Little does anyone know, but this average kid had famous ancestors, and they’re destined to do great things. That’s an evergreen theme in stories for young adults: Heroes come from unlikely places, inheriting a history previously unknown even to themselves. A connection to the Force, to the Wizarding world—or even the Greek pantheon.
Rick Riordan’s 2005 novelThe Lightning Thieffound an irresistible angle on this theme: At summer camp, 12-year-old Percy Jackson learns he’s the long-lost son of Poseidon, his friend Annabeth is the daughter of Athena, and they embark on a quest that leads them to the underworld and back.
Jason Blitman has been working on this show for the better part of six years—as the casting director of its original off-Broadway run, on a one-act touring version, and as director of this full-length version. Some of the cast were already familiar with the books. (Ava, who plays Annabeth, recalls going through a Percy Jackson phase and reading them all “in, like, a week.”) Some had even seen the play.
This is a double-edged sword for up-and-coming actors, who might assume they should imitate the performance they’ve already seen. But Blitman encouraged everyone to find their own take on their characters. While casting, he looked for people with a strong sense of who they were as individuals, who wouldn’t be afraid to make bold choices.
The cast of The Lightning Thief at San Diego Junior Theatre
It seems his message has sunk in. Quincy, who plays Percy Jackson, says the play has taught him that when it comes to acting choices, it’s better “to be strong and wrong than to not try at all.”
Likewise, Ava says she’s learned that everything a character does must have a purpose. “Even little things, like crossing downstage or just getting to the spot you’re supposed to be in, have meanings behind them. It’s kind of like real life: You don’t just walk to the middle of the room randomly so you can start your conversation; everything you do, you do for a reason.”
Blitman specializes in teaching theater by and for young people, and he believes much of that discipline is about cultivating their sense of empathy—to fully imagine themselves in another person’s circumstances and adopt their perspective—as well as what it means to work as a team and take constructive feedback.
Taking on these roles in particular is a way of proving to themselves that they, too, can overcome monsters—the minotaurs and cyclopes are literal, yes, but they’re also “a not-so-secret metaphor for the monsters in the real world,” Blitman says. “The characters are 13 years old and dealing with problems that are bigger than themselves.”
That doesn’t meanThe Lightning Thiefis only for kids, he argues: “I think adults sometimes look at theater for young audiences and think, ‘Oh, this isn’t for me. But we were all young once; we can all relate to what it was like to be an outcast. Plus, it’s fun, contemporary, and has a really great pop-rock score.”
It may also inspire you to learn more about Greek mythology, as it did Quincy. “There are so many references in the script about things I didn’t know about,” he says. “It makes me curious. I was already a bigPercy Jacksonfan, but there’s always more to learn.”
The Lightning Thief runs April 29 through May 15 at Casa del Prado Theatre. Tickets are available at juniortheatre.com.
Dan Letchworth is the copy chief of San Diego Magazine. His print column Dansplaining explores San Diego trivia, and his theater review blog Everyone’s a Critic was a finalist for best online column in the 2019 National City & Regional Magazine Awards.
‘In Every Generation’ Traces Four Millennia of Family History in One Dinner
Local Ali Viterbi’s world premiere play is a highlight of the Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival
Rich Soublet
By Dan Letchworth
Judith Scarpone, Rebecca Futterman, Ron Orbach, Sabrina Liu, and Lisa Robins in San Diego Repertory Theatre’s In Every Generation
Rich Soublet
French poet Paul Valéry said that art “is never truly completed…but abandoned.” That seems especially true of theater, since no two audiences ever see the exact same play.
San Diegan playwright Ali Viterbi believes the audience is an essential part of her work. “Plays are never really finished, because they demand the audience back-and-forth,” she says. “That part is always changing and evolving.”
Her latest,In Every Generation, follows the Levi-Katz family across four time periods—1416 BCE, 1954, 2019, and 2050—by way of their Passover seders. The idea came when she observed how theatrical the holiday is. “It asks us to imagine ourselves into the story of Exodus from Egypt,” she says. “We retell this story every year. It’s tradition, but it’s also time travel. It connects you, kind of magically, to both the past and the future.”
She began writing in 2017, in the wake of the white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia. “I had all these questions about what the future of American Jewish identity would look like, and about what happened to the Israelites after they escaped, when they were no longer enslaved but weren’t quite free, either.”
