Looking inside the windows of San Ysidro’s Front Arte & Cultura, a hotspot for emerging artists, bright colorful paintings and engaging sculptures by Jon Villanueva immediately catch your eye. Once you are inside, the gallery opens up into a large space where the creativity and craftsmanship of Mariel Miranda are on full display.
Her show El Viento O El Polvo, Tal Vez transforms found objects and collective experiences from her barrio in Tijuana into a grouping of sculptures that champions the power of imagination and solidarity, unseen labor, and joy. When I ask how she felt the first time she saw the show as a whole, her eyes fill with emotion.“
I think it’s my most beautiful show so far,” she says. “I wanted to be braver than ever before.” In the past, Miranda has predominantly worked within the medium of photography, collecting and collaging archival imagery. However, upon completing her Masters of Fine Art, she felt a calling to work with her hands. Her debut in sculpture triumphs—it is colorful, captivating, spilling over with emotion.
Courtesy of Mariel Miranda
The story of this show starts with the community library she and her brother opened in their front yard. One of the first activities they hosted at this library was a science fiction workshop. The siblings invited neighborhood members of all ages to engage in writing, storytelling, collage, drawing, and conversation. They pulled inspiration from their neighborhood, looking within at the challenges it is facing—and beyond, using the framework of science fiction to imagine what the future could look like through collective action and change.
The workshop culminated in a performance, documented in an arresting film on display at the exhibition, where both adults and kids donned homemade armor and marched through their barrio as a guerilla group, one that would guard the neighborhood. Despite the workshop’s science fiction focus, Miranda recounts, “[These kids] were not thinking about time travel machines, but about shields and things they could use to protect themselves.”
In their neighborhood in Tijuana, clean water is not a given and gunshots from narco violence are a regular and life-altering occurrence. At dusk, burning cars release huge plumes of dark black smoke into the sky. Their reality is one in which Miranda and her brother must debate opening the library following a day heavy with the sounds of explosions, concerned about incentivizing people to leave their homes amidst projected violence.
Miranda speaks openly and candidly about these issues, lamenting that, “We’re dealing with a new generation of young boys and girls who are normalizing the fact of living without water in their houses.” Several pieces in her show reference the tongue, paying homage to thirst, to the voice, and to stories.
She also spoke of the dangerous labor conditions in the maquiladora (or factory) in her neighborhood. Miranda, who has a deep background in sociology, points to these as examples of neocolonialism—where American companies come in to cut production costs on the manufacturing of their science-fiction future, often at the risk of those working in the factories.
One piece in Miranda’s show gives tribute to the lost limb of one of these workers and explores conversations around how to sabotage the machines and systems that are devouring her community. Other pieces use assemblage sculpture and the process of weaving, a single repetitive action that grows into an accumulation, to give visibility to this kind of labor.
Accumulation and labor have long been a tool for female sculptors, perhaps in response to the invisible labor women are often called to perform. The desire, then, to be seen, acknowledged, reckoned with, transforms action craft into pieces that consume rooms. Miranda also uses many found and recycled materials from her neighborhood.
One of the standout pieces in her show “Esta criatura oscura y brillante baila y respira” (or “The dark glowing creature dances and breathes”) is a towering, suspended flow of magnetic tapes from old VCRs. Small air currents in the room and slight movements breathe life into it, and it glows eerily with the echoes of a green neon sign sculpture in the corner.
Woven threads and found items come together in a newfound brilliance through reclamation and imagination. Miranda weaves belts with the same authority she weaves threads of hope in her community. She pulls from her background of collage and treats objects as archival pieces of her barrio’s story.
Her show, along with Jon Villanueva’s work, fill Front Arte & Cultura to the brink with color, youth stories, beauty, play, and transformation. The darkness is there, but belief in a better future shines above it. “Work that gains clarity through love, friendship and solidarity,” Miranda emphasizes. “That’s the future.”
El Viento O El Polvo, Tal Vez is open now until August 31 at Front Arte & Cultura. 147 W San Ysidro Boulevard, San Diego, 92173.
