Art Exhibit at University of San Diego
Plus: Upcoming Community Events, Waters Fine Food and Cafe, and Stoicism and the Padres
Art and satire have long combined to make powerful political statements. There is an impressive history of artists using satire to raise questions or poke fun at influential politicians and social issues. Today we can see such political satire in works ranging from the street art produced by the mysterious Banksy to the editorial cartoons of San Diego Union Tribune cartoonist Steve Breen.
An art exhibit currently being shown at the University of San Diego allows us to see how art and satire were cleverly used in Britain at the end of the eighteenth century to depict differing views of the French Revolution. The exhibit titled “The Gout and the Guillotine: The Satirical Imagination in Britain 1790-1799” provides an interesting look at how artists used caricature and biting wit to lampoon important political leaders and philosophers, as well as the bloody excesses of what was occurring across the channel.
If you enjoy art, satire, political commentary, or history, or if you are just looking for a good excuse to visit the beautiful USD campus, we recommend you check out this interesting art exhibit.
The exhibit, which is being held at the school’s Humanities Center Gallery, is worth visiting to analyze the clever artwork and to gain an understanding of the concerns of that era’s different British political factions. For royalist Britain, the French Revolution was an event of deep concern, and as depicted in these print images, political factions each interpreted the significance of “terror, regicide, and a radical reordering of society” in different ways. It served as either a glorious inspiration or a mortal threat, depending on where you stood on the political spectrum.
There are three different popular British artists of their time featured (and a total of nineteen prints) in this small but impressive exhibit, and each one takes a turn at lampooning some of the more prominent leaders of the day. The artists are especially effective at using “caricature” (an exaggeration of facial and body features) to make fun of such individuals as King George III, his son the Prince of Wales, who later went on to become King George IV, the conservative political philosopher Edmund Burke, as well as Thomas Paine, the author of Common Sense, the political pamphlet that helped inspire our own revolution. It’s the same type of caricature we often see being used by contemporary editorial cartoonists to poke fun at U.S. presidents and other prominent politicians and celebrities.
Of course, Maria Antoinette and the gruesome execution of King Louis XVI also show up in the drawings.
The most interesting aspect of the exhibit is the connection made between food, health, and politics. In the drawings, the societal elites are often depicted as fat and gluttonous since access to plentiful amounts of food was commonly associated with class and money. The most interesting piece of artwork, “The Gout”, can be understood in this manner, as it graphically shows a foot being attacked by a grotesque creature representing the pain of gout. The condition of gout, which manifests itself in extreme foot pain, has historically been associated with rich foods and an affluent lifestyle and was thus known as “the disease of kings.” In light of the French Revolution, these political cartoonists also cleverly linked the condition of the human body to the condition of Britain’s own royal form of government.
While visiting the exhibit, we were lucky enough to meet its curator, Dr Brian Clack, who is a Professor of Philosophy and the Director of the Humanities Center. He took the time to enthusiastically explain the exhibit’s themes. As an author of a book on Edmund Burke, it was easy to understand his motivation for assembling this exhibit. If you are not as fortunate to have him there for your visit, don’t worry because copies of the detailed exhibit brochure he has prepared are available for everyone. You are guaranteed to leave the exhibit understanding the significance of each of the nineteen works of art.
This exhibit will continue through May 20. It is open Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 5:00 pm. It is located in the Humanities Center Gallery, in the Saints Tekakwitha and Serra Hall. It is free and open to the public.
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The Linda Vista Update wishes to thank one of our readers, Janet Tiger, for suggesting we write about this exhibit. We hope more readers will give us ideas for future articles.
Upcoming Community Events
—Memorial Event: The Linda Vista English Congregation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses will be conducting a memorial of Jesus’s death on Friday, April 15 at 7:00 pm. The event will be held at MARK TWAIN High School Auditorium, 6402 Linda Vista Road San Diego CA 92111. Those who prefer to attend virtually can call 858-560-9464. You can review details regarding this event by clicking here.
—Grow Bag Giveaway: The Bayside Community Center will conduct a Tiny Gardens Grow Bag Giveaway at 9:30 am on April 20. County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher will help conduct the giveaway. Grow Bags will also be given away on the same day at 1:00 to 3:00 pm during Bayside’s weekly food distribution. Contact Bayside for further details at 858-278-0771.
