Slow down summer. This is a song that local musician Rob Mehl performs and it\u2019s also our request to the universe as we roll into the second half of the year. With so many new things happening downtown, we want to do it all this summer. Here are two highlights that are sure to be the talk of the town: \u2022 After taking almost a year off from the restaurant business, San Diego celebrity chef Brian Malarkey is back. The award-winning chef and nightclub developer and Stingaree owner James Brennan are opening Searsucker, a 7,000-square-foot restaurant on the corner of Fifth and Market. “I\u2019m thrilled. We have a great team and a good location. I\u2019ve always wanted to have my own restaurant, so I\u2019m excited,” Malarkey said. Named after the fabric originally worn by the working class but now a popular fashion trend, Searsucker will offer something for everyone. “I wanted to build a place where people can come, eat good food and hang out with friends as long as they want. This will be a neighborhood restaurant, a friendly place with a nice atmosphere,” Malarkey said. The new American classic menu will include quail, rabbit-and-rattlesnake sausage, pork belly and locally-brewed beers. Live music will also be part of the scene. Another plus \u2014 guests will be able to interact with Malarkey thanks to the exhibition kitchen with bar-style seating. Down the road, there will be brunch, a lunch counter and late-night service. Seems like these two have thought of everything. \u2022 The Dinner Detective is a brand new interactive murder mystery dinner show. It all happens on the second floor of the Embassy Suites Hotel and unlike other shows, the action starts right away. That\u2019s because the actors aren\u2019t in costumes practicing their lines backstage. They\u2019re mingling with the real guests, posing as happy couples and tourists on vacation. No joke. Imagine our surprise when we discovered that the nice math professor we met in line was really an actor. While you\u2019re waiting, everyone is given a name tag and encouraged to have an alias. We decided to go with Chubby Limes and Abby Normal. The people at our table were extremely nice. Too bad we couldn\u2019t tell if they were actors or real guests. The uncertainty made for an exciting evening. Co-owners Allison and Kasey Learned bought the franchise in San Diego because it was a good business model they couldn\u2019t pass up. “I previously acted in the Long Beach shows and loved it because performers may actually be seated at your table, so part of the fun from the beginning is trying to figure out who\u2019s involved in the crime and who\u2019s not,” Allison said. Marco Garcia, who chose “Fingers” as his alias, said he had fun trying to make people think he was part of the show. He was so good that some people thought he was the murderer. Turns out he was a local firefighter celebrating Father\u2019s Day with his wife. “I love doing stuff where I have to figure things out,” he said. “I had never done a show like this before. I liked how it was interactive and you could go to another table and mess with people in a fun way.” We do have some tips. Embassy Suites will validate your parking ticket, so don\u2019t waste time looking for a spot. Don\u2019t be afraid to visit other tables. As Marco told us \u2014 it\u2019s fun to keep people guessing. In the end, our two guesses were actually audience members. And that friendly guy who sat with us? He was an actor. Yup, we were punked. \u2014 Marc and Darlynne Menkin are the co-owners of Where You Want To Be Tours. Many of their tours and teambuilding Scavenger Hunts feature secret downtown areas. www.wheretours.com<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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