Walk into The Old Globe theatre complex in Balboa Park and you’ll observe the sculpture of a golden crown. You’ll also pass rows of festive banners and signs. Their colorful graphics tell the story of The Old Globe’s special Henry 6 Project.
The Henry 6 Project has engaged the people of San Diego with groundbreaking community outreach. Not only can the public enjoy a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s several Henry VI plays, but as one of the graphics explains: The Globe’s radically inclusive vision opened every step of the creative process to the citizens of San Diego, weaving them into the fabric of the production not only with performance opportunities, but also through innovative, direct collaborations on nearly all elements of the production design.
Last week I photographed some of these signs and banners. Read the photo captions to learn a little more about the Henry 6 Project. Better yet, head over to beautiful Balboa Park and see all of this for yourself!
The world premiere of Henry 6 at The Old Globe is a two-part adaptation of Henry VI, titled One: Flowers and France and Two: Riot and Reckoning.
To read about this unique production on The Old Globe’s website, click here!
Director Barry Edelstein’s adaptation, Henry 6, is made by, with, and for the community of San Diego.The Old Globe’s Reflecting Shakespeare program works with individuals who are incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, or justice-involved, and provides a vehicle for healthy interaction, reflection, creativity, and personal growth…Community workshops explore scenic design. Other workshops and activities concern sound, lighting and costume design and music. Nearly 200 individuals were filmed for crowd scenes projected in the production of Henry 6.38 plays over 89 years. With this summer’s production of Henry 6, The Old Globe completes the Shakespeare canon…and (has) joined a small and select list of American companies to have achieved this feat…The Globe For All Shakespeare tour was designed for on-the-road performances to be enjoyed by audiences throughout San Diego County and in Tijuana. Performed free of charge in non-theatrical venues…these productions give audiences an intimate and compelling professional theatrical experience.
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The House of USA hosted a special program today in San Diego’s always amazing Balboa Park. Independence Day was celebrated at the International Cottages!
The Sons of the American Revolution and the National Society of the Children of the American Revolution were a big part of the patriotic event. Members in colonial attire were eager to educate the public about our nation’s early history.
I learned how the Children of the American Revolution is the nation’s oldest and largest patriotic youth organization. Members are under the age of 22, and have descended from an individual who provided military of civil service or gave material support to the cause of independence during the American Revolution. Their mission is to train future leaders and promote love of the United States and its heritage among youth. The young members I met were fine, well-spoken representatives of the organization.
The event included inspiring verbal presentations concerning the women of the American Revolution. Speakers represented historical personalities, including groundbreaking African American poet Phillis Wheatley; activist, author and Bill of Rights advocate Mercy Otis Warren; Deborah Sampson who disguised herself as a man to join the Patriot forces; and Lydia Darragh, who hid in a closet to eavesdrop on a secret meeting, learning about a surprise attack by the British on Washington’s troops.
The speakers were followed by several dances that would be typical during this era of American history. The Folk Dancers of Balboa Park danced to She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain, the Virginia reel and other familiar tunes.
Then the San Diego City Guard Band, which was founded way back in 1880, took to the stage and performed music fit for the occasion, starting with America the Beautiful.
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
A very fun and informative Garden Fair was held today outside the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park. The event coincides with the recent opening of the nature trail that now encircles the museum.
The interpretive nature trail, which leads visitors past a wide variety of native Southern California plants, is a cornerstone of the San Diego Natural History Museum’s 150 year anniversary celebration!
All sorts of booths were set up on both the south and north sides of the museum. Organizations who care about protecting our natural environment provided information for curious passersby. I took these photographs…
Smiles from Forever Balboa Park. They are working to revitalize Balboa Park’s Botanical Building and gardens.The California Native Plant Society was educating the public about conserving our local flora.Activity at the Master Gardener table.Poster provides suggestions for native plants in your garden.Lots of sunshine and smiles today in Balboa Park!Table features seeds for native plants.Kids learn about bees and other pollinators.
