John Pani Archives - San Diego Magazine https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/tag/john-pani/ Tue, 19 Sep 2023 23:03:42 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/cropped-SDM_favicon-32x32.png John Pani Archives - San Diego Magazine https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/tag/john-pani/ 32 32 FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/archive/first-look-waypoint-public/ Fri, 14 Apr 2017 04:32:00 +0000 http://staging.sdmag-courtavenuelatam.com/uncategorized/first-look-waypoint-public/ A pillar of North Park opens second location in Del Sur

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]]> Well, this really puts a dent in my tradition of grousing about the lack of restaurants in North County. I grew up there, and I felt obligated and entitled to bitch and moan about the fact that our choices seemed to be “Bloomin’ Onion or food in a bag.”

But with restaurants like Campfire, Land & Water Co., and now Waypoint Public opening in North County, the sad days seem to be over.

Waypoint made a good name for itself in North Park with its first location, a wide-open spot where food from Rich Sweeney is crafted with the intention of tasting great with craft beer. This second location is a 3,450 square-foot space in the Del Sur Town Center.

So, really, you got two things that are really hot in San Diego right now—craft beer and Del Sur. Del Sur is an affluent, developing corridor that connects Rancho Bernardo in the East and Del Mar in the West. Lots of money, good schools, a whole new city.

In any new development, you’re going to get chains. You need them, for toilet paper and necessities. But thankfully places like Waypoint—done by locals, for locals—are also getting pulled into the evolution of the area. Soul is nice.

ELE Collective is the group behind this, Park & Rec in University Heights, and Hotel Vyvant in Little Italy. Partners are Sweeney, John Pani, and Travis LeGrand. For Waypoint Del Sur they brought on Frank Ternasky of Delawie Architecture (The Grill at the Lodge, Mission Hills Country Club) and interior designer Marianne Berg of Mbee Design Studio (Park & Rec, Waypoint, Hotel Marisol).

The space is bright, popping with color. Blues and yellows and whites and browns and woods. It looks like Nantucket exploded in here, and the aftermath is restrained, geometric, and kinda beautiful.

Check out the photos below, and then go see it for yourself.

Waypoint Public Del Sur, 16480 Paseo Del Sur, Del Sur, waypointpublic.com

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

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]]> FIRST LOOK: Park & Rec https://staging.sandiegomagazine.com/food-drink/first-look-park-rec/ Fri, 22 May 2015 03:17:00 +0000 http://staging.sdmag-courtavenuelatam.com/uncategorized/first-look-park-rec/ World-class cocktails meet patio party at former Bourbon Street spot

The post FIRST LOOK: Park & Rec appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

]]> You don’t have to pledge a fraternity to enjoy playing games while you drink. San Diego’s urban center has long eschewed activities, whether it be shuffleboard or ping-pong. The attitude seems to be, “Leave fun and shenanigans to the tribal-tatted beach crowd, we prefer to sit in the dark and converse artily.” But can’t art and playfulness coexist? At a very posh winery in Napa recently, I watched dignified, well-attired wine nerds have the time of their lives playing a game with a grotesque name: corn hole.

Opening today, Park & Rec bucks the dour, urban-asthmatic stereotype. Owners John Pani and Andy Zlotnik (Waypoint Public, Hotel Vyvant) have taken over University Heights’ famed, three-bungalow space that was home to gay bar Bourbon Street for almost 30 years. And he’s transformed it into a commune for games, frivolity, patio Olympics and some of the city’s best craft cocktails.

One of the bungalows is the main bar, with cocktails by Revelry Cocktail Co., the new partnership between top bartenders Anthony Schmidt (Noble Experiment, Fairweather) and Trevor Easter (Noble Experiment, Bourbon & Branch). They’ll have 12 beers on tap, but assert it’s not a beer bar (Small Bar, located two doors down, already does that concept very well). The second bungalow is the late-night dance-party jam room, with one wall almost completely removed so that you can sit, sip and watch the patio antics.

It’s like the set of M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village,” only with French 75s, Pimm’s Cups and ping-pong instead of unsettling Luddites.

Over 300 people will fit into the 5,000 square-foot property. Sun will dapple. Urbanites will rediscover sunscreen. Non-fraternity people will enjoy the backyard thrill of games. DJs and live bands will perform. Acclaimed food cart Royale with Cheese—started in Austin by Jordan Brownwood, who now lives locally—will serve sandwiches, burgers and bar bites.

With Pani’s track record at Waypoint Public and the combined cocktail clout of Revelry, this should be one of the best patios in the city to grab a drink. (Coming soon: Pani has also ascertained the lease on the former Lei Lounge space next door, with a new concept to be announced.)

Now, please enjoy the first known photos in the universe of Park & Rec. 4612 Park Blvd., University Heights, 619.795.9700.

FIRST LOOK: Park & Rec

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