Big feelings hit us all. Younger populations—or those who haven’t yet developed their own language of expression—outsource angst through external means. That’s where homemade haircuts, studded belts, and musicians like The Cure, Elliott Smith, or Phoebe Bridgers come around. In San Diego, though, there’s a nonprofit that gives youth a way to feel not only heard, but also understood, through photography and digital storytelling.
Outside The Lens’ mission is to amplify the voices of systemically marginalized young people and help them develop the confidence (and artistry) to tell their stories and shape their communities. OTL just celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year with dual exhibitions of student work at San Diego Central Library and Museum of Contemporary of Art San Diego. Since 2001, more than 30,000 students have completed programs at OTL, getting their hands on industry-respected DSLR cameras (no shade to iPhone photographers), editing files and images with Adobe Creative Suite, and recording podcasts. Participants explore their worlds through the lens and on the mic.
“Our biggest opportunity, and what’s really needed, is to bridge the understanding between the youth and their communities and how people are seeing what youth are going through right now,” says OTL Executive Director Sarah Beckman.
OTL’s participants, Beckman explains, are young people navigating systems that never gave them access to the tools and mentorship that inspire creative expression, financial mobility, and civic engagement. The nonprofit offers support—in the form of meals, transportation, and healing-centered educators—and a creative outlet for exploring and coping with those challenges.
OTL’s in-school programs meet California core standards for arts and partners with at least 37 schools and community sites throughout San Diego, including the Monarch School in Barrio Logan, East County Community School in El Cajon, and Creative Performing and Media Arts School in Clairemont Mesa. The nonprofit doesn’t just work within the school system. Its Media Makers program invites young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to express their place and purpose in the world through film, photography, animation, design, and entrepreneurship.
“We’re always asking the question, and we’re engaging youth in our civic discussions [of], ‘How can we make this city somewhere youth want to be?’” Beckman says. “‘How can we make San Diego somewhere for young people to build a future?’”
This year OTL’s annual Voice Out celebration event spotlighted student work that hung on gallery walls beside “Giants,” the Dean Collection at MCASD. The Voice Out contest is open to all San Diego youth ages 8 to 25; all submissions are published in a catalogue and displayed in a public exhibition. These are some of the students’ works, and their words, from the past three years of Voice Out.
Lines and Light Within Structure
“I wonder how the architect decided to connect the beams [at Del Norte High School] by creating repetition. Without color [in the photo], the structure becomes the focus of the image.” –Monroe S., 15
The Quiet In Between
“Every day, time slips forward, whether we notice it or not, and life can feel overwhelming in its constant motion. In this long-exposure photograph, the blurred train rushes past, symbolizing the speed of life, while the still subject remains grounded and aware. It’s easy to become tangled in society’s expectations: what to wear, what grades to earn, what future to chase. In that rush, we forget to pause. The stillness in this image becomes a breath, a moment of reflection. Through it, I hope to show that wonder lives in slowing down, in watching the world blur while choosing, even briefly, to stand still.” –Leo N., 15
Enough
“Teenagers constantly wonder if they will ever be enough. I wrote words on the mirror that might represent what a teenager thinks about when it comes to being ‘enough’ for the people around them. They might wonder if they are pretty, smart, or good enough. I wanted to bring attention to what thoughts teenagers struggle with in everyday life.” –Illiana I., 16
Go Skate Day
“I took this picture during Go Skate Day in 2023 or 2024 I think … but who cares? It’s sick! Keep riding!” –Danny I., 18
Never Let Go
“This was taken at an all-women’s retreat in the mountains to heal inner trauma, at the end of the trip where we all hugged each other and healed. My mother is the one being hugged and one of her friends is embracing her. Place is somewhere you belong, somewhere you feel comfortable in, and somewhere you can be yourself. I believe womanhood and friendship is not only a place but home.” –Michelle G., 16
Films, concerts and an exorbitant amount of lemons comprise this week’s most entertaining events in San Diego. Those looking to beat the heat can find shelter and cinematic gold with The Treasure of the Sierra Madre at Digital Gym Cinema, or check out a cult classic at the Balboa Theatre’s 40th anniversary screening of Little Shop of Horrors. From South Bay to La Jolla, concertgoers can catch collaborative tours from the likes of Santana & the Doobie Brothers, Helado Negro & Reyna Tropical and Jason Aldean & Luke Bryan. This weekend also marks the return of the two-day San Diego Made Summer Market and the yearly Lemon Festival, both of which are ripe for shopping unique local vendors.