Tragically, we’re living in a time when speculative fiction writers are often quickly overtaken by reality. The next two years saw back-to-back mass shootings targeting the Jewish community, at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and closer to home, at the Chabad of Poway. “The future that I’d imagined speculatively started to feel more real,” Viterbi says.
Still, she completed the play’s first draft and staged readings of it, with San Diego Repertory Theatre and other venues, revising as she went. For over ten years she has served as associate artistic director of the Rep’sLipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival. She describes this work as a celebration of diverse new Jewish voices in the community, with a goal of developing works that go on to have a life in theaters across America.
Alongside those new voices, this year’s festival will hostIn Every Generationas a “rolling world premiere.” The National New Play Network adopted the play to debut three times in close succession, first at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater, then here, finally in Washington, DC. This format allows each production to take notes and build from the previous, and for the playwright to continue revising based on the feedback it receives.
Its director in San Diego, Todd Salovey, says this method has paid off—that at first, Viterbi was reluctant to write about what Jewish life would be like 40 years from now. “But things have changed in our world,” he says. “She’s now exploring ‘How do you take a stand for your own ethnic identity at a time it might be dangerous to do so?”
Ali Viterbi, playwright of In Every Generation
What most impresses him aboutIn Every Generation, though, is Viterbi’s ability to present different perspectives on an idea, spoken from multiple characters who disagree with each other, and have each side of the argument sound equally compelling. “In this case, you’re getting to see a family whose love language is disagreeing with each other.”
Viterbi acknowledges that, even once her revisions are complete, if her play continues to be performed over the years, its reception will keep evolving as well. And that’s by design. She likens it to the Jewish study practice of havruta, which begins with one person reading a line from the Torah and asking a question, then someone else answers it and poses another question, and so on. “There is no answer,” she says. “It’s only in the asking of questions that you find some kind of resolution. It’s often very easy to tie a bow around our own narrative, but then we keep living.”
She hopes that San Diego audiences will feel invited to the Levi-Katz family’s seder, “celebrating this triumph of community in a time when that’s been hard to find”—not just to passively watch a finished product, but to be an active part of an ongoing conversation.
The Talmud itself precipitated Valéry’s sentiment by a few dozen generations, with a caveat. (It was speaking on the work of living, rather than making art—though for many there’s no difference.) “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”
In Every Generation is now playing at the Lyceum Theatre through June 19. Tickets are available at sdrep.org.
Shakespeare is challenging even for seasoned adult actors. The language is so unfamiliar that if you don’t thoroughly understand what you’re saying, know where the emphases and punchlines and connotations lie, and how to hit them with the appropriate expression and body language, you can memorize your lines perfectly and they’ll still buzz right over the audience’s heads like the fine print in a pharmaceutical ad.
Given this, you’d be forgiven for feeling hesitant about a high- and middle-school-age production of Twelfth Night. But these aren’t just any young actors—they are San Diego Junior Theatre, the oldest continuously operating youth theater organization in the country. Now in its 72nd season, the company’s founding predates La Jolla Playhouse by 11 years, San Diego Rep by 28. They’re so OG their website is just juniortheatre.com. So it’s safe to say they’re no lightweights.
I’d only read Twelfth Night once, back in college, and had never seen it, so I figure I’m a good test audience for effectively communicating Early Modern English. And the lead actors here not only get it, they make it their own. After being separated from her twin brother in a shipwreck, Viola (Fiona Byrne) disguises herself as a man named “Cesario” to enter the service of Duke Orsino (Seth Holt), whom she quickly falls in love with. Orsino is in love with Lady Olivia (Genevieve Foster), but when he sends “Cesario” to deliver word of his affection, Olivia falls in love with “Cesario” instead.
Have a Gay Ol’ Time with ‘Twelfth Night’
Genevieve Foster, Hunter Mackay, Fiona Byrne, and Seth Holt in Twelfth Night by San Diego Junior Theatre | Photo by Ken Jacques
It’s a classic romantic comedy love triangle. There actually isn’t much to Orsino’s character besides “is a lord,” but Holt breathes life and charisma into it. Byrne delivers a nuanced performance of the inner conflict and social dexterity that comes with being the center of all this attention. Foster’s transition from stoic mourning to besotted seducer lets her deploy some great physical comedy—one perfectly timed fan deployment gets the biggest laughs of the play.
