M Smorg
Generation X'er lover of opera and classical music. Casual pianist & clarinetist working in laboratory medicine. Reachable at sdcmorg@yahoo.com (please put 'AC' on subject line).
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A Lingering Moan from My Nursing PastSaying one cares is neat and easy, actual caring is messy and inconvenient. That's a nice sound-bite when you aren't participating in the Spiel, of course.
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Classical Music Events in San Diego, CA (Nov, Dec 2011, Jan, Feb 2012)List of classical music events & performances in San Diego, California from November 11th 2011 to February 28th 2012. -
Carmen at San Diego Opera (14 May 2011)Review of opening night performance of Bizet's Carmen at San Diego Opera on May 14th 2011. Nino Surguladze (Carmen), Richard Leech (Jose), Wayne Tigge (Escamillo). -
Coconut the Crazy English Bulldog Crazing Up a ParkCoconut the English bulldog puppy (6 months old) showing the sofa and the playground he is the boss. -
Baby Birds on a Trail at EasterCoconut the bulldog and I found an Easter surprise on the trail... A pair of baby birds stunned after fallen off a tree. They were fine and off the trail when we left them -
Coconut the Bulldog Lazing on SofaCoconut the English bulldog puppy lazing on the sofa one morning. -
It's a Dog's DayMeet Coconut the English bulldog as he contemplates getting out of bed in the morning... -
Sunset at Torrey Pines Golf Course, San Diego, CaliforniaIt doesn't matter if you're shooting 69 or 99 when you've got this to look at.... in person. -
Polar Bear Dance at San Diego ZooI dropped in on the polar bear at San Diego Zoo a couple of weekends ago and found him in a tipsy mood... Wonder what they put in the water there! -
The Siver Rose is Coming to San Diego! Preview of Der Rosenkavalier at San Diego OperaPreview of the San Diego Opera's staging of Der Rosenkavalier in April 2011... with comments from some cast members. -
The Dogs In My (Current) LifeJust a few shots of the many pooches in my life. -
Some Things We Can Do to Help Japan Earthquake/Tsunami/Nuclear Meltdown VictimsHelp Japanese victims of earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown by donating to legitimate charities and NOT buying up supply of potassium iodide. -
Interview with Eimear Noone, the Authentically Irish Host of 'This is Ireland' Celebration in LAA little chat with Eimear Noone classical/film/video score composer/conductor and host of the 1st stars studded 'This Is Ireland' St. Patrick's Day celebration at UCLA's Royce Hall in Los Angeles on March 17th, 2011. -
Che Faro Senza Euridice: Orpheus' Lamentation of Selfless LoveComposed in 1762, Gluck's operatic version of Orpheus and Eurydice remains timelessly transformational. Listen to one of the most touching song of lost love in musical history and be grateful for the Orpheus you have in real life. -
Poochily DementedMeet my deliciously demented doggy mentor in his most fanged out state... Ever seen a cuter English bulldog? -
Interview with Kurtz Frausun: Composer of 'The Dawn' a New German OperaKurtz of Frausun's The Dawn is having its world premiere in Houston, TX this December. Here is a glimpse at the unlikely composer of a new opera and how his ambitious project came about.
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Turandot at San Diego Opera (4 February 2011)Review of Friday February 4th 2011 performance of Puccini's Turandot at San Diego Opera starring Lise Lindstrom, Carlo Ventre, Ermonela Jaho.
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Reflective Zoo: Doubly Deer and Turtles at San Diego ZooI caught a deer and a couple of turtles in some interesting angles at the San Diego Zoo last week.
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Aussie Goes to the San Diego ZooAussie the visiting Australian koala goes to the San Diego Zoo in search of his country bears...
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Entertaining Brainiacs: Intelligent Celebrities Aren't Endangered Species (They're Just Under-Covered)Yes, it is possible for proud nerds to be hip Hollywood stars or rock music idols! Here are a few of the many smart celebrities who have made it big both on the stage/camera and in university.
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Winter Reflections in Opera: Frozen Tunes from the Gilded StageThe air is chilly this time of year... Pun definitely intended.
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Aussie in San DiegoAussie the koala came to visit from a mutual friend in Australia.
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On a Whim: Snap Shots From Around San Diego, California (2010)This is what happens when you wander around town with a camera in hand and no thought in your head...
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Opera Ba-Rock: Seven Drunkenly Dull Opera Tunes for the Aged and the OldWhy waste precious jolly holiday moments listening to snazzy hip music when you can stale in style to classical stuff that predates your great-great-great-grandmother (or the development of ears in general)?
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Best Holiday And/or Birthday Gifts for Opera LoversLooking for a good present for an opera fan? Here are a few shoe-in hit ideas...
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Hidden in Chula Vista: Palm CreekYou never know what you'll find walking around in Chula Vista in San Diego County, California. Here's a little palm & boulder creek by Discovery Park. An unexpected oasis.
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Personal Announcement: My Comments Are Behaving like Teflon!Since AC merged with Yahoo the site has been plagued by many bugs. One of them took away my commenting ability.
