San Diego Memories at the Civic Center.

A large colorful mural greets people walking into Civic Center Plaza from A Street in downtown San Diego. The mural is titled What Do You Want to Remember About Our City?

This public art, commissioned in 2020 by the City of San Diego, was created by local artist MR (Melinda) Barnadas with input from members of the community. Near the center of the mural is a list of unique San Diego Memories contributed by many.

I saw the mural for the first time today. I hadn’t walked this way in a while…

What do you want to remember about San Diego…

Someone walks down the outdoor passageway that leads south from A Street into Civic Center Plaza. They pass by a large list of San Diego memories.

People dancing here in the Civic Center… a city bus… the sea… seeing a play as a little girl… fishing off the docks… surfing… Horton Plaza…

…submarines… Hillcrest… the trolley… Chicano Park… becoming a citizen… getting ice cream with a friend… lowriders in National City…

…Barrio Logan… Balboa Park… an outpouring of solidarity… Charles Lewis III Memorial Park… seeing John Lewis at Oak Park Library… the San Diego Zoo… OB Pier…

…watching planes in Point Loma… dancing in North Park… Old Town… trips to Tijuana… the world’s best tacos… seeing whales and dolphins… palm trees… the lighthouse at Cabrillo…

What Do You Want to Remember About Our City? By artist MR (Melinda) Barnadas.

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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!

Donate online to help burn victims!

San Diego firefighters are out at busy intersections today collecting donations for the Burn Institute. Drivers roll down windows and place a bill or two into a firefighter’s boot! The annual event is called Fill the Boot!

The Burn Institute, serving San Diego and Imperial County, provides important services for those who’ve suffered from burns, and they provide fire safety education in the community.

Would you like to make a donation? Haven’t passed through an intersection with friendly firefighters this morning? Then donate online!

Make your online donation at the Burn Institute website by clicking here!

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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!

River life near a freeway bridge.

Walk the Coast to Crest Trail along the San Dieguito River where it passes under Interstate 5 and you’ll see signs of life.

Indeed, several signs east of the freeway bridge concern river life that can be found nearby!

Walking east in Del Mar along the San Dieguito River, approaching the Interstate 5 bridge. It’s early March and native vegetation is green from recent rains.

About to pass under the concrete freeway bridge.

On the other side, near bush sunflowers, we arrive at a place where one can relax and learn about the San Dieguito Lagoon environment.

Several old signs ahead…

Fish of the San Dieguito Lagoon. Over twenty different fish species have been observed in the lagoon providing evidence that habitats here act as a fish nursery. Species include California Halibut, Giant Kelpfish, Staghorn Sculpin, Kelp Bass and four species of Gobies. Small jumping fish are Mullet.

Pickleweed likes the salty environment in the lagoon. It is also known as sea asparagus, Pacific swampfire, or glasswort!

What’s for dinner for various wetland animals who live here, including raccoons, American kestrels, killdeers and bats?

In one day a Great Blue Heron will eat…

…23 anchovies, 2 mice and a frog. Yummy!

A place near the freeway bridge to rest, gaze at the river and think about life.

In Life, Choose Happiness.

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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!

The history of four buildings in Lakeside.

In 2021, the Maine Avenue Revitalization Association in Lakeside provided notable buildings with informative plaques. The plaques explain the history of each building, from the time they were built to the present.

During my recent walk down Maine Avenue in Lakeside, I photographed four of these buildings.

Please enjoy the following windows into the past of a rural town in San Diego’s East County…

PARK MARKET/PAYTON’S HARDWARE STORE

This was the site of Ferguson’s Park Store in 1923. It contained a soda fountain, picnic supplies, and a few groceries… …The Depression caused the store to close in 1931… The building burned to the ground in 1997. The store was rebuilt and reopened in 1999.

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LEO’S PHARMACY

Built in 1923 by Lakeside Development Company. This building was home to Otto Marack’s Grocery Store… …in 1960 it became Leo’s Pharmacy…

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BARKER & SONS

…in 1929…Heller started building this large, one story Spanish styled stucco commercial structure and the house behind it (now the Chamber of Commerce) for the store’s family… …it evolved into one of the first Safeway stores in the county…

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9825 MAINE AVENUE

Formally known as the Tumbleweed Cafe in the 1950’s and then later as a bar…As the Tumbleweed Bar, the Rattlesnake Round-up was held…Later it was Payton’s Lawnmower Shop.