Director Justin Lang leans into the story’s inherent queer themes in a fun, effervescent way that adults and teens alike will enjoy, aided by gender-fluid casting and some truly fabulous costumes from Bertha Tulagan and lighting by David Romero. Drunken uncle Sir Toby Belch (Gaia Micciancio) and his cohorts, aspirant suitor Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Marc Berger) and court jester Feste (Amaya Gray) are a natural fit for partying in Pride regalia and other assorted silliness. Micciancio is one of the most capable actors in the show, and Berger is a great foil; their timing together is sharp. Gray is very well cast for her skill in mime and song—her musical interludes, both in beautiful vocal solo and almost-convincing rubber-chicken-violin, are standout moments—but I fear that some of the jester’s intended wit and wordplay is lost to rushed line delivery.
Keep your eye on Caleb Haberman’s Malvolio. The play’s B-plot finds Sir Belch and Co. playing a mean trick on Olivia’s persnickety servant, convincing him by way of forged handwriting that Olivia is not only in love with him, but prefers a truly garish fashion style. Malvolio’s enthusiastic debutant-like entrance in said fashion and attempt at answering Olivia’s love brings down the house as Haberman elevates his unassuming secondary character to audience favorite.
I can’t express how pleased I am at getting to see these talented young people put on such a lively, entertaining production. Some of the minor characters don’t quite have the command over their cues and dialogue to keep a Shakespearean novice’s comprehension at 100 percent, but it never detracts long enough to drag the momentum down. If you want a glimpse of what’s to come in San Diego’s theater talent, come down to Casa del Prado—but be quick! There are just three performances left.
Dan Letchworth is the copy chief of San Diego Magazine. His print column Dansplaining explores San Diego trivia, and his theater review blog Everyone’s a Critic was a finalist for best online column in the 2019 National City & Regional Magazine Awards.
At Del Mar Wine & Food Festival’s Grand Tasting, everyone has their own goals for the day. One friend wants oysters and Champagne. Another heard there’s line dancing. Someone disappeared into Taco Alley. The food person is making a beeline for every chef demo, the golf friend has found the simulator, and someone else is already settled into a beach chair with a mezcal cocktail and has announced they’re “never leaving.”
Consider yourself zoned in.
This year, the Grand Tasting turns the Del Mar Polo Fields into a full-blown foodie wonderland, with chef showdowns, wellness escapes, art installations, lawn games, music, and plenty of magazine-worthy plates. But the zones are where everyone gets to play their own way. You might sip your way through the SLO Zone, accidentally spend the afternoon behind the DJ booth in Plant Paradise, or live out your best beach day in The Beach Zone.
With 100-plus chefs and restaurants, 150-plus wineries, breweries, distilleries, and drink makers, plus a whole lot more happening in between, there’s no shortage of ways to spend the weekend. And with the Grand Tasting taking place October 3 and 4, there’s actually time to explore.
Because the problem with bringing your favorite people to an adult playground is that everyone wants to play differently. Luckily, you get two days to figure it out. Here’s where to start:
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
The Beef Experience
The Beef Experience, presented by Brandt Beef – One World Beef, is for the people who believe a food festival is a perfectly reasonable excuse to build an entire afternoon around meat. Brandt Beef brings its signature fare to the Polo Fields alongside a seriously stacked lineup of local favorites, from Tanner’s Prime Burgers and Ranch 45 to Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern, Order Fire Barbecue, Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen, The Pit BBQ, Aloha Rib Shack, and more.
And then there’s the tent you might almost miss.
Tucked into Brandt Beef Alley, Bebemos Tequila has set up what looks, from the outside, like a fairly unassuming tent. Walk inside, though, and you’ll find a full little speakeasy lounge, complete with a bar and one very dramatic tequila trick. The team lights the shots right in front of you before pouring them straight into guests’ mouths. Candlelight, fire, tequila, barbecue. Suddenly, your casual afternoon tasting has taken a turn.
Grab a plate of Brandt Beef tallow fries, chase it with a pour from Bebemos Tequila or Tap Truck San Diego, and maybe browse Nortte Hats while you recover. The rules are simple: follow the smoke, trust the grill, and maybe don’t make dinner plans afterward.
