Having grown up in San Diego my husband and I are familiar with the Old Town area and have always loved it. We thought staying at the Old Town Inn would be a good option, boy were we wrong. We paid $250 per night for the most disappointing stay I have ever had at a hotel/motel. Pulling up to the location, I was GobSmacked to see it was in an industrial park and very close to heavy traffic. It does not seem to be an easy walk to Old Town and I didn't want to cross a busy hwy to get there, so we ended up having to drive. Check in was fine, but when we got to the room I was so surprised to see a cramped, dated, claustrophobic room. The bathroom is tiny, there is no way to unpack luggage due to no drawers, the air conditioning unit barely works and the room always felt muggy when we entered. Their included breakfast was a huge disappointment, as well. There are several items to choose from, but none of them are fresh and they are of low quality. The bagel I made was completely inedible. It tasted like something off the clearance rack at the discount supermarket. They had pastries in cellophane that looked like they came from 7/11. The pool is advertised as "heated," but it was too cold to go in. The towels at the pool are the same chintzy, thin bath towels that are in your room. Again, far below the expectation for the amount we are paying per night. So after being dissatisfied with our situation we went to the front desk to ask for some type of remediation. We asked for a manager, but they refused to call anyone. Instead we were told that since we booked thru hotels.com they would not give us any type of price adjustment. We asked for a room upgrade which they said they could do for one night, but then we would have to go back to the crappy room since they were "sold out" on Saturday night. When I asked what our options were we were told to "Go stay somewhere else." It left SUCH a bad taste in my mouth. What is so frustrating is that, reading thru the negative reviews, the manager of the hotel always responds with "We are so sorry, we want to make it right, please reach out to us" after the fact. Yet, when you try to give them an opportunity to make it right in real time, they are totally disinterested. They talk a good game, but don't really mean it. In retrospect, we should have checked out and gone to a different hotel. The problem with that is its Labor Day weekend and last minute reservations are outrageously expensive, especially if Old Town Inn is refusing to give any price adjustment. I called the front desk again this morning to attempt to speak to a manager, only to be told there was no one around because it was a Holiday Weekend. How do you not have management on site to address customer issues on a busy weekend? It goes without saying that we will never, EVER stay here again and I hope future guests take note of the many downsides to the Old Town Inn. If this hotel charged $100/night I could maybe see the appeal. But at $250/night it is an absolute rip-off. read more

I'm happy to see that the Che Cafe is still going strong after all these years. This is one of the best DIY places that offers a safe and sober environment to see great local and touring bands of different genres. The staff is friendly and the venue played an important part in San Diego's independent music scene for decades. Long live the Che Cafe! read more

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I came recently to see an invite only show with Switchfoot. It's a small venue run by volunteers. I like the murals and other art hanging up, it works well for a collective. Don't come here expecting parking, it's not gonna happen on the street, but down the hill to the right is a large parking structure, it's an easy walk. No alcohol, but totally fine with me, people are obnoxious when they drink so it's definitely not a loss in my opinion. They have plenty of caffeinated options if you want an energy boost. This is probably one of the smallest places I've seen live music in, it's very intimate if you want to get up close and personal. I saw a famous Seattle band in a slightly larger venue for a similar type of thank the fans event and people kept saying it was crazy intimate, but this is much smaller. There's also an outdoor patio which is nice when it gets stuffy inside, the breeze is good. read more

UCSD has begun to allow indoor performances with masks. For now, the majority of performances will be outdoor. Beginning week 2, through week 10, the courtyard will be available for study 1-6 pm, Monday through Thursday. A change of scenery can be inspirational. Check out the newsletter for schedule of events and meetings. Peace out. read more

The Che Cafe Collective - Outside Murals - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

