Hello San Diego!

The always fabulous Asian Film Festival will got underway yesterday. This year's festival will showcase over 130 feature and short films from 30 different countries!  SDAFF is one of the very best film festivals in San Diego, not to be missed! Films screenings and special events will continue until next Saturday.

Today (Friday and Saturday), Egyptian Comedian Bassem Youssef will be performing and the American Comedy Company.

Today (Friday), Jimmy Patton and Enrique Platas will perform at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla. Comedian Felipe Esparza will perform at Humphreys. The Mexican documentary Me llamaban (They Call Me) King Tiger will be screened at the Digital Gym. At UCSD, the Asian Americans Advocacy will hold a Studio Ghibli Movie Night. The opera production El Ultimo Sueno de Frida Y Diego continues at the Civic Center Theatre, with performances today and a final performance on Sunday.

Saturday, Bonita Museum & Cultural Center will host Gathering of Nations, a celebration of indigenous culture. The Carlsbad Music Festival will take place at St. Michael's By The Sea. The 45th Concert of Philippine Music & Dance, Sining SAMAHAN will take place at the Joan B. Kroc Theatre. In Solana Beach, there will be a Native American Art Show Reception. Works will be on display both on Saturday and Sunday of next week. Mexican band Café Tacvba will perform at the Magnolia in El Cajon. At the Grand Artique, TablAvaaz will perform electronic music, Indian classical tabla, and world music.

Sunday, the House of Lebanon hosts their annual Lawn Program at the International Cottages in Balboa Park. Romani Flamenco singer El Cigala will perform at Humphreys. The Fall Back Festival will be held at the Gaslamp Museum. An the mind-bending film Everything Everywhere All at Once will be screened at Cinema Under the Stars.

Tuesday, DON'T FORGET TO VOTE! Much is riding on this election! The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness will be screened at Mira Costa College in Oceanside.

From next Wednesday to the following Sunday, the Coronado Film Festival will happen and will feature many international films. Hamilton will open at the Civic Theatre, continuing until the 20th.

Next Thursday, a production of The Merry Wives of Windsor will open at Mira Costa College. At SDSU, Dr. Chuyun Oh will discuss K-pop Dance and Fandom based on her recent book about the cultural phenomena. At the Weston, there will be a seminar on Relocating to or Investing in Portugal. The Mingei will host a Gallery Talk with Isaías D. Rodríguez about his work on exhibit at the museum. The San Diego Ramen Festival will be held on the Broadway Pier. Yummmm! Props to Silk Road Productions for putting on such wonderful events. The San Diego Archeological Society will present an online talk on Ancient Maya Archaeology of the Mountain Pine Ridge located in Belize. At La Paloma, the San Diego Italian Film Festival will screen the film Cosa Sarà (Everything’s Gonna Be Alright). Filipino-Spanish singer/songwriter Shaila Dúrcal will perform at the Magnolia in El Cajon. Mexican singer-songwriter Vanessa Zamora will sing at the Soda Bar. And the Middle-Eastern duo Bedouin Burger will perform at UCSD.

Throughout next weekend, a stage production of All Is Calm - The Christmas Truce of 1914 will be performed at St. James by-the-Sea in La Jolla.

Next Friday, the band Indigenous will perform at Romona Main Stage. As part of the ongoing German Currents Kino series at the Digital Gym, the film The Last Execution will be screened. At the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living in Encinitas, there will be a Carnatic Vocal Concert featuring Sandeep Narayan. Regional Mexican band Alacranes will perform at Blue Agave.

Next Saturday and Sunday will be the first of many 626 Night Markets will be held downtown along 5th Avenue. There should be a goodly amount of international cuisine on offer.

Next Saturday, the Embers of Oaxaca art exhibition will open at the Museum of Art. The 1st Annual Valley Arts Festival, a celebration of the Luiseño Tribe, will be held in Oceanside. Samahan Filipino American Alumni of SDSU (note: this is a different organization than the Samahan Filipino American Performing Arts & Education Center mentioned above), will hold their 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Balboa Park Club. Sonido De La Frontera & Los Sleepwalkers will perform at the Quartyard.

Next Sunday, there will be a Afrodiaspora Day Party at the Quartyard. Puerto Rican reggaeton duo Wisin & Yandel will perform at San Diego State's Viejas Arena. Colombian music artist Feid will perform at House of Blues.

Cross-cultural/international-themed theatrical offerings in San Diego include Chasing Shakespeare at the Community Actors Theatre, Baskerville at Lamb's Players Theatre in Coronado, Imogen Says Nothing (ends Saturday) at City College, Hamilton at the Civic Center, The Merry Wives of Windsor at Costa Mesa College, As You Like It at the La Jolla Playhouse, and the musical Not Working at the Chula Vista El Salon Theatre.

Lastly, don't forget to check out Ongoing and Extended Events as well the generous number of International Films screening in local theaters!

Everyone here at the San Diego Participant Observer and the Worldview Project wish you fulfilling, illuminating, and culturally-rich experiences in the days ahead. Stay safe and see you next week!!

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Salvadorian Pupusas with Curtido

Our Recipe of the Month is for Pupusas and Curtido. A street food staple, pupusas are cheese-filled "corn pancakes." Served with sides of curtido salad and tomato salsa, they are a satisfying treat.