Tag: community

Community art: One Day in the Life on Imperial.

A special art exhibition will soon be opening in Grant Hill, across Imperial Avenue from neighboring Logan Heights. One Day in the Life on Imperial will feature works by members of the San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild. The exhibition will be open to the public beginning March 21, 2026 at the TULAROSA gallery, located at 2602 Imperial Avenue. The Opening Reception is from 4 to 7 pm.

The San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild has initiated an “Atelier” for the purpose of experimentation with conceptual art and community engagement. This exhibition is its inaugural event. The Barrio Artists Partnership is participating, too. The Atelier artists have, for three months, been walking, talking, observing and creating art based on their community centered dialogue.

Seventeen artists from diverse areas of San Diego will present their finished art as well as their concept behind the art.

Everyone is invited to drop by and see their inspired work!

After March 29 the exhibit will be moved to Gallery 21 in Balboa Park’s Spanish Village Art Center, where it will open on April 7.

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House of Syria exhibit at Hall of Nations.

I wandered into Balboa Park’s Hall of Nations today. I was surprised to discover a great small exhibit by one of the newest members of the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages: the House of Syria!

I was given a friendly greeting as I examined various displays. Most prominent was a very beautiful backgammon set. I’ve learned backgammon is derived from games going back to Mesopotamia in ancient times, such as the Royal Game of Ur. I also spotted some tasty Syrian sweet pastries!

Like other International Cottage members, the House of Syria is very welcoming. Their website states: Our members are volunteers passionate about preserving Syrian culture and sharing it through events, exhibitions, traditional music and dance, and authentic Syrian cuisine. Whether you have roots in Syria or simply want to learn more about its culture and history, House of Syria welcomes you as part of our extended family.

Like other nation members who don’t have a cottage yet, that’s a future goal. Get in touch with these good people if you’d like to learn more.

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Petition to save Chula Vista’s official tall ship!

I’ve recently learned a bit of unsettling news. A petition has been launched to save Bill of Rights as Chula Vista’s official tall ship.

Here is the text of the petition:

The Schooner Bill of Rights has called Chula Vista, CA home for decades. In fact, she is the official tall ship of the city. Recently, we were notified that her home dock had decided to terminate our lease…and we have less than 2 months until the date they’ve decided we have to leave.

The Bill of Rights has been instrumental in thousands of people’s lives, between Sea Cadets, Boy Scouts, and sailors from around the world. We want the lease renewed so we can continue to be an accessible, contributing member of our local community and to the tall ship community as a whole.

If you have known her personally, please share how she has affected you and why it was so important. We’d love to hear from you.

Please, sign and save the Bill!

To visit the petition website, and perhaps add your own name and remarks, click here.

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Rotary Club of Coronado celebrates 100 years.

The Coronado Historical Association museum has a new exhibit. It celebrates the Rotary Club of Coronado’s 100 year anniversary in 2026.

With historical photographs and artifacts, A Century of Service: 100 Years of the Rotary Club of Coronado covers the history of the club, from its founding in 1926 by 21 members to the present day. More importantly, it details how club members have improved the local community, and have worked to help people all around the world.

I was stunned to learn about the sheer amount of charitable work these Rotarians have done!

The Rotary Club of Coronado has worked to train community members in emergency preparedness. During COVID they created a Neighbor to Neighbor program to help keep people informed and connected. They support the Coronado Hospital Foundation. They offer scholarships, mentorship and leadership opportunities to local youth. They support the Rotary Youth Exchange, Model United Nations, Music Scholarship Competitions, Speech Contests, Athlete Awards and more!

Helping people around the world, the Rotary Club of Coronado fundraises to eradicate polio. They support grants for organizations like Tanzania Hospital and Orphanage, Project Mercy Baja, and the Pan American Institute school in Tijuana, Mexico. They support Limbs of Freedom which provide prosthetics in Mexico. They also support Thousand Smiles, providing cleft lip and other care in Mexico, too.

So much good work!

Go check out the exhibit and prepare to be impressed!

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Support the House of Mexico scholarship program!

The House of Mexico, based in San Diego’s Balboa Park, offers scholarships to deserving local high school students. Why not help with the worthy program?

This webpage accepts donations and describes how students have benefitted in past years. Young scholars have gone on to attend UC San Diego, San Diego State University, UC Davis, Stanford, Boston University…

One way to support the effort is to buy tickets for the San Diego Gulls 4th Annual Mexican Heritage Night on Friday, April 3, 2026 by using the QR code on this webpage! Ticket buyers get to enjoy a great hockey game at Pechanga Arena and receive a cool scarf, too!