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Seven Favorite Operatic Moments in Popular FilmsOpera has a way of heightening the drama of movies modern and old. Here are seven really good use of opera music or scene in favorite cinematic hits.
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Dog Walking, Evolution, and Climate ChangeThe climate changes as a dog-walking trip turns pensive...
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Thai Style Fried Pork Patties with SpinachCooking Thai style fried grounded pork patties with spinach. A tasty dish done in 20 minutes. Need: grounded pork, egg, spinach, fish sauce, garlic salt, seasoning sauce (light soy sauce).
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Today's Sexiest Female Opera SingersSome women don't even need to take their clothes off to light your fire (though doing so won't hurt at all). Here are 10 sexiest female opera singers currently performing on the stage who blow you away on many fronts.
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It's a Wonderful World with After Daybreak, a New Classical-Pop Crossover TrioA chat with the singers of the classical-pop crossover trio band After Daybreak. The band had just released its first album, What A Wonderful World, donating part of the proceeding to help rebuild a school in Haiti.
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Sunset in San Diego, CaliforniaThe sun sets into many different things in and around San Diego, California.
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My Most Read AC Articles So FarApparently people do read classical music and opera essays online. After a recent look at my AC stats, here are my five most read articles and a few I wish were as popular.
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Late Night Rant from the Sleepless Corner of My SubconscienceTongue firmly in cheek, of course...
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Today's Ten Sexiest Male Opera SingersThey can sing. They can act. And, by Jove, they look like well-spiced red hot sexy Greek gods while doing all that! Here are Ten sexiest males opera singers who can heat up the draftiest of opera houses even on the coldest night of winter.
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Thai Style Tom Yum Chicken and Mushroom SoupFast and easy spiced chicken soup for cold flu-y weather. If not found at your local grocery store, Tom Yum paste is available at www.grocerythai.com.
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Spooky Nights at the Opera: Seven Supernaturally Eerie Halloween-Worthy Operatic FrightsSeven scary Halloween-friendly operas for the well-spooked audience. Tuneful ghosts, goblins, specters, devils, vampires and even witches to frighten you through the eeriest moon on the calendar.
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Dreaming of autumn in San DiegoSan Diego, California doesn't experience real changing autumn leaves... Though we have our own subtle sign of changing season...
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FilmOut Festival Monthly GLBT Film Screening at Birch North Park Theater in San DiegoFeeling gay and bored in San Diego? Check out Birch North Park Theater's monthly FilmOut screening of GLBT-friendly films as you work up the appetite for their fabulous annual GLBT Film Festival.
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Three Deathliest Operas: Onstage Body Count GaloreEver wonder which of the bloody operas come with the highest onstage body count?
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The Jinx-iness of Tosca: Opera's Favorite Mishaps-MagnetThe drama-oriented world of opera is full of superstitious-driven backstage lore and urban legend, many of which concern the mishap attractiveness of Puccini's Tosca. Here are some real life stage calamities associated with the work.
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San Diego Bay From Many Different ViewpointsScenic San Diego Bay from various points along its shores.
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Thai Style Stir Fried Pork and Cabbage DinnerVery simple and easy (and healthy) dinner dish. Only needs some pork, cabbage, fish sauce (or salt), and golden mountain sauce (or light soy sauce). Stir-fried and served with steamed rice (or with bread as sandwich).
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Some Animal-ly Encounters: San Diego Neighborhood CrittersIt pays to have a camera handy when you're out on a neighborhood stroll. You never know what cute and (probably) cuddly critters you might run into.
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Classical Music Events/Performances in San Diego Area (September - December 2010)Looking for classical music performance/event to go to while visiting San Diego between September 20 - November 30, 2010? Find it here!
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Bed and Breakfasts Near Balboa Park in San Diego, CaliforniaPlanning on visiting Balboa Park in San Diego but don't know a good place to stay yet? Here are three of the finest Bed & Breakfasts within walking distance to the park itself.
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Tweet Street Park: Downtown San Diego's Restlessly Sleepy SeclusionTweet Street Park in San Diego is so well tucked in to a sleepy corner of downtown many locals don't even know of its existence. It isn't worth a trip to sight-see, but a neighborly-pace afternoon
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Final Part of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture with Live Cannons and FireworksFinal part of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture on San Diego Bay by SD Symphony Orchestra with live Howitzer guns and firework display. Shot from Embarcadero Marina Park pier. 4 Sep 2010.
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Driven Mad by the Floral Scent of Bizet's Carmen: Don Jose's Famous Flower SongWhen we love someone every little thing about the person affects us in disproportionately huge ways... Whether s/he likes it or not. Here's a listen to how Georges Bizet describes the phenomenon in song in his hit opera, Carmen.
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Them Are UsWhat goes around comes around, I'm afraid.
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Pop Tunes Taken from Classical Music PiecesThere is no sin in loving rock music as well as classical music and even opera. After all, classical music wasn't 'classical' when it first hit the market either. Here are some famous pop/rock tunes with melody lifted from classical numbers.
