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<\/a>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.<\/p>\n
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, \u201cWine is best served at 57 degrees but beer should be served chilled from 36 to 42 degrees.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schmitt likes to think of 57 Degrees as an event center. \u201cWe specialize in birthdays and private parties of 20 to 250 people but we can accommodate up to 550 people \u2013 we have even had \u2018speed dating\u2019 here.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably our most popular event happens on the third Friday of every month [except December] when eight food trucks pull into our rear parking lot,\u201d Schmitt said. \u201cPatrons can order food from the trucks then come up stairs to get beer or wine at the inside bar.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schmitt said they\u2019ve even recently held several politically-based events, including one for Interim Mayor Todd Gloria.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Mecham said her current favorite beer is \u2018Claritas,\u2019 brewed by Bob Hesse in North Park, and her favorite wine to recommend is \u201cFirst Press,\u201d a 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.<\/p>\n \u201cI grew up in a building industry family. I still do carpentry but some day I want to own my own wine bar,\u201d Mecham said. \u201cIf you come in to 57 Degrees I promise that I will find you a designer beer that you will like.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The art work is curated by long time San Diego art scene participant Guy Lombardo, who is distantly related to the 1940\u2019s band leader of the same name.<\/p>\n Lombardo is both an artist and a curator with a special interest in the intersection of psychology and art.<\/p>\n \u201cI see this as an opportunity to represent artists,\u201d Lombardo said. \u201cAt 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Lombardo\u2019s current art exhibition is entitled \u201cThe All American Show.\u201d 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 \u201cMagical Realism,\u201d 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\u2019s shows at 57 Degrees.<\/p>\n \u201cI just love this place\u2014it\u2019s like a big warehouse and the circular bar is so cool,\u201d JudyJudyJudy said. \u201cEven 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.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Jeff Govoni, a fifth grade teacher at High Tech High in Point Loma who was also at the reception, liked JudyJudyJudy\u2019s work so much he bought one of her paintings.<\/p>\n \u201cI just couldn\u2019t resist!\u201d he said.<\/p>\n For further information visit FiftySevenDegrees.com<\/a>. If you would like to have your art work considered for the gallery, please contact Guy Lombardo at guylombardo@gmail.com.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n