SAN DIEGO writ large on fence around Horton Plaza Park’s construction site.
I recently noticed some new murals along Broadway in downtown San Diego, between 3rd and 4th Avenue. They decorate the fence that surrounds the Horton Plaza Park construction site, and replace a number of large historical photographs which I featured in this earlier blog post.
I took these pics at close range from the sidewalk, not wanting to step out into traffic. So I missed a few parts of the creative, colorful artwork.
Part of one new mural along Broadway in downtown San Diego.A colorful underwater scene can be glimpsed by passing motorists.Various surfboards. One contains an ode to baseball’s World Series.These murals replaced photographs which showed downtown history.A fun depiction of San Diego Bay and a red trolley.These three happy dogs are sharing a surfboard!Another interpretation of the San Diego skyline.California girl in cool sunglasses watches a sunset.A sexy green-haired mermaid and Mission San Diego!Downtown has been encroached by breakers and rocky hills!Man walks past construction fence surrounding Horton Plaza Park.
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Habitat for Humanity is building a house in downtown’s Horton Square!
Yesterday–Sunday–I was leaving Horton Plaza when I noticed a small home is being built in the center of downtown San Diego! The house is rising just south of Broadway in Horton Square, the exact spot where a weekly farmers market and winter ice rink are located.
I swung by again early this morning hoping to see volunteers at work, continuing with the construction. One gentleman had already arrived and was carrying tools out of a shed. I asked him when the day’s work would begin. They were forced to work between 9 and 10, he told me, because of the noise of hammering!
The project is called Habitat Off Broadway. The unusual build site provides Habitat for Humanity an opportunity to share their mission with those who live and work in the heart of San Diego.
Once the house is framed, it will be broken down into pieces and transported to east county’s El Cajon, where it will become somebody’s home.
Gentleman preparing the day’s work told me a little about this unique project.Habitat Off Broadway aims to touch those who live and work in San Diego.Sign explains how home ownership is beneficial for families.The house is partially framed and awaits more work later in the morning!
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Mexican Navy training tall ship ARM Cuauhtémoc docked in San Diego Bay.
I had an unexpected adventure today!
I was just walking along San Diego’s Embarcadero late this afternoon, circling homeward after watching a movie and eating lunch at downtown’s Horton Plaza. And there it was. An absolutely gigantic three-masted tall ship docked near the cruise ship terminal!
It was the Mexican Navy’s training vessel Cuauhtémoc, built in Spain in 1982. And the few curious people who walked a short distance out onto the pier discovered they could freely board and tour the ship!
I believe the beautiful high-masted ship might be visiting for the upcoming Festival of Sail, which is to be put on by the San Diego Maritime Museum in two weeks. (Yes, I’ll attend!) Fortunately, today I had my trusty camera with me!
Free tour of the huge tall ship could be enjoyed beside cruise ship terminal.Visitors look at information sign near the Cuauhtémoc’s gangplank.On board, looking straight up the center mast.Mexican Navy officer checks the ship’s bell.Looking east across the beautiful ship from the upper deck.The Cuauhtémoc has participated in many events, exhibitions and regattas.San Diego’s tall ship America can be seen on the bay through the rigging.A view of downtown skyscrapers from the Mexican tall ship’s foredeck.A ship’s gun points out past the Broadway Pier.Sailors begin a drill by climbing the shrouds.A line of Mexican sailors ascends toward the sky.Higher they go up the enormous mast!They demonstrate a bit of fancy work with the sails.A sailor descends as American flag flies from the visiting vessel.Guests and sailors watch the proceedings with interest.A boy pretends to command the sailing ship at the wooden captain’s wheel.An officer’s cap rests atop ropes at one mast’s base.Ship’s plaque describes El Buque Escuela Cuauhtémoc.Looking west as sun falls toward distant Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier.The figurehead of Cuauhtémoc is a shining Aztec warrior.
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Here comes Mark Twain during Old Town San Diego’s literary TwainFest!
One of my favorite San Diego events of all time took place today in historic Old Town!
TwainFest is an amazing annual festival celebrating Mark Twain and other famous authors from the 19th century. While there seems to be an emphasis on American and English novelists, I saw homages to writers, poets and storytellers from around the world. Scenes from American and California history also appear in several of the exhibits. Which makes sense, because Old Town is a history-filled park recreating the earliest days of San Diego!
To get an idea of what TwainFest is about, enjoy a quick look at these fun pics! And be sure to attend next year, if you can!