SeaWorld San Diego’s beer and barbeque party is back with a live music component and an extra ‘B’ in its name. Every Friday-Sunday (and Labor Day) through Sept. 7, the Bayside Bands, Brew & BBQ festival will feature 60+ locally crafted beers and bites like pork belly tater tots, root beer baked beans and s’mores pie. SeaWorld visitors can also check out rock concerts featuring Saliva (Saturday), Uncle Kracker (Aug. 22) and Skillet (Aug. 29) in the Bayside Amphitheater. Park entry starts at $74 for Bayside Bands, Brew & BBQ dates, and includes festival admission.
500 Sea World Drive, Mission Bay
Lemon Festival
August 15
Seize the day, or squeeze the day—whichever your preference—at the Downtown Chula Vista Association’s free Lemon Festival. This annual event celebrates lemons in all their citrusy glory and ensures the city’s lemon legacy still bears fruit for years to come. This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., enjoy a lemony menu, two live music stages, arts and crafts vendors, kids activities at Memorial Park and photos with the festival’s mascot, Tarty the Lemon. And be sure to save room for the lemon pie eating contest, with registration still open to those ages 12-99.
Third Avenue, Chula Vista
Courtesy of Jason Aldean
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Santana & the Doobie Brothers at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
August 11
Few regions have birthed as many iconic bands as the Bay Area, with Santana (San Francisco) and the Doobie Brothers (San Jose) among the area’s most influential. Though they’ve mastered different variations of rock n’ roll—with Santana championing Latin rock and the Doobie Brothers masters of breezy yacht rock—both groups understand the importance of a good groove. This Tuesday (7 p.m.), the two bands will run through their greatest hits at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, and showcase their shared roots. Tickets start at $28 for this concert.
2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista
Helado Negro & Reyna Tropical at Esptein Family Ampitheater
August 12
One of the year’s best musical teamups—combining the talents of Roberto Carlos Lange (Helado Negro) and Fabi Reyna (Reyna Tropical)—produced Helado Tropical, a subtle yet audacious daliance with Latin pop and wavy soundscapes. This Wednesday (7 p.m.) at Epstein Family Amphitheater, Lange and Reyna will pull from their respective catalogs and play their collaborative album in full. Ticket options include youth admission for ages 2-18 ($25-$28) and adults ($35-$50).
9480 Innovation Lane, La Jolla
An Evening with Goose at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
August 13
The defining quality that makes a jam band truly so is a willingness to improvise, keeping audiences, and even their most dedicated fans, waiting with bated breath for their next move. As with pioneers of the practice like the Grateful Dead, Connecticut rock group Goose treat concerts as a nightly display for their vast musical chemistry. When Goose performs this Thursday (7 p.m.) at Cal Coast Credit Union Theatre, don’t be surprised if a familiar track is extended by an extra five, ten or thirty minutes into a new cosmic space. Tickets start at $55 for this concert.
5500 Campanile Drive, College Area
Jason Aldean & Luke Bryan at Petco Park
August 16
Georgians Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan both began their rise to country music stardom in the 2000s, and have since become two of the genre’s revered elder statesmen. After a sold-out one-off show at the University of Georgia in April, the pair decided to take the Peach State experience nationwide with co-headlining stops in Missoula, Montana, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and San Diego’s Petco Park. This Sunday (4 p.m.), country fans can catch the two stars, as well as a slew of up-and-coming talent, with openers Gavin Adcock, Chase Matthew, Dee Jay Silver and DJ Rock. Tickets start at $74 for this concert.
Ryan Hardison is a freelance arts and entertainment writer and recent graduate of San Diego State. When he's not staring at his laptop, he's likely eating an adobada burrito or getting sunburnt at the beach.