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San Diego & Chula Vista Lost and Found Pets & People (September 2010)Lost and found fliers from North Park & University Height areas of San Diego and Rancho del Rey/Heritage areas of Chula Vista.
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Upbeat Classical Music Tunes for Dancing Rock Lovers10 more feet-tickling blood-pumping rousing tunes from the Classical Music aisle for everyone.
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Why New Opera Listeners Would like Bel Canto MusicBel Canto opera music is much more beginners-friendly than many realize.... especially when it is not treated like a string of vocal exercise or a piece of museum art.
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Seven Religious Opera for the Religious AudienceOpera is the theatrical venue for rocking the boat! Name the plots and the pathos, opera has it all. And it even dares telling religious stories. Here are 7 of them for the religiously bent (or not) audience.
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Cook Thai Tom Kha Gai (Galangal Coconut Chicken Soup) at HomeMaking tom kha chicken is easy especially now that you can get all the spices online. Try grocerythai.com if local supermarket doesn't have ingredients.
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Fine Dining Divas: Delicious Dishes Named After Opera SingersJenny Lind soup, peach Melba, Melba toast, Poire Mary Garden, Poularde Patti, turkey Tetrazzini, La Diva Renee. What do these delicious appetite pleasers have in common? They are named after opera singers!
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My neighborhood birds (Chula Vista, California)Photos of various birds I chance upon while walking around town here in Chula Vista, California to the SE of San Diego city.
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Bland Baroque and Shallow Mozart? More Contexts Before Retrospectively Judging MusicBefore you dismiss the music of Wolfgang Mozart as 'bland' or Handel opera as 'boring' because it doesn't suit your modern taste, you need to consider a few things.
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20 Most Distinctive Female Operatic Singing Voices of the Last CenturyThere are many wonderful female opera singers performing on the stage today as in the past, though not many of them have a distinctive voice that is easily instantly recognizable. Here is a list of 20 who do.
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Cooking Pad Thai Noodle with ChickenMaking Pad Thai noodle at home is pretty easy especially if you have a wok and good stove. Pad Thai kits with sauce/powder or separate rice noodle and sauce available at Grocerythai.com if can't find at local market.
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Interview with Courtly Noyse: San Diego's Endlessly Hip Renaissance Music GroupThe Renaissance men and women of San Diego's Courtly Noyse early music group answer a few smorgish questions about the Renaissance music being reborn with each of their performances.
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Opera Tunes I'd Love to Hear on American IdolGreat music never die, though sometimes they can use some rejuvenating. Have a listen to some opera music and see if you can imagine a pop hit version of the tunes on venues like American Idol.
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Two Swing Exercises for GolfersTwo easy exercises to help golfers reinforce correct body turns/rotations during golf swing. Also great for warming up before hitting the range or the golf course!
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Interview with Rebecca Nelsen, an American Soprano in ViennaShe hailed from New Mexico and Texas and beat all the boys at trumpet before winning the Fulbright Scholarship and becoming an opera singer. Here's a chance to discover Rebecca Nelsen before she becomes a household name in the operatic firmament.
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The Air is Full of Longing: Marguerite's Lament, D'Amour L'ardente FlammeWhat do you really hear when you listen to Marguerite's famously tuneful aria from Berlioz's La damnation de Faust? What do the instruments say as they listen to the poor lady's plight?
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Interview with Clark Cunningham, Author of the Peerless Foursome Children's Golf SeriesSome people do open their writing career with a screeching home run. Clark Cunningham has an infectious pen he uses in a good plan to create a page-turning book series that benefits more than just himself.
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Harry Potter: A Few Questions/Mysteries I Still Wonder AboutA list of mostly frivolous unsolved mysteries I still wonder about after reading the entire Harry Potter books. Any fun and/or serious attempt at answering is welcomed.
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Interview with Arturo Chacon-Cruz, a Dazzling Young Operatic Tenor to WatchForget your preconceived image of opera divo. Arturo Chacon-Cruz has much he can boast about, but won't. Here's a chat with the talented tenor whose intellect will foil your every attempt at hanging on to the usual opera tenor jokes.
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Blooming Ranunculus At Carlsbad Flower FieldsHappy Passover/Easter/Spring from blooming Southern California where ranunculus and roses are in full bloom.
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Christy Erb and How She Escaped from Competitive Golf with Her Head IntactAn interview with Christy Erb, ex-LPGA Tour player and junior and collegiate golf star at UCLA who now writes full time on various relevant issues.
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Orchestra Conductors: What Essential Things They DoWhat do the man in tux waving the stick in front of the orchestra actually do to the musical performance? Many essential things!!!
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Gounod's Romeo Et Juliette at San Diego Opera (13 March 2010)Gounod's Romeo et Juliette (Romeo and Juliet) had a successful return to the San Diego Opera with its featured stars Stephen Costello and Ailyn Perez.
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Opera & Classical Arias/Songs with Obbligato InstrumentMusic is at its heart a melodic conversation. And there is hardly anything more acoustically fascinating and communicative than classical arias (songs) with a solo voice and an orchestral instrument. Here are a few of nearly every instrument!
