Mingei celebrates San Diego Craft Collective.

The Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park has a great exhibit outside its east entrance that celebrates the San Diego Craft Collective. Beautiful objects crafted by members of the collective are proudly displayed!

A collaboration between the Mingei and the San Diego Craft Collective makes perfect sense. The museum collects, conserves and exhibits folk art, craft, and design. The family-friendly San Diego Craft Collective, located in Liberty Station, teaches it members traditional craft, including woodworking, ceramics, textiles, fiber arts, glass art and more. They are dedicated to sustainability, utilizing natural and recycled materials. The collective even teaches organic gardening!

A couple years ago I visited the San Diego Craft Collective. I was amazed by the extent of their facility and the diversity of work by its members. If you want to read that past blog post and see those photographs, click here.

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Wile E. Coyote chases Road Runner in Seaport Village!

Wile E. Coyote was spotted today chasing Road Runner through Seaport Village!

I noticed the crazy pursuit directly in front of the Chuck Jones Gallery. After stepping into the cartoon art gallery I learned these two fun sculptures were placed outside today!

I also learned the Chuck Jones Gallery will host a variety of artist events during Comic-Con, which is in a little over two months. Those activities are listed here.

If you love Looney Tunes, Dr. Seuss, Peanuts and other popular art, cartoons and animation, you need to pay a visit!

A remodel of the Fleet Science Center!

Look at this! The Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park has a new entrance!

A remodel of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center building has altered the visitor experience. The main entrance and lobby are now near the old IMAX theater lobby. The museum’s original entrance has been repurposed, turning it into new gallery space.

In addition, the Fleet Science Center’s café will soon be enlarged. Once the café reopens, there will still be outdoor dining, plus a dedicated spot where visitors can purchase always super popular soft serve ice cream.

I ventured inside the remodeled museum yesterday…

The spacious new lobby and front desk…

Looking to my left, there are displays and images on a temporary partition. Somewhere beyond it will be the enlarged café. (Not sure about a gift shop. Forgot to ask.)

After moving through much of the museum, I peeked into the original lobby, which is currently roped off. It will become new gallery space.

The new main entrance to the Fleet Science Center is where that blue canopy is. What do you think?

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High school art showcased at Comic-Con Museum!

High school students from around San Diego created art that is now showcased in a special exhibition at the Comic-Con Museum. Visual Storytellers: Honors Show 2026 features diverse work nominated by teachers as examples of artistic excellence and meaningful storytelling.

Participating high schools in the San Diego Unified School District are: Canyons Hills, Crawford, La Jolla, Lincoln, LMEC, Mira Mesa, Morse, Patrick Henry, Point Loma, Scripps Ranch and SDSCPA.

Congratulations to everyone whose great artwork was selected!

The exhibition can be viewed along the walls of what used to be a cafeteria back when the Federal Building housed the Hall of Champions. There’s two dimensional and three dimensional art to experience.

If you need a snack or drink while walking through Balboa Park, you can enter this area next to the museum entrance and make use of the vending machines. Check out some cool Star Wars posters on the opposite wall, too!

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Star Wars Book Night at Ronald McDonald House!

Star Wars Book Night was held this evening at the Ronald McDonald House in San Diego!

An epic group of Star Wars cosplayers gathered for this “May the Fourth” event, and it all was for an extremely good cause. Children at the Ronald McDonald House got to take photos with favorite Star Wars characters, grab a bunch of books, and even enjoy stories read aloud by assorted Mandalorians and friends! Grogu was there, too!

The Ronald McDonald House San Diego operates as a home away from home for families of seriously ill children who are being treated at nearby Rady Children’s Hospital.

This super fun charitable event was brought to life by costumed members of the Legacy Cosplay Society, and by the good people of Char Car.

You might remember I blogged about Char Car back during the Holiday Bowl Parade. Dr. Elizabeth and Ron Valles have dedicated themselves to promoting literacy and spreading happiness by distributing and reading books to kids.