If magazines are like the adultier eldest daughters who know exactly how much anarchy they can get away with, zines are the far less predictable younger siblings going on whim and instinct. Those who draw on the walls around the house, DIY their own piercings, and experiment with different emo/straight-edge/back to emo phases (or not-phases). Boundaries and routines are what zines were created to rail against.
Walk into Verbatim Books’ zine corner, and this rebellion is immediately clear. Zines have no singular form, no clean category or definition. Vintage magazine scraps are collaged into new meaning alongside mini fandom zines. Single sheets of plain white printer paper are covered in nothing but black ballpoint pen. Repurposed hardback book covers are folded into something entirely new. Some are duct-taped together, others stapled. Some glossy, others matte. There are guides to anything and everything, comic panels, photography, hand-drawn cartoons, poetry, recipes, diaries, and ramblings that only make sense to the person who made them—and that’s on purpose.
Zines are creative magic. And with no rules, they’re incredibly accessible. Anyone can zine and have a voice, regardless of artistic training or work life experience.
You are your own Anna Wintour, Graydon Carter, Ruth Whitney.
San Diego–based zine creator Lyssette Williams specializes in mini zines—often limited to eight pages, they’re meditations in abbreviation. Outlining, thumbnailing, and revision all move quickly from idea to page. Larger projects, including Williams’ long-form graphic novel thesis, move at a slower pace. For those, she often returns to pen and ink, a choice that resists the over-editability of digital work.
Raised by a single mother and navigating mixed-race identity in a predominantly white town, she finds a home for processing it all in zines. Her work deals in identity, belonging, self-definition, and punk-rock childhood. But it isn’t always heavy; Williams creates a mini duck-themed zine called Backyard Duck Propaganda that’s hard not to love. “When I create, I think about what would have helped me find the words back then, what my younger self would’ve needed,” Williams says. “[Zines] put the tools in your hands and democratize art. They’re translations of memories and identities.”
Courtesy of Lyssette Williams
For Williams, a big reason she keeps creating is being surrounded by other creatives—a scene that extends across the border. She points to Verbatim and Comicbook Artists of San Diego, plus events like Zine Fest (October 17–18 this year at Woo in Barrio Logan) and Black Comix Day at the WorldBeat Cultural Center.
Zines have always been a road for subcultures. During the Harlem Renaissance, Black creatives like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston self-published one issue of Fire!!, which inspired other Black authors. In the 1930s, zines (then called fanzines) were hubs for sci-fi nerds to write fanfiction, address the fandom, and create new characters. Superman actually made his public debut in a fanzine called Science Fiction (he was originally cast as a villain with a fully receded hairline). A couple decades later, zines about feminism and riot grrrl became subculture de rigueur.
The internet nearly killed zines, of course. But now, people tired of the algorithm’s firehose are finding comfort and renewed inspiration in analog. Zines, a salve for digital fatigue.
Courtesy of Duophobia
A giant figure in San Diego zine culture is Burn All Books. Founded by Amanda and Nick Bernal, BAB started as a risograph (digital screen printing) studio and turned into one of those places that keeps expanding the whole scene around it, even forming its own archive group, SCANNNERS. Since opening in January 2023, it has published over 35 works and collaborated with more than 100 artists, writers, and zinesters.
For Duophobia, the pseudonym for local twin sisters Alora and Kiani Dotson (affectionately known as the “possum twins”), zines make room for experimentation and play that doesn’t fit anywhere else. Room for eclectic cartoons and dirty jokes. For sticker-covered sketchbooks.
It’s that same brand of nostalgia you might feel when, say, you walk past the carcass of an abandoned mall and see a faded cartoon mural. Their work lives somewhere between childhood and adulthood, where being unserious is taken very, very seriously.
“We’re born and raised in San Diego, and the community of artists here is a main reason we started publishing,” Kiani Dotson says. “There are people here like Trixxie Land who run open art gatherings. Show up, and you’re part of it.”
Land, a zinester herself (she made 250 single-page zines during 2020’s lockdown), is all about storytelling over hierarchy. Art shouldn’t be about gatekeeping or intimidation, she says. So she holds open-invite arts shows at Subterranean Coffee.
