The Giving Machine returns to San Diego!

The Giving Machine has returned to Old Town San Diego in time for the holiday season. Operate this unique donation vending machine and you’ll generously help those less fortunate than you.

The many different charities that can benefit from your donation are mostly local, but you can help those who live in poverty around the world, too. You choose which charity to help, and they receive one hundred percent of your donation!

This is the second year of San Diego’s Giving Machine. It’s a project of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The people I met in the above photo were super nice, even though my personal beliefs are very different. They want to do good in this world.

I learned that last year, this same machine outperformed every other machine out there, in over a hundred international cities! That’s impressive.

The Giving Machine is located on Twiggs Street again, a bit up the street from last year. It stands on the patio in front of the old Cygnet Theatre building. If you visit Old Town during the holidays, you might see it.

Why not spread a little human kindness?

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing Cool San Diego Sights on a phone, you can open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)

Photos at San Diego Bay Parade of Lights!

Enjoy a collection of fun photographs taken this evening before and during the 55th Annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights!

Thousands lined San Diego Bay as boats strung with lights and decorations for the holidays floated by in a festive procession. The theme for 2025 was An “Out of this World” Christmas!

I took photos before the boat parade began while I walked along the Embarcadero. I started near the Maritime Museum of San Diego, headed south past the USS Midway Museum and Seaport Village, then back, with a brief stop at the end of Broadway Pier. As I walked along the sun set and the evening grew darker.

Parents were buying lighted bubble balloons and whirly wands for their excited kids from boardwalk vendors. A bunch of lighted bicycles went by! Out on the pier food trucks were parked behind a small grandstand from which the crowd could watch the parade.

By the time I returned to the Maritime Museum it was night. The brightly lit parade boats, after coming down from Shelter and Harbor Islands, were beginning to pass by!

The USS Midway and its aircraft were illuminated colorfully, as was the exterior of the County Administration Building and other bayside landmarks.

Christmas is now only four days away!

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing Cool San Diego Sights on a phone, you can open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)

Three past SDSU murals remembered near Montezuma Hall.

On the second floor of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union at San Diego State University, memories are preserved just outside Montezuma Hall. Three historical murals that were painted on plaster at the old Aztec Center, which was demolished in 2011, live on today as tiled photographs.

Here’s an article that describes the origin of the original three murals, which were painted by students in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

On either side of the tiled photographs are identical plaques that show the complete murals and provide further explanation.

Tiled photographs of Life, Birth-Death, Rebirth. Painted by San Diego-based artist Mario Torero and SDSU students in 1980, “Life, Birth-Death and Rebirth” was located in the lower courtyard of Aztec Center. Torero and students chose the theme because they wanted to focus on the more positive aspects of Chicano culture instead of dwelling on the past…
Tiled photographs of Mexico, The Periods. Painted in fall 1980 and spring 1981, “Mexico, The Periods,” was produced as part of an SDSU Chicano mural class. Art instructor Juan Laguna and his students divided the mural into four sections, each celebrating the four periods of Mexican history. The 10-foot by 20-foot mural was located in an inside hallway in the lower level of Aztec Center…
Tiled photographs of The Backdoor Mural. Formerly located in a hallway near the backstage entrance to the Backdoor in Aztec Center, the 9-foot by 14-foot mural was completed on Jan. 27, 1976. It was designed and painted by principal artist Arturo Anselmo Roman and students in his Chicano mural art class. Dedicated to the god of music, the design featured various Meso-American gods as musicians…

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing Cool San Diego Sights on a phone, you can open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)

Nature slowly reclaims San Diego River Garden.

Five years ago I explored the San Diego River Garden in Mission Valley. Read about my visit here.

The community park, full of native vegetation and art, was developed by the San Diego River Park Foundation. It’s no longer listed on the foundation’s website. For all intents and purposes, it appears to have been abandoned.

I noticed, about a week ago, that people can still enter the old River Garden and walk about on its trails. So that’s what I did.

As you can see, the human-made parts of the park are fading away. Signs, planters and art are weathered and are slowly disintegrating.

While works of the human hand gradually pass away, the forces of nature persist. Plants, trees and natural life grow, renew, overtake.

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing Cool San Diego Sights on a phone, you can open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)

Resource Fair for seniors in San Diego!

Are you a senior in San Diego? Do you know a senior?

