7-Eleven’s very colorful Hillcrest mural!

This super colorful mural is painted on the side of a 7-Eleven convenience store and gas station in Hillcrest, near the corner of University Avenue and Normal Street. San Diego artist Carly Ealey created the spray paint art back in 2023.

The sunglasses of the refreshment-sipping character shine with rainbow colors. That will be more appropriate than ever, once the south end of Pride Promenade is completed directly in front of the mural! Hillcrest is home to many in San Diego’s LGBT community.

I shared photos of Pride Promenade under construction in my previous blog post.

I’ve found many murals by Carly Ealey over the years while walking around San Diego. Many have a brilliant “neon light” quality about them. They’re all amazing. To visit her website, click here.

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Construction of Pride Promenade in Hillcrest.

The construction of Pride Promenade in Hillcrest is making great progress. I spoke to a worker and he indicated the pedestrian promenade and its new bikeways should be completed this summer.

Yesterday I took several photographs over a construction fence, north of University Avenue. The finished promenade will stretch from this location, near the base of the Pride flag, up to Washington Street.

According to this webpage of the Hillcrest Business Association: The northern anchor of the Promenade will be a restored streetcar. In recognition of the streetcars that once traveled on Normal Street, this facility will serve as a concession stand, gathering point, and information booth. There will also be a playground north of the streetcar. Check out the above webpage to see a map and learn more.

You can also purchase a custom paver to be installed in the Pride Promenade. Funds will help create the Friends of the Promenade nonprofit. Learn more about this program here.

If you’re curious about the new Eastern Hillcrest Bikeways that are being created in and around the Pride Promenade, check out this descriptive SANDAG webpage.

In the above photo you can glimpse a colorful mural that faces the promenade. I’ll be blogging about that next!

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Amazing burger and fries at Santa Fe Depot!

Where can you find one of the best burger and fries combinations in San Diego? At the downtown Santa Fe Depot!

You don’t need to be an Amtrak or Coaster passenger to enjoy this tasty, restaurant quality meal. Simply walk into the train station and place your order at the Silver Streak Cafe.

What you’re seeing is today’s cheeseburger and French fries lunch, which I enjoyed inside the beautiful old train station. The historic Santa Fe Depot was built to accomodate people arriving in San Diego for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.

And here’s a smile at the Silver Streak Cafe kiosk that will greet you!

North Park mural celebrates Alex Morgan!

A mural in North Park celebrates San Diego Wave FC hero and international soccer superstar Alex Morgan. It was painted last year by Ground Floor Murals on the parking lot side of Mike Hess Brewing North Park.

Alexandra Morgan Carrasco played in four FIFA Women’s World Cups, was named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year for 2012, and was awarded the 2022 NWSL Golden Boot as the league’s top scorer while playing for San Diego Wave FC. She was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2019 and 2022.

Alex Morgan was a role model for countless young women in San Diego and around the nation during her outstanding career. She retired in 2024.

I happened to spy this mural for the first time during my walk yesterday.

SAN DIEGO FOREVER

THIRTEEN FOREVER

While walking around the building, I noticed another mural near the entrance to Mike Hess Brewing. It depicts the Georgia Street Bridge, the iconic North Park sign and water tower, and what appears to be a historic streetcar coming down University Avenue!

The fun mural was painted by @inkredibledesign.

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Beautiful face replaces old City Heights mural.

Look at this beautiful, smiling face. It was painted on a wall beside University Avenue in City Heights. Back in 2019 I photographed another long mural along this wall, but little of that faded, vandalized mural remains visible.

You can find this colorful street art near 50th Street. I didn’t see a signature when I walked past it this afternoon.

When old street art passes away, inspired artists leap into action. New life springs up!

I enjoyed a big adventure today. My long walk along University Avenue included Hillcrest, North Park, City Heights . . . and continued all the way to College Avenue!

I took oodles of photographs, so lots of fun blog posts are coming up!

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Unusual sculptures by Escondido’s Valley Parkway.