Courtesy of Lyssette Williams
Duophobia regularly share their work at local galleries like Subterranean, filling that lowbrow space with pieces that answer: “What would’ve made us laugh as kids?” Children are often the first to pick up their zines, unfolding them in every direction while parents briefly panic at the impulsive destruction. The twins always step in. “No, no, it’s okay,” they say, before showing how one sheet of paper folds into an entire little book. “It’s like magic.” More often than not, the kids leave with a tiny zine tucked under a tiny arm, future San Diego zinesters in the making.
When asked what a zine really is, Alora Dotson’s response was simple: “It’s anything. Literally anything. The more genuine you are, the more people are going to hear what you have to say. Your voice matters, even if it’s just a silly joke or story. People want to hear about it.”
Not a perfect definition? Exactly. Zines inherently resist categories. Want to turn a single playing card into a storybook? Do it. What about your favorite graffiti artist’s signature tag at Prince Memorial Skatepark? Turn it into a zine.
Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.
A perfectly designed home rarely happens by accident. Those kitchens that feel effortless and rooms that seem to tell a story the second you walk in? They’re usually the work of someone who knows exactly what they’re doing.
It’s knowing which ideas will actually work, which materials will hold up over time, and how to turn a collection of choices into a space that feels intentional. That’s where a professional interior designer comes in.
For the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) California San Diego Chapter, the goal is to help people see interior design as more than just the finished look. Behind every well-designed space is a process built on technical expertise. Designers are educated in everything from professional software and construction details to building codes, space planning, materials, and functionality.
Courtesy of ASID
“People don’t always realize how much goes on behind the scenes,” Kirsten Recce , current president of the ASID California San Diego Chapter, says. “Our designers are not just doing furniture placement and color selection and picking out new fluffy pillows. That’s not what they’re trained for.”
ASID members bring formal education, continued learning, and industry knowledge to their projects, helping create spaces that are not only beautiful, but designed to work. A paint color that changes completely depending on the lighting. A material that looks beautiful in a showroom but doesn’t make sense for everyday life. A layout that photographs well but doesn’t function for the people living there. These are the details where professional guidance can make all the difference.
Still, one of the biggest misconceptions about hiring an interior designer is that it’s reserved for massive renovations, luxury homes, or people who already know exactly what they want. The process can feel intimidating. Where do you begin? Is a designer worth the investment? What if you only need help with one room?
ASID’s answer: start with one hour.
ASID’s Spruce Up events break down one of the biggest barriers between homeowners and professional design: knowing where to begin. Held twice a year, the community program gives homeowners the chance to work directly with an ASID designer through a one-hour, $125 consultation in their own home. Whether you’re looking for advice on furniture placement, window treatments, kitchen and bath updates, remodeling ideas, vacation rentals, color selections or something else entirely, the upcoming September 2026 event offers an approachable way to get expert guidance before committing to a full project. Signups are open through Sept. 7, with consultations taking place Sept. 21 through Oct. 31. Proceeds benefit ASID San Diego’s educational and community programs. Register here!
Courtesy of ASID
“It’s a great opportunity for people who are in that exploratory phase,” Recce says. “Maybe they’re not sure they want to hire an interior designer yet, or they think it sounds daunting or expensive. This gives them a chance to discover what working with a designer is actually like.”
Design is personal. A good designer isn’t just creating a beautiful room; they’re helping create a space that fits the way someone lives.
“We’re a resource to all of San Diego County,” Recce says. “It doesn’t cost anything to pick up the phone and call and ask. We’ll answer.”
From celebrity pickleball tournaments to intimate dinner parties with your favorite Food Network chefs, here are all of the can’t-miss events going on Sept 30–Oct 4
Play is underrated. Somewhere along the way, someone decided it was something we should outgrow. That you A good song comes on, and they dance. A game appears, and they’re in. Someone hands them a melting ice cream cone, and somehow it’s the best part of the day.
Adults tend to need a reason. Or maybe just the right setting.
