did not exist.

A gig on the Soma sidestage is where many future superstars of San Diego got their start, and began to build their following. It is notoriously difficult to run an under 21 venue in San Diego, and virtually impossible to make it profitable enough to make anyone want to try. To wit, Soma has seen the light at the end of the tunnel several times before.

Hundreds of little punks (punk rockers and just punk ass kids) get their first taste of life outside Top 40 radio at Soma every week, and have been for years. There are certain genres whose audience is mostly under 21, and these types of bands couldn't fill a show at a bar.

If you are a music lover under 21, Soma can become your home away from home (until you can graduate to Casbah). If you are over 21, don't be afraid to see a band at Soma, just smile bemusedly at the arrogance of the silly children, and plan to go out for drinks after the show.

Imagine if Smurf Village was done in red tiled Spanish style, and the Smurfs weren't all blue and from the forest, but all the United Colors of Benneton and from many UN member nations. Got it? That's what the International Cottages are like. the Pacific Relations thing is misleading, because there are plenty of Atlantic countries, and even landlocked ones represented here. The 31 nations take turns opening up on Sunday and showing off their national songs and dances, traditional dress and (hooray!) food.

I think they are all open and representin' during Christmas on the Prado. The Scottish boys in kilts are one of my favorite spectacles. If you want to take a dip into your motherland roots, you can stop by when your cottage is open, or if you're really fired up, you can join up and volunteer to host. It's a fun peek into what makes up this melting pot we call the US and A.

Bronx Pizza is too small to contain the many fans that line up for slices. I love that you can get a slice here, and it's ready after a quick warm-up run through the oven. I prefer Chicago style pizza, so I wouldn't order a whole pie in this thin, greasy NY style. The calzones are pretty good, and pretty darn big. If you haven't had NY style pizza before, save yourself some grief and just fold the damn thing in half, the slices are too big and floppy to try and balance on your palm, unless your paws are NBA-sized.

If you are romantic and cheap, a picnic at this picturesque park should be in your wooing repertoire. It's on the PB side of Mt. Soledad, so it's got the kind of views that remind you why your rent is so high. The steep grassy areas are perfect for ice blocking, as any local high schooler can tell you. Get a block of ice at the 7-11 and enjoy the frozen thrill ride. Speaking of 7-11, those are the parks official hours, so don't expect a warm reception if the local beat cop finds you with a cold, soggy heine after 11 pm.

So you need a job, but you don't want to actually look for one? You are counting on never having to work again after your huge lottery or lawsuit windfall, but need a paycheck for next few weeks? Then an employment agency is what you need! Remedy can set you up with a temp job if you are a committment-phobe. In my tenure there, I was offered a permanent position at one place, and they created a permanent position for me at another company. So, if you find you are ready to settle down, don't overlook this as an all-temp agency.

Aside from keeping me as busy as I wanted to be, I never had any trouble getting paid correctly and on time, and the paperwork was minimal.

Coffee isn't just for breakfast anymore! It's also great in the middle of the night, and Lestat's is there to serve you if you are looking for coffee in a place with more personality than Denny's. The obvious theme is dark and spooky, since the name is taken from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, so if 14 year olds in black clothes really freak you out, you should wait for Starbucks to open.