On the road again!: Afternoon at Balboa Park, April 1

We had a nice morning walk down the beach to start our day. (Also did a laundry).
In the early afternoon we drove to meet one of Weldon's friends, Gail, at her store, "The Girl Can't Help It" which is a funky, vintage store. (Our 3rd time going there...first time - closed; second time -she was not there)

Barbara, Mark, Gail

Then we drove to Balboa Park and spent the entire afternoon. We started at the Timkin Museum, a small, free museum that features the collection of one family. Very enjoyable.

Eastman Johnson, Cranberry Picking on Nantucket

Ship in Distress

Then, we went to the Mingei International Museum which is dedicated to everyday artifacts of various cultures. Because some of it was closed off in preparation for new exhibits, we got in for just $5.00. We really enjoyed the visit.
We started with an exhibit of Asafo flags from Ghana. The colorful ceremonial flags from the late 19th and 20th centuries feature folk art images. Made by men, they were commissioned by military organizations or asafo "companies" whose primary role was to exert power within Fante communities. Most portrayed proverbs. Very interesting.

Then, we went to an exhibit of Japanese "toys". The "toys" were more like talismans to help the children. Another charming and informational exhibit. Cats with a paw held up - a symbol of welcoming to the house.
But, the highlight was a small collection donated by John Darcy Noble. (Noble was one of the first curator of toys in the U.S. and he retired to San Diego.)When he was a little boy, a woman gave him a tiny whimsical doll called Wednesday which Noble took to England. She wrote to him about making a home for Wednesday and friends for her and entertained him with stories about them. When he got home, he was amazed by a five-foot high "house" inhabited with more whimsical figures all of which came with a story. It is now an exhibit at the Museum. It also comes with a book, "A Palace for Wednesday." Enchanting.

The Palace that was created for Wednesday


Wednesday in her Palace

Some of Wednesday's friends

Another one of the things he donated was the Goulden Doll House, a five-foot high doll house from the 1700s into the mid 1800s. Two generations, a grandmother and a granddaughter, worked on it.

   We also saw a bead exhibit which featured beadwork from all over the world - truly amazing.The museum has an extensive collection and only puts out a small fraction.
        After the museums, we sat in the central plaza and observed.
        Food trucks go to the park on Friday nights, but they did not appeal to us, so we went to a Artisan Bento Japanese Restaurant on Fifth Avenue. I had sushi handrolls and Mark had some sort of chicken in a bowl with rice, scrambled egg and vegetables. We both had miso soup, too.