The gas lamps of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.

Have you noticed those four working gas lamps in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter? The ones that help light the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Market Street?

Walk beneath the lamps and you might notice bronze plaques embedded in the sidewalk. They indicate these working gas lamps were installed in 2002. You’ll also learn the idea to have real gas lamps in the Gaslamp Quarter was originated by the Coss family.

The Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego got its name because once upon a time, back when today’s downtown was called New Town, there were fifty gas lamps lighting the young city. Fifth Avenue was one of the principal streets, leading south to a wharf in San Diego Bay.

The dancing flames of today’s four active gas lamps are like spirits from the past. They add atmosphere to a historic district that features many old Victorian buildings, particularly at night.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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Solar Opposites on a Comic-Con 2023 trolley!

Aliens have arrived on planet Earth and they’re traveling about on a San Diego trolley! Hulu’s zany animated show Solar Opposites has debuted on a San Diego Trolley wrap for Comic-Con 2023!

Apparently there will be lots of Comic-Con activity along the trolley tracks this year. The Comic-Con trolley wraps are coming out well over a month before the beginning of the world’s most incredible pop culture event!

I can’t wait to see what else appears. Stay tuned!

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I’ll be covering Comic-Con again this year. To see all my current and past blog posts concerning Comic-Con, click here and scroll down!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

More colorful Esco Alley Art in Escondido!

Almost two years ago I took photographs of the Esco Alley Art project in Escondido. Dozens of murals painted by local artists had been placed in the alley south of Grand Avenue, between Maple Street and Broadway.

Since then, the project has expanded, advancing several phases. About a week ago I revisited the same alley and enjoyed more murals that now appear between Broadway and Kalmia Street! These newer works of art were revealed last year. As before, many of the colorful murals are inspired by life in Escondido.

The Esco Alley Art project, presented by the Escondido Downtown Business Association, has its own dedicated website. There you’ll finds more information, including the artists. Check it out here!

Let’s start walking east from Broadway…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A visit to the San Diego Police Museum.

There’s a fascinating museum in San Diego that seemingly few know about. Occupying a modest, easily missed building near the intersection of El Cajon Boulevard and College Avenue, the San Diego Police Museum is packed wall-to-wall with displays that lovers of history shouldn’t miss!

I visited the museum for my very first time a while ago and was amazed at the quality and variety of exhibits.

Photographs, documents, equipment and artifacts trace the earliest days of the San Diego Police Department right up to the present.

There’s a mid-20th century police Communication Center. There’s a simulated jail cell, and a real police motorcycle. There are different uniforms from the past.

There are old newspapers with headlines about crime in San Diego. There are memories of past police chiefs. There is standard law enforcement gear dating back to the 1800s, and even a Tommy Gun, like those that were once used by gangsters.

There are displays concerning horse mounted officers, bike teams that were established in the early 1920s, and four-legged K-9 officers. There’s recognition of how diversity has played a more and more important role in the San Diego Police Department through the years.

There are old police badges and hundreds of patches. There are even artifacts from charity football COP’er Bowls and sports trophies won by officer athletes and bodybuilders.

And there are medals won by police heroes. They ran toward danger in the service of others.

And covering one wall: a memorial to fallen officers.

For more details about the museum, including its hours of operation, check out the SDPD Museum website.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Frida Kahlo and street tacos in Escondido!

Frida Kahlo hangs out in Escondido! You can find her among butterflies next to a Mexican restaurant!

Fridas Street Tacos on Valley Parkway is the perfect place for this great mural, painted by Michelle Ruby, aka Mr B Baby. The taco shop’s parked vehicles were blocking the mural when I walked by, so I had to take photos around and between them.

I happened to run across one of the drivers, and he indicated the mural was created a couple years ago.

Awesome!

I enjoyed a long walk around Escondido a few days ago and found lots of street art! So stay tuned for much more!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A second Paramount trolley for Comic-Con!

A second San Diego Trolley wrap that promotes entertainment available on Paramount+ has appeared for Comic-Con 2023!

I photographed one side of a trolley car with the first Paramount design yesterday. You can see those photos here.

The new trolley wrap that I discovered today features many more shows available on Paramount+. Graphics on one side promote iCarly, Yellowjackets, School Spirits, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and 1923. The other side includes Star Trek: Lower Decks, Bumblebee, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Evil, and Tulsa King.