—Linda Vista Town Council General Meeting: The Linda Vista Town Council (LVTC) will conduct its monthly general meeting on Wednesday, April 20, at 6:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the Linda Vista Presbyterian Church (2130 Ulric Street). The guest speaker, Blake Hofstad, will talk about the Governor’s 2023 budget. The general public is invited to attend. Attending the meeting is a great way to connect with other civic minded Linda Vista residents.
—Family STEAM Night: On April 20, Carson Elementary STEAM Magnet School will celebrate its 80th Birthday with a Family STEAM Night. STEAM means Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. The event is open to the public. Here is the chance for Linda Vista residents (to include Carson Elementary alumni) to learn about all the great things occurring in one of our neighborhood schools. Check out the below poster for more details.
—Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair and Parade: Linda Vista’s favorite annual event will be held Saturday, April 23. The Fair begins at 10:00 am. The Parade begins at 11:00 am. Fair/Parade officials are still looking for residents with convertibles to drive local dignitaries down the parade route. If you would like to volunteer for this duty, please contact Fair coordinator Lauren Garces at LindaVistaFair@gmail.com. The Linda Vista Update will have a booth at the fair. Please stop by and say hello.
—San Diego Wave FC: The SD Wave, San Diego’s new entry in the National Women’s Soccer Team, plays its next home game (at USD’s Torero Stadium) on April 23 at 7:00 pm. Check out ticket information here.
—Kelly Street Park Outreach Meeting: On April 26, District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo will host a community outreach meeting to collect resident feedback on possible improvements needed for Kelly Street Park. Don’t miss this opportunity to let Councilmember Campillo know what you’re thinking. Please see the below poster for further details.
Waters Fine Foods and Café in Morena District
The last couple of restaurant reviews we did proved to be very popular. These included Two Hands Corn Dogs on Convoy and CAVA in Mission Valley. We think the restaurant reviewed today is another one that you will really like and be anxious to try.
If you’ve lived in the area for a while, you have probably heard of Waters Fine Foods and Café on Morena Boulevard. It’s been around for about 32 years. We had heard so many positive comments about it, we decided to give it a try. In doing a little research, we found that in addition to a small café with indoor dining as well as takeout and delivery, they also do catering events. However, we wanted to try some of their lunch fare.
We went there for lunch and were greeted by Sara and Sandy. They were very gracious and told us a little about the café. We learned that Mary Kay Waters, the original owner, retired in February. She sold the business to the Urban Kitchen Group, who kept the staff and chefs from Waters. Urban Kitchen is a couple of doors down and is an Italian restaurant, but they furnish some of the items for sale at Waters such as their pasta, Bolognese sauce and more. Waters’ website says all their meats are antibiotic free with no added hormones and they use only free-range chicken. Everything is prepared from scratch. They use organic ingredients, when possible, to include eggs. They support local farmers, and cheese makers and use seasonal ingredients when possible.
You can see their entire menu here, but the sandwich/panini menu includes smoked turkey panini, caprese panini, turkey pesto, grilled eggplant and many more. They have salads such as classic Caesar, oven roasted beet, candied pecan and more. They also have some great looking soups and sides such as Italian wedding soup, artichoke tarragon chicken salad, tuna salad, and seasonal fruit salad, to name a few. They had some wonderful looking desserts, and the one I will try the next time I go is Lavender Lemon Shortbread. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? They have other cookies and cakes, homemade granola and a variety of other things. They have shelves filled with beautiful gift items such as candles, various gourmet oils and flavorings, wines, and teas.
After wandering around a bit and asking questions about certain menu items, I decided on the grilled eggplant. Steve picked the caprese panini which was recommended by Sara.
We ordered our meals to go, since we don’t live far. We couldn’t wait to get home.
The grilled eggplant contained avocado, mozzarella cheese, crispy onions, roasted red peppers, arugula, lemon aioli, along with the eggplant, on multi-grain bread. I can say this is one of the best sandwiches I ever had. I loved each and every one of the ingredients. The onions added a little crunch, and the bread just tasted healthy. All the ingredients were fresh and delicious.
The caprese panini contained mozzarella cheese, pesto, lemon aioli, tomato, rosemary and was on sourdough, pressed to perfection. Steve enjoyed it so much he didn’t even offer me a bite.