Event is part of Stagecoach Days at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.And here comes a towering puppet of American author Edgar Allan Poe!Lots of entertainment included a stage with music and various contests.Music included those familiar old folk songs that had everyone clapping.Costumed participants roaming about the central plaza of historic Old Town.Families enjoyed many activities including games.Excited kids blast off across the grass in an old-fashioned sack race!Kids of all ages enjoyed many unique literature-themed games and activities.The TwainFest Wheel of Fiction featured many famous writers.Booth inspired by Lewis Carroll had me making up a silly word!Never-ending stories had visitors adding their imaginative sentences.The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County ready to soar from catapult!I wonder if Mark Twain imagined kids would replicate his famous short story!Children really enjoyed this cool guy’s amazing flea circus!A flea performer mounts the trapeze before the incredulous audience.Girl uses magnifying lenses to watch a flea take a swan dive from high platform.The Quotation Machine rumbled before producing a quote.Here come some horses around the Old Town San Diego square!The Marshall informed me that all was well.Small audience in one shady corner enjoyed music and stories.The big Liar’s Contest featured lots of tall tales and jaw-dropping whoppers.This slick salesman is demonstrating the eloquent effects of literary potions.Bottled Verne, Dickinson, Whitman, Bronte, Byron and more!Voters in presidential election of 1872 must pass a literacy test!Of course, TwainFest had a bookstore with many classics of literature!People could trade places with Henry David Thoreau.The obviously guilty author of civil disobedience!Thoreau locks himself in with a brave visitor.It’s the Daniel Webster Frog Toss!Carroll’s Red Queen challenges all comers to flamingo croquet!Old Town event included the historic Mason Street School.Actors read poetry from Alice in Wonderland in one room schoolhouse.Here come participants in the fancy literary costume contest!The spirit of Twain lives at this very wonderful annual festival.
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Public art on 11th Avenue in San Diego’s East Village.
Just some cool pics of colorful urban art on a building wall in downtown San Diego’s East Village.
Neighbors painted many colorful tiles for this artistic creation.The artwork was conceived and applied to a building wall in 1999.Diverse faces, names and scenes are assembled in a larger design.Hundreds of hand-painted tiles compose the colorful street mosaic.The Power of Collective Thought from the Urban Art Trail project.
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Solitary figure in morning sun on Torrey Pines State Beach.
Here are several lucky photographs that turned out to be emotionally stirring or inspiring. In places light shines out from the images, as if we’re privileged to momentarily glimpse a secret, bright inner essence.
Tall palms reach toward a glowing cloud on San Diego’s Embarcadero.Bright morning color frames my Cortez Hill neighborhood.Brilliant, fiery sunrise illuminates the horizon east of San Diego.Touching sculpture offers a helping hand at the Toussaint Teen Center.Children walk around beautiful Balboa Park fountain as evening descends.Morning sun and reflection in downtown San Diego.
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On steps of the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center in Balboa Park.
Today a special event was held at Balboa Park’s Veterans Museum and Memorial Center. The Spirit of 1945 National Day of Remembrance honored American veterans who defended freedom around the globe during World War II.
The Spirit of ’45 is an annual event held throughout the United States in many cities. It marks the anniversary of V-J Day, the day the Japanese finally surrendered and World War II ended. The special event has become increasingly important, as thousands of heroes from The Greatest Generation now pass away every year.
Many San Diego dignitaries attended today’s ceremony, including an ex-mayor, city council member, district attorney, police chief, plus some very high-ranking military officers. But in my mind, the day was all about ordinary Americans who personally sacrificed to do an extremely difficult and very important thing.
Several of these heroes recalled in short speeches what it was like to hear the news that the war had ended. You could hear the emotion in their voices, almost 70 years later.
After the ceremony, veterans told their personal stories inside the museum, so that memories will continue of those times and their deeds.
Spirit of 1945 National Day of Remembrance was held near the museum.Memorial for combat wounded veterans is one of the nearby monuments.Color guard poses for me while they wait for the event to officially begin.World War II veteran helped by serviceman into museum side door.Tents line walkway where Spirit of 1945 event took place today.Girl Scouts help to check in the honored veterans.Over a hundred vets were in attendance, remembering the war’s end.Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial had a display.Filipino-American Military Officers Association tent.Clowns and face painters were there to entertain families with kids.Duty Honor Country written at the center of a small circular plaza.Dancers enjoy the nearby band playing swing music!Now it seems everybody’s dancing!Here are the musicians. Big band music was playing from the 1940s era.B-24 Liberator bomber from World War II rises above a nearby fountain.Now I’m standing in back area where chairs were under shady trees.Nearby, guys in vintage military uniforms look at some historical images.Kids check out a tent and various items carried by soldiers decades ago.Many were wearing clothing and uniforms common during World War II.Display on grass shows maps and articles from a battlefield.Scattered items inside a command tent include old magazines.One got a flavor of the difficult experiences of the Greatest Generation.Here comes color guard, prior to National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance.Veteran talks about Victory in the Pacific and how overjoyed the troops were.A generation of veterans listens as speakers honor their sacrifices for freedom.Veterans salute a general who spoke about his pride for those who served.A bust to be set near the B-24 Liberator sculpture is unveiled by local artist Richard Becker. To the far right stands retired Brigadier General Robert L Cardenas, USAF.Bust of Brigadier General Robert L Cardenas , an accomplished World War II aviator. The sculpture was created by renowned San Diego artist Richard Becker.Everyone listens to happy memories of V-J Day on August 14, 1945.Crowd was twice the size that had been expected.The ceremony ends and I take a pic over beautiful flowers.Sailors ready to help aging American heroes back to their cars.
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Folk dancers prepare to go on stage at today’s cultural exhibition.
I went for a typical weekend walk today. I just headed up to Balboa Park to see what I would see.