Char Car, to acquire books, engages in special fundraisers–for example with the San Diego Gulls hockey team. Here’s their Instagram page if you’d like to learn more and follow them!

Okay! This is what I saw as I arrived at Ronald McDonald House…

Star Wars cosplayers gathered for a very good cause. They stood behind a long table full of books and toys that kids at Ronald McDonald House could take and enjoy!

Lots of super cool Star Wars cosplay by young and old alike!

Dr. Elizabeth Valles (the Grammylorian) and Ron Valles with Char Car helpers. Thank you for being on the compassionate Light Side of The Force and making the world a better place!

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The original palace of the Fish Taco King.

You’re looking at a true landmark in San Diego.

In 1983 a modest Orange Julius stand in Pacific Beach was converted into a palace. It would become the original palace of Ralph Rubio, who today is known as the Fish Taco King.

Rubio, credited with making fish tacos popular in Southern California, opened this very first restaurant on Mission Bay Drive. Lovers of nostalgia and tasty Mexican food can still visit it today.

The first Rubio’s location retains its simple charm. To me it resembles both a taco stand and a vintage roadside diner. The menu might have expanded from the original (when fish tacos sold for 99 cents), but I can attest their food remains mouth-watering good. I enjoyed a couple fish tacos the other day. I also took this photo.

If you’d like to visit the original home of Rubio’s Coastal Grill, head over to 4504 E. Mission Bay Drive, just off Interstate 5 in Pacific Beach. Then perhaps head to the beach for a perfect San Diego day!

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Photos of past Cinco de Mayo festivals!

It looks like I’ll be missing Cinco de Mayo events this year. Too busy with work. So I figured: why not revisit past Cinco de Mayo festivals around San Diego?

Here we go!

Click the upcoming links to enjoy several past blog posts!

Click the following links for many more photographs…

Photographs of Cinco de Mayo in the Gaslamp!

Photos of Escondido’s Cinco de Mayo!

Colorful fun at Old Town’s Cinco de Mayo!

Photos of Cinco de Mayo fiesta in Old Town!

Photos of Cinco de Mayo in Balboa Park!

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Star Wars Day(s) at the San Diego library!

Star Wars fans will soon be gathering at the San Diego Central Library. Fun, creative activities will be available in the IDEA Maker Lab on May the Fourth (be with you) and (revenge of the) Fifth!

You’ll have the opportunity to paint mini lightsabers, 3D print droids, make Star Wars buttons, participate in a scavenger hunt (and win prizes), and more. All ages welcome.

Registration is encouraged but not required.

To learn more about this cool event, click here and here!

Exhibit recalls Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres.

An exhibit inside downtown’s Central Library remembers the Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres. Photographs and memorabilia fill a display case on the Eighth Floor, in a corner of the San Diego Ted Williams SABR Chapter Research Center.

Before the San Diego Padres became an expansion team of Major League Baseball back in 1969, the minor league Padres competed in the Pacific Coast League. Between 1936 and 1957 they played at Lane Field near downtown’s waterfront; they would later play at Westgate Park in Mission Valley from 1958 to 1967, and San Diego Stadium in 1968.

The display case might bring back fond memories for old-timers. In addition to many fun, historical photos, there’s a Padres home jersey and cap (1954-1968), old game tickets and other ephemera.

The display items are courtesy of Bill Swank, Tom Larwin, and the San Diego Padres.

The Sullivan Family Baseball Research Center at the San Diego Central Library is a mecca for baseball fans. It’s the largest baseball research collection outside of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York!

Padres fans should go check it out!

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Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness in San Diego.

A new exhibition is on display in the windows of The Courthouse Gallery in downtown San Diego. It’s titled Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

I was walking down Broadway past the Edward J. Schwartz United States Courthouse when I spied the beautiful artwork this morning.

You can learn more about the exhibition and the talented local artists by clicking here!

These photos represent a fraction of the current exhibition.

When you go for a walk, there’s no telling what you might discover!