Best San Diego Magazine Podcasts (2024)

1
Martin Short is the Current Mayor of This Food-and-Drink-Obsessed San Diego County Town 46:55

7h ago46:55

46:55

Martin Short is the Current Mayor of This Food-and-Drink-Obsessed San Diego County Town by San Diego MagazineBy San Diego Magazine

1
Meet the Man Responsible for Light Beer's Craft Comeback 52:14

7d ago52:14

52:14

This week, Troy and Jackie are joined by Doug Haster, master brewer at Mission Valley’s Puesto Cervecería. Hasker goes way back with beer in this town–he moved to San Diego in 1998 to head brewing at Gordon Biersch’s then-Mission Valley location and stayed until Biersch sold its operations to Puesto in 2019. Not ready to hang up his skates, he stuc…

1
Javier Plascencia Talks Michelin Stars and the Caesar Salad's 100th Anniversary 1:04:15

14d ago1:04:15

1:04:15

We’ve got a Happy Half Hour double-header today: chef Michael Vaughn, who is coming up on his first year at the helm of La Jolla’s iconic Marine Room, and also Baja-based superstar Javier Plascencia, whose under-a-200-year-old-oak tree restaurant Animalón just got a Michelin Star. Both chat philosophy, process, and their cooking histories, and as a…

1
Deep-Fried Delights at the San Diego County Fair 34:09

16d ago34:09

34:09

For podcasts like Happy Half Hour, events like the fair are basically our Christmas. Yeah, we love the rides, the activations, the camaraderie, the merriment. But to be totally honest, we’re here for the food. Dip us in corn batter and fry us. Dust some powdered sugar on our heads. Load us up with fatty, drippy, sloppy, sweet and salty goods. This …

1
San Diego Mag's Chef of the Year + His Truffle Hunter 1:22:09

20d ago1:22:09

1:22:09

Truffles are food gold, one of the world’s most famous ingredients. Musky, lovely, funky, delicious, expensive, and fickle as hell. Why do some of them taste like cardboard? Did you know you can grow very good ones in the U.S., but that it might take over a decade to yield your first “crop”? On this episode, we pay a visit to San Diego Magazine’s 2…

1
San Diego’s King of Produce 1:23:54

29d ago1:23:54

1:23:54

He got fired. He sold fruit out of a postal truck. He slept near the citrus. Then he and his family became the backbone of the restaurant culture in San Diego. The wild, never-give-up story of Bob Harrington, his brothers, and Specialty Produce.By San Diego Magazine

1
Travis Hammond and How to Get Involved in the Home Brewing Community 28:53

1M ago28:53

28:53

This week, John is joined by Travis Hammond, Grand Master Beer Judge and Award-Winning Home Brewer. They discuss local breweries and home-brew clubs, tasting Travis's crafts, and upcoming brewery competitions. To learn more, https://quaff.org/ JohnOlsen.Santee@Gmail.com To contact John Olsen, 619-855-1151 John@TheSanteeGuy.com JohnOlsen.com John Ol…

1
Inside an Icon: Top of the Market 1:07:02

1M ago1:07:02

1:07:02

This week’s Happy Half Hour takes place from one of the best perches in all of San Diego: Top of the Market. It’s a fully windowed and partially outdoor restaurant, separate and with a more fine dining or special occasion bent than its counterpart downstairs, the equally beloved and lauded Fish Market. To our front are sprawling views of Coronado a…

1
Miriam Raftery and How the East County Magazine Serves Our Communities 29:40

2M ago29:40

29:40

This week, John is joined by Miriam Raftery, editor of the East County Magazine. She shares the range of information that this online news source provides (both existing and upcoming), how you can subscribe, and how you can support them. To learn more, https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/ To contact John Olsen, 619-855-1151 John@TheSanteeGuy.com Joh…

1
Trying The Best Food at Petco Park with Don & Mud 59:32

2M ago59:32

59:32

This week we got out-broadcasted on Happy Half Hour, and we couldn’t be more honored to pass the torch, to, as Troy dubbed it, “the best monosyllabic baseball broadcast duo in the major leagues.” The crew went to Petco Park ahead of the start of the Padres/Rockies series to chat with the voices of the franchise, Don Orsillo and Mark Grant (the Fria…