The City of San Diego will be presenting the AgeWell Services Senior Resource Fair on January 26, 2026. The free event will take place from 10 am to noon at the Park de la Cruz Community Center, which is located at 3901 Landis Street.

At the Senior Resource Fair you can connect with service providers and recreational programs throughout San Diego! It’s healthy and fun to stay active!

You can learn more about this free, very positive event by clicking here.

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing Cool San Diego Sights on a phone, you can open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)

Fun holiday decorations in the Gaslamp Quarter!

Another batch of fun holiday photos!

I took these this morning during a walk through the Gaslamp Quarter–mostly up Fifth Avenue. The Gaslamp trolley station was decorated, as were many restaurants, bars, hotels and store windows.

This year there are even inflatables and Christmas trees on patios and sidewalks. Some businesses are going all out!

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing Cool San Diego Sights on a phone, you can open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)

Holiday decorations at Old Poway Park!

Imagine my surprise! Nine days until Christmas, and most of the holiday decorations at Old Poway Park are now being taken down!

A worker was removing holiday decorations today as I walked through the historic park. My arrival was just in time to photograph ribbons, wreaths and ornaments before they vanish. Yes, a bit sad.

I was told everything except the lights and Christmas trees (stripped of ornaments) will remain. The big annual “Christmas in the Park” event was held several days ago.

Folks in the Old Poway Park office explained the pre-Christmas removal is being done to preserve the decorations from the weather.

I’m glad I took my Poway walk today and got these photos!

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing Cool San Diego Sights on a phone, you can open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)

Legacy Blossoms mural brightens Valencia Park!

In October, inspired local artists and volunteers came together to paint this beautiful 250-foot mural in Valencia Park, along Manzanares Way east of Euclid Avenue. It’s called the Legacy Blossoms mural.

You can see a photograph of the mural being painted on Instagram here. The installation team is credited as: Kim, Dentlok, SD Writerz and Natifa.

Additional photos of the mural’s progress can be seen on the Southeast Art Team Instagram page here. If you like what these artists are doing for the community, why not provide them with an assist?

The large concrete embankment south of the St. Rita Catholic Church complex is now covered with colorful poppies, succulents, an ocean sunset and the breath of life, brightening this neighborhood in Southeast San Diego!

Look how wonderful the art is!

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing Cool San Diego Sights on a phone, you can open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)

300+ FREE online courses with library card!

If you have a library card with the San Diego Public Library, you can take almost 375 free online courses that further your professional and personal development!

I knew nothing about this amazing opportunity until the above gentleman who works for the library told me about it!

With a library card and access to a computer, anyone can enroll in free Gale Courses that provide 6-week online classes with real instructors. Subjects include everything from Accounting and Finance to Business to Computer Applications to Healthcare and Medical to Law and Legal to Teaching and Education and much more! I was told that completion of certain courses even provides certification.

To see all that is available, check out this webpage.

These free Gale Courses are available through the San Diego Library’s online eLibrary, which you can visit by clicking here.

The eLibrary offers many additional services. Users have access to eBooks, audiobooks, digital magazines, streaming videos, research databases, manuals, and a whole lot more.

Create a free account using your library card and you have access to a huge universe of free online resources!

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing Cool San Diego Sights on a phone, you can open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)

Pollinator garden planted near Lemon Grove Depot!

A week ago, members of the Lemon Grove volunteer group Revitalize Broadway planted an extensive pollinator garden next to the Lemon Grove Depot trolley station, in what is called Promenade Park. I first read about the project here. I saw the garden today!

Keep in mind the new plants are very small now, but they’ll grow and eventually fill out the garden spaces.

Several informative plaques among the new plantings explain the benefits of native plants, and how they attract a variety of local wildlife, including beneficial insects like butterflies and bees.

If you’d like to learn more about the Revitalize Broadway group and their positive community efforts, click here. Do you live in Lemon Grove? Why not join these good people?

What did I see today?

One plaque describes the life cycle of the monarch butterfly.

Another plaque explains the migration of monarch butterflies and how certain plants provide food sources for declining butterfly populations. Pictured are Yarrow, California Lilac, Pozo Blue Sage, Pacific Aster and Narrow Leaved Milkweed.

Another part of the new garden is slightly depressed and resembles a dry creek. It’s called a rain garden.

Designed to be environmentally friendly, it will help valuable rain water permeate the ground and act as a natural filter.

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing Cool San Diego Sights on a phone, you can open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)