We were invited by coworkers here to come check out an art show. Upon arrival, the parking lot is EXTREMELY small. You must park down the hill in a further parking lot which sucks. Supposedly there was a $5 cover, which we ended up not having to pay. And good thing we didn't because I felt like were at an elementary show and tell auditorium. Definitely a place for hipsters and young people still living in the 70s-80s. They had live performances of college singers and bands, and the music wasn't too shabby. And some local artist selling their artwork, or random goods. And all they served was mediocre school food and sodas and punch?? Where's the alcohol ? read more

This is one of San Diego's staples in the music punk/alt culture! Absolutely must go at some point the music may not always be the best but it's because they actually give local bands a place to play and practice! They help inspire and grow the community! I'm 21 btw and have been going since I was in high school! read more

I have the biggest soft spot for the Che. During my high school years I grew up here. Like clockwork, every weekend, Friday and Saturday, making my way down to the Che around 9 to see good local and not so local bands. Sometimes I wouldn't even know who was playing, but wanted to get out of the house, so we'd pack the car full of punk kids along the way and head out. This place is not your typical venue, and that is what I love about it. It is exactly what you would think of when you think that punk kids are running it. There is a vegan snack counter, a magazine rack filled with old zines, an outside patio for merch tables and hangouts, and a small stage that is only elevated about 2 feet from the floor. The bands here are in your face and one with the crowd. If you are worried about getting your makeup messed up, or the smell of sweaty kids running around in a circle pit, this place is not for you. read more

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You like dives that serve no beer, but have great bands that are flying under the radar before they break into stardom? Then you'll like The Che Cafe. I've seen so many bands here for many years now at great prices within the small intimate Che Cafe. Just know what you're getting yourself in to and don't complain about the fact that they don't serve beer or that they're are "too many (all and any age) hipsters." Just about everyone that goes to the shows there are really nice and fun. Give it a chance if you're not the type that NEEDS a lot for little. I love the Che! read more

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First experience here to see Gary Wilson, has a certain "Lord of The Flies" feeling to it. read more

The Che Cafe Collective - a group of people standing in a room - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

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This place makes me feel like the old man that i am, but the shows i have been to have blown me away.. lightning bolt, deerhoof, lavender diamond, quintron.... now if ONLY i could get a drink. Here is a tip, though - Porter's Pub is a short 5 minute walk away. read more

The Che Cafe Collective - che bathroom - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

Dont' get me wrong, I like to think I'm vaguely edgy, and I like 1960's era political thinking, but the Che reminds me that often the best thoughts and dreams of idealists do not always translate into heady reality. The Che is dank. Like, seriously, it's a nasty little clapboard shack/hut complex sequestered off to the furthest edges of the UCSD campus. Yes, some of the live shows kick ass, but their food doesn't. And the posturing politics of middle class white kids that want to flirt with anarchy makes me nauseous. You're not a rebel because you've got green hair, a nose ring, and haven't showered for three days. Your'e a caricature. I love and adore the artwork on the sides with Malcolm X, civil rights iconography, and Native American activists, but that's all it's got going for it. This space makes me angry. I recognize it has value, historic memory, and should remain, but dont' ever make me go back. I loathe it and the fake pretentious politics it represents. read more

Oh hai hipsters! The venue is full of colorful murals depicting Che, Cesar Chavez and other activists. It looks like a measly little shack and doesn't fit in with the image of UCSD at all. My friend and I felt so ethnic there....we decided to emphasize it by posing with peace signs....asian to the max! A girl came up to us and asked us if we knew where the cocaine was. She had knotted green hair...and looked like the blue haired Kate Winslet from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Although this girl looked reallyyyyy cracked out though. I figured some people we talked to earlier had told her we were from USD and she assumed we had the money for blow. I almost wanted to elbow this tall girl and guy in the face for being stupid drunk stoners and bumping the hell into my friend and I as they made out....I especially wanted to punch that amazon when she groped me from behind. My friend was pretty pissed and kept pushing back. I did learn one thing....don't mess with my friend because that skinny Chinese boy will cut you. At one point during The Crocodile's set, someone started a mosh pit. Seriously? I am all for revivals but I honestly think mosh pits should stay in the 90's.....along with overalls. I only mention overalls because I saw a full grown man wearing them here. I just want to thank the random girls in the bathroom who offered me red wine they had stashed in their purse. I was always told never to drink out of a strangers' flask again after I did it at a party, but I was never told anything about a wine bottle....so I figured I was in the clear :P The sound sucked but I got to listen to a couple of cool bands for $7....so this place is aight. read more