1
Dustin Trotter Shares the Updates Coming to Santee 45:56

2M ago45:56

45:56

This week, John is joined by City Councilman and Vice Mayor, Dustin Trotter! They discuss the projects that Dustin has spearheaded and overseen in his time in office, the infrastructure work the city has been putting in, and the exciting (and highly anticipated) things that we have coming to Santee. To learn more, Santee Hometown Heroes Banner Prog…

1
Darcy Shares How Expressions Dance Movement & Dance Got to Be An Award Winning School 29:16

2M ago29:16

29:16

John is joined this week by Darcy Fagerwold, owner of Expressions Dance and Movement and 2023 Santee's Favorite winner. She joins John to discuss the start of EDMC, the new Non-Profit Arts Foundation that she and Tim Staump are launching, and more! Town Center Amphitheater Friday, May 24th at 5:30pm Santee Street Fair Saturday, May 25th from 10am t…

1
Michelin's Sommelier of the Year is Serving Wine at a Bistro in North Park 1:13:29

2M ago1:13:29

1:13:29

Did you know one of the country’s most celebrated sommeliers lives and works in San Diego? It’s true! This week, we welcomed Coco Randolph of Black Radish and San Francisco’s Californios to the Happy Half Hour podcast. Randolph is new-ish to town, having moved here about a year and a half ago from San Francisco, where she helped her family run two …

1
San Diego Broadcast Legend Chris Cantore and Sushi Icon Tyler Mars Launch Omakase-and-Vinyl Pop-Up 1:00:17

2M ago1:00:17

1:00:17

Sometimes, it’s the most fun to chop it up with friends. And when your friends include legendary sushi chefs and top DJs, all the better. This week we brought to Happy Half Hour Chris Cantore, a former voice across San Diego’s radio airwaves, and his long-time buddy, North County sushi chef Tyler Mars. Troy goes way back with the duo, having been b…

1
Dr. Baranski and Helping Santee's Students Excel 31:12

2M ago31:12

31:12

This week, John is joined by Dr. Kristin Baranski, Superintendent of the Santee School District! They discuss how the school has evolved through COVID, how well our students have continued to grow and achieve compared to the county, and the extracurriculars that the students have available to them. Stop by to see the student art display at the Sant…

1
Jordan Howlett: 40 Million Followers, a Collab with Kevin Hart—All from His Kitchen in Oceanside 1:33:33

2M ago1:33:33

1:33:33

Jordan Howlett just needs a minute. Give him that, and he’s liable to have you hooked. Thanks to his highly recognizable, signature mirror-selfie videos, Howlett (San Diego Magazine’s cover star for our 2024 Best Restaurants issue) has amassed upwards of 30 million followers across his social channels by sharing fast food hacks and wisdom with dead…

1
Feeding San Diego Rescues 1.2 Million Pounds of Food a Month 1:07:02

3M ago1:07:02

1:07:02

This week’s Happy Half Hour extra special guest is a longtime friend of San Diego Magazine, Feeding San Diego. If you tune into our channels, this fantastic organization probably doesn’t need much of an introduction. And if you’re lucky, you would have caught Troy emceeing their gala last month (in a sequin jacket, of course).But for the uninitiate…

1
Councilwoman Laura Koval and Keeping Santee Up to Date 52:30

3M ago52:30

52:30

This week, John is joined by Laura Koval, Santee Councilwoman, to discuss the construction of the Santee Community Center, see what businesses are coming to Santee, and more! Town Hall with Laura Koval Tuesday, June 16th from 6-7pm To learn more, MySantee App To contact John Olsen, 619-855-1151 John@MissionRealtyGroup.com John@TheSanteeGuy.com John…

1
Making Wishes Come True With Chef William Eick 1:16:26

3M ago1:16:26

1:16:26

Our Happy Half Hour guest today is the local chapter CEO of probably one of the most beloved and recognizable charities in the world: The Make-A-Wish Foundation, San Diego chapter. We invited Suzanne Husby, who garnered her title in 2021, to talk all things Make-a-Wish at Matsu in Oceanside. Husby has been with the foundation for 17 years, moving u…

1
The Beach Boys’ Mike Love Puts Us in a Kokomo State of Mind 1:08:35

3M ago1:08:35

1:08:35

“Close my eyes, she's somehow closer now / Softly smile, I know she must be kind / When I look in her eyes / She goes with me to a blossom world”The lyrics to the iconic Beach Boys song “Good Vibrations,” penned in part by Mike Love, are likely about a woman from long ago. But they could just as easily be about the flavors and sensations from his b…