The Beach Zone
For the friend who thinks every good afternoon should involve a little sunshine, a cold drink, and nowhere to be, there’s The Beach Zone. Presented by Reef Lifestyle, this laid-back corner brings the San Diego summer fantasy to the Polo Fields, complete with coastal bites, beach-inspired brands, and plenty of reasons to stay awhile.
Grab bites from Duke’s La Jolla, Jake’s Del Mar, Lofty Coffee Co., Dang Brother Pizza Co., and Coral Del Mar, then cool off with Summer Club, Volley, Surfside Iced Tea and Lemonade + Vodka, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Mezo Mezoritas, Roseade Wine Spritzer, Pinkys, and more. Hemlock Hat Co., Coola, Sambazon, Playavole, Shibumi Shade, Spritz del Conte, and Out of the Woods add a little retail therapy to the mix, because the Grand Tasting obviously needs shopping, too.
And yes, there’s a photo op. Find the teal VW bus from A Timeless Day, gather your favorite people, and pretend you’ve spent the afternoon cruising the California coast instead of wandering around a wine and food festival.
It’s an area filled with surf-inspired games, your next favorite beach accessory, and a drink in hand. Basically, San Diego summer, condensed into one very convenient patch of grass.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
Pride Zone
Neon boas, glitter-filled drinks, and enough food to make choosing a single dinner impossible. The Pride Zone presented by San Diego Pride is bringing the energy, gathering some of San Diego’s favorite restaurants, bars, breweries, and sweet spots in one very colorful corner of the Polo Fields. Expect bites and beverages from Cary Q Wines, Gossip Grill, Rootdown & Es Okay, T’Maro Brands, and more.
Plant Paradise
Plant Paradise is your green oasis, but don’t expect it to be particularly peaceful. DJ Tenax returns with house, techno, UKG, and the kind of set that can turn a quick stop into an hour on the open-air dance floor. As Green Air Botanicals sets the mood, grab a cocktail from Mission Craft Cocktails, Makku, or San Hagen Tequila, and a bite from the sprawling lineup of plant-based bites and snacks from some of San Diego’s vegan favorites.
Kindred, Nourish Eats, The Plot, Maya’s Cookies and more. There’s also a full lineup of brands to snack your way through, including Aficio 22, Bücha Hard Kombucha, Nichols Farms, Nuts For Cheese.
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.
Today’s seniors are more connected than ever, with a renewed focus on retirement as a time of discovery and enriching experiences. The ultimate reward for a retirement well-earned is the wisdom to appreciate it all, and what better place to enjoy that unique perspective than Vi at La Jolla Village, in the heart of San Diego.
All-access pass to good living.
As a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), Vi provides access to a connected and fulfilling community while making it easy to plan for future care, should the need ever arise. With a care plan in place, residents enjoy greater financial predictability and long-term value, freeing them to focus on making the most out of retirement.
Resort-style amenities at the epicenter of a cultural hub like San Diego offer a retirement experience unlike any other. Paired with exceptional dining, spacious accommodations and dedicated staff, the best of maintenance-free living is all around. And with the introduction of Vista 360 Well-Being, Vi’s panoramic approach to wellness, there are more ways than ever for residents to access it all.
The harmony of mind, body and community.
Courtesy of Vi at La Jolla Village
The key to longevity is striking the right balance in maintaining an active lifestyle with an active mind in a fulfilling community. With newly renovated community spaces and restaurants, Vista brings a variety of opportunities for residents to elevate their well-being through Vi-exclusive “Signature Experiences.”
Vista Enrich takes an evidence-based approach to brain vitality, keeping residents at the forefront of cognitive health through exergaming (exercising + gaming), nutritional plans and informative workshops. It is also home to The Brain Vitality Studio, an innovative facility dedicated to cognitive fitness that has garnered national recognition.
Vista Discover invites residents into stimulating educational experiences, from chef-led cooking demos and guided wine tastings to lectures at local universities and intimate lectures following cultural outings.
While Vista Enrich focuses on brain health and Vista Discover engages residents intellectually, Vista Explore cultivates a sense of adventure through curated travel and local excursions. But broadening one’s horizons doesn’t always require a plane ticket. One recent event brought a taste of the world right to the community: an onsite “jazz cruise” featuring live music and global cuisine served at a series of themed “ports” all within the community’s own ballroom.
