Water and Kindness supports people in City Heights!

Water and Kindness is a charitable program that supports people in City Heights who might need a little help.

According to the Water and Kindness website: Our mission is to ensure that all people living in City Heights and surrounding neighborhoods have access to clean drinking water and necessary resources while strengthening collective community efforts across San Diego.

I learned about Water and Kindness during my recent visit to the Pop-up Winona community gathering place, which is located at El Cajon Boulevard and Winona Avenue. Those two banners above and other signs caught my eye.

Water and Kindness has a Free Community Store, open Saturdays 10-2, at Pop-up Winona. Here they also host a monthly Swap and Community Fair on the last Saturday of every month.

I encourage everyone to visit the Water and Kindness website by clicking here, where all this helpful information is easy to read. If you know a struggling someone who could benefit, let them know!

Here’s a peek at Pop-up Winona…

Water and Kindness needs these items for donation…

There are several free food programs available around City Heights. Visit this website for a better image.

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Pop-up Winona welcomes neighbors in City Heights!

Several months ago a new community gathering place opened up in San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood. Pop-up Winona is a cozy spot where anyone can sit down, relax, enjoy good company and a coffee or snack, and possibly attend an entertaining event! Here’s their Instagram page.

Pop-up Winona is located near the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and Winona Avenue. If parts of it look familiar, it replaces the old gathering place that was situated on El Cajon Boulevard at Fairmount Avenue.

When I swung by the other day I was welcomed with a friendly smile. I skipped coffee, but I did find a fresh, tasty pastry to enjoy during my walk.

I was told Pop-up Winona will be relocated across El Cajon Boulevard this summer, so keep that in the back of your mind if you go looking for it. As I learn of upcoming events at the pop-up, I’ll post the news.

One more thing–check out my final photo. These good people accept donations for the homeless.

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3D printing rocks as art in La Jolla!

A rather unusual exhibition of art can now be viewed in La Jolla at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. Yes, those shelves in the above photo are full of 3D printed “rocks!”

They’re actually a kind of lightweight plastic material, but they do resemble black volcanic rocks. Visitors to the Athenaeum’s Joseph Clayes III Gallery can watch a rock being printed and handle a specimen and consider the deeper meaning of Nolan Oswald Dennis: Demonstrations (i).

As the exhibition webpage explains, this collection of art, selected by The Athenaeum and INSITE from many entries, is informed by the study of geological and planetary systems—and situated within African and diasporic relations to the land, cosmos, and anti-colonial political structures.

A further description in the gallery includes: This artwork explores the political and spiritual history of the land in South Africa as a proxy for an after-history of the planet as a discontinuous but interrelated whole, imagining that we can use the digital shadow of a simulated rock (the thing without itself) to hold the immaterial social, spiritual and political relations which are also part of the geo-physics of the planet.

I’m afraid I’m not terribly sophisticated, so those explanations are a little beyond me. It struck me the exhibition is about something that is universal: the enormous complexity of essence and connection. That’s probably too simple.

Visit this very unique exhibition, turn over a simulated rock, and arrive at your own particular conclusion!

Nolan Oswald Dennis: Demonstrations (i) can be experienced through January 17, 2026.

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University Heights’ once-planned Mystic Lake!

Did you know that a lake was originally planned for one of University Heights’ canyons? You’ll learn this and more should you visit the San Diego Central Library and view one of several small exhibits in the 9th floor Special Collections Center. Mystic Lake is one fascinating aspect of The San Diego That Never Was.

Looking at Google Maps today, and comparing it to the old 1890 map on display at the library, you can see how Mystic Lake would have fit into University Heights as planned in 1888. The lake’s lower extremity would have been cradled by Lincoln Avenue and Maryland Avenue. It was not to be.

As this informative webpage (which explains University Heights street names) explains: By 1906, Arch Street, Proctor Place, and New Jersey Street replaced the area originally planned to be Mystic Lake.

Mystic Lake would have been located a couple blocks directly west of the State Normal School, which was predecessor to San Diego State University. The site today is headquarters of San Diego Unified School District.

It’s interesting to see San Diego’s old cable car route on the 1890 map as a dashed line. The short-lived cable car line operated from June 1890 to October 1892. As this historical webpage explains, the San Diego Cable Railway ran from downtown San Diego north on Fourth to University, then east to present-day Park Blvd., and north to Mission Cliff Gardens.

(Today, one of those old cable cars is preserved at the National City Depot museum. Check out photographs of San Diego Cable Railway car number 54 by clicking here!)

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Changes coming to downtown’s Wells Fargo Plaza!

Today during a walk through downtown San Diego I noticed workers removing the individual letters spelling WELLS FARGO from the front of Wells Fargo Plaza! It was down to WE. That piqued my curiosity!

Security guards behind the front counter told me the building is undergoing a renovation. On display inside the Wells Fargo building’s lobby, several renderings visualize proposed changes coming to the 24-story office tower. Each shows an outdoor restaurant concept at the main entrance.