1
San Diego's First Family of Karaoke Opens Grand New Thing (With a Heck of a Burger) 1:42:32

3M ago1:42:32

1:42:32

Everyone’s favorite Mission Hills karaoke joint, the Lamplighter, has brought its talents down the hill to the Gaslamp—and so has this podcast. The team, led by fourth-generation bar owner Frankie Sciuto, launched the Gaslamplighter, a new upscale cocktail and karaoke bar, in January. Sciuto joins us on the Happy Half Hour podcast today as we check…

1
The Story Behind the City’s Backyard Restaurant With a Year-Long Waitlist 1:42:02

4M ago1:42:02

1:42:02

If you received this month’s San Diego Magazine, you already know about Warung RieRie. Happy Half Hour host and food critic Troy Johnson dubbed it “the star of the city's thrilling backyard restaurant scene.”Wait. There’s a thrilling backyard restaurant scene in San Diego? Indeed, there is, and the individual restaurants are formally dubbed MEHKOs—…

1
David Ray and Helping You Find the Words to Say 28:18

4M ago28:18

28:18

This week, John is joined by Dave Ray, a Business Coach and Public Speaker at Dave Ray Coaching. They discuss Dave's career in the Navy, how that has helped shape some of his work today, and the work he does to help others improve their business communication. To learn more, Dave Ray Coaching & Consulting To contact John Olsen, 619-855-1151 John@Th…

1
Mike Aiken Discusses Changes Coming to Carlton Oaks Golf Course 16:29

4M ago16:29

16:29

This week, John is joined by Mike Aiken from Carlton Oaks Golf Course to discuss the current conditions and upcoming updates at the golf course. To contact John Olsen, 619-855-1151 John@TheSanteeGuy.com JohnOlsen.com John Olsen RE Facebook Santee Update FacebookBy John Olsen

1
Is This the Best Falafel in San Diego? 1:06:30

4M ago1:06:30

1:06:30

Stop us if you’ve heard the Happy Half Hour cast claim a particular food item was the “best in San Diego” before (to be fair, San Diego Magazine devotes an entire issue to the topic). If we assign superlatives, we tend to stand behind them, so buckle up for the following: We’ve found the best falafel in San Diego. Hands down, bar none, et cetera. F…

1
Michael Schwartz and How SDC Gun Owners are Working to Keep San Diego Safe 32:52

4M ago32:52

32:52

This week, John is joined again by Michael Schwartz of the San Diego County Gun Owners (SDCGO). They discuss the work that SDCGO has done to provide community, education, and training to all of San Diego County. To learn more about SDCGO, SDCGO Website Not Me CA Website Gun Owner's Radio - 1170AM on Sundays from 4:00am - 6:00am Youtube Channel To c…

1
Kristen Dare invites you to the 14th Santee Street Fair! 41:42

4M ago41:42

41:42

This week, John is joined by Kristen Dare, President and CEO of the Santee Chamber of Commerce, to discuss current Chamber events and upcoming festivities! Santee Street Fair & Craft Beer Festival May 25th from 10am to 6pm Mission Gorge Rd to Riverview Pkwy to Town Center Pkwy To learn more, Santee Chamber Website Santee Chamber of Commerce Faceboo…

1
Deano's Pub Coming to Santee! 22:43

5M ago22:43

22:43

This week, John is joined by Dean Velasco, owner of Deano's Pub, to discuss bringing Deano's to Santee, and even more that Dean has planned ahead! Deano's Pub East will be taking over the current Hi-C-Era location in Early March. Three Frogs Chili Cook-Off Saturday, February 24th at 2pm $20 to enter a chili $5 Unlimited Tastings To learn more, Dean…

1
San Diego’s Legendary Tony Tee Drops By 1:09:52

5M ago1:09:52

1:09:52

To know the illustrious Tony Tee, real name Antonio Ley, is to love him. The Chula Vista-born-and-bred, man-about-town has appeared in popular shows, like Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and Vice News, and he even had a brief career as a politico after he got his law degree in Tijuana. These days, the former party promoter is running a food truc…

1
Andrew Hayes and His Run for California State Assembly 33:27

5M ago33:27

33:27

This week, John is joined by Andrew Hayes, President of the Lakeside School Board, to discuss his run for State Assembly and the platforms he's running on. To learn more, Andrew Hayes Campaign Page To contact John Olsen, 619-855-1151 John@TheSanteeGuy.com https://www.johnolsen.com/ https://www.facebook.com/JohnOlsenRealtor https://www.facebook.com/…

