Entertainment Guide producers Derrik Chinn and Keli Dailey answered questions from readers during a Thursday afternoon online chat at signonsandiego.com/chat.

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keli_dailey(P) hello hello one and all

moderator(P) Welcome. This is our first entertainment chat of the year. We hope everyone had a happy New Year.

moderator(P) welcome mmmmjjj555

Tummy_Eater(Q) What were the top 3 best albums of 2007?

derrik_chinn(A) 1. LCD Soundsystem - "Sound of Silver" 2. Burial - "Untrue" 3. UGK - "Underground Kingz" and 4, 5 and 6: Daft Punk - "Alive 2007"

moderator(P) So Derrik, what did you do for New Years?

moderator(P) Welcome simon. What's up?

Tummy_Eater(Q) Entertainment Guide people: What are the best places to explore in San Diego? What are the hidden fun places to go and find kitschy, weird things to do/see/buy/hear/laugh at?

keli_dailey(A) I like to chase down the 4x4 performance series by the Sushi crew, usually at the Bluetooth.

keli_dailey(P) They alternate between dance and indy performance art pieces.

keli_dailey(P) The crowd's real eclectic, too. (Audience is part of the show, in fact).

simon(Q) not much what are we talking about

moderator(A) anything you want to. derrik and keli are here to talk about anything.

derrik_chinn(P) On NYE, I found myself in the City of Angels to see Peaches and Justice.

keli_dailey(P) We'll talk about anything. Your childhood dreams...

derrik_chinn(P) Tell the world what you're up to this weekend, Simon.

moderator(P) How was the show?

derrik_chinn(P) Fun but overrated. I learned my lesson: Never go to a NYE's party that has its own MySpace page.

keli_dailey(P) Peaches is always raunchy good times. I saw her guest in a movie once. Was it "Silverfish" or whatever that movie with Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman was.

moderator(P) welcome sandiego. what's happening?

derrik_chinn(P) This was my third time to see her ... and she was entertaining, for sure. But I just long for the days when obnoxious drunk twentysomething girls in spaghetti strap dresses didn't know who she was.

keli_dailey(P) Hey Derrik, come on over here and help me answer a question.

keli_dailey(P) not in real life.

keli_dailey(P) What's funny in San Diego?

derrik_chinn(P) You fooled me.

keli_dailey(P) Comedy clubs (Jon Lovitz at Aubergine, comedy palace) seem to obvious

derrik_chinn(P) What ISN'T funny in San Diego. If you drive around long enough, you'll come across more than enough for a whole John Waters film.

moderator(P) OK, I know this isn't San Diego related, but ... Did anyone see Letterman last night?

derrik_chinn(P) Just the other day I passed a bum sifting through a dumpster and he had the smoothest, tannest, shaved legs I've ever seen.

moderator(P) That beard was scary.

derrik_chinn(P) And I hear U31, that new bar in North Park, has comedy acts on some nights.

derrik_chinn(P) But hey, that's what casinos are for, right?

sandiego(Q) when is that balboa theater opening? and what is happening there when it does?

keli_dailey(A) There's a great lineup for it's public preview Jan. 11 - 13 -- check out their website (and a shameless plug for ours here: http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/events/balboa-theatre-tours/)

keli_dailey(P) Back to funny San Diego. Ice skating at the Horton will be over this weekend, right as the dark storms overtake us. That's funny.

moderator(P) i still can't believe san diego has an outdoor ice skating rink for the holidays

keli_dailey(P) The one at the Hotel Del was very sweaty.

derrik_chinn(P) Yeah, you'd think indoor ice rinks would be the way to go around here. I mean, even in the Midwest they stick to indoor ones.

keli_dailey(P) In the Midwest they do outdoor football stadiums. It snows there. Logic?

derrik_chinn(P) That's what beer is for.

keli_dailey(P) Speaking of beer, you and I need to head to PacShores for happy hour!

moderator(P) OK, back to Letterman. Am I the only one who checked out the return of late night television?

keli_dailey(P) Uhh....if I watch tv its Mystery something on PBS. Or Mystery Science Theater.

keli_dailey(P) Once they got rid of Veronica Mars, all San Diego stopped watching TV.

moderator(P) I'm amazed at how little TV people in this city watch. Or at least the people I know in this city.

keli_dailey(P) You know eggheads.

derrik_chinn(P) no TV, but no one goes out, either.

keli_dailey(P) That's a good thing! Bill Gates is an egghead.

derrik_chinn(P) WHAT DOES EVERYONE DO? God.

keli_dailey(P) EVERYONE chats live, browses dating profiles online, moodily pushes through Trader Joe's, goes to iPod parties...

moderator(P) So Keli, Cavemen wasn't a reason for San Diegans to return to TV?

keli_dailey(P) Speaking of TV...I'm trying to find places to watch the Iowa Caucus here in SD.

keli_dailey(P) There are only parties for the O and the H.

keli_dailey(P) Thoughts?

moderator(P) My apartment after the gym. I'll be glued to CNN until the results come in.

keli_dailey(P) Great. The moderator's apartment is available for all Kucinich supporters. That's your candidate right?

keli_dailey(P) Is he the one who saw a. UFO? No, that was my fellow Texan, Ron Paul, right?

moderator(P) I am not registered to vote, so I have no candidates. When I finally get registered, I'll start having an opinion.