Balboa Park Alive! has a cool app in the beta stage, developed by smiling folks from the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination at UC San Diego.
The augmented reality mobile app transforms Balboa Park into an interactive biodiversity adventure. On your smartphone, you can plant virtual flora, release butterflies, and simulate pollinator behavior. I was told that so far you can explore Balboa Park’s Zoro Garden and the Natural History Museum’s new nature trail. Very cool!
Learn more about Balboa Park Alive! by clicking here.
Technology helps bring nature in Balboa Park to life.More booths for the Garden Fair, along the new nature trail on the north side of the San Diego Natural History Museum.Member of the NAT Garden Corps tells me various facts concerning the cactus wren and prickly pear. While she spoke a hummingbird came by.How cool! Moth Week 2024 has a night party outside the museum on Friday, July 26, after 8 pm. A naturalist will attract moths near the Moreton Bay Fig for photography.San Diego Canyonlands focuses on the canyons in City Heights around Azalea Park. They support youth education and environmental job training in underserved communities. They also have an urban hike-a-thon event.Smiles from some San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers. They offer free guided hikes throughout the county. Enjoy nature and become a citizen scientist!The San Diego Habitat Conservancy currently manages 33 open space preserves in Southern California.The Climate Science Alliance mission is to safeguard natural and human communities in the face of a changing climate.
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Several awesome murals can be viewed at the Lemon Grove Academy Middle School, also known as the Lemon Grove Academy for the Sciences and Humanities. They’re located just around the corner from the Lemon Grove Library, whose new mural I blogged about yesterday.
The school’s mascot is the Wolf, and their core values are: Persistent, Authentic, Courageous and Kind. Get it? Wolf Pack.
I was told by the librarian about these school murals so I had to walk over to check them out. She indicated they are also by ArtReach–the folks responsible for the new library mural.
I really love that blue howling wolf!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Did you know there are beehives high up on an office building rooftop in San Diego? The beehives are atop the Pacific Center I building in Mission Valley, which rises on Frazee Road north of Friars Road.
I saw the above sign while walking near Pacific Center the other day. It explains how coexisting with bees in cities is easy and natural. This web page tells all about the beehives at Pacific Center, which were established on the roof in 2021. The bees, which collect pollen from miles around, are very gentle and thriving!
I see that many of the tenants are bee enthusiasts and have enjoyed jars of honey and created crafts with beeswax!
Very cool!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Congratulations go to the Scripps Ranch High School Orchestra! World-renowned musician, San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez offered high praise for their performance this afternoon at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.
The students excited a large audience with their booming rendition of the Camille Saint-Saëns composition Finale, from Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Opus 78 “With Organ.” Raul was surprised that such a challenging piece could be conquered by young musicians!
Russell Shedd, Conductor of the Scripps Ranch High School Orchestra was thrilled, and visibly moved. He’d dreamed of performing this amazing piece of music for twenty years!
Bravo!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Rob Hutsel, President and CEO of the San Diego River Park Foundation, provided a guided walking tour this morning that I and several others thoroughly enjoyed. He explained how in the next 6 to 8 weeks the River Center will really be taking shape, with many of its features finally completed.
He explained how the center will be an active outdoor classroom for thousands of San Diego school children–particularly Title 1 schools within a 15 minute drive, serving urban, less affluent communities.
The River Center is designed to welcome city kids who might have no real experience out in nature. They will be eased into the experience from the moment school buses arrive, enjoying presentations in a 100-seat amphitheater by the entry courtyard. I learned there will be animal encounters hosted by Joan Embery!
Kids will then walk past a waterfall, separate into smaller groups, and walk down nature trails, where they will learn about the environment and the San Diego River: its geology, history, flora and fauna.
If you’d like to go on one of these preview tours, you have the chance tomorrow–Sunday, May 19–between 9:30 am and 11:30 am. Check out the San Diego River Days website for more information here!