And I saw a lot!
My most interesting and enjoyable experience came as I strolled through the 30th Philippine Cultural Arts Festival put on by the Samahan Filipino American Performing Arts and Education Center. The big event was taking place on some grass at the south end of Balboa Park, near Park Boulevard.
Lots of folks were enjoying authentic Filipino food, browsing through many booths, and watching a variety of unique demonstrations and entertainment. Workshops were even available to the public, teaching anyone interested to speak Tagalog, play the Bandurria, Angklung and Kulintang, practice self-defense in the style of Arnis or Eskrima, and dance Tinikling, which is the very colorful national dance of the Philippines.
Here are some pics!
Scott Lost showcases his 2nd Shift comic books and other artwork!
Local artist Scott Lost was showing and selling his work. He has self-published a cool independent comic book series called 2nd Shift. Check it out!
Funny t-shirts celebrate Filipino life at special event in Balboa Park.Guys with swords teach Philippine martial arts!
I wouldn’t mess with these dudes!
Samahan Filipino American Performing Arts and Education Center.San Diegans from many different communities enjoyed the festival.Folk dances from the Philippines were part of the cultural exhibition.The audience enjoyed some colorful and joyful sights!
The festival is also going on Sunday (tomorrow) from 11-5. You’ll find it by the corner of Park Boulevard and Presidents Way. If you’re in San Diego, check it out!
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The Spreckels Theater Building was erected in downtown San Diego in 1912.
I must confess I’ve never seen a show at the historic Spreckels Theatre. I do occasionally sit at a table in the building’s Grand Lobby. On a quiet Saturday I’ll eat lunch and write while watching pedestrians pass down the Broadway sidewalk, just outside the glass doors.
The mixed-use Spreckels Theater Building was built in 1912 and has been a cool sight in downtown San Diego for over a hundred years. While the upper stories are occupied by numerous small offices, the theatre itself was built as a 1,915-seat auditorium with an ornate Baroque interior. Over the decades, the theatre has also served as a vaudeville house and movie palace. Famous performers at the theatre have included Enrico Caruso, John Barrymore, Al Jolson, Will Rogers, and Abbott and Costello. In 1978, when Balboa Park’s famous Old Globe Theatre was destroyed by fire, the Spreckels was used as a temporary stage for the Globe. Today, as a live presentation venue, the Spreckels Theatre attracts many diverse attractions, including concerts, comedy shows, and dance and theatrical productions.
The six-story building, designed by Harrison Albright with influences from the Chicago School style of architecture, was built by philanthropist John D. Spreckels, a name you might have noted elsewhere on my blog. Spreckels was a wealthy sugar heir and leading San Diego entrepreneur. He wanted the building to commemorate the opening of the Panama Canal, much like the Panama-California Exposition, that would be held in Balboa Park in 1915.
Plaque on The Spreckels Building indicates it’s an historical site of the City of San Diego.The Spreckels marquee is a cool fixture on Broadway in San Diego.Classic theatrical figures above and beside the marquee.Looking up at the Spreckels sign.The shining, polished onyx Grand Lobby of the Spreckels Theater Building.Close look at the ornate old ceiling in the Grand Lobby. The building has undergone several restorations over the years, most recently in 2012.A Tiffany window depicting Nine Dancing Muses was originally above the theatre’s entry. While stored during World War II due to blackout regulations in the city, the window was stolen. It was replaced in 1985 by this colorful window designed by Yaakov Agam.Gazing west down Broadway on another sunny day.
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Approaching the La Casa de Machado y Stewart Museum in Old Town.
It seems most of the tourists who visit Old Town San Diego State Historic Park enjoy the large central grassy plaza and the many interesting buildings immediately around its perimeter. Few, however, go slightly off the beaten track to investigate the several restored old structures that are scattered a few easy steps farther away.
In addition to a very cool one room schoolhouse dating from 1865 (which I remember visiting during a field trip as a child), there is a restored adobe house called Casa de Machado y Stewart which stands as an open museum to any passersby who are curious.
The Casa de Machado y Stewart dates from 1835. It was built by José Manuel Machado, a Spanish (then later Mexican) officer who served at the nearby presidio. Jack Stewart, an American shipmate of famous author Richard Henry Dana Jr., and a pilot on San Diego Bay, married Machado’s youngest daughter Rosa in 1845 and the two moved into the house. Over their many years of residence they made many improvements, including a clay tile roof and wood-paned windows. What today seems a very simple and almost primitive existence was back in those days living in the lap of luxury.
In 1932, the house became an official California Historic Landmark.
Restored 1835 adobe house in San Diego’s Old Town State Historic Park.Sign details history of La Casa de Machado y Stewart.House was built by a soldier from nearby presidio.A spinning wheel in one of the simple rooms suggests what life was like.A modest dining area as it appeared long ago.
UPDATE!
I visited La Casa de Machado y Stewart again in August, 2018, and noticed the exterior had been painted white. When I looked through the front door into the main living room, I observed that new furnishings and artifacts have been added, and others moved about.
I also peered through a window into what appears to be a bedroom.
Here are photos…
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Cool San Diego Sights! 