That’s part of what makes the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival feel different. Yes, the week revolves around food and wine, with celebrated chefs, winemakers, and restaurants drawing crowds from across the region. But what lingers afterward is the conversations that stretch a little longer than expected, the strangers who become dinner companions, the live music that pulls people out of their seats, and the rare chance to spend a few hours simply enjoying yourself without much of an agenda.
The Grand Tasting is the festival’s centerpiece, bringing thousands of guests together over two days for hundreds of bites and pours. But some of the week’s most memorable experiences happen on a smaller scale. In the days leading up to the main event, intimate dinners, chef collaborations, and guided tastings create opportunities for guests to interact more closely with the people behind the food and wine and with each other.
Signature San Diego Opening Night Party at Monarch Ocean Pub
Start festival week the San Diego way: ocean views, Baja-inspired bites, and a drink in hand as the sun goes down. The Signature San Diego Opening Night Party at Monarch Ocean Pub sets the tone for the week ahead with a walk-around tasting experience celebrating the flavors that make this city impossible to replicate. It’s an evening of fresh coastal cuisine, bold Mexican flavors, Baja seafood, and plenty of local favorites—all served against one of Del Mar’s most iconic backdrops. Consider it your first official toast to the weekend ahead…
Celebrity Pickleball Tournament Presented by Justin Vineyards & Winery
Wine and competition make an unexpectedly perfect pair. You can join Drew Brees and celebrity players at Barnes Tennis Center for a pickleball tournament benefiting Feeding San Diego, where the sidelines are just as exciting as the court. Grab a paddle, cheer from the sidelines, or simply enjoy a glass of wine while the action unfolds. The day blends friendly competition with an all-inclusive tasting experience.
Since year one, Del Mar Wine & Food Festival has partnered with Feeding San Diego to raise $100,000 in support of the organization’s mission to fight hunger across the region. Every serve, sip, and bite helps give back to the community that makes this festival possible.
Remember that pickleball paddle you swore you’d use? Time to put it to work.
Barnes Tennis Center | 4490 W Point Loma Blvd, San Diego, CA 92107
This is essentially a passport to Spain with no airport required. Set among the lush grounds of Rancho Valencia, Rioja Uncorked celebrates one of Spain’s most iconic wine regions with an evening of exceptional pours and thoughtfully paired bites. Guests will sip their way through Rioja wines while enjoying a menu featuring everything from Hiramasa crudo and uni toast to duck rillette, birria mini tacos, Cardiff Crack tri-tip sandwiches, and a sweet finale from Karen Krasne of Extraordinary Desserts (date night plans, solved).
Rancho Valencia | 5921 Valencia Cir, Rancho Santa Fe
Justin Wine Dinner with Chefs Kaitlyn Weber, Buddha Lo & Jackson Kalb
Justin Wine Dinner sounds simple: three chefs, one unforgettable table. But chefs Kaitlyn Weber (Estancia La Jolla), Buddha Lo (Top Chef), and Jackson Kalb (Top Chef) are taking you on a one-night-only culinary ride where three styles collide over a multi-course menu paired with exceptional pours from Justin Vineyards & Winery. Set in Estancia’s coastal estate, the evening unfolds course by course with pairings from Justin wines as each chef brings their own style to a menu focused on craft, connection, and a bit of friendly culinary overlap. It’s the kind of culinary conversation that only happens when very, very talented people cook together.
Estancia – Olive Lawn | 9700 N Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California
Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.
Nearly everyone experiences a sleepless night once in a while. But for those with a circadian sleep disorder, being well-rested can feel out of reach. A circadian sleep disorder occurs when a person’s internal clock doesn’t align with their desired or socially required sleep schedule. This can significantly impact quality of life, mental health and physical well-being. Scripps Circadian Sleep Disorders Clinic, launched in 2019, was the first of its kind in the state. Its specialists diagnose and treat conditions like delayed sleep phase disorder, shift work sleep disorder and non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder. Many patients have spent years—or even decade —thinking there was no hope for their sleep behavior. A solution can be life-changing. Read more about the Scripps Circadian Sleep Disorders Clinic here.
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