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Remembering Beryl Markham During Woman History Month 2010She ran barefoot with the Masai, trained champion racehorses, shagged Denys Finch-Hatton, spotted elephants from the plane, and flew a record flight across the ocean before writing a most memorable memoir. Meet Beryl Markham.
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Women's History Month: Meet Dorothy Maynor, a Great Singer Opera MissedDorothy Maynor was barred from the operatic stage because of her skin color, so she made an extraordinary career as a recitalist and founded the Harlem School of the Arts. A worthy subject of this year's Woman History Month!
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When Real Life is Opera: Based on True StoriesAs nonsensical as many operatic plots may seem, apparently a whole lot of them were actually taken from real life stories. Here are a few highly popular reality-based operas frequenting the stage and music store shelves today.
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Renee Fleming is the Soprano to Hear Whether You like Opera or NotRenee Fleming doesn't need to doll up, take off her clothes, gyrate sexually on the stage or French kiss another soprano in order to earn attention. Why? She is hot and intelligent and, most of all, she can actually sing almost anything!
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Opera Songs of Love, Lust, and LongingCelebrating an operatic Valentine with a few opera arias and duets on the various shades of love, lust, and longing.
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A Review of Sleep-Repelling Opera MusicSeven sleep-busting arias from the opera that will cure even the worst case of narcolepsy. Disclaimer: the selections contain excessive speed and/or beat and may cause a severe surge of adrenaline. Listen at your own risk!
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San Diego Opera's Fist Performance of 2010 Season: Puccini's La BohemePiotr Beczala and Ellie Dehn left no eyes dry in the audience in Puccini's most popular opera. La Boheme is a hit in San Diego and there're only 3 shows left!
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Katherine Jenkins: Opera vs. CrossoverOpera vs Crossover? Why can't we just be content with liking and not liking different artists for ourselves? Why are some of us compelled to exhibit this need to dictate what others can or cannot sing or like as well?
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Talking Opera with Ian Campbell, General Director & Artistic Director at San Diego Opera"Our job is to make the artists' path to the production and the stage as easy as possible. When it all gels, and we hear such great live music from extraordinary voices in particular, it is all worth the effort."
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Thai Style Breakfast: Boiled Rice with Egg Foo YongJust because you're sick and have sore throat doesn't mean that you are condemned to tasteless oatmeal for a week. Try this tasty Thai boiled rice soup and keep your weight on against the cold weather!
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Interview with Gary McKercher, Music Director of the San Diego Master ChoraleDr. Gary McKercher, music director of the San Diego Master Chorale does a cyber chat with chorus-loving Smorg about the SDMC
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Upcoming Classical Music/Opera Performances in San Diego, California (Jan - Jun 2010)List of upcoming classical music and operatic performances/events in San Diego, California from January to June 2010.
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Hot Rods at North Park Toyland Parade (December 2009)A look at some spiffy shiny classic cars that participated in the 46th edition of North Park Toyland Parade this winter.
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Humperdinck's Hansel Und Gretel (in English) at the Lyric Opera San Diego (13 November 2009)Lyric Opera San Diego shows why Humperdinck's Hansel und Gretel is a great opera for everyone young and old or even new to the genre... And you can get a good seat for less than $60!
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Windmill Thrift Shop in North Park, San Diego, CaliforniaWindmill Thrift Shop on University Avenue in North Park, San Diego, offers neat & well organized very lightly used merchandise for good price.
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Solana Beach, California: Public Access to Four BeachesFind all the beach accesses in Solana Beach in north San Diego.
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A Few of Smorg's Favorite Male Opera SingersNope, these aren't the commercialized Il Divo, they are the real unamplified men of the operatic stage who can melt you with their voice and make you wish that every opera you see them on can last for hours and hours.
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The Beaches of Encinitas in San Diego, CaliforniaEncinitas on the San Diego coast has a beach to sate your every need. From the sandy anything goes stretch of Moonlight Beach to pebble strewn and nudist-ly secluded Boneyards and the little big surfing mecca that is Swami's. It's ZEN!
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San Elijo State Beach and Cardiff State Beach in San Diego, CaliforniaCardiff by-the-Sea just south of Encinitas on the northern San Diego coast is a local surfing mecca. The two main beaches here are San Elijo and Cardiff (AKA George's). Here's what you'll find when you drop by.
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Tancredi's 'O Patria - Di Tanti Palpiti': When a Vision of Love Wipes Away All WrongsAmong the many bits of music that make me hopelessly addicted to bel canto opera is the opening aria of the title role of Rossini's Tancredi. Why?... listen and see...
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Pacific Beach and Mission Beach in San Diego, CaliforniaLos Angeles has its Santa Monica... San Diego has Pacific Beach where you can catch the gentle slopey waves in the morning, sail around Mission Bay in the afternoon, and scream your lungs off on
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The Beaches of La Jolla, CaliforniaA look at the beaches of La Jolla in San Diego, California from Torrey Pines to Children's Pool.
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Baltic Inn Residential Hotel in Downtown San DiegoCheap and small, but clean, safe and convenient extended stay hotel in downtown San Diego. Easy to get a room if you're a foreign student or have low income job.
