Episode 81: The Kings of Cannery Row

Want to hear about a bet over killing Bin Laden? Well, on a road trip from TGJ HQ to Gearhart—and after a series of hard-to-believe phone calls—TGJ Assistant Editor Casey Bannon found himself hearing all about it in the private wine cellar of the world famous Sardine Factory, just down the road from 17 Mile Drive. Across the table from him sat owner Ted Balestreri, a man for whom a statue was erected in Monterey, and Balestreri’s longtime friend/ former CIA Director/ Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. The three discuss the revitalization of Cannery Row, the people that call it home, the art of dining, and how golf—plus an expensive bottle of wine—were intertwined with a wager that took down Bin Laden.