Driving west down Valley Parkway toward Escondido’s downtown, the road splits into a pair of one-way streets: Valley Boulevard and Valley Parkway. Several roadside sculptures can be found in the vicinity of the split, including this shining one that I have previously shared.

I discovered two others during that same long Escondido walk. Both are very unique!

The first sculpture rises northeast of the split, at Hickory Street. It depicts a leaf, moon and star, and what appears to be a clock and the telescope atop Palomar Mountain.

I love this unusual public art!

The second sculpture rises on the southwest side of the split. The long metal arms of joined human figures seem to rise skyward as the leafy branches of a tree.

If you know more about this unique public art in Escondido, please leave a comment!

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Home of The Golden Era in San Diego.

The Golden Era was a literary newspaper that originated in San Francisco in 1852. It was notable for publishing pieces by renowned Western authors like Mark Twain and Bret Harte.

In 1887 the periodical, then a monthly magazine, was brought by James Harrison Wagner to downtown San Diego. It occupied the first floor of a building that stands at 919 Fourth Avenue in today’s Gaslamp Quarter. Much of its focus then would concern the development of San Diego and the West in the late 19th century.

A historical plaque describes the Lawyer’s Block Building, 1889.

Before its completion, 20 spaces of this building’s second floor were rented to some of early San Diego’s best known lawyers, making this an unofficial headquarters for litigators. The first floor had a more literary history. In 1889 it housed the West Coast’s pioneer illustrated literary periodical, Golden Era. The San Diego Union also had its offices here, with printing presses in the basement.

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Preserving a world treasure in San Diego.

San Diego is home of a world treasure. Star of India is one of the most important historic ships in the entire world.

The Maritime Museum of San Diego maintains 1863 tall ship Star of India, which is not only the oldest active ship in the world, but a United States National Historic Landmark. The beautiful sailing ship, an iconic sight on the Embarcadero, is one of our city’s brightest crown jewels.

Local museums are facing a future of difficult funding. Now imagine a maritime museum that must care for and preserve historic ships that are outdoors in the weather and on the water, including Star of India. Ships are expensive to maintain. To preserve a world treasure like Star of India takes a lot of funds, volunteer work, and love.

A few days ago I noticed one volunteer working on the wood deck, repairing the inevitable cracks that come from exposure to sun, rain and changing temperatures. He explained that he was sealing cracks with a special marine sealant and adhesive. I also learned the expansive main deck of the Star will have to be replaced in the future. No small or inexpensive task!

If you take pride in Star of India, why not help her by becoming a member of the Maritime Museum of San Diego like myself? Or you can become a volunteer, or make a donation!

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Kumeyaay exhibit at the Gaslamp Museum.

A great exhibition opened earlier this month at the Gaslamp Museum in the historic Davis-Horton House. San Diego’s First People is the name of the exhibition. It’s presented by the Sycuan Cultural Resource Center and Museum.

Artifacts and a series of displays detail the history, life and culture of the Kumeyaay people, who inhabited the San Diego and surrounding region thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans.

Visitors also learn how the resilient Kumeyaay people thrive today, while maintaining their cultural identity through oral traditions, songs and ceremonies.

This special exhibition continues through May 30, 2026. Click here for more information!

Mingei celebrates San Diego Craft Collective.

The Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park has a great exhibit outside its east entrance that celebrates the San Diego Craft Collective. Beautiful objects crafted by members of the collective are proudly displayed!

A collaboration between the Mingei and the San Diego Craft Collective makes perfect sense. The museum collects, conserves and exhibits folk art, craft, and design. The family-friendly San Diego Craft Collective, located in Liberty Station, teaches it members traditional craft, including woodworking, ceramics, textiles, fiber arts, glass art and more. They are dedicated to sustainability, utilizing natural and recycled materials. The collective even teaches organic gardening!

A couple years ago I visited the San Diego Craft Collective. I was amazed by the extent of their facility and the diversity of work by its members. If you want to read that past blog post and see those photographs, click here.

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