1
Feeling Lucky with Jason Mraz 1:30:55

5M ago1:30:55

1:30:55

I think it’s fair to claim that this week’s Happy Half Hour guest is the most special visitor we’ve ever had on the podcast (which is saying something): Jason Mraz, the two-time Grammy Award–winning singer and songwriter who has gone platinum and multi-platinum in more than 20 countries. His tune “I'm Yours” also surpassed one billion streams on Sp…

1
That’s the Spirit 1:32:35

5M ago1:32:35

1:32:35

“It’s not just a spirits company, but a way of life.” That’s what Fierce & Kind’s owners and founders, Cyndi Smith and Basem Harb, say when talking about the ethos behind their company. In addition to peddling high-quality vodka and bourbon, Fierce & Kind donates a whopping 25 percent of net profits to charity. To learn more, we asked them to come …

1
Let Us Eat Cake 1:05:18

5M ago1:05:18

1:05:18

In case you haven’t noticed, we just debuted our first-ever issue dedicated to all things South Bay. On February 25, we are also holding our first Taste of South Bay food and drink extravaganza at Novo Brazil Brewing in Imperial Beach. In conjunction with that, we’re also asking various South Bay food folks to come on to the HHH podcast to talk abo…

1
Getting Real With Celebrity Chef Lauren Lawless 1:05:15

5M ago1:05:15

1:05:15

Avid HHH listeners will remember a few episodes back, when we announced that Ramen World, celebrity chef Lauren Lawless’ first restaurant, would open somewhere in San Diego. That opening is imminent, and so we decided to have the cooking show star and Pacific Beach native in to tell us what’s up.Ramen World’s opening is notable for a few reasons, b…

1
Dustin Gildersleeve Tells Us What's Up With Interest Rates 32:15

6M ago32:15

32:15

John is joined by Dustin Gildersleeve, a loan officer at Mission Federal Credit Union (MFCU) with 20 years of experience handling mortgages. This week, they discuss the changes that mortgage interest rates have gone through over the years, and where they may be headed this year. To learn more, DustinG@MissionFed.com MissionFed.com/Dustin To contact…

1
Fire Safety with Fire Captain Dustyn Garhartt 38:02

6M ago38:02

38:02

John is joined this week by Dustyn Garharrt, current Santee Fire Captain with 17 years experience within the fire house. Dustyn discusses maintaining fire safety within your home and all of Santee, as well as where you can get involved or learn more about what is happening within the department. October is Fire Safety Month, so keep an eye out for …

1
40 Years of La Jolla’s George’s at the Cove 1:35:49

6M ago1:35:49

1:35:49

Our HHH guest this week, the legendary Trey Foshee of George’s at the Cove, has been in San Diego’s restaurants for a long time.Actually, scratch that. He’s been in one kitchen during the entire 27 years he’s lived, cooked, and managed here, and that’s in La Jolla at George’s (and its related establishments). In an age where people hop around faste…

1
The Fishmonger Tommy Gomes Returns With Dry-Aged Fish 1:10:06

6M ago1:10:06

1:10:06

When your boss tells you to do something, you do it. When your boss is Troy Johnson, food critic and Chief Content Officer of San Diego Magazine, texting you: “I just left Tunaville. He’s doing amazing stuff. Get Tommy on the podcast,” well, you get Tommy Gomes on the Happy Half Hour podcast.Gomes, a commercial fisherman by trade and blood, is no s…

1
Paradise, Or Something Like It 1:34:01

6M ago1:34:01

1:34:01

According to some of San Diego’s finest food minds (umm, us), one of the hottest restaurants of 2023 is easily Bird Rock’s Paradisaea. The Michelin Guide thinks so, too—it recently gave the restaurant, which opened in late 2022, a special recognition for being pretty damn good (and also new).A year or so is a good length of time for a restaurant to…

1
The Big South Bay Brewery That Could 1:09:58

7M ago1:09:58

1:09:58

“I said to myself, this was the biggest failure of my whole life,” recalls Tiago Carneiro, founder and owner of Nova Kombucha and Novo Brazil Brewing. In this week’s episode of Happy Half Hour, he’s talking about his business’ epic near-crash-and-burn during the pandemic. Which, if you do some quick back-of-the-napkin math, wasn’t all that long ago…

