Pam Kragen

1 week ago | sandiegouniontribune.com | Pam Kragen

One of the great life passages for many parents is meeting the person who will one day marry their son or daughter. For affluent Latino parents Enrique and Ilana Gomez, this moment goes hilariously wrong from the start, when their daughter Yoli invites her Mexican-born intended Marcos over to the family’s Pasadena home for dinner. Turns out Marcos is White, the son of Bostonites who were living in Mexico when he was born, and he shows up on the Gomez doorstep with the host gift of a piñata.

1 week ago | sandiegouniontribune.com | Pam Kragen

On Jan. 31, 24 Suns restaurant held its grand opening in Oceanside, and just 3 1/2 months later, it earned a prestigious recommendation from the Michelin Guide. It’s not unprecedented to receive Michelin recognition that quickly (Carlsbad’s new Lilo restaurant also earned a recommendation less than a month after it opened in April). But it does show that Michelin’s anonymous inspectors had their eyes on 24 Suns’ founding co-chefs Nicholas “Nic” Webber and Jacob Jordan for a while.

1 week ago | sacbee.com | Pam Kragen

The official first day of summer this year is June 20, but for many San Diegans, the real summer kickoff will be June 11 when the 2025 San Diego County Fair opens for a 20-day run at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. As in recent years, the fair will run Wednesdays through Sundays only, and this year it will stay open for the weekend following the Fourth of July, with run dates June 11 through July 6.

1 week ago | sandiegouniontribune.com | Pam Kragen

Like many Baby Boomers, I grew up on the music of Neil Diamond, appreciating his distinctive whiskey baritone voice, earworm melodies and familiar, sing-along lyrics. But when I saw “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” for the first time on Wednesday night at the San Diego Civic Theatre, I realized I’d never really been listening. Like all jukebox musicals, “A Beautiful Noise” tells the Brooklyn-born singer’s life and musical journey through 30 or so songs from his vast catalog.

1 week ago | sandiegouniontribune.com | Pam Kragen

Back in 2016, actor-playwright John Leguizamo workshopped his solo play “Latin History for Morons” at the La Jolla Playhouse. In 2017, it premiered on Broadway. In 2018, it was filmed for Netflix. And in 2019, it returned to San Diego on a national tour. In every previous iteration of the play, the wiry, manic Leguizamo has performed the show with his signature motor-mouth energy, fiery personality and chameleon-like talent for creating characters and voices.