“Location, location, location”
Courtesy of Vi at La Jolla Village
One of the biggest perks of life at Vi at La Jolla Village is its proximity to just about everything. With easy access to transportation and local attractions just steps away, residents can explore and engage with their community at their own pace.
“There are trolley and bus stops within a 5-minute walk that will get you to the beach, UCSD Campus, medical appointments, downtown La Jolla or San Diego, et cetera. We rarely use our car,” said resident Tom Yager.
With the best of San Diego just steps away, residents don’t just live in the city, they live within reach of everything that makes it special.
The best of all worlds.
Courtesy of Vi at La Jolla Village
At Vi at La Jolla Village, retirement isn’t a chapter to slow down; it’s an invitation to discover more. Tailored community experiences created by Vista, paired with the vibrant pulse of San Diego just outside the door, mean that residents don’t have to choose between security and adventure, connection and independence. They get all of it.
This is what an all-access pass to good living looks like: the comforts of an elevated lifestyle, a community built for growth and a city made for discovery – all in one place.
To learn more about Vi at La Jolla Village or for details on available floor plans, visit ViatLaJollaVillage.com/SDM.
It may be a bit too warm still for cozy sweaters and pumpkin spice drinks, but beginning this week, locals and visitors can experience some of what San Diego has in store for fall. Fans of neo-soul grooves and R&B jams can catch concerts from Kehlani at Viejas Arena and Erykah Badu, along with The Alchemist, at the Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre. Oktoberfest is back in full swing, and local beer-laden celebrations include an all-day festival and artisan faire in Encinitas and the two weekend-long Oktoberfest in El Cajon. And if brews aren’t your preferred alcoholic beverage, the San Diego Sake Festival and the San Diego Spirits Festival are prime opportunities to sample a plethora of premium spirits.
San Diego VegFest advocates for sustainable living, starting with a delicious and eco-friendly diet. This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Balboa Park, check out global food options, plant-based vendors, community resources, live music, a kids zone, and educational speaker panels. This free event also offers microchipping services, cat adoptions, and complimentary wellness classes, including yoga, tai chi, and meditation. RSVP here.
Balboa Park Boulevard and Presidents Way Lawn, Balboa Park
San Diego Spirits Festival
September 26 & 27
No matter if you prefer your cocktails shaken or stirred, all visitors to the 17th annual San Diego Spirits Festival can readily get in the mix this weekend. This Saturday (2:30-6:30 p.m.) and Sunday (1-5 p.m.) at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, receive unlimited sips of expertly crafted cocktails and top-shelf spirits, indulge in a selection of artisanal bites from local eateries, and take in an array of live entertainment, including local band Ass Pocket Whiskey Fellas. Admission is $89 for Saturday and $68 for Sunday for guests 21 and older.
700 Prospect Street, La Jolla
Taste of College Area
September 27
The neighborhoods surrounding San Diego State University are rich with food options, and this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., all are welcome to sample the college-adjacent fare. During the third annual Taste of College Area, dishes like chicken wings, ramen, and frozen yogurt will be available to try from a lineup of over 20 nearby eateries. Attendees can stroll to each stop or hop aboard the free Old Town Trolley to canvass the complete menu. Tickets are $40 online and $45 the day of.
El Cajon Boulevard between 55th Street & 73rd Street, College Area & Rolando
San Diego Sake Festival
September 27
Premium sake is the star of this libation celebration from the San Diego Sake Club, returning this Sunday from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The 10th annual San Diego Sake Festival will showcase more than 100 premium sake and shochu varieties from Japan and the US, and guests can also sample Japanese beer, enjoy live performances, and converse with local brewers and sommeliers. Ticket options include general admission ($93) and Nonbei admission ($114), which comes with early entry at 2:30 p.m. and a $10 food voucher.
Both a love letter to old-school R&B and a testament to her creative and personal maturation, Kehlani’s self-titled album, released in April, feels like a new height for an artist continually on the rise. Standout tracks like “Folded” and “No Such Thing” are tailor made additions to her enviable collection of great love songs, and the project’s throwback feeling is punctuated by appearances from the likes of Brandy, Missy Elliott, and Lil Jon. Hear Kehlani from the woman herself this Wednesday (6:30 p.m.) at Viejas Arena, with opening sets by Dixson, Durand Burnarr, Waseel, and TheARTI$T. Tickets start at $83 for this concert.