1
Scott Nixon and Keeping Copper Collar Local 20:48

7M ago20:48

20:48

Scott Nixon from Copper Collar joins John for a second time to discuss the evolutions that the distillery has coming in the next couple years. To learn more about Copper Collar, Open on Saturdays from 1p to 7p https://www.coppercollardistillery.com/copper-collar-distillery-spirits To contact John Olsen, 619-855-1151 JohnOlsen.com John@TheSanteeGuy.…

1
Erik Fowler Discusses Craft Beers Through the Years 45:16

7M ago45:16

45:16

Erik Fowler is the Executive Director of the San Diego Brewers Guild, a non-profit trade organization. He joins John this week to discuss what craft brewing looks like today and how those changes are impacting San Diego and Santee. To learn more, https://www.sdbeer.com/ To contact John Olsen, 619-855-1151 JohnOlsen.com John@TheSanteeGuy.com https:/…

1
Top Chef Thanksgiving Day Tips: Lessons From Brad Wise 1:02:38

8M ago1:02:38

1:02:38

“People are always like, ‘You’re a chef I’m sure you’re smoking your turkey,’” says Brad Wise, head chef and owner of Trust Restaurant Group. “But I’ve tried it every way and I’m telling you that old bag is the best.” At his restaurants, he jockeys a nightly parade of red oak to smoke and char meats into various forms of yes. But for Thanksgiving t…

1
Jim & Jenn are Bringing Santa to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum! 40:47

8M ago40:47

40:47

Jim Lundquist, the Assistant Director, and Jenn Brooker, the Board Secretary (among other things), from the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum (PSRM) in Campo join John to discuss the history of the railway, the museum, and their upcoming events. North Pole Limited Train Rides Fridays and Saturdays November 24th to December 16th To learn more about P…

1
HOT TICKET: Susan Finegar & Liz Lachman 1:26:42

8M ago1:26:42

1:26:42

Susan Feniger and Liz Lachman pop. I first encountered their mutual hurricane of wit at the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival. They were setting up their table to cook. It looked like a movie set. Lachman immediately cordoned me, made me one of her own. Both of them struck me as whip-smart, funny, alive.James Beard Award–winning chef Feniger and Emmy-wi…

1
Barry Jantz and Building Trade Opportunities in East County 36:00

8M ago36:00

36:00

This week, Barry Jantz, former Grossmont Health District CEO and former La Mesa City Councilman, joins John to discuss the trade opportunities and alternative learning formats available to students and community members in East County. Barry now works with Workforce Connect to help connect people looking for trade work apprenticeships with professi…

1
Truth with Dare: Kristen Dare Talks About the Businesses and Events Coming to Santee 47:08

8M ago47:08

47:08

Kristen Dare, CEO of the Santee Chamber of Commerce, joins John to discuss the businesses and events coming to Santee. They also discuss Halloween plans, businesses leaving Santee, and more! Veterans Appreciation Golf Tournament Carlton Oaks Golf Course November 9th from 8am to 5pm https://tinyurl.com/VeteransAGT2023 To contact John Olsen, 619-855-…

1
The Best First Date Bar in San Diego? 1:18:25

8M ago1:18:25

1:18:25

They got weird with it, and it worked. Understory is a concept bar in the middle of a Noah’s Ark-looking food hall called Sky Deck in Del Mar, where it is surrounded by nine sit-down restaurants. “Understories” are the natural world of shade-craving trees, soils, and organisms in any forest. And so, this bar—along with its own barrel-aged boozes (t…

1
Terri & Gemma Talk Growing Your Business While You're Growing Up 14:33

9M ago14:33

14:33

Terri Bozhor, Founding Director of Momentum Tutoring, and Gemma Clancy, the winner of Incredible Innovative Idea at the Santee Children's Business Fair, join John to discuss the business opportunities that the youth of East County have available. Youth Biz Club November 3rd at Carlton Oaks School MPR 3:00 to 4:00 Santee Children's Business Fair Aug…

1
Vegan Doom Metal Pizza 1:16:26

9M ago1:16:26

1:16:26

Ain’t easy being a vegan. Harder being a vegan in the Midwest in the ‘90s. Your eating options were the steamed broccoli at the steakhouse (hold the butter), some room-temp air, or learning to cook in self-defense.“That’s why I learned to cook,” says Roy Elam, chef and owner of Donna Jean in Bankers Hill. He’s wearing a death metal t-shirt in our c…

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