No non-vegan anything allowed in the kitchen, but children (could not have been older than 14) are permitted to smoke cigarettes in my outdoor fresh air zone. Hmm...so supporting one of the worst companies/industries in the known universe is fine with ya'll? If you want to go the anti-corpo route, you have be fully committed. Allowing cigarette smoking is not full-committal. Think of what the writers from those Berkeley zines would do if they found out! I didn't realize all ages would mean middle school kids would be at the show. Apparently, some turd thought Che Cafe would make a good babysitter. I had to watch the weird middle school mating rituals all night - there was no escaping it. Disgusting. I do think the couches pose a significant health risk. Based on the smell alone. The stage is either not elevated at all, or only elevated like 6 inches. So, if you aren't a giant or aren't in the front row, you won't be able to see anything. It's cool a place like this exists, but there is definitely room for improvement. read more

Ahhh.. the Che!!! The crust punks, the hippies, the vegan food, the pot smoking dirt huts, the spock rockers!! For me The Che has embodied the san diego punk scene since I started going to shows in the late 80s and am sure it will continue on to do so for the generations of smelly, crusty, hippy, lesbian, gay, vegan, far left,pc, emo, screamo, hardline, and hc kids to come. An incomplete list of bands I've seen at The Che: Ammenity/Forced Down/Inside Out/Heroin/Rice/Chain of Strength/Statement/Shelter/108/Worlds Collide/Mouthpiece/Lifetime/Ressurection/Unbroken/Farside/Julia at the window of Vunerability/Seven League Boots/Struggle/International Noise Conspiracy/No Knife/Bluetip/Sunday's Best/Hey Mercedes/Death by Stereo/Sunshine/Impel/Sub Society/Drift/Caged/Blind Justice/House of Suffering/Karate/Cold Water Crane/ read more

We went there on a lark while in SD and what a dismal place. Unsafe food practices, bare wires showing near food/drink areas, and a general idea that the people are somehow entitled to do this because they are "special" in their own eyes. Lots of socialist propaganda, lots of giving of other people's food and money going on. Glad we left quickly. The lines were long, the food was basically leaves, sticks and twigs. I'll take a burger any day over this monstrosity! read more

The ultimate in pretentious hipster hangout. Awesome, intimate shows in a small venue open too the public. I've played there myself so I know how fun it can be. Downside is the pretentious hipsters that go there, and the so-called "collective" that run the joint. It changes from year to year and the Che has roughly changed attitudes time to time, but I've been there and had a good time, then I've been there and had a terrible time. Hit or miss. Like another poster says, the shows never start on time. They have poor organization and poor leadership--since technically there are no leaders in their co-op collective deal. The sound quality is also poor. When you grow up and start going to real shows and kinda let the "i'm against the corporate machine" thing go, then you realize how much of a crappy place the Che is. read more

Memo to people who characterize the che as a "dump"- try to figure out how cool the che cafe is. one of the best all ages venues on the west coast- comprable to the smell, the clinic, la casa tia tina, gilman street, holoscene, etc. etc. Shows start early at the che! you need to get there by 9 pm!!! read more