I was asked not to photograph the renderings. They do look interesting.

I found this article. It explains that the Conrad Prebys Foundation purchased the building in 2025 as the cornerstone of the foundation’s efforts to reimagine and enliven the city’s downtown business corridor as a vibrant civic and cultural center.

As a downtown resident, I’ll have to keep my eyes wide open during walks to see exactly what the future brings! If I happen to note anything interesting, I’ll post an update.

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Beautiful historical mosaic at Chula Vista bank.

Perhaps you’ve seen this beautiful mosaic while driving through downtown Chula Vista. It decorates the California Bank and Trust building at 444 Third Avenue.

The mosaic mural was the creation of internationally renowned artist and architectural designer Millard Owen Sheets. He with the help of other Sheets Studio artists produced many such mosaics for Home Savings Bank branches around Southern California. Perhaps you’ve seen his work in Pacific Beach and Coronado.

This particular mosaic in Chula Vista was created in 1987. It depicts ocean waves and seagulls. According to this website, it was worked on by Denis O’Connor, Monika Scharff; Studio MosaicArt Colledani Milan/NOVA Designs; Kathryn Yelsa.

The mosaic mural stretches horizontally just below the bank’s rooftop. Situated high up, partially obscured by nearby trees, it can be easy to miss. Pause on the sidewalk below to enjoy this very beautiful, historical public art!

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Reinforcing Navy Pier for Freedom Park.

If you’ve walked past the USS Midway Museum lately, you might wonder about that construction activity on Navy Pier. What you’ve observed are workers reinforcing the old pier, site of future Freedom Park, which is scheduled to open in 2028.

The Navy Pier Freedom Park Structural Pier Reinforcement–as a nearby sign proclaims–is being undertaken by the Port of San Diego and the USS Midway Museum.

The old Navy headhouse on the pier’s east end was demolished about a year ago. Now the work is to reinforce the pier with concrete by jet grouting along approximately 380 linear feet of retaining wall. What, you ask, is jet grouting? Here’s the Wikipedia page that explains.

According to a press release from last summer, this reinforcement phase is scheduled to be completed by February 2026.

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Mural celebrates Manny Machado’s 2000th hit!

This mural was painted in National City last year after Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres recorded his 2000th Major League Baseball hit!

It reads: El Ministro 2000! Manny got the name “El Ministro de la Defensa” (Minister of Defense) for his defensive prowess when he played for the Dominican Republic in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

His absolutely amazing plays at third base are so smooth and routine they appear almost effortless. If you’re an opposing hitter running to first base, you’d better hurry, because Manny’s laser throw will probably arrive before you do!

The artwork was spray painted in 2025 by the Padres-loving artists of Ground Floor Murals (@groundfloormurals).

If you’d like to see this cool mural firsthand, head over the intersection of 8th Street and B Avenue in downtown National City. It decorates the east side of the Andrade’s Thrift Store building.

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A very rare Challenge Caber in San Diego!

That long wood pole you see in these photos is extremely rare. It’s one of only two Challenge Cabers outside of the United Kingdom. It makes its home in San Diego, inside Balboa Park’s House of Scotland cottage!

What’s a caber? It’s a heavy tapered pole that competitors try to toss end over end at Scottish Highland Games. The Braemar Challenge Caber proudly displayed here in San Diego has a further distinction. It has never been successfully flipped (turned).

Beginning in 1976 competitors have tried to turn this particular caber at the San Diego Scottish Highland Games and Gathering of the Clans. A successful turn would require extreme strength and skill. Many accomplished athletes have tried. None have succeeded!

This very heavy Braemar Challenge Caber was a gift from the Braemar Royal Highland Society. It was cut from a larch tree and sealed while still green. It’s 19 feet long and weighs a daunting 175 pounds.

As you might notice, I took these photographs during the holiday season.

Visitors can view this rare, historic caber on most weekends at Balboa Park’s International Cottages. Simply step into the House of Scotland cottage!

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The revitalization of Love City Heights.

I’ve learned work is being done to revitalize the organization Love City Heights. I support this effort.

I don’t live in City Heights, but I’ve been honored to support Love City Heights over the years because I’m impressed by the positive work they’ve done for the community.

The experiences have been inspiring. Whether it’s painting beautiful murals along University Avenue or organizing community cleanups, Love City Heights does precisely what its name describes. Its mission is to spread love.

I have a proposal:

A revitalized Love City Heights could coordinate so much good in the community. For example, Love City Heights could organize a special event every year that would bring together local charities, churches, schools, community organizations, and government agencies and programs. The main purpose would be to benefit the often underserved residents of City Heights. A large scale charitable event of this type could provide a lot of tangible good for so many people.

More public murals, cleanups, festivals and educational programs would be great, too!

So that’s my hope. I’m looking forward to bright things in the future!

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