5500 Canyon Crest Drive, College Area
Local Oktoberfests
September 25-27
Fill up your steins and break out your Bavarian threads—it’s Oktoberfest time in El Cajon and Encinitas. The first weekend of the German American Societies’ annual festival in El Cajon kicks off with games, contests, folk dancing, and traditional German cuisine this Friday (4-10 p.m.), Saturday (noon to 10 p.m.), and Sunday (noon to 9 p.m.); daily admission is $5-$15 for adults and free for those under 21 and active military. Meanwhile, this Sunday (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), the free Encinitas Oktoberfest & Artisan Faire will feature oompah bands, a selection of craft and German brews, and over 130 vendors to shop from.
1017 South Mollison Avenue, El Cajon | Mountain Vista Drive between Wandering Road and Rambling Road, Encinitas
My Hero Academia in Concert at Jacobs Music Center
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.
October 2: Drew Brees Celebrity Pickleball Tournament
Former NFL quarterback Drew Brees will host a slew of celebrity athletes, chefs, and other hunger-relief supporters for a Celebrity Pickleball Tournament to raise money for Feeding San Diego. The tournament at the Barnes Tennis Center in Point Loma is part of the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival, which has raised more than $100,000 for Feeding San Diego and other local nonprofit organizations since 2023.
October 3: Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute Illumination Gala
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute will celebrate 50 years of groundbreaking research at its Illumination Gala at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. Support from the gala will help Sanford Burnham Prebys continue to advance medicine and change lives.
Courtesy of San Diego Humane Society
October 3: San Diego Humane Society’s 40th Annual Fur Ball
San Diego Humane Society supporters—both people and pets—will get dressed to the nines for the 40th annual Fur Ball. Proceeds from the event at San Diego Humane Society’s Gaines Street campus will support the organization’s efforts to care for more than 40,000 animals each year.
October 3: Voices for Children Starry Starry Night Gala
Voices for Children will celebrate the impact of its Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) at its Starry Starry Night Gala on the Heron Lawn at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort. The 46-year-old organization is the only agency in the county designated to provide CASAs to advocate for local foster children.
October 3: Autism Society of San Diego Diamond Anniversary Gala
Show off your sparkle at the Autism Society of San Diego Diamond Anniversary Gala at the Town & Country Resort. The nonprofit will celebrate six decades of service with dinner, entertainment, and special guests.
October 11: Robin’s Nest Rescue Rockin’ Robin Music Fest
More than 30 performers will take the stage to support Robin’s Nest Rescue at its fourth annual Rockin’ Robin Music Fest. The five-acre animal sanctuary in Ramona will also celebrate America’s 250th birthday, showcase local artisans, and introduce guests to some of its rescue animals.
October 17: Adjoin Soil to Soul Garden Party
Local nonprofit Adjoin will host a whimsical garden party fundraiser at a private home in La Mesa. The Soil to Soul Garden Party will support Adjoin’s mission to build inclusive communities and support independence for people with disabilities and veteran families experiencing homelessness.
October 24: Living Coast Discovery Center Farm to Bay
Enjoy bites, beverages, and animal encounters at Living Coast Discovery Center’s Farm to Bay fundraiser. The annual event at the nonprofit zoo and aquarium on the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge will support coastal conservation efforts.
Sarah Sapeda is San Diego Magazine’s Custom Content Editor. In her 15 years in San Diego journalism, she has covered charitable events, health care, education, crime, current events, and more.
NewBridge School is San Diego’s only school dedicated to the education of students with dyslexia and related learning profiles. For 30 years we have successfully served students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, receptive/expressive language disorders, ADHD, executive functioning and memory deficits. Students transition successfully into academically rigorous high schools and colleges across the country. Why NewBridge? Training, training, training (plus intensive individualization, and comprehensive program design). All teachers are trained and retrained biennially in Orton-Gillingham, the only approach proven to remediate dyslexia based on Science of Reading research, and complete a year-long training program. Every aspect of our program is designed around our students’ learning styles and needs. Every class is taught by a highly-trained expert, and our Speech/Language and Occupational Therapy teams embed throughout the day. Our multisensory, multi-tiered math program has been developed in conjunction with sister schools and experts across the country. Don’t wait—early intervention is magic!