In September there will be a big Grand Opening celebration! Stay tuned!
Construction gate at the future entrance to the River Center at Grant Park in Mission Valley. The area beyond used to be an abandoned sand mining site.Early visitors have arrived for the first tour that would preview the new River Center.The public can support the project by buying personalized pavers at the River Center’s entrance.Kids stepping off school buses will encounter wild animal tracks in a concrete walkway.Almost time to start our early Saturday morning tour!A rendering of the entry courtyard, showing The Den pavilion structure with restrooms and a sheltered sitting area that faces a stage and river trees. Famous animal educator Joan Embery is partnering with the River Center and will provide animal presentations (perhaps a hawk) for young students!This is where the 100-seat outdoor amphitheater with stage will be built.Much of the dirt area in the 17-acre River Center will soon be transformed into a beautiful park space. A gateway garden and expanse of grass (Grant Park) will be open to the public! Just beyond Rob will be an artificial waterfall!A walkway will wind toward the south side of the San Diego River. There will be lighting along the path. The environmentally friendly River Center will be powered mostly by solar.Where the walkway turns there will be a beautiful arbor–an acoustic shade structure.Just beyond the arbor, a dirt trail will lead into nature. Kids in small groups will be led by trained educators into the native river environment.Here we go! The irrigation pipes you see will eventually be removed.Kids can learn about how buckwheat seeds spread, and learn about plants and trees like prickly pear and lemonade berry, and willows and oaks.Gazing down toward the San Diego River in mid-May, when water levels are low. That’s Interstate 805 in the distance. I saw birds flitting about in the lush greenery.Now we’re back on the curving concrete walkway, looking at the visionary River Center at Grant Park project. Some big boulders were donated, adding beauty to the park space.Rendering shows families enjoying the grass of Grant Park when it’s finally completed.Master gardeners will be adding their expertise to the public park. The California Garden Clubs will also be contributing. The River Center and park will be alive with birds. As our tour concluded, a swallow flew overhead.Join the effort to open the River Center at Grant Park! Donations for this amazing (but expensive) project are appreciated!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
The extensive student art exhibit opened recently in the large makerspace room on the museum’s second floor. Excellent works on display include paintings, drawings, photography, graphic design, mixed media, multimedia and more. Dozens of unique creations reflect a diversity of viewpoints, and absolutely boundless human imagination.
I could see how these students, as the future unfolds, will be using their unique talents to add life to our dynamic, ever evolving culture!
All of these works were worthy of a photograph, but I’ll share just a few from my visit…
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
How awesome is this? Students at Morse High School in Southeast San Diego helped to make the above 1913 Cadillac Model 30 even more stunning!
This classic 5-passenger touring car was a hit at the 2022 Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance, where it appeared after the students re-detailed all the pinstriping, including the doors, chassis and wheel rims!
I saw the car at the San Diego Automotive Museum the other day and was impressed. According to a nearby sign, the museum will continue to provide and support opportunities for low-income youth in San Diego to explore the Automotive Industry and provide opportunities for Apprenticeships and Mentoring through its Vocational Academy launching in 2023.
To learn more about the museum’s IGNITE program, which combines career exploration, independent research, and skill-building through project-based hands-on learning to prepare students for internships and other pathways towards successful careers in the automotive industry, check out their special web page by clicking here.
If you know a potentially interested young person–or if you are interested yourself–check out the above link! It’s easy to sign up and get started!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
The public has a special opportunity to tour the new River Center at Grant Park this Saturday. The amazing nature center beside the San Diego River in Mission Valley is currently under construction. Completion is scheduled for this summer. The goal is to have 10,000 students connecting with nature each year in the River Center’s unique outdoor classroom!
Saturday’s family tour is one activity of many during the San Diego River Park Foundation’s annual River Days event. Other activities along the river through this weekend include gardening, clean ups, wildlife hikes and bird walks.
To view a listing of all the free River Days activities in 2024, click here!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
Cool San Diego Sights! 