Sometimes good bands. Always good price NEVER GOOD CROWD. (ill say with the exception of a few folk punk shows ive gone to here) The place is !!ALWAYS!! full of egotistical, still-livin-off-mommy's-tit, know it all college kids. That gets really annoying. A lot of the bands they book tend to be incredibly preachy, and the kids who go to these shows, while trying to be Counter-Culture or whatever, just eat up anything their favorite band tells them to do. I've been pelted with apples for not being a vegan, i've had a few kids try and fight me without letting me know first because i 'hit them' while i was hardcore dancing. like bro its a fucking show, it wasn't intentional. I've also had the band 108 stop playing so they could argue with me over whether or not being a vegan makes you compassionate. When i saw Have Heart play their final tour show here, the place was awesome. People were hangin from the rafters and shit, but also i wound up getting into a fight and breaking up 3 others. And its all these little tiny vegan kids starting the most fights.... They have no muscles but insist on always starting a fight with the biggest crowd of older dudes.... ridiculous. read more

Been here a few times to watch some good bands, not necessarily good shows though. Never a good experience. I've watched shows that were indoor (although I was technically standing in the bathroom hall trying to watch the band since the venue is the size of a skittle), and others outdoors (since, like I said, this place is small and stinky-- I really didn't have to add 'stinky', but this place sucks). Sometimes when I drunkenly walk towards Che at night, I feel like I'm in a murder scene of a scary movie. Place can give me heebie geebies since its exiled into a forest (or what seems to be..) and away from all humanity. I know... I'm going overboard with this one. You seriously would have never guessed you were on a prestigious (in terms of CA colleges, that is) campus if you were standing next to the Che Cafe. I'm sorry, but this place is dirt. Really? Really. It's almost like UCSD's way of saying, "Pshyeah, we've got hipsters and 'cool' people among the sea of Asian techies and nerds". Interesting crowd.... very, interesting. It's like Chop Suey, but people... Or, wait! Better yet! It's like a shmorgishborg of people... yes. This "cafe" is honestly just a run down shack with bathrooms created for midget use only. I'm 5'2, and even I thought the toilets were short. With the toilets they currently have, they could've saved a whole lot of mula if they'd dug a hole in the ground instead... ....the venue cries in pain for a new paint job-- I feel it's pain... oh, yes I do... PS. You're probably wondering why I gave 2 stars with my negative rant on this little shack. One star for the effort of trying to promote good music on a university campus. Another star for allowing me to come faded, so I could visually smooth out Che's ugly features. read more

One of the best venus in SD. I've been to numerous shows here, Quintron, Gravy Train, Cassiotone for the Painfully Alone, Hawnay Troof just to name a few. It is such an intimate small place, which makes the music expirience that much better. Sure it may be full of hipsters, but where in the world is not? So many times boozing it up in the forest before a show, the memories of writing all over the walls in the bathroom, booze with boys in ladies bathroom, smoking joints outside, some good f ing times were had here. I will miss you when i move che cafe. read more

You ever been to a show at the Che? It's all jolly good times and dancing. You ever been to another event at the Che that is not a show and the lights are on? It sucks. As I enter I feel several eyeballs burning through my skin with judgment. Oh shit is it my lack of vegan footwear? Most of these peeps are White (no "reverse racism" here!) and I hate making assumptions but I will just for a second, the judgmental looks I get from these folks feel no different than the prejudice I've experienced with border patrol agents upon a return from a trip to Mexico (What's so sketchy that I like my corn tortillas authentic and my bottle of vodka cheap and tax free!?). Which is pretty ironic if you ask me, is it the fact that I don't "look Mexican" enough? Maybe if I was of indigenous Mexican descent they'd be a little nicer? People at the Che need to work on their welcoming skills, being a first generation Chicana at the university, then hearing about Che and being treated like shit there is just so heartbreaking. Anyway, I'm straying off topic. All judgmental looks aside, I love when they sell food, because it's good and I love their zine library, their murals, the garden, and their persistence in a rather hostile campus. Live up to the Che name, drop the elitism. read more

