Casa Captivating
Press Releases
San Clemente, CA – Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, a nonprofit southern California cultural center, welcomes Dr. Tom Deméré to speak as part of the institution’s Casa Up Close lecture series on Thursday, March 7, 2019. Dr. Deméré is the Curator of Paleontology and Director of PaleoServices at the San Diego Natural History Museum, where he has been on staff since 1994.
Dr. Deméré will talk about his most exciting and noteworthy dig finds, including the discovery in 1992 of a 130,000-year-old mastodon dinosaur skeleton in San Diego County with bones that are believed to have been broken and sharpened with stones onsite by early humans. The discovery has rocked the scientific world, initiating conversations about the presence of human activity in the Americas. Previously, the oldest record of human activity in the area dated back only 15,000 years.
About Dr. Tom Deméré
Dr. Tom Deméré has worked as a professional paleontologist since 1974, first as a micropaleontologist in the petroleum industry and then as a paleontologist with the San Diego Natural History Museum involved with collecting, curating, and interpreting fossils.
Since 1994, Dr. Deméré has served as Curator of Paleontology and Director of PaleoServices. He is the author of numerous scientific and popular articles dealing with the paleontological history of southern California and the evolutionary history of marine mammals. Since 1981, Dr. Deméré has also worked as an environmental consultant to various planning firms, municipalities, and land development companies in southern California.
Dr. Deméré holds a Ph.D. in biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, a M.S. in geology from the University of Southern California, and a B.S. in geology from San Diego State University.
If you go: Casa Up Close: Dr. Tom Deméré, Paleontologist takes place at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens on Thursday, March 7 at 7:00 PM in the Main Salon. Doors open at 6:30 PM, and a donation bar will serve wine and non-alcoholic refreshments. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for Casa members. Tickets are available online at CasaRomantica.org/Calendar, by telephone at (949) 498-2139, or in person at the administrative offices during public hours.
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens maintains a robust series of year-round programs in arts, music, history, horticulture, and literature for all ages. Under the leadership of Executive Director Berenika Schmitz, Casa Romantica has commissioned several critically-acclaimed works, including Casa Theater: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2018; theater), Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law (2017; visual art), Casa Kinetic: Contemporary Dance Collective (2017; contemporary dance), The Beauty of the Butterfly (2017; visual art), Casa Kinetic: Carrie Lee Riggins (2016; contemporary dance), Casa Drama: Slings & Arrows (2015; theater), and Open Casa: The Photographs of Douglas Kirkland (2015; visual art). The 2017-18 Casa Captivating season includes a new jazz series, visual and performing arts commissions, and an enhanced wellness program.
“Casa Romantica strives to be the epicenter for innovative artistic experiences in our southern California community,” says Casa Romantica Executive Director Berenika Schmitz.
Casa Romantica also hosts a variety of free arts education programs for children year-round. The institution’s annual Casa Romantica Music Festival and Academy has received critical praise for its comprehensive two-week music studies program in cello, piano, viola, and violin. Casa Romantica also offers a Summer Dance Workshop, a Spring Break Arts Week, various art, literature, and horticulture events to grades K-12, and welcomes over 2,000 children from the Capistrano Unified School District each year for STEAM-based field trips that examine the history of San Clemente and the coastal environment.
Mission Statement: Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and is the historic home of the founder of the City of San Clemente. Casa Romantica provides programs for all ages in arts, music, history, and horticulture and is a premier Southern California cultural center.
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is located at 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, CA 92672. Hours: Tuesday—Thursday 11 am—4 pm; Friday—Sunday 10am—2pm; closed Mondays and holidays. General admission is $5; Casa Members and children under age 13 visit for FREE. For more information, call (949) 498-2139 or visit CasaRomantica.org.
