Look what I spied today! A big new playground is being installed between the Chula Vista Marina and the new Gaylord Pacific Resort.
The playground will occupy a small space in the new Harbor Park, which will expand on present-day Chula Vista Bayside Park.
Kids are gonna love it!
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Once Upon a Fair is this year’s theme at the San Diego County Fair. What exactly does that mean? The fair in 2026 is celebrating reading books–and popular fiction and the classics take center stage!
The fair’s theme exhibit is filled with the wonders that readers find in books. The Wizard of Oz, Winnie the Pooh, Charlotte’s Web, Treasure Island, Harry Potter, Jules Verne, fairy tales we all know, Peter Rabbit, Superman, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Alice in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes . . . visitors encounter all the great characters and timeless stories generations have come to love!
There is reading aloud story time for the very young ones. There are opportunities for visitors to contribute their own writing. Everywhere you turn you’ll find tributes to famous authors and illustrators. Renowned authors with a San Diego connection are recognized. Visiting libraries is encouraged. The shelves of your local library are like open vaults where endless treasures await.
It was exciting to observe children running from display to display, breathlessly recognizing the books they had come to know. One large, playful section of the theme exhibit is dedicated to La Jolla’s own Dr. Seuss.
It was awesome!
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This happy mural was painted in 2017 at the Golden Hill Recreation Center. It depicts children together with nature.
Members of the community and volunteers with I Love a Clean San Diego came together on Coastal Cleanup Day to paint the colorful art. It decorates a retaining wall behind the center near the playground. You can see a photograph of the event and people working on the mural here.
Despite a little vandalism, the mural remains bright and beautiful almost ten years later. Flowers, butterflies, a hummingbird, coyote and rabbit populate a world where children jump and play.
A few photos for you to enjoy…
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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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There’s a special garden in Balboa Park you might not know about. It’s located outside the WorldBeat Cultural Center. Those heading along Park Boulevard can glimpse the greenery just south of the circular WorldBeat Cultural Center building.
Known by several names, including the Healing Peace Garden and Children’s Ethnobotany Garden, this green oasis can be visited by appointment or on special occasions.
Fortunately, the garden was open during the Global Earth Day festival last weekend. Having never stepped inside, I took advantage of the opportunity!
When I entered the Healing Peace Garden, I did feel at peace. The nearby street and urban surroundings seemed to vanish. I had entered what felt like a wholly natural place–a world of deep green, full of life and living.
Several footpaths pass shady nooks–places for mediation and contemplation. There are bits of art among the trees and plants, including a seating ring where people can gather to talk, create music, or simply absorb the surrounding beauty.
I was interested to learn the award-winning garden is considered the first sustainable, edible garden in Balboa Park, as well as a monarch butterfly waystation certified by Monarch Watch, and a wildlife habitat certified by the National Wildlife Federation.
The garden is used as an outdoor classroom, too. This webpage explains: The unique organic herb, fruit, and vegetable garden honors the memory of George Washington Carver, and is dedicated to teaching young people about the role of plants in society. Gardening classes are available to schools, youth programs, individuals and families by booking a workshop or requesting a docent at the WorldBeat Center.
Now let’s enter the garden and walk around…
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Do you readers know anything about this sculpture of children at play at the Grossmont Center shopping mall? I discovered it a few weeks ago during a walk in La Mesa and have endeavored to learn more. Nothing so far.
The bronze sculpture, in front of Barnes & Noble Booksellers, shows one child helping another to climb a wall. I found no plaque. Someone on Pinterest claims it has been there for many years and that other similar sculptures are located in the family-friendly shopping complex. If I return to Grossmont Center, I’ll have to look around some more.
Can you shed any light on this fun public art? Please leave a comment!
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People walking around Memorial Park in Chula Vista could easily miss this wonderful public art. It’s located on the other side of a fence at the north end of the park. The bronze sculpture depicting a loving mother and two children stands in front of the One Park Apartments.
Jugando is the name of the sculpture. That’s Spanish for the word “playing.” Jugando was created in 1986 by artist Miriam Newman. The graceful figures are very plain, almost featureless. Diverse people who regard these figures might personally relate.
The Smithsonian Institution Art Inventories Catalog describes the work: A woman stands holding a nude baby above her head with both hands. A young girl embraces the woman from the front. Both the woman and the young girl are wearing long, pleated skirts. All three figures are faceless.
I took these photos a couple weeks ago…
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You can help kids at Ronald McDonald House San Diego during the upcoming January 31, 2026 San Diego Gulls hockey game!
By purchasing a game ticket via the Gulls Star Wars Fundraiser, $5 dollars will go to supporting a special Star Wars Book Night on May the 4th at the Ronald McDonald House!
The event is organized by the good people who operate the non-profit Char Car. Char Car is a cool Pokémon tribute car and program that promotes literacy.
The supported event at Ronald McDonald House will include members of the San Diego Star Wars Society reading to the kids and posing for pictures. Grogu (Baby Yoda) ears will go to all the participating kids!
Learn more about Char Car at their Instagram page here. You can buy a Gulls Star Wars Fundraiser ticket there, or by scanning the Venmo code on the event flyer photo that I’ve posted above.
Here are photos from past Star Wars Book Nights at Ronald McDonald House…
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I ran into these good people this morning before the start of San Diego’s annual Holiday Bowl Parade. They operate the Char Car!
What’s the Char Car? A vehicle that celebrates Pokémon character Charmander, and that delivers books to kids in hospitals, schools and libraries!
Dr. Elizabeth Valles is a member of this smiling gang. She works at Rady Children’s Hospital. You might have seen her on KUSI television the other day. She was honored as KUSI Community Champion for her #ReadingonFire literacy campaigns. She and her team make the lives of children so much better, by promoting child literacy and spreading happiness.
Follow the Char Car’s Instagram page by clicking here. You can learn about their future events and perhaps even help them out!
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Above the clouds–above confused mists and storms–life is clear, bright and essentially good.
There’s a place in Escondido where you can rise above confining clouds, and even sit on them!
Dave Eassa: Head Above the Clouds is an immersive exhibition now showing at the California Center for the Arts Museum. Stepping into the gallery full of bright art is to launch yourself into sunny heights where memory, love, hopes and happiness are unbounded.
Colorful paintings brimming with joyful everyday life and wonder fill every horizon. Four sails suspended in the atmosphere soar with dreams created by young hands.
Here’s the exhibition’s webpage. It explains how artist Dave Eassa created a dreamscape shaped by memory, love, and imagination. Drawing from personal and familial archives, Eassa transforms the gallery into a space for reflection and connection, where life-sized portraits become monuments, clouds anchor the ground, and suspended sails carry the dreams of youth and community voices.
Dave Eassa is a San Diego-based visual artist, curator, and cultural organizer. Here’s his website. He is the Director of Philanthropy and Engagement at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla.
I learned that Dave Eassa himself helped children visiting the museum to create the art on the sails. The names of the young artists are even listed on one wall as visitors step into the gallery.
Super cool!
You have an opportunity to put your head above the clouds at the California Center for the Arts Museum through March 1, 2026.
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