Have you ever wished someone would write a step-by-step guide through Balboa Park so you could learn its plants and trees? Chauncy Jerabek, known as "The San Diego Tree Man," made that wish come true... over 80 years ago. In beautiful Balboa Park there are crowded many interesting plants from nearly every country of the … Continue reading Balboa Park: The San Diego Tree Man’s Hidden Treasure
Author: South Park SD Blogger
I adore South Park San Diego (SD), the San Diego Symphony, and much more!
Balboa Park: The Bunya-Bunya Trees
Bunya-bunya. How can you NOT love that name? Bunya-bunya trees are evergreens, native to Australia and impossible to confuse with anything else (https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/araucaria-bidwillii). Southeastern corner of Golden Hill Park, aka the southeastern corner of Balboa Park Credit Miss Kate Sessions with their presence in Southern California. "The name 'Bunya' comes from the aboriginal name for … Continue reading Balboa Park: The Bunya-Bunya Trees
San Diego Symphony 2/21/20: Breathtaking
The San Diego Symphony, conducted by Music Director Rafael Payare, performed Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major, with soloist Stefan Jackiw, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 11 in G minor to a packed house at Copley Symphony Hall. The ensemble was so moving that the final applause didn't waiver until every instrumental section was acknowledged separately. … Continue reading San Diego Symphony 2/21/20: Breathtaking
Balboa Park in Bloom: February, 2020
Do you ever wish you knew a little about the trees of Balboa Park? Not all the fancy technical stuff. Just enough so you can lord over your friends that you're smarter than them... and a better, more tree-conscious, person. The easiest way is to learn to recognize species while they're flowering. And grab a … Continue reading Balboa Park in Bloom: February, 2020
You Gotta Hear this Quartet
Jazz is a conversation. And the Gilbert Castellanos Quartet offers among the most playful and earnest discussions you’ll overhear in San Diego. Sunday, February 16th, “GC” and his group performed at a packed 950 Lounge, at the Handlery Hotel in Mission Valley, from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Quartet members were Castellanos on trumpet, and Joshua White, … Continue reading You Gotta Hear this Quartet
Airbnpee
I have mixed feelings about Airbnbs. I prefer 'em when I'm on vacation. My wife and I stayed in a North Park rental when we visited San Diego in August, 2014 for job interviews. Our hosts lived in the main house and were friendly and helpful. We loved it. But now there's an Airbnb next … Continue reading Airbnpee
South Park SD: Beautiful San Diego!
A Target store stares greedily across its football field of a parking lot at The Big Kitchen, which leans, politically speaking, slightly to the left of Karl Marx. The buildings' adjacent spots, at the elbowed intersections of Fern and Grape Streets, represent the tension of this neighborhood's history. Artists, musicians, and those on the fringes … Continue reading South Park SD: Beautiful San Diego!
What Would You Do, San Diego?
The San Diego Moose Lodge, at 1648 30th Street, has been largely unused since it caught fire February 10th, 2010. It was sold by the Moose organization in 2018. See the San Diego Uptown News' February 21, 2020 edition for more about the property. ** I approached people at a few gatherings over the last … Continue reading What Would You Do, San Diego?
South Park SD: The Weight of a Catapult
Last night I joined 2 dozen other avid readers at The Book Catapult, in South Park SD, to discuss The Weight of a Piano by Chris Cander. Catapult co-owner Seth Marko was the group's therapist. It began innocently as a few of us, mostly familiar to one another, took our usual places at ten minutes … Continue reading South Park SD: The Weight of a Catapult
Cherimoya Schmerimoya
You haven't heard of the cherimoya?!!? How many of you just clicked the link, got TERRIFIED by the dense, technical writing, and immediately gave up? I did, too. So consider that a little "joke" between us. This guy intimidates me but his enthusiasm is appropriate for the subject. Seriously, he scares me to my core … Continue reading Cherimoya Schmerimoya
