San Diego, CA
Slightly Stoopid Frontman Buys Iconic Bar Where He Grew Up | San Diego Magazine
OB is weird. And locals like it that way. Change doesn’t come easily to the beach town that prides itself on offbeat as the norm and counterculture as the status quo. So when the former owner of The Harp Anthony “Tony” Fleming passed suddenly last October, the fate of the beloved Irish pub seemed murky.
Would it get snapped up by outside investors? Would it change the vibe of Newport Avenue? Would it turn into another quirky bar with moody bronze light fixtures, explosively kitschy patterned wallpaper, and ironically named $25 cocktails?
As of today, OBceians can rest easy. The Harp now officially has four new owners—all locals, all familiar faces.
Miles Doughty (fourth from L) and Slightly Stoopid
Miles Doughty is the frontman and lead singer of Slightly Stoopid, an Ocean Beach-based reggae-rock band that Doughty started with Kyle McDonald and Adam Bausch in 1994. Jeremy Diem is the current president and CEO of Hodad’s, the OG best burger in SD. Tyson Green and Steve Ashton are longtime best friends and regular fixtures behind Ocean Beach bars like Mother’s Saloon (R.I.P.), Sunshine Company Saloon, and Aquarius Bar & Grille.
The four friends initially banded together in order to get into the hospitality business, hoping to purchase Cheswick’s West on Newport Avenue. Negotiations didn’t pan out, and when Fleming passed away, Green says the opportunity to buy The Harp instead felt like fate.
“Things happen for a reason, and that was a blessing,” he says, explaining that a larger space with a kitchen and live music element better fit the group’s vision. Doughty agrees, adding that he hopes to leverage his music industry experience to bring more bands and live music to The Harp. It’s all their first experience with ownership, but none of them are worried.
“It’s cool to be able to do it with your friends that have been in the bar business for 25-years plus,” says Doughty. Green agrees, fully confident in the assembled team. “I have no fear,” he laughs. “It’s an amazing feeling to know we’re going to kill it and that’s just the way it’s going to be.”
Doughty is the only born-and-raised OB local, but everyone has roots in the beach town that go back decades and intend to keep the spirit of The Harp and Ocean Beach as it has been. However, Doughty adds, they do plan to eventually renovate and rebrand the space once they have a few months of summer service under their belts. But he assures me that everyone will still be welcome at the all-ages space with plenty of good music, food, and family fun.
Open today, the new owners are taking on what has historically been The Harp’s busiest weekend—St. Patrick’s Day as their first official debut. “We’re going to throw ourselves to the wolves and let it rip,” laughs Green. “We’re super fired up—OB’s in for some cool shit.”
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
San Diego Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day This Weekend
Corned beef is a great way to sop up Guinness and Jameson, and there will be plenty of all three across San Diego this weekend. Pacific Beach’s Duck Dive is serving a corned beef egg and hash breakfast special and traditional corned beef hash for dinner Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. North Park Beer Company’s Bankers Hill location is running a couple Irish food specials (plus plenty of beer, duh) on Saturday and Sunday.
On Sunday, The Smoking Gun in Gaslamp is slinging corned beef tacos, Barleymash will have a Reuben sandwich special (plus plenty of Irish-inspired cocktails and green beer), and The Lion’s Share will host an “Irish Goodbye” pop-up menu of Irish bites and cocktails from Ian Ward (bar manager at Addison).
Beth’s Bites
It’s the South Park Spring Walkabout this Saturday from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., and there are like, a bajillion amazing places to stop, shop, sip, and savor. If you’re not sure where to start, The Rose just released a handful of new spring cocktails, so that seems as good a place as any.
A new Mexican restaurant coming to Little Italy? Sign me up.
I finally stopped by Shawarma Guys’ new brick and mortar location in La Mesa to get their lemon cream chop fries and a Wagyu beef shawarma cheesesteak. Both excellent, although I think the cheesesteak could have been a little bigger. (Am I challenging myself to a Shawarma Guys x Giorgino’s cheesesteak-off??)
OCEANSIDE — The Frontwave Arena scoreboard showed 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Up 16, Francis Parker’s win over Westview High School for the CIF San Diego Section Open Division girls basketball championship was secure.
“No, no, no!” Parker head coach Courtney Clements screamed to freshman guard Jordan Brown, telling her there was no need to score.
So Brown walked the ball up the floor, from the backcourt, across midcourt, a 1,000-watt smile etched across her face.
With no Wolverines defending her, Brown dribbled from side to side across the logo. Then, a fraction of a moment before the final buzzer sounded, Brown flung the basketball high toward the rafters, then was engulfed by teammates.