I added a little contrast to some of these photos.

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I’ll be covering Comic-Con again this year. To see all my current and past blog posts concerning Comic-Con, click here and scroll down!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Positive student murals at Escondido’s Washington Park.

Several murals with positive, life-affirming messages greet members of the community who recreate at Washington Park in Escondido. I noticed the murals during my recent walk in the area. I also found signs indicating that the two you see in the above photograph were created by local students.

Read the captions.

I’ve been told more murals are coming to Washington Park in the future.

During the same walk I photographed a new mural by renowned artist Mario Torero that was dedicated about a week ago on the other side of Escondido Creek. You can view those photos and read about it here.

Battle Scars, by Katie Daniels, Escondido Union High School Student College and Career Readiness Program. Painted by: Ashley, Ava, Daniel, Daisy, Jeidy, Joey, Johanna, Katie, Sofia, Vada and Zahhak.

Wings of Life, by C. Garcia and Maria Medero, Escondido Union High School Students.

A third beautiful mural. A painted hand reaches for splashes of color.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

First Comic-Con 2023 trolley wrap: Paramount!

The first San Diego Trolley wrap has appeared for Comic-Con 2023!

I spotted it today and snapped these photos.

This first Comic-Con wrap promotes movies and television shows that are under the umbrella of Paramount Global. The theme is A Mountain Of Entertainment!

I see the titles are: Scream VI and Rabbit Hole on Paramount+, Billions on Showtime, and Transformers: EarthSpark, Monster High: The Movie and SpongeBob SquarePants on Nickelodeon!

Are you ready for Comic-Con? Here it comes!

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I’ll be covering Comic-Con again this year. To see all my current and past blog posts concerning Comic-Con, click here and scroll down!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Mario Torero mural debuts in Escondido!

Several days ago a fantastic new mural debuted in Escondido. Tortilla Tesoro is colorful 32′ x 8′ panel that greets customers on the east side Tortilleria Santacruz, to the left of the store’s front entrance. The mural, which celebrates the cultural heritage and diversity of Escondido’s population, was created by Mario Torero, one of the renowned co-founders of Chicano Park in San Diego.

Additional “Chicano Colorful walls” artwork has been finished on the building’s east and south side, featuring Michoacan inspired imagery. According to the project website: Participation in the creation of the murals included students of the Conway Academy of Expeditionary Learning Elementary School and “A Step Beyond”, an Escondido creative youth development organisation serving youth and their families living at or below the poverty line with free after-school dance classes, academic support, and social services.

Another very colorful mural on the building’s north side was completed earlier this year. It was painted by Charlie Mejia. I posted photos of it in late March here.

First, here’s the new artwork on the tortilleria’s south side…

The following sign provides an explanation of the Tortilla Tesoro (Tortilla Treasure) mural in front of the building.

It was designed by Mario Torero using acrylic on poly-aluminum material. The mural highlights the natural beauty of the Escondido Valley landscape, and includes notable landmarks like the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and Queen Califia’s Magical Circle. Figures in the mural portray students, athletes, musicians, laborers and dancers.

Tortilleria Santacruz was started around 1996 at a nearby location by Juan and Gaudencia Santacruz. It is a family run business. There was a shared dream that one day murals would be painted here.

Here’s Mario Torero’s beautiful Tortilla Tesoro mural…

And more new artwork, by the building’s front entrance…

Learn more about the inspirational project at this website!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Preparing to reopen the 1910 Balboa Park Carousel!

The restoration of the 1910 Balboa Park Carousel is now in high gear! I saw workers refurbishing the old building’s exterior today during a walk through Balboa Park. The historic carousel is scheduled to reopen next month!

Over the past several years, there have been various efforts to help preserve the beloved merry-go-round. I’ve posted several blogs concerning it. Carousel animals have been newly painted. LED lighting has been installed. The roof has been altered, removing the triangular overhangs at each corner.

More recently, according to the Forever Balboa Park website, the restoration project has proceeded with structure stabilization and the installation of a fire-safety sprinkler system.

The comprehensive restoration should be completed in July in time for National Carousel Day!

There will be a big celebration that day! There will be free carousel rides and family entertainment! When? July 25th, from 11 AM – 5:30 PM.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!