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An Interview with Leon Natker, General Director of Lyric Opera San DiegoA chat with Leon Natker, general director of the Lyric Opera San Diego. The LOSD at Birch North Park Theatre is the venue for classic films, broadway shows, and light operas in San Diego.
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Golden West Hotel in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaCheap rent-by-the-week-or-month room at a historic hotel in the heart of Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego. Alright for emergency lodging, though if you can afford $580 or more per month as rent, go elsewhere.
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Muang Lao Convenient Store in Chollas Creek, San Diego, CaliforniaA little SE Asian convenient store a few minutes southeast of downtown San Diego where you can find a lot of dried food goodies to pack your pantry with.
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Seven Operatic Arias of Sorrow to Help Enhance Your MelancholyWhy cry alone when you could have a sympathetic company who can intone your sorrows for you in tunes you could never carry on your own? Here are 7 of my favorite songs of melancholy from the opera. Get the Kleenex and listen on!
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Tchaikovsky & Friends End the San Diego Symphony's 2009 Outdoor Summer Pops SeriesSan Diego Symphony ended its 2009 Summer Pops concert season with many a bomb-bursting-in-air (albeit to all-Russian music) to the cheers of capacity audience at the Embarcadero Marina Park - South on Labor Day weekend.
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Asia Cafe in Chollas Creek, San Diego, CaliforniaEver tried Laotian food before? You should, especially if you are living or visiting the city of San Diego. Asia Cafe at the NE corner of Market and 47th cooks killer authentic food from SE Asia at super bargain price.
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RCA Red Seal's Stars of Salzburg: Music CD ReviewRCA Red Seal is a recording label well endowed with talented musicians. You can sample many of the label's most celebrated classical artists on this CD doing anything from Mozart to Murcia. A great sampler disc for lovers of classical music new and old.
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Steveo Postal Place in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaSteveo Postal Place is the little locally owned mailing/packaging shop that could. Western Union, mail box rental, stationary & mailing supplies, Internet station - the only thing missing is a public notary.
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Pasha Mediterranean Cafe in Hillcrest, San Diego, CaliforniaThe best Mediterranean (Lebanese) restaurant in miles. Great service and reasonable prices, too.
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Lyric Opera San Diego at Birch North Park Theatre: Where Operas and Musicals Light Up the NightSan Diego is fabulous if you are in town and crave a casual evening on the town where people hum eternally catchy operetta tunes while sipping on their cafe mocha. Drop in on the LOSD at Birch Theatre in North Park and catch a few shows!
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Claire De Lune Cafe in North Park, San Diego, CaliforniaA locally owned coffee lounge for lovers of live music just across the street from Birch North Park Theatre (home of the Lyric Opera) in San Diego. No wifi!
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Alexis Mediterranean Cafe in San Diego, California - Restaurant ReviewGreat Greek style gyros lunch or dinner in Hillcrest, where you're treated like Ari Onassis without having to pay the same price.
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Oasis Mediterranean Cuisine in Downtown San DiegoFeel like having a good Shawarma for a cheap but good lunch while walking around downtown San Diego? Give Oasis Mediterranean Cuisine on Broadway a block east of Horton Plaza a go.
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Surrealism at Its Best: Fortner's Operatic Take on Lorca's Blood Wedding (DVD Review)Some stories are better told in black and white... even as it dwells unapologetically on the shades of gray. This 1964 staging of Wolfgang Fortner's Bluthochzeit is one that you'll remember whether you like it or not.
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Cheap Restaurants in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaFive places in downtown San Diego where you can dine for less than $10 per person. No sacrifice made in taste for Sushi Deli 2 and Pokez. Some for the other three.
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Mon Coeur S'ouvre a Ta Voix: Even Samson's Hair is Not Sultry Enough for Dalila's VoiceAs charming as the operatic good girls can be, it is the deviously naughty femmes fatales like Carmen or Dalila who tend to stick in you soul the most. Here's a listen to how Saint-Saens' Dalila poaches her man with sheer vocal sultry-ness.
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Must-Do List for Animal Lovers Visiting San Diego, CaliforniaAside from visiting the world famous San Diego Zoo at Balboa Park, there are many other programs around town that allows you to canoodle comfortably with other mostly warm-blooded species (dolphins, macaws, seals, etc).
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The Broken Yolk Cafe of Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, CaliforniaA famous breakfast all day place, the Broken Yolk doesn't seem to fit as well in downtown as it does in Pacific Beach. It's fine, but there are other breakfast diners around that give you more for your bucks, though.
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Spice Up the Summer Air with Five Spunky Fun Opera AriasOpera isn't all bloody and morbidly dramatic (though some certainly are). Here are some spunky operatic songs to humor the helium-headed fun loving classical music fanatics among us.
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Presidio & Serra Museum in Old Town San Diego, CaliforniaVisit what is left of the place where San Diego began over 2 centuries ago and ponder at how much easier life is these days than then. Serra Museum is open Friday-Sunday. Presidio ground welcomes you everyday for free.