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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!

North County artists exhibit in Balboa Park!

An exhibition by the North County Society of Fine Arts can now be enjoyed in San Diego’s always amazing Balboa Park.

Paintings by over twenty NCSFA member artists fill Gallery 21 in the Spanish Village Art Center. The exhibition, titled North County Creates, continues through March 14, 2023.

Anyone in San Diego who loves art should swing on by the gallery to enjoy the many fine pieces. And there are friendly artists with whom you can chat, too!

Today I was fascinated by a variety of painting styles as I visited the gallery. I noted that nearly all of the pieces are for sale, just in case you’re looking for something beautiful.

I also noticed small works of colorful art available for a suggested donation of twenty dollars. Donations support the organization’s high school scholarship fund.

Very cool!

Pathway, by artist Doris Bertch.

Mirror, Mirror, by artist Minnie Valero.

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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!

Two cool murals in a Chula Vista alley.

Here’s one last blog post from my long walk in Chula Vista yesterday.

As I wandered down the alley directly west of Third Avenue, I discovered two very cool murals.

The first is north of Davidson Street. There’s a signature, but I’m not sure who the artist is. Leave a comment if you know…

The second mural is south of Davidson Street and is by artist Michelle Ruby, aka Mr. B Baby. You might recognize her artwork. It contains fun, colorful characters that often populate her murals…

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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!

Kids art at Algo Bueno in Chula Vista!

Check out all the fun art on a wall at Algo Bueno in Chula Vista! The artwork was painted by local kids!

I was walking around yesterday when I saw this colorful wall at 354 Church Avenue where Algo Bueno (Something Good), an outdoor eatery, is located. The area was fenced off, so I took zoom photos and sharpened them.

This great art was designed and created by students from Chula Vista Learning Community Charter Middle School.

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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!

Jack Murphy statue at Snapdragon Stadium.

The other day I walked around the new Snapdragon Stadium, just to see what I might see. And I was pleased to stumble upon the old statue of Jack Murphy and his dog that used to greet fans at Qualcomm Stadium!

Years ago I took photos of the statue when it stood between the trolley station and Qualcomm Stadium. When that stadium was demolished, I wondered what would become of the bronze sculpture. Well, I see it’s now located on the north side of Snapdragon Stadium!

You can view those past photos and learn about Jack Murphy, the sculpture’s origin, and its artist by clicking here. (You’ll find out the name of the Labrador Retriever is Abe!)

I wonder, what happened to the second plaque–the one full of details about Jack Murphy Field?

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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!

Mario Lopez spotted in Chula Vista!

Celebrity superstar, Mario Lopez, has been spotted on Third Avenue in Chula Vista! His famous smile has been painted on a construction fence in front of the old Vogue theater building!

Mario was born and raised in Chula Vista, in San Diego’s South Bay.

Hey Preppy! Have you watched the Saved by the Bell revival on Peacock? If so, those words might ring a bell!

Mario Lopez first played Slater in the original, very popular Saturday-morning sitcom Saved by the Bell. Since then he’s reprised the role, plus he’s had many other film and television credits.

For over a decade, Mario was host of the television newsmagazine Extra. Now he’s an anchor on the entertainment show Access Hollywood.

And today he’s also hanging out on Third Avenue! With a smile painted by Ground Floor Murals (@groundfloormurals).

Are those his fluffy pink dice and keys? The key art is by Victor “Dogs” Rodriguez (@ThatOne_Dog).

Check out some San Diego Padres art on the same fence here!

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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!

San Diego Loyal player in Chula Vista!

Look who has been spotted in Chula Vista! San Diego Loyal SC soccer player Alejandro Guido!

Alejandro, who is of Mexican descent, is the pride of Chula Vista, having attended Mater Dei High School.

Walk along Third Avenue in Chula Vista, south of E Street, north of the Vogue movie theater building, and you’ll see Alejandro. The defensive midfielder is running with the ball on a wall opposite Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres!

(Two days ago I discovered a mural of his San Diego Loyal teammate in Hillcrest!)

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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!