Mark(Q) Better burrito......JV's or Robertos?

derrik_chinn(A) I don't know ... Which Robertos? We're usually loyal to the -bertos.

moderator(P) Actually, I'm remaining mum.

keli_dailey(P) We call them "Betos"

derrik_chinn(P) No, Keli, we do what we can to speak without our S's when talking the Spanish. In honor of Father Fidel and salsa.

keli_dailey(P) How can you say salsa without a smile (and an "s")?

Mark(Q) Pick your favorite "bertos", do you like it better than JV's? Assuming you have been to JV's?

derrik_chinn(A) Well, I'll just answer by quoting a recent Burrito Chronicle. "Tests of manhood are just waiting to throw themselves at you everywhere you turn. In the maxipad aisle at the grocery store. In line for the mallet game at the fair. Or at JV's, where the entire contents of your home aquarium can be skinned, gutted, fried and repackaged in a tortilla the size of a stop sign. Little did I know on this day I would be man enough to become the adoptive dad of an 8-pound (I swear, I'm not kidding) fish and shrimp burrito. And like some piece-of-trash parent, I abandoned the half I couldn't finish in the office fridge. One can rearrange only so many organs at such short notice, and, really, all I wanted was a 4-pound lunch."

derrik_chinn(P) Read more here: http://www.signonsandiego.com/entertainment/street/2007/11/burrito_chronicles_eating_tong.html

keli_dailey(P) Better than Graham Greene, Derrik. Good stuff.

moderator(P) welcome aztecfire

keli_dailey(P) Aztecfire. What's happening on the campuses with the kids? Tell us all the latest.

Mark(Q) Hilarious!

derrik_chinn(A) You're slapping your knee. I just know it.

aztecfire(Q) thanks

moderator(A) You're welcome. Anythign you'd like to talk about. We were just discussing the burritos at JV's.

Mark(Q) Back in the mid 90's or so, there was a smokin hot bar called the Barefoot Bar out on vacation village. Sunday afternoons there had to be the best party in town. Is this place still happening?

derrik_chinn(A) Dude, I have no idea. I turned 21 in 2002.

derrik_chinn(P) But the way things run in good ol' sleepy San Diego, I'd venture to say no. But then again, you never know.

aztecfire(Q) what is your take on the "new" venue at qualcomm stadium?

keli_dailey(A) Do you mean the stadium's parking lot? Home of last year's Street Scene? Well I hear it's bottleneck free. Thanks to 2.5 million square feet (that's like, 2.5 million times larger than my apartment)

moderator(P) Mark, I just asked our editor and she said she's never been there. But it isn't a place she hears people talking about.

Mark(Q) %%%%, you don't have to make me feel like the dinosaur that I am

derrik_chinn(A) Sorry ... just sayin'. Besides, the same happens to me whenever I realize kids who were born in 1990 are old enough to buy cigarettes.

Mark(Q) Then again, I'd be the "creepy old man" even if it were still rockin so I guess it doesnt matter

derrik_chinn(A) I'm of the variety who believes "creepy old man" is more a frame of mind than physical attribute.

moderator(P) Welcome gmora

aztecfire(Q) don't you read your own paper. AEG is going to do it's own venue 10,000 seats

keli_dailey(A) I was right about it being in the Qualcomm parking lot, though. Right? And I got here in late October...

keli_dailey(P) I'm sure it'll be a great site for touring concerts...wonder if they'll book any local acts.

aztecfire(Q) nope wrong it is going to be in the practice field

keli_dailey(A) So, how qualified am I to answer your question? it's adjacent to the parking lot, yes. In the field, yes. Our man in the stands George Varga pop critic Varga wrote about it last month. http://ww.uniontrib.com/news/metro/20071219-9999-7m19venue.html

moderator(P) Welcome justcurious. What are you wondering today?

aztecfire(Q) local act is just a play on local h-acks

derrik_chinn(A) OK, sure, the San Diego music scene is easy to make fun of. But Jesus has big plans for Grand Ole Party, and I must say I do enjoy falling asleep to the Album Leaf and Goddamn Electric Bill.

derrik_chinn(P) So aztecorama, what instrument do you play?

aztecfire(Q) at your age how was Seasme street live i guess those are the questions that should be asked?

keli_dailey(A) I actually prefer High School Musical. http://www.signonsandiego.com/entertainment/street/2007/12/in_any_medium_high_school_musi.html

derrik_chinn(P) I bet it's the tamborine. I just love percussion.

aztecfire(Q) i'm a tech i make them all sound good

derrik_chinn(A) COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.

keli_dailey(P) Why do musicians/audiences always complain about sound techs?

keli_dailey(P) Even Led Zep's concert, I hear, was all over the aural place.

moderator(P) Welcome jimleucadia

Mark(Q) Well I've wasted enough company time, have a good day. Peace!

moderator(A) Nice seeing you. Enjoy your weekend.

jimleucadia(Q) whos ready for mammoth

keli_dailey(A) The storm coming in this weekend is bringing a killer amount of snow tomorrow. http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Mammoth-Mountain/3day/mid

aztecfire(C) jealously not any one can be a sound tech but every one tries out for a garage band

jimleucadia(Q) Yea I saw that, Im trying to get a pre trip to mammoth in January b4 going to Whistler in Feb, if you know anyone that wants to go

keli_dailey(A) Ski/snow/cross country safely - wait, scratch that. Be reckless! Life's too short.

brian(Q) is it over?

moderator(A) Sorry, but yes Brian. But we'll be back next week.

moderator(P) Well folks, time goes by fast. Thanks for joining our chat today, and have a good weekend.

derrik_chinn(P) Later later.