The prices were in the $11.00 - $12.00 range. Unfortunately, our carnivore sidekick was not available so we can’t comment on the meat dishes, but from the looks of everything, I am sure they are all delicious.
So, take a wander down to Morena and say hi to Sara and Sandy. Tell them you read about them in the Linda Vista Update. It’s just down LV Road, and to the right on Morena Boulevard, which we like to say is still Linda Vista.
Essay
Let’s Remain Stoic Throughout Padres Season
It’s that time of year again! The start of another Major League Baseball season. In fact, the Padres play their first home game tonight, and there is a positive buzz circulating in the air. Just like last year, the fans are feeling extremely confident about the team’s prospects. Armed with a new manager, what appears to be a solid starting pitching rotation, and currently maintaining a winning record, many San Diegans already have visions of a World Series appearance dancing in their heads. A lingering pre-season injury to Fernando Tatis Jr., the feeling that the Padres manager relies too heavily on baseball analytics, and the fact that the LA Dodgers have assembled a superstar team, has done little to discourage these early season visions.
But you know what that means, right? It means we Padres fans must once again take a philosophical approach to whatever happens during the season. Yes, there is a chance for ultimate victory, but based on the past it’s essential we mentally prepare for the worst. Accordingly, taking a philosophical approach may be the only way to survive and maintain one’s sanity if you are going to be a Padres fan.
What do I mean by a philosophical approach ? One site on the internet defines such an approach as “a practice aimed at relieving suffering and shaping and remaking the self according to an ideal of wisdom.” Padres fans know all about having to deal with suffering; after all, the team has yet to win a World Series, and after last year’s epic end-of-season collapse, some fans are wary of once again getting their expectations too high.
At the end of last season, when it looked like the Padres had turned a once-promising season into a nightmare, I heard someone say we must “stoically” come to terms with being Padres fans. I find that statement to be so true. After all, to be stoic means to be “a person who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining.” That pretty much defines being a good Padres fan.
In terms of coming to terms with such Padres-induced pain and hardship, I think the Stoics—those adherents of a Roman-era school of philosophy—were definitely on to something. The Stoics believed in the virtues of self-discipline and moderation as a way of gaining wisdom; they consistently stressed the importance of showing indifference to pain, pleasure, grief, or joy.
The most famous Stoic of all, the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelias, is famous for espousing such profound Stoic pearls of wisdom as…“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts” and…“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love” and…“To live the good life. We have the potential for it. If we can learn to be indifferent to what makes no difference.”
In preparing for this baseball season, I decided to skip over the brand of wisdom frequently expressed on various ESPN talk shows in favor of reading the classic book Meditations of Marcus Aurelias. In doing so, I came to the realization the philosophy of Stoicism can indeed provide Padres fans with the necessary mental tools to deal with whatever this season brings, no matter if the team goes to the World Series, or if it gets beat every time they play the Dodgers. Let me show you below how Stoicism can help us cope, and perhaps allow us to acquire some wisdom in the process.
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Take this famous Marcus Aurelias quote: “How ridiculous and how strange to be surprised at anything which happens in life.”
If you are a Padres fan you merely need to edit this quote to read…”How ridiculous and how strange to be surprised by anything which happens [from employing the Padres bullpen in the last couple innings of a game].” I can’t help but feeling I will be better able to handle a Padres loss if allowed to invoke that quote at various points during the season.
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Now, let’s try another Stoic quote. How about the one that states… “Stay calm and serene regardless of what life throws at you.”
This quote can be adapted by Padres fans to read…”Stay calm and serene regardless of what [Padres pitcher Ryan Weathers throws to opposing batters when he’s having a bad day on the mound].”
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There’s also this notable Stoic quote. “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not a truth.”
In order to handle the typical fan’s opinion that managers rely too much these days on data instead of instinct, I suggest we revise it to read…”Everything we hear [about baseball analytics) is an opinion. Everything we see {about baseball analytics) is a perspective, not the truth.”
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Finally, there is also this Marcus Aurelius quote…”Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.”
In light of our star shortstop’s motorcycle accident, I certainly think we have to quickly adopt this hopeful modification…”Reject your sense of [Fernando Tatis’s wrist] injury, and the injury itself disappears.
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So fellow Padres fans, you now get the idea. No matter how the Padres season turns out, if we take a Stoic approach we will come out much wiser [and much less frustrated]. And if all else fails, there’s always next year.
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