Arts & Entertainment
East County Nightlife: The Cure For Black Friday Blisters
Your Patch guide to East County nightlife, Nov. 25-27.
Not content with inching ever-closer each year to a pre-dawn opening, major retailers are basically saying “screw it” this year and flinging open their doors to the stampeding Black Friday masses at midnight after Thanksgiving. Midnight. As in, the time during which those touched by the true spirit of Thanksgiving are sleeping off a full belly and perhaps a bottle or two of wine.
But if you’re one of those who only consider the holidays a success if you manage to spend $300 or less on 20 friends’/family members’ worth of decent-ish gifts, then you’ll certainly need a pick-me-up come Friday evening. As always, East County will welcome you with open arms (and bars) to refresh your senses and comfort your aching shopping muscles (biceps to push your competition out of the way of the last $20 Blu-ray player). So even though there’s not exactly an abundance of activities available this weekend, there’s certainly a shot glass or coffee mug or karaoke mic out there with your name on it.
FRIDAY
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Where/when: Palm Avenue and Allison Avenue, La Mesa, 5 to 8 p.m. Friday.
Why Go: Even though the words “food fest” might not seem too appealing the day after Thanksgiving, neither does the thought of a week’s worth of leftovers. Break up the turkey-stuffing-pie monotony at La Mesa’s weekly gourmet food truck gathering, featuring such notable names as the Super Q Food Truck, Sweet Treats, the Green Truck and Devilicious.
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Price: No admission.
Where/when: Via Moto, 9331 Mission Gorge Rd., Santee, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday.
Why Go: After a long, hard day of shopping, rest those aching feet and indulge your empty belly with special post-holiday specials on food, beer and wine at Via Moto (best part: you don’t have to show up at 4 a.m. to partake in the deals).
Price: No cover.
SATURDAY
Where/when: Cosmos Coffee Café, 8278 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa, 7 p.m. Saturday.
Why Go: According to his website, folk/Americana musician Jim Hinton promises “songs of gratitude and warmth”—the perfect start to a holiday season filled with crowded malls, family drama, overeating, and relentless Christmas carols everywhere you turn.
Price: Free, but tips are appreciated.
Where/when: Viejas V Lounge, 5000 Willows Rd., Alpine, 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday.
Why Go: Playing top 40, R&B, pop, disco and Latin music, the only thing missing from Ascension’s repertoire is a dash of punk and a sprinkling of country—otherwise it’s an entire radio bandwidth in one. Work off some of those holiday calories during their spirited performance at Viejas this Saturday.
Price: Free.
SUNDAY
Where/when: Dirk’s Niteclub, 7662 Broadway, Lemon Grove, 10 p.m. Sunday.
Why Go: Just because your relatives didn’t appreciate your after-dinner karaoke revue of the greatest pop divas of the 1990s doesn’t mean you don’t have a special gift. Show it off to those who appreciate such talents, and get a chance to win Dirk’s karaoke contest to boot.
Price: $3 contest admission.