One of the few, well populated places in San Diego to strong hold the DIY ethic. Volunteers help this place stay alive. It is dirty and trashy and smelly and every little thing your white parents told you to clean : P But racist jokes aside, the Che Cafe gave me a safe haven from all the other bullshit all age venues. The line ups were astounding. I had never seen so many of my favorite bands go thru a single place before. There are dry spells too. All at decent to cheap to free prices. The AYCE events hold true to the philosophy of the place. Show up early to HELP cook. So even if the food sucked, the mouthy complainee very well could have done something about it. Ive had the food before and it was worth the modest $3 plate. The surroundings are warm. Red is a great tone. Artwork is brilliant. Plus the tall trees and leaves scattered everywhere adds nature's atmosphere. Try exploring the mini forest, day time or night. Just dont pull a bonehead, getting caught drinking or drugging by the campus police. Use some tact for fucks sake!!! The beams across the ceiling on the inside are wicked. I once saw the singer of Converge get up there mid song, then proceed to slobber over the all accepting pit crowd. I think that was the moment I hit manhood. Where the shit else would this happen? Oh yes, parking sucks. Well, too bad. Parking should suck. read more

Che Cafe, you make me feel 16 again. this place is like someone's abandoned house that got its carpet ripped out, trashed, and tagged by teenagers. Once in awhile this place gets good shows (saw Citizen Fish here). you can hang from the overhead beams and no one really cares. you can spit on the floors, go outside for a smoke, drink in the wooded areas... it's a flashback to my high school days. covers usually cheap for shows, i think they have veggie food, and drinks. meh. read more

I've made it to the Che a few times in my day. The last time I went was 3 years ago and I felt old then. But that's not the Che's fault. It's time's. Anyways, how can you not like a D.I.Y. space that has been doing it for years before it became cool to be at a D.I.Y. space. Many great bands play here. Many crappy bands play here. I wish I would have come when I first could drive. Rock n Roll is a young man's game. read more

Punks not dead.... or maybe it is idk, but Che Cafe never got that memo. You can't get anymore DIY than this place. Just went there for the first time to see Ceremony and i kid you not it was insane. Such a great venue for a punk/hardcore band. People be acting like its a jungle gym by climbing up and dangling from the beams. Most of the time I could care less for their line ups but every once in a while I'd be down to go see a band I like. read more

The Che Cafe Collective - HxC jungle gym - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Jolla, California

The Che Cafe the dirty hippie club on the UCSD campus. If you are ANTI America, capitalism, Republican(although they do stink now), meat eaters, Christian, Conservative, or Ronald Reagan, then this might be the club for you. I can't lie I have seen some good shows here. I saw the Unbroken/Undertow reunion here a couple months ago. It was kind of cool, cause it was a show that was not even suppose to happen.(last minute) My beef with the Che is, they don't let Christian bands play here and most of the people that run the Che have attitudes. The vegan food here is pretty good. A lot of the bands that play here are not really my thing anymore. It is a young persons club. I do love the D.I.Y. style. One thing I have to admit is they keep the door prices low and pay the bands. Beside music they sometimes well have other events like movies or record swaps. read more

It's a good place to go for an intimate concert atmosphere. I went to see this artist called Black Belt Eagle Scout, I had the best time! The sound was good, the crowd was engaged but not obnoxious and it was just an overall great experience. If you have a chance, you should look up the above band. They're really good and incredibly important at representing unheard perspectives. I learned a thing or two at this concert as well :) read more

An amazing all-age collectively run venue/space. I don't go to many of the shows here because I'm not into that kind of music, but I did come here regularly for their vegan all you can eats(AYCE). The food is really good and changes up every week and is only $5 for as much as you want. It ranges from vegan burgers and fries to curry and samosas. It's a really cozy space and they've got a great outside court surrounded by a grove of eucalyptus trees if you're into that nature stuff. read more

