A group of restaurants and clubs in Downtown are coordinating a fund-raising event , “From the Gaslamp Quarter to the French Quarter” , to provide relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
It is scheduled from 9 to 11 p.m. on Sept. 21 and will include a hosted bar and food. Entertainment will include live music and rotating disc jockeys. Several local celebrities, news anchors and members of the San Diego Chargers and Padres will also be present, according to James Brennan, an owner of the Side Bar and the soon-to-open Stingaree, who is spearheading the event.
In addition to the Side Bar, the venues that joined in the effort include Auburgine, Martini Ranch, the Bitter End, Confidential and Thin/Onyx Room.
All of the proceeds would be directed to the San Diego/Imperial Counties American Red Cross and will be earmarked specifically to help those affected by the hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast region more than three weeks ago, destroying homes and buildings and taking a mounting toll of lives.
Additionally, the time that the organizers are spending on the event, including public relations provided by J Public Relations, is donated, and they intend to donate all of the gratuities earned in connection with it. Tickets may be purchased through a Web site: www.theconvivium.com. The cost is $30 per person or $500 to purchase a table. Tickets will also be available at the door.
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Stingaree Names Chef:
Antonio Friscia has been named the executive chef of the Stingaree, which is scheduled to open this fall in the Gaslamp Quarter.
Friscia, 39, who worked at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina from 1998 until August, managed its nine food and beverage outlets. He also helped open the hotel’s Alfiere Mediterranean Bistro in 2002.
A first generation Italian American and native of San Francisco, Friscia has more than 15 years of experience in the restaurant business, including training with culinary masters in Italy and owning and operating restaurants in San Francisco.
He has also garnered a collection of national and regional awards. His introduction to the culinary trade began when he worked for his father and grandfather in the family’s fish market.
He is developing what he describes as a “hybrid” of cuisines for the Stingaree’s menu that will combine fresh, local produce with ingredients from around the world.
“Food is meant to be enjoyed and to be fun,” said Friscia. “I have always had a passion for experimenting and blending elements of different types of cuisine together, resulting in dishes that are unexpected, but that more importantly, are delicious.”
The Stingaree project is in a former produce warehouse at Sixth and Island avenues and is owned by a partnership that includes Brennan, Dean Mellos and Matthew Mellos. It will occupy 22,000 square feet of space in three stories. Brennan also heads Halcyon Cos. LLC, a real estate development company.
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Seaport Village Turns 25:
Seaport Village, a cluster of retail shops and restaurants on San Diego Bay, will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a monthlong celebration that kicks off Sept. 29 and runs through the end of October.
The event will feature a photographic retrospective of the bay’s history, live entertainment, the “Taste of Seaport Village” event featuring sample treats from participating restaurants and sidewalk eateries and the “Treasures of the 25th Anniversary” sale.
The photos will be on display in the center’s east and west plazas.
Seaport Village opened in 1980, becoming a pioneer in the redevelopment of the North Embarcadero.
Send tourism and hospitality news to Connie Lewis via e-mail at: clewis@sdbj.com. She may also be reached by phone at (858) 277-6359.