The job was complete. Parker’s first Open Division title in program history was secure, the final reading 66-50 on Saturday night.
Of those final seconds, said Brown, who scored 23 points. “It was a surreal moment, knowing we worked for this all year long. It’s amazing.”
One reason it was amazing was because the top-seeded Lancers (21-7) were a decided favorite, but were stressed by the sixth-seeded Wolverines (20-9). Led by UC Santa Barbara-bound senior guard Sarah Heyn (18 points in the first half), Westview led 35-28 early in the third quarter.
“I just knew I had to do whatever it took to win,” said Brown. “Whether that was defense or offense. I just wanted to win, period.”
Sparked by its defense, Parker closed the quarter on a 14-0 run. Westview’s final 11 possessions of the quarter ended with five missed shots and six turnovers.
Still, the game wasn’t over. Heyn cut the deficit to 48-44 with just over six minutes to play on a bucket. But with 5:47 to play, Heyn was whistled for her fifth foul on a reach-in.
“Knowing their best player fouled out, we sealed the win,” said Brown.
As for Heyn, who finished with 23 points, she sat on the bench and pulled her jersey over her eyes, hiding tears.
Clements’ thoughts when Heyn fouled out? “I hope we can put this game away now.”
That the Lancers did, outscoring Westview 18-6 down the stretch.
The Lancers’ players and coach were effusive in their praise for Heyn, a four-year starter.
“She’s a great player,” said Brown.
“She played phenomenally,” said Clements. “She played the way you would think a senior would play in a championship game. She played desperately. She played every possession like it was the last 20 seconds of the game. She was extremely impressive. (Heyn buried five 3s, missing only once from deep.) She should be proud of herself.”
Clements was proud of her team for another reason. After blowing out two-time reigning Open Division champion Mission Hills by 26 in the semis, some thought Parker might cruise in the title game.
“I figured it was going to be a fight, and it was,” said Clements. “It was good that our girls had to come together, had to stick together. That’s what this is all about, developing character via the sport of basketball. When the kids face adversity, they have to make a decision. Who do they want to be? They showed the best version of themselves. That’s what I want to remember from a game like this.”
Francis Parker’s primary color is brown, which is fitting for the girls basketball team. They are led not only by the freshman Jordan Brown, but also junior Brieana Brown, a strong, aggressive and athletic 5-foot-11 wing.
Brieana Brown scored 25 points and yanked down a team-best eight rebounds.
About the team in brown being led by the Browns (who are not related), Jordan Brown said: “It’s super cool. I love Bri and our story. So many people think we’re related, that we’re siblings. In reality, we’re not, but we play like it.”
Francis Parker and Westview both will advance to the Southern California Regionals.
Earlier in the season, Clements — who was dressed in all black for the championship game — confessed she wasn’t crazy about Parker’s primary color. Her mood shifted Saturday night.
“Brown’s doing well for me now,” she said.
Asked if Lancers’ Brown squared tandem represents the best one-two girls basketball punch in the San Diego Section, Clements gave the questioner a “What do you think?” smirk.
“That,” said the coach of the Open Division champions, “is a no-brainer.”
Joan Endres
OBITUARY
Born January 1939 in Cincinnati Ohio. Died February 14, 2026, in San Diego, California, with her sons at her side. Her beloved husband Dean passed away in 2010.
Joan was the only child of Thomas and Edna Palmer. In 1943, the family moved to San Diego, where Joan graduated from Helix High School in 1956.
In 1957 Joan married Dean Endres of San Diego, where they raised two sons. Joan followed her two great passions outside the home, the Arts, and Gardening. Both activities being a way to bring beauty to others and to the community.
Joan received a degree in Environmental Design from San Diego State University, and afterwords worked at UCSD, for the Campus Architect.
As an artist, Joan worked in various media, especially ceramics. She was active in many cultural and arts organizations, eventually becoming President of the Combined Organization for the Visual Arts (COVA). Later she turned to gardening, with the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca Community College and the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County.
Joan is survived by her son Jeff and wife Katrin, grandson Jackson, and son Todd Endres, all of La Mesa, and sisters Alice Buck of Phoenix, Elaine Kennedy of San Diego, Nancy and husband Don Jones of Vista, Eva Budzinski of Cloudcroft, New Mexico, and their children and grandchildren.
There will be a Celebration of Life for Joan in the near future. Those who wish to attend should contact celebratejoanuvart@gmail.com to receive details when they are confirmed. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests a donation to the Water Conservation Garden or the Diego Visual Arts Network (SDVAN).
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