San Diego County News - dorfman real estate & business brokers

We thought it might be a good idea, for those of you who are contemplating a move to San Diego County, to let you know about a few of our favorite places to go for a relaxing evening's entertainment. Of course there are many good -- and some great -- restaurants available both in San Diego and the North County area. We'll deal with the restaurant subject in a future newsletter, after we've done all the required research...in other words, when we're about fifty pounds heavier!! For now, though, we're discussing some of the after-dinner
spots that we love.

In San Diego proper (well, hopefully not too proper), there's the elegant piano bar of the Westgate Hotel, in the downtown area of the city. It adjoins the theatre district, so that after you've enjoyed a good play, or attended a San Diego Opera performance, you can extend your evening's entertainment while relaxing over a drink or a cappuccino and listening to a very talented lady named Kristi Rickert. She holds forth in grand style -- grand piano style, that is -- as she sings in her Streisand-like voice. Her repertoire is extensive, covering the good old standards, show tunes, and more modern numbers, as well as a unique selection of special material that you won't hear at many other piano bars -- and if you do, it certainly won't be delivered with Kristi's blend of taste, class, and humor. And by the way, if you happen to be lucky, you may get to hear some excellent guest singers who frequent the place, maybe even some of the opera stars who drop in after rehearsals and can usually be prevailed upon to sing a number or two.

Kristi's also very nice about inviting audience members who feel so inclined (and who can carry a tune!)to take a turn at entertaining the audience, either at the mike or strictly with their own lung power. She appears Wednesday through Saturday beginning about nine p.m. and continuing till sometime after midnight. Drop in -- we guarantee you'll love it!

Now, if you happen to be in La Jolla, there's a restaurant on the main drag called the Top of the Cove, and in the piano bar, situated right next to the front entrance, you'll find a genial, talented pianist named Marvin Paymer. (If his name rings a bell, it's because you've probably seen his son David Paymer in many a Hollywood movie, "Amistad" being one of the most recent.) Marv has a prodigious technique at the keys and knows just about every song ever written, which he'll be glad to play for you in just about any key you like, if you should want to sing along. He also has a good repertoire of the more classical type of music, so be sure to have your requests ready! We've sat many an evening being entertained by everything from Cole Porter to Puccini to Andrew Lloyd-Webber -- though come to think of it, Mr. Lloyd-Webber is widely rumored to have been "inspired" by Signor Puccini on more than one occasion! Marvin plays on Friday and Saturday evenings from about eight-thirty to eleven-thirty.

Another pianist we really enjoy is Joel Nash, and you can hear him at a couple of different places in the area. On Tuesday and Wednesday evenings he plays at the piano bar at Milles Fleurs, a posh -- posh being another word for expensive! -- restaurant in Rancho Santa Fe. On Friday and Saturday evenings, you can catch Joel's act at a restaurant called When in Rome, located on the Coast highway in Encinitas. Joel's another talented pianist with a diverse background and never-ending repertoire. And with his friendly personality, he makes his audience feel right at home, whether they're just listening or singing along with him.

There are lots of other places to talk about, but we'll save it for another time. Hope to see lots of you moving down our way and enjoying some of the great entertainment available in these parts!