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In Cahoots Dance Hall & Saloon in Mission Valley, San Diego, CaliforniaThere is a bit of Texas everywhere, even in San Diego, California. In Cahoots Dance Hall and Saloon is the place to go to catch cheap (but good and hearty) food and beer while you aren't busy line dancing to country western music.
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New Cafe: American Breakfast & Chinese Food in East Village, Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaCheap but filling chow of Chinese and American diner food just a few blocks from the Gaslamp Quarter.
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Le Travel Store in Downtown San Diego (Gaslamp Quarter), CaliforniaYou don't need magic to be able to travel light and efficiently in this hi-tech age, you just need a (not maxed out) credit card and a good direction to get to Le Travel Store by Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego.
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Tandoor Indian Cuisine in Mission Valley, San Diego, CaliforniaExotic food in San Diego doesn't have to come at an exorbitant price. Tandoor in Mission Valley (Mission Center Rd at Friar Rd near Hazard Center) can satisfy your lust for Indian food for less than $10 per person.
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The Hub Market & Deli in Gaslamp/East Village Neighborhood of Downtown San DiegoThe little neighborhood snack and deli shop that could. Why go to a generic 7/11 when you can drop in on the Hub and deal with real local people?
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Java Jones Coffee House in Downtown San Diego (East Village)A hip locally owned coffee house within sight of Petco Park baseball stadium in downtown San Diego sure is worth frequenting.
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CVS Pharmacy at C Street and 5th Avenue in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaCVS Pharmacy is conquering San Diego - swallowing up and squeezing out competitions at an alarming rate. What can I say? CVS comes ready to battle. This downtown store has everything: good price, good service and enviably easily accessed location.
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Shop on the Cheap at Super Discount Food Convenient Store in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is an expensive city to live in. If you are willing to compromise on quality, you can save a lot of money each month shopping at Super Discount Food Convenient Store on Broadway (at 7th) in downtown.
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Gourmet India Near Horton Plaza in Downtown San Diego, California (Gaslamp Quarter)Among the many Indian restaurants in the area, Gourmet India in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter is an ideal place for laid back semi-formal dining for the lovers of aromatic spiced food from the Subcontinent for $20-26.
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What's in and Around St. Joseph, MissouriSome local attractions worth visiting in St. Joseph, Missouri, the place where the famed Pony Express began and where Jesse James met his end.
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Upcoming Classical Music Performances in San Diego, California (August - December 2009)A list of some good classical music performances in and around the city of San Diego, California from August - December 2009.
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Leisurely Shelter Island in San Diego, CaliforniaDream of enjoying spectacular views of the San Diego skyline and waterfront while surrounded by the bay and awash in its laidback tranquility? Shelter Island is the place for you.
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Sapho's O Ma Lyre Immortelle: Soaked in Sound and Drowned in SorrowsWhat does music do to/for you? How do you describe what you hear in it? I recently had another listening of Sapho's final aria from the Gounod opera.. and this is what I hear...
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Smorg's Unidiomatic Look at Mozart's K. 366, Idomeneo, Re Di CretaAn overview of what to expect when listening to Wolfgang Mozart's timeless opera seria on a side-theme from the Iliad.
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CD Review: Vesselina Kasarova Sings Berlioz, Ravel, ChaussonShe muses aloud in exotic melodies that enliven the summer nights; elusively intimate, detachedly emotionally intense, her endless introspection lingers in the air long after the last note. Meet Vesselina Kasarova and the romantic French song cycles.
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Marina District in Downtown San DiegoPhotos from various parts of the beautiful Marina District of downtown San Diego... Including Seaport Village.
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Spring - as Smorg Hears ItA frivolous post of my impressions while listening to classical spring songs on the stereo (Schubert, Strauss, Stravinsky)
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Boats (As Seen Around San Diego Bay)All sorts of boats call the port of San Diego home. Here are a few...
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The Philippine Library and Museum in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaWhat to expect when you drop in at the Philippine Museum in the Gaslamp Quarter in Downtown San Diego.
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Walk Around the Asian Pacific Historical District in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaA look around the Asian Pacific Historical District in downtown San Diego (where old Chinatown used to be).
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Panoramic View Points in San Diego, CaliforniaA few great scenic places in and around downtown San Diego, California.
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Beach City Market at Horton Plaza in Downtown San Diego (Restaurant Review)This is an overpriced self-serve deli with prepackaged health food, sushi, salad bar, and juice bar.
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Heritage County Park in Old Town San Diego, California: Victorian Houses ForeverA slice of the Victorian Era in the well preserved Old Town San Diego.
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Rocking Classically: 10 Rousing Classical Music Tunes to Welcome Summer WithList of 10 favorite fast beat adrenaline-rush music from the classical music genre... with sample clips.
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From the Streets of Downtown San DiegoEver wonder how little pigeons come to be? or what the blue plastic bags on street poles are for?
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San Diego from the 40th FloorSome photos from the Top of the Hyatt Lounge at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego, California.
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William Heath Davis House Museum in Gaslamp Quarter, Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaWhat to expect when you visit William Heath Davis House, the oldest structure in new town San Diego.
