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Travel back in time to the 5th century, the time of the lost oracles of Delphi, of lost ancient cities and rituals, and the famed great city of Alexandria. Join K. Hollan Van Zandt as she transports us to Ancient Greece through the eyes of her novel, Written in the Ashes, which follows her protagonist as she embarks on a journey between Egypt and Greece in the footsteps of the famous mathematician and philosopher Hypatia. Feast on an authentic Mediterranean lunch as we explore the ways that legend, history, and fiction intermingle.
Format: 30% Lecture, 70% Interactive discussion
Presenter: K. Hollan Van Zandt
K. Hollan Van Zandt was born and raised in Pacific Palisades, California. She has performed in a touring magic show, led yoga retreats to swim with wild dolphins, and teaches writing to students all over the world. She is a mother, a bird watcher, a pagan, and a graduate of Antioch University. Written in the Ashes is her first novel.
Critics of the 2000 and 2016 presidential elections have attacked the Electoral College as obsolete and undemocratic. They see it as a ticking time bomb, which invites questions as to whether the United States is the kind of democracy it encourages other countries to be. Despite these issues, the Electoral College has ensured that U.S. citizens continue to choose presidents when almost one-third of elections have not produced a popular majority. Examine the origin and development of our Electoral College system, a cost-benefit analysis, and the lack of a successful model for reform efforts.
Format: 60% Lecture, 25% Interactive discussion, 15% Hands-on activity
Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of Catalina Offshore Products Fish Market, a seafood distribution and retail operation. Founded in 1977 by Dave Rudie, the company’s original offerings were seaweed and live sea urchins that Rudie harvested while diving off Catalina Island. Today, the company is one of the region’s premier seafood purveyors, offering a large variety of products that are fresh and sustainable. Learn the company’s rich history, the many local species of seafood, and the importance of buying sustainable seafood through a trusted fishmonger.
Format: 60% Lecture, 40% Interactive discussion
Presenter: Tommy Gomes
Tommy Gomes isa native San Diegan whose Portuguese family of professional fishermen settled herein 1892. Working the city’s historic tuna fleets gave him a deep knowledge ofthe industry and the authority to be a leading voice in seafood education. Hestarted at Catalina Offshore Products in 2003 as a fish filleter, and today isthe company’s trusted fishmonger and public face. Gomes’ passion for local,sustainable seafood landed him on San Diego Magazine’s list of “50 People to Watch”in 2011; and made COP’s walk-in fish market a routine stop for San Diego’s bestchefs and foodies, folks looking to learn more about seafood, and even theoccasional celebrity.
Did the first World War result from the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne? Or was it the conclusion to over 100 years of deadly battles between England and France in the New World of America, in Africa, and the European home front while Russia gobbled up territory across Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Asia? With rare photographs and information from recently declassified documents, this lecture explores the long, bloody road leading to the war to end all wars.
Format: 70% Lecture, 30% Interactive discussion
Celebrate our Balboa Park gem, the Marston House, in a trifecta of Edventure: guided tour, docent-led talk, and a reception under the shade of a sprawling live oak (enjoy cheese boards, crudités, and a mimosa). With its extensive grounds and buildings, the 8,500-square-foot Marston House gives a rare glimpse into the lifestyle of one of San Diego’s most prominent families. The four Marston daughters were all Wellesley grads. Helen, the boldest, sought to protect WWI refugees, campaigned for striking farmworkers and, at the age of 73, joined the civil rights march in Selma, Alabama. Also learn about the master architects and landscape designers who worked with the family to create one of the region’s most important estates, which includes a gift shop full of memorabilia.
Format: 25% Lecture, 25% Interactive discussion, 50% Tour of Marston House
Presenter: Sarai Johnson
Sarai Johnson of Johnson & Johnson Architecture, is an architectural historian and historic preservationist. She has co-authored more than 50 historical designations, documenting important buildings and prominent citizens in Southern California. Her professional research includes the George and Anna Marston family members and their extensive social and philanthropic contributions to the greater San Diego community. Johnson frequently provides resourced historic content for articles, books, lectures, museum exhibits, videos, and television programs. She has been involved with the Marston House Museum & Gardens for more than 20 years and been an advocate for its ongoing success for the past nine years with Save Our Heritage Organisation.
Explore how the American people confronted the near demise of the nation in the mid-19th century. Contemplate alternative solutions that the North could have undertaken instead of war; learn about the key moments and people that shaped the Reconstruction; as well as the role played by race and the economy, and why it would take another century to begin to right the wrongs.
Format: 80% Lecture, 20% Interactive discussion
The Beatles’ earth-shaking 1964 tour of North America turned the entertainment business on its ear and forever changed the landscape of concert touring. This multimedia lecture will cover perspectives from the group’s inner circle, the promoters, hucksters, AM radio “Boss” DJs, photographers and, of course, the fans. We’ll explore the inner workings of the tour — a staggering 32 shows in 26 venues in 24 cities in just 33 days — and some controversies and wild predictions that followed the Fab Four all over the continent.
Format: 50% Lecture, 10% Interactive discussion, 40% Multimedia
Can you tell the difference between a fin whale and a blue whale? How about a quick ID on a Pacific white-sided dolphin? Learn the basics for identifying some of the many spectacular marine mammals that live off the coast of California, as well as economical driving trips and the best landings for whale watching. Also, learn how to safely approach marine mammals for the best picture opportunities, and get photo tips from a professional marine life photographer.
Format: 40% Lecture, 60% Visual presentation
Remember some of the words used and jokes made when we were growing up? Can you imagine the reaction if such language were used today? How did we become so sensitive as a society? As we struggle to be both social and socially sensitive, what topics are off limits? Are there words we should never use? Are there still “safe spaces” where we can speak freely? Explore how conversation has evolved over the last few decades, and how to safely have a polite conversation. With humor and caution, we’ll identify topics that are still safe, and those you should avoid like the plague.
Format: 70% Lecture, 30% Interactive discussion
This solo performance celebrates actor-educator Rob Crisell’s more than two decades of devotion to the works of William Shakespeare. Using humor, wit, stuffed animals, a slide show, and a few surprises, Crisell shows you how to “crack Shakespeare’s code”; the importance of verbs; and how Shakespeare influenced Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and others. He’ll also share his personal Shakespearean journey, which began with a disinterest in high school, avoidance in college, and finally falling in love with the Bard during a year in northeast Pennsylvania. Prepare for Shakespeare to be exciting, approachable, intelligible, and memorable.
Format: 70% Lecture/Performance, 10% Interactive discussion, 20% Audience participation