Will Bowen | Downtown News

Rare wines from around the world, beer brewed locally in San Diego, a pannini and gourmet cheese deli, wall-to-wall art from North and South America, a night view of the San Diego skyline and airport, three large screen TVs, a free pool table, a circular bar – plus savvy lighting, exquisite interior decorating, and great ambience throughout all 14,000 square feet of the warehouse style space, all come together to make wine bar 57 Degrees the most happening place on Hancock Street.

The space, located where Mission Hills meets Little Italy at 1735 Hancock St., was formerly Pier One Imports. The luxuriant interior was redesigned and decorated by co-owner/wine partner Russ Kindom. Kindom says he tries to specialize his wine list and will not carry anything that can be found at Vons or Costco.

Beau Schmitt is the beer partner in the venture. He currently stocks 31 different types of beer on tap, all of which are brewed in San Diego County. According to Schmitt, “Wine is best served at 57 degrees but beer should be served chilled from 36 to 42 degrees.”

Schmitt likes to think of 57 Degrees as an event center. “We specialize in birthdays and private parties of 20 to 250 people but we can accommodate up to 550 people – we have even had ‘speed dating’ here.

“Probably our most popular event happens on the third Friday of every month [except December] when eight food trucks pull into our rear parking lot,” Schmitt said. “Patrons can order food from the trucks then come up stairs to get beer or wine at the inside bar.”

Schmitt said they’ve even recently held several politically-based events, including one for Interim Mayor Todd Gloria.

Gabbi Mecham is a bartender at 57 Degrees who usually works in the evenings after classes at SDSU, where she is a senior majoring in business. Before that she was a Navy Seabee doing construction work for the military.

Mecham said her current favorite beer is ‘Claritas,’ brewed by Bob Hesse in North Park, and her favorite wine to recommend is “First Press,” a 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.

“I grew up in a building industry family. I still do carpentry but some day I want to own my own wine bar,” Mecham said. “If you come in to 57 Degrees I promise that I will find you a designer beer that you will like.”

57 Degrees is also known for its on going art show, which features art work on all four walls. Every two to three months for the last three years, the show has changed and there is always a reception for the new artists involved.

The art work is curated by long time San Diego art scene participant Guy Lombardo, who is distantly related to the 1940’s band leader of the same name.

Lombardo is both an artist and a curator with a special interest in the intersection of psychology and art.

“I see this as an opportunity to represent artists,” Lombardo said. “At a certain point in your career you want to help other artists. Many of the artists in my shows have developed their style just from being a part of things here and that is very gratifying for me.”

Lombardo’s current art exhibition is entitled “The All American Show.” It includes art from 20 different artists from both North and South America and will run through January 2014. Probably the most interesting work in the show is that of the South American artists. Marisol de las Casas, of Talento Espano and the Centro Cultural Raza in Balbao Park, helped Lombardo curate these works. They are very special, with a flavor of “Magical Realism,” and you might never see them anywhere else.

Much of the North American art is abstract and/or mixed media with a few impressionistic portraits, such those by JudyJudyJudy, who is the owner and proprietor of JudyJudyJudy Hair Salon in La Jolla. JudyJudyJudy, whose name comes from the famous movie line spoken by Cary Grant, has had her art in the last three of Lombardo’s shows at 57 Degrees.

“I just love this place—it’s like a big warehouse and the circular bar is so cool,” JudyJudyJudy said. “Even though I am the vice president of the La Jolla Art Association and have curated shows in their gallery, I like to think of this place as my secret spot to show my art.”

Chiaki Kakeda, a Japanese exchange student studying English at the EC Language School in La Jolla, was at the opening reception on Nov. 16. Kakeda said she likes Salvador Dali, Monet, traditional Japanese brush art, and Japanese animation, but her favorite artist in the show was JudyJudyJudy.

Jeff Govoni, a fifth grade teacher at High Tech High in Point Loma who was also at the reception, liked JudyJudyJudy’s work so much he bought one of her paintings.

“I just couldn’t resist!” he said.

For further information visit FiftySevenDegrees.com. If you would like to have your art work considered for the gallery, please contact Guy Lombardo at [email protected].

Will Bowen writes about arts and culture. You can reach him at [email protected].