The building a is little dingy. OK, it is pretty gross, but going the Che is always fun. The Che cafe often times has loud, raw musicians who play here. The indie rock scene is booming at the Che, but one of my favorite things about the cafe is that that there is an awesome garden that wraps around the collective. There are tons of spots in the garden where you can go, sit to study, write poetry or get in touch with your inner-self. The garden is one of the UCSD's best kept secrets. read more

Who knew that UCSD contained such a "subversive" space within a rather lackluster and conservative community? A rundown shack tucked away in one of the many wooded areas on campus, the Che Cafe has hosted a variety of great musical guests during my heyday. They have included Xiu Xiu, Mouse on Mars, the Locust, Gravy Train!!!, members of the Anticon. collective (Alias, Sole, Bomarr Monk, etc.), this weird synth dude whose name I can't think of but remember liking, a fun 8-bit band again the name I can't recall, and a slew of other notable musical acts. Apparently all good things must come to an end, as the last I heard, the university bigwigs have been working on abolishing the Che. But we all saw that one coming a mile away, non? read more

This place as a venue is super cool because it has the living room feel for seeing some cool indie acts. I love how it's in this little forested part of UCSD. However, the people running it, i like to refer to as 'elitist communists' tend to scoff if you're not mad radical left, vegan ect if you want to help out there. Some friends from high school tried to book a show here but the booker never called them back, despite having a indie record deal going. The lower down workers are definitely cool as they once let my friend pay half price since he missed the first band. The sound quality leaves something to be desired as i feel like they just blast the sound system instead of really trying to get a good sound out of it, but like i said you come here for the living room show feel and it serves that purpose. I tried some of their vegan food and it was pretty bland, that was 6 years ago though, i'm not sure if they've been making food at all since then. parking: since it's ucsd, you pretty much gotta pay for park on weekdays or park on gilman and walk there. I rarely get ticketed in that particular lot, but it is UCSD, and they will ticket you. + one star for them because UCSD hates the student cooperatives and wanted to take away their garden space, so they just piled up trash to keep the bulldozers out. It was great. stoners also meet up in the teepee (if that is still there) to get high, which is hilarious in itself. read more

historically represents. Had some of the greatest times of my life back here in 2001-2004. I returned in 2010, and was bummer to find it overrun by druggie hipsters. 5-stars none-the-less! Yay for vegan and DIY. read more

Worst place in town to see a show. Unless I were a 12 year old straightedge shoegazer vegan, then the place would rule. It was sad to have to see Quintron play there last summer, but what are you gonna do? You can't miss Quintron and Miss Pussycat. I will give them credit for what they do, it just isn't my preferred venue even though I have foolishly been there 3 separate times in the past 15 years. Sometimes there's shows you just can't miss and Crash Worship, Foreskin 500 and Quintron all fit that bill. There was a 4th time, but I can't remember who it was since we ended up tankard at Porter's Pub and never made it to see the bands. read more

Went here once for a Lightning Bolt show, and it's one of the best musical experiences of my life. Brian and Co. set up their shit in the outdoor courtyard area, and they rocked the shit out of UCSD for an amazing two hours. Not really much to complain about. Your typical grungy indie venue with a decent amount of chill indie kids and a select few greasy looking "poor trust fund" hipsters, aka trustafarians, inhabiting this place. Nothing you don't come to expect from a place like this. read more

Che Cafe :) My first memory of this place is when I went to my second show ever back in 7Th grade to see The Ghost play. And the Che captivated my little heart! And I think the show was only 3 bucks?! That's great right there! I really like how small and intimate it was; gives the illusion that the band is playing in your living room! The surrounding woods are a bit creepy after hours. And I have also heard rumors that the college is trying to close down this venue, which makes me sad. I do love how "indie band friendly" they are. All kinds of unheard of people pass through here and make themselves heard. Very cool :) The drive up to the Che definitely sucks if you aren't really up on who is playing that night and can be hard to convince others to go to. read more

