Discover Pacific Beach (DPB) officials literally laid their cards on the table March 15 during their 14th annual Casino Night dinner and awards aboard the Robert D. Evans in an event catered by the Catamaran Hotel. Discover Pacific Beach Executive Director Sara Berns called the event a success after the gala drew an estimated 130 guests. For the first time, Discover Pacific Beach combined its annual dinner with the business awards as a matter of practicality. “Traditionally, we have our annual dinner event in the fall before the holiday season, but we decided to change it this year to March because we have so many events already scheduled for this fall,” said Berns. Among the guests were District 2 City Councilman Kevin Faulconer, Assistant Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman, Capt. Brian Ahearn of the police department’s Northern Division, officer Ben Douglas of Northern Division’s Beach Team, Deputy District Attorney Terri Winbush and park ranger Karolynn Estrada. Douglas was honored with the Outstanding Community Partner Award and Estrada earned the Outstanding Volunteer Award. This year’s business honorees went to: • Oscar’s Mexican Seafood (4658 Mission Blvd.) — Newbie Award, recognizing the best new business; • Turquoise Coffee (873 Turquoise St.) — Design and Improvement Award, recognizing aesthetic improvements in the community, and; • Surfindian (703 Turquoise St.) — Heart of PB Award, reflecting the culture and spirit of Pacific Beach. Other volunteer awards went to: • Lisa Wells (Outstanding Beachfest Volunteer); • Billy Ramirez and Doug Sondomowicz (Community Patron Award); and • Carol Blomstrom (Mike Duran Award). There were also honorable mentions given out for donations to the event’s live auction: Superpawn, for donating a diamond ring; and Bill and Catalina Eckert for donating a Hawaiian condo. In addition to the live auction, a silent auction featured many other items donated by Pacific Beach businesses and vendors. “The annual dinner and award for Discover PB is an opportunity for the organization to celebrate all of its accomplishments and to recognize the many volunteers, partners and — most importantly — the businesses that make the Pacific Beach Business Improvement District the amazing vibrant neighborhood that it is,” Berns said. Discover PB will host a Bocce Ball Tournament on April 28 and is looking for sponsors for the annual Holiday Parade in December. For more information on Discover Pacific Beach events, visit www.pacificbeach.org.