It’s extraordinary how the San Diego Gulls strongly support literacy and education in our community.

Thank you!

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San Diego AIDS Memorial at Olive Street Park.

You might remember how, years ago, KUSI television consumer advocate Michael Turko sought to develop a neglected plot of land on Olive Street in Bankers Hill into a city park. According to this webpage, in 1909, the Ford, McKee, and Woods families generously donated the 0.6-acre property to the city for the specific purpose of creating a public park for the community to enjoy.

I posted a blog that included the still undeveloped park back in 2015. See that old post here.

Today Olive Street Park welcomes one and all. It is also the site of the San Diego AIDS Memorial, which opened on World AIDS Day, Sunday, December 1, 2024.

With various plaques and signs, the memorial remembers the over 8,000 San Diegans who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS, and honors those who’ve supported them and have worked to defeat the devastating disease. Many compassionate people and organizations throughout San Diego County are recognized.

The neighborhood park is a grassy oasis with flowers and beautiful views, where people can play or relax and reflect.

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Year of the Horse charges into San Diego!

A big Lunar New Year celebration is taking place this weekend in City Heights. The Year of the Horse–Fire Horse to be exact–is charging into San Diego!

The Fire Horse in the Chinese zodiac represents energy, excitement. Walking through the event as it got underway today, I could feel the energy. It would be a very fun day for many families!

Lion dancers were already performing to the delight of kids. Many booths, displays and food vendors were set up and ready.

The event is being held at Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park. For more info concerning the free festival, a celebration of San Diego’s Little Saigon, read the banner in my next photo…

Thank you to Balboa Park’s many volunteers!

Thank you to all the volunteers in Balboa Park!

What would Balboa Park be without its dedicated volunteers?

What is the park with its volunteers? Much more beautiful and amazing!

Today I noticed a crew of people beautifying the Alcazar Garden. I learned that in several weeks new spring plantings will be made. But the garden is always lovely.

Let’s all give thanks to the raking, weed-pulling, hard-working Garden Stewards you see in these photographs and the many other volunteers!

I encountered more volunteers busy roaming about Balboa Park picking up litter!

Check out the bags of garbage in the next couple photos. Those bags represent only one hour of work!

It is the generous work of many volunteer hands.

Would you like to volunteer, too?

There’s lots of different stuff you can do! No experience required!

Interested? Click here!

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Celebrating the San Diego Museum of Art centennial!

The San Diego Museum of Art is celebrating its centennial in 2026. First opening in 1926 as the Fine Arts Gallery, the world-class museum has grown and experienced many remarkable moments over the past hundred years.

That history is remembered in a free exhibition titled SDMA 100 Years. The exhibit opened yesterday in the museum’s Galleries 14/15, which are accessible to the public through a door at Panama 66 in the museum’s sculpture courtyard.

SDMA 100 Years features a timeline of photographs that document the museum’s evolution, from the building’s construction in Balboa Park right up to the present day. There’s also a short documentary video and a display case full of ephemera.

Visitors can observe how the San Diego Museum of Art had its origins in the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, had its successful grand opening in 1926, served as a naval hospital during World War II, and how west and east wings were added for significant expansions.

You’ll see photos showing museum contributions to art education and the San Diego community over the years. You’ll see renowned artists who’ve contributed their work, and relive major exhibitions. You’ll envision what the museum plans for their future, too!

You are invited to contribute to the exhibition! Anyone can submit their personal memories and photographs of the museum. To participate, look for the link at the bottom of this webpage!

SDMA 100 Years will be displayed through 2026, right up to February 2, 2027.

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Neighborhood eateries painted by San Diego artist!

Painting of Pho Xpress and Stout Public House on Sixth Avenue in downtown San Diego. By artist James Watts.

I love these fanciful paintings of neighborhood eateries! They were created by San Diego artist James Watts (@jewattso) as part of his ongoing 100 Paintings project.

I happened to walk down the sidewalk in front of his downtown studio today and he was there outside in the sunshine with his two cats, working with a smile on painting #93. Read about his 100 Paintings project here.

I ventured into his amazing studio, and he showed me some of his latest work. Among many great new paintings, he showed me these three colorful pieces. You might recognize the restaurants they depict!

James Watts is a creative dynamo who is a true San Diego treasure. He’s a super cool friendly downtown neighbor, too!

Read the photo captions. (More on his paintings in my next blog post!)

Painting of Ichiban Sushi & Japanese Cuisine on University Avenue in Hillcrest. By artist James Watts.
Painting of Las Cuatro Milpas on Logan Avenue in Barrio Logan, now permanently closed after 92 years. By artist James Watts.

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