Despite the scenesters, the 15-year-olds, and the lack of alcohol, I always have a good time at the Che Cafe. Maybe it's because I never feel pressured to empty my wallet on watered-down drinks. This place is an enclave of radical politics in little conservative San Diego/La Jolla/UCSD, with a substantial zine library and more community network connections than wifi. Whether or not you agree with that ideology, it's a pretty cool resource. Although at times crowded, the Che Cafe is always intimate. Get up close with bands who will be headlining at the House of Blues on the second run of the tour. I knocked off a point because they still haven't gotten their kitchen up to code to be able to serve food (c'mon hippies!) and parking sucks, all the more reason to carpool or take the bus. EDIT 5/30/07 Another 1/2 star off for awkward teenagers who get a little out of control when they dance. Owwwww my foot! read more

I have a love-hate relationship with Che. I started going to shows there in 2002 when I met my scenester/hipster/indie/punk/rebel friends in City College and we would go at least once a week. Sometimes I think people are just there to be seen and not to see the bands. Then again, how can you see the bands when the place is as big as UCSD women's bathroom with the capacity of 500. I've never had their vegan (or was it vegetarian) food so I don't know how it is. I was there mainly for the shows. I don't really care much if they come back or not. There's always Casbah. But I think they are back again, so yay! Whatever bitches! read more

What a fabulous place...i shall miss it. but in the meantime, check out King Music in lemon groove. every friday and saturday there are shows. http://www.myspace.com/bmfaudio in fact Che might be having a benefit show soon. read more

This place looks like a rape shack from the outside, but the inside is pretty legit. I came here for a Weatherbox/Life Deposits show a couple weeks back, and had an effing blast. I mean the acoustics weren't great, but who doesn't enjoy drinking low grade malt liquor in the woods and standing face to face with a pretty sweet local band? And let's be honest here, anything that keeps me out of SOMA gets two thumbs up. Four stars! read more

The Che is a rad positive DIY all ages space and San Diego is lucky to have it. sure, it may be run-down, and you may feel intimidated, and maybe you don't like the shows that happen there. But guess what?! It's an open collective, which means that YOU define what happens there, what the vibes are like, and whether the bathroom gets re-stocked with toilet paper frequently. I can't even begin to quantify what a huge role this place played in my life over the years I lived in San Diego. I've made countless friends, seen a ton of amazing shows, and it's informed me so much on everything from how to book shows to negotiating legal contracts to what kind of art and music I want to make. Those who volunteer here give their lives to this space. So much time and energy for so little thanks, for so many Mr. and Ms. Complainypantses to whine about their huge efforts trying to make a difference in San Diego (which is really the definition of rolling a ten ton rock uphill). Seriously, if you're not happy, volunteer! Book the kinds of shows YOU want to see happening (that's what I did, and it worked pretty well; you did see Quintron there, right? I win!). Show up to a show, ask to volunteer - the floors get swept AND you get in for free (and maybe even some free food!)! And honestly, almost everyone there is very friendly and approachable. If you didn't have a positive experience, maybe the person you met was a new volunteer, or maybe you were intimidated by the idea of a bunch of people like you doing something for the community and don't know how to step it up and get involved. Well, start a dialogue! Collective meetings are every Thursday at 8:30pm, so show up and voice your concerns, share your ideas, introduce yourself - you may make a new friend, or 5! If you can't hang with the no drinking, head over to Porter's Pub, or even put it in a cup discreetly. If you're not a completely drunk 15 year old crust punk, but rather, a responsible adult, no one is probably going to give you a hard time. Also, try and check out the garden for some late afternoon plant magic. It's a super peaceful situation. BTW I am totally serious about dialogue. This place obviously has its problems as all random collectives with open membership do. But since it is so near and dear to my heart, I'm inviting you to even email ME about it if you don't feel comfortable going to the source. I haven't been involved with the place in about a year and a half, but I've had so many wonderful years here that I want to help anyone who may be slightly interested get involved and utilize (and hopefully improve) this rare and precious resource. read more