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Walk the La Jolla Coast: Great Hiking with Spectacular Shoreline & WildlifeWhat to do in ritzy La Jolla, San Diego, California, aside from shopping and boutique store hopping. The place is a natural paradise!
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Sushi Deli 2 in Downtown San Diego, California: ReviewThe cheapest sushi in town. Go for the teriyaki platter, though. You'll wish you had to pay more for it.
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Review: Extreme Pita in Downtown San DiegoExtreme Pita in downtown San Diego is a good place to pocket a fast lunch-dinner before the symphony or the opera.
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The 10 Commandments for Opera-GoersSilence is golden... unless it's time to clap.
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Torrey Pines State Reserve in San Diego, CaliforniaExperience the wildness of nature while staying within the city limit of San Diego.
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A Little Chat with Christiane Karg, an Upcoming Lyric Soprano to WatchA cyber-interview with Christiane Karg, the German soprano opera singer. At only 29, she is proving prodigious as a singing actress and a very candid interviewee, too.
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The Maritime Museum of San Diego: More Than 2 Centuries of Living HistoryVisit the historic ships at the San Diego Maritime Museum.
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Thai Pan Cuisine in La Jolla, California (San Diego)A good new and affordable Thai restaurant in downtown La Jolla (San Diego, California).
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The Village Hat Shop in Seaport Village, Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaYou can't have too many heads on your shoulders when you visit this hat-ful place.
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Torrey Pines Gliderport & Cliff-Hanger Café In San Diego, CaliforniaFly with the birds over San Diego's gorgeous ocean bluffs at Torrey Pines Gliderport in La Jolla.
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Madama Butterfly at the San Diego Opera (9 May 2009): A Cultural Clash of Operatic ProportionPatricia Racette as Madama Butterfly is the all caps MAIN EVENT at the San Diego Opera. If you only want to see one opera this year, THIS is it.
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Review of Captain's Cove Nautical Gift & Fine Brass Store at Seaport Village in Downtown San DiegoThis is a pirate's heaven in the beautiful haven of Seaport Village. Gift shop to go for the sea-loving.
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Payless Shoe Source in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaPayless Shoe Source is the place to go to find the pair of shoes you want for a reasonable price while in downtown San Diego.
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Cafe De L'Opera in Downtown San Diego, California (Restaurant Review)Review of a local favorite deli that offers great pannini sandwiches, wraps, salads, and coffee for amazingly low price.
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A Review of Super Jr Market in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaA little downtown grocery store that doesn't break your bank.
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The Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park, San Diego, CaliforniaThere is no zen-er place in town than at Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park.
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Ross Dress for Less in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaHere is a review of Ross Dress for Less in downtown San Diego, a wretchedly understocked store that offers a lot of frustrating shopping experiences.
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J. Wok Asian Fusion Restaurant in the East Village Neighborhood of Downtown San DiegoReview of J. Wok, an affordable Asian fusion restaurant just a foul ball away from Petco Park in downtown San Diego, California.
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Review of Lee's Cafe in Gaslamp Quarter - Part of Downtown San DiegoReview of a cheap American-Chinese diner you can have a meal at without breaking your bank while visiting downtown San Diego.
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Some Classical and Opera Tunes Recently Heard on TV (April 2009)Just a listen (with links to sample clips) of classical and opera tunes I've heard on television recently.
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JJ's Sunset Deli at Embarcadero Marina Park-South, San Diego, CaliforniaJJ's Sunset Deli at the fishing pier on the Embarcadero Marina Park-South and offers good affordable food with a gorgeous bay view.
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Mak Cleaners in San Diego, CaliforniaReview of Mak Cleaners in East Village neighborhood of Downtown San Diego.
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Freak Factory in Mission Beach, San Diego, CaliforniaA visit to the leisurely hip Freak Factory eclectic souvenir shop in surf-crazy Mission Beach in San Diego, California.
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Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes at the San Diego Opera (18 April 2009)Review of opening performance of Britten's sea-themed opera about a social outcast who struggles against a (rightly or wrongly) judgmental society in a dreary British fishing village.
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Local Restaurant Review: Thai Time II Restaurant in Pt. Loma, San Diego, CaliforniaThai Time II near San Diego Sports Arena offers good tasting and affordable Thai food for those who can use some more spices in their culinary lives.
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Sunset Cliffs in Point Loma, San Diego, CaliforniaA few evening photos from the crumbling sandstone cliffs on the Pacific coast of Pt. Loma in San Diego, California.
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The Pita Pit in Pacific Beach, San Diego, CaliforniaFast food doesn't have to be fatty these days. The Pita Pit in Pacific Beach is the place to grab a quick and healthy lunch or dinner without having to worry too much about its caloric content.
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A Few of Smorg's Favorite Sopranos (part 2 of 3)More look/listen at another 4 of my favorite currently active operatic sopranos. Part 2 of 3 (Hartelius, Naglestad, Antonacci, Gruberova).
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Do Re Mi House Korean Restaurant in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, CaliforniaReview of a good, little Korean barbeque eatery in Kearny Mesa/Clairemont Mesa area of San Diego, California.
