mixology
Let’s start with the changes you’ve already made at The Caliph. Most involve your enter- tainment lineup, right? Our nightly entertainment lineup
is solid and we have put together some of the best talent possible behind our piano. We have Kenny Ard on Wednesday nights, Kevin McCully and Ria Carey on Friday nights, The Don L Show (aka Don LeMaster) and our most recent addition, Carol Curtis. You may be familiar with Carol from her many years at Bourbon Street, Inn at the Park and Martinis Above 4th. She recently said, “The Caliph is coming back and I feel I’m right at home here.” What can we look forward to in the upcoming year at The Caliph? Some of the things we are work-
ing on include a permanent dance floor, for which we will introduce a disco night and salsa dancing, as well as a Latino night. We are also discussing opening up the front wall of the bar with a full garage door and adding a sidewalk patio. But, you’ll have to wait and see and be surprised! I will say that the feedback received, when surveying customers regarding opening the front wall, was beyond positive and 100 percent in agreement. How have your customers responded to the changes so far? It has been very challenging.
BRINGING AN ICON INTO THE NEW YEAR
TOM WALKER AND THE CALIPH by kevin plautz, photo by jay jones
When 49-year old Tom Walker was hired
to bartend just a little over a year ago, he had no idea he would end up taking on the huge responsibility of bringing the iconic piano bar into the future. Now, as manager at The
Caliph, Tom andThe Rage Monthly sat down to discuss the changes made and what he hopes to accomplish in the new year.
Some of our regulars have been here for 30 years and they have been dead-set against changes. They do not like that we’re working on drawing a younger crowd. We have never had an issue getting the 50-plus age range in the bar and never will. What I want to do is bring in the other 21 to 50 demographic to add to that age range, completing the circle. This will create a whole new set of regulars at the bar, so that someday when the current ones are no longer
with us, we will have a whole new generation of regulars, to continue “The family.” What is your favorite shift to work at The Caliph? Saturday afternoons were always
slow at the bar, so we came up with a daytime karaoke event we call “Singing Saturdays.” I don’t know of any other bar in San Diego that has karaoke during the day. It’s hosted by one of the best KJ’s in town, Mike Schayer and it has become one of the most popular events in Hillcrest on a Saturday. Tell me about the owner of The Caliph, the famous Sherman Mendoza. I will start out by saying, that out
of all the employers I have had over the years, Sherman is by far the best. He is not only a fair man, but kind, caring, compassionate and the most giving person I have ever met. When it comes to those less fortunate, he is always right there to lend a helping hand and helps to make their life better. What can we expect during the holidays at The Caliph? During the month of December,
The Caliph (along with the Imperial Court de San Diego), will be ac- cepting toy donations for “Toys for Tots.” On Christmas Eve, the Don L Show will be hosting a pajama party, so come sit around the piano and sing Christmas carols, as well as other hit songs. Then, as a special holiday treat, if you wear your pajamas,with the purchase of your first drink you will receive a complimentary Fireball shot. Christmas night we have “Trifecta” performing, a new combination of vocal and instrumental talents, featuring former Caliph performers Kevin, Ria and Rick.
The Caliph is located at 3100 Fifth Avenue For more information, call 619.298.9495, or go
tothecaliph.net.
56
RAGE monthly | | DECEMBER 2016 DECEMBER 2016
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64