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Review of Sau Voi Deli at the Ranch 99 Market in Clairemont, San Diego, CaliforniaReview of Sau Voi Vietnamese deli at the Ranch 99 Market in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, CA.
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Respighi's Fountains of Rome & Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor at the San Diego SymphonyReview of San Diego Symphony's performance of Respighi's Le fontane di Roma, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's E minor violin concerto and Italian symphony on April 4th at Copley Hall.
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San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa ParkA look at what to expect at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.
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Lauding Ataneli: Rigoletto at the San Diego Opera (28, 31 March 2009)Review of the first two performances of Verdi's tuneful opera, Rigoletto, at the San Diego Civic Theater (28, 31 Mar 2009).
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Just Burgers & Lounge in Little Italy: San Diego, CaliforniaA wholesome little burger lounge in the quiet northern end of Little Italy in San Diego, California.
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Downtown Fish Joint in San Diego, CaliforniaA good place to lunch on fried or grilled fish while in downtown San Diego.
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FedEx Office/ Kinko's: The Self-Service Copy Place in Downtown San DiegoAn office away from home while you are in downtown San Diego... if you can afford it.
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Sieu Sieu Chinese Barbeque in Clairemont Mesa, San DiegoA good place to catch a meaty Chinese lunch or dinner for under $10.
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99 Ranch Market in Clairemont Mesa: San Diego's Oasis of Oriental Food99 Ranch Market is the mother of all Asian food grocery stores. Name an Asian cooking ingredient and chances are good you'll find it here. Its deli also does killer dim sum!
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Salvation Army Thrift Store in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaWith the economy doing a very convincing imitation of a sloth, shopping at the neighborhood thrift stores is the sensible thing to do for many (yours truly included).
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Embarcadero Marina Park (North and South) in San Diego, CaliforniaA look around the Embarcadero Marina Park (North and South) in downtown San Diego, CA. Located on the San Diego Bay south of Tuna Harbor and Seaport Village, this is a ring park with 2 halves enclosing the Marriott Hotel's Marina.
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Wahrenbrock's Book House in Downtown San Diego, CaliforniaWahrenbrock's is THE used & rare book place to go in Downtown area. It's a three story labyrinth of enticing literature that keep even the geekiest of bookworms happy.
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Pannikin Coffee, Tea & Spices in Downtown San Diego (Gaslamp Quarter - East Village Neighborhood)Pannikin in downtown San Diego is a quirky seller of exotic coffee beans, tea, spices, and psychedelic retro gift items. A caffeine-theme nirvana of tea enthusiasts.
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Bent on Communication: An Interview with Classical Crossover Soprano Elizabeth TryonAn interview with Elizabeth Tryon, a classically trained singer who is sailing in the fast moving water of classical cross-over music.
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Check that Data, Please!: Doing Science Means Never Taking Anything for GrantedAn annoyed musing on how easy it is to be sold a bridge when you don't pay attention and know to doubt the accuracy of what you're told.
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Richard Strauss' September: The Summer that Peacefully Fades with Its GardenAnother musing on a nostalgic orchestral song by Smorg the music glutton. Richard Strauss' September (from 'Four Last Songs)
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The Voice that Melts Sparta: Vesselina Kasarova and Her Helenic TimbreNot all voices are created equal. Some are more ship-launch-able than others. Here is my pick for the most sensual female voice on the planet.
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Cost Plus World Market in Gaslamp Quarters, San Diego, CaliforniaImport retailer offering handmade goods and tasty packaged food from all over the world for a good price in downtown San Diego, California.
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Bluestocking Books in Hillcrest, San Diego, CaliforniaThe ultimate neighborly neighborhood bookstore where forgotten literary treasures ambush you in its aisles.
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Thai Grill in Hillcrest, San Diego, CaliforniaThai Grill is a low-keyed intimate little northern Thai eatery in Hillcrest. Good food for good price and good service.
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Curry House Japanese Curry & Spaghetti in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, CaliforniaJapanese food isn't all raw fish wrapped in seaweed. There are lots of good curries to be had, too!
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The Nina Sails Again: Re-incarnation of Columbus' Little Ship that CouldAn encounter with the most historically accurate replica of Christopher Columbus' Nina. Keep an eye out for her visit to a sea port near you.
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Cannon Battles on San Diego Bay (January 2009)Over the last 2 weekends in January the San Diego Maritime Museum put on spectacular re-enactments of 18th Century tall ships battles with 2 of its residents; HMS Surprise & the Californian and the visiting Lynx and Amazing Grace).
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Massenet's Don Quichotte (Don Quixote) at the San Diego Opera (14 February 2009)Furlanetto makes Don Quichotte's first return to San Diego in 40 years a triumph worth experiencing.
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La Casita in Downtown San Diego: The Little Blue House that CooksThis good and cheap Mexican restaurant across C St from City College is both easy going in atmosphere and in taste.
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Point Loma Seafood in San Diego, California: Fresh from and by the SeaPoint Loma Seafood deli-fish market-restaurant is a local lunch favorite for all the good reason. Truly fresh, and truly filling.
