The 62nd Annual Massing of the Colors and Service of Remembrance was held this morning at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. The stirring, patriotic event is organized by the San Diego Chapter of Military Order of the World Wars. Its purpose is to honor the flag and support and remember those who have served our country and defended liberty, including those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The parade of color guards this year included about 30 groups, from a variety of local organizations representing ordinary Americans, the military, veterans, law enforcement, JROTC and ROTC, and scouting.
The annual Massing of the Colors has been held at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion for 62 years without interruption. During a speech, special recognition was given to the Daughters of the American Revolution, who have faithfully participated in this patriotic celebration every single year.
When I arrived at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, a practice run was just finishing up. After a short wait, the parade of color guards commenced.
I will let my photographs tell the story.
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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!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
Early this morning I headed to Ski Beach Park, on Vacation Isle at the center of Mission Bay. I wanted to take photographs of a dramatic post-storm sunrise, and people out on the silver water rowing to cure breast cancer.
If you want to learn more about Susan G. Komen’s annual Row For the Cure event, and perhaps watch or participate next year, check out their website here.
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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 crime scene at Solve Who titled Murder at PROstate Farm. A team of detectives gathers clues, watches video interrogations of three suspects, then attempts to determine who the murderer is.
A unique and very cool attraction recently opened in downtown San Diego. It’s called Solve Who!
Neither an escape room, nor murder mystery dinner theatre, Solve Who offers would-be detectives something far more immersive and realistic. Solve Who is the world’s first interactive crime scene simulator!
Enter the front door of Solve Who and you suddenly become a detective investigating a detailed crime scene using your wits, a notepad and pen, and a variety of forensic tools. Groups of up to ten people operate as a team, collecting clues, watching short video interrogations of three suspects, then deliberating to determine the identity of the murderer.
Questions one might ask during the investigation include: Was the crime premeditated? Who had the motive to commit murder? Was there a break-in? Was there a struggle? What was the murder weapon? Are any fingerprints that you find with an ultraviolet light relevant? What is the meaning of a series of emails that periodically appear on one computer? Is any object at the crime scene out of place?
I was given a little bit of a preview this evening and I must say this entertainment concept is absolutely unique and brilliant! The super friendly guys behind Solve Who have worked hard to make the experience very realistic–they have even worked with law enforcement experts to ensure this fully interactive crime scene simulator is very close to authentic. With some crazy humor injected for fun!
It seems to me that Solve Who would be an ideal place for corporate team building, having a night out with friends, or for simply meeting new people. Right now they offer one scenario titled Murder at PROstate Farm, with three new, completely unique crime scenes to appear in the future. Solve Who will also offer beer and wine to participants in the near future.
Check out the Solve Who website here and perhaps make a reservation. You’ll be one of very few people in the entire world to have experienced a realistic interactive crime scene simulator!
A brief video introduction explains how each team of detectives can work together to logically deduce which suspect is guilty of murder.The funny, satirical brochure of PROstate Farm. The insurance agent was murdered, and his three employees are suspects.Inside the mock insurance office. PROstate Farm has policies to protect the insured against icebergs, apocalypse, zombies, talking apes and much more.Tools used by participants at Solve Who include forensic lights, magnifying lenses, string for trajectory pinpointing, evidence markers, and more.The crime scene includes many clues–a few are critically important. Deductive reasoning and acute observation are required to identify the murderer.An overturned chair and a big blood stain on the carpet.Blood splattered on the wall!Detectives at Solve Who will watch as three suspects are interrogated. It is important to listen to words and watch body language.Solve Who is a very cool new attraction in San Diego, located downtown at 1570 Fifth Avenue. It is the world’s first interactive crime scene simulator!
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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 new Piazza Giannini, at the corner of India and Cedar Street in downtown San Diego.
A new public space opened last month in downtown’s Little Italy neighborhood. Piazza Giannini, located at the corner of India Street and West Cedar Street, is a community gathering place that pays tribute to a famous Italian American who invented many of the conveniences of modern banking.
Born in San Jose, A.P. Giannini was a big believer in California. He started the Bank of Italy in San Francisco, and dedicated it to ordinary middle class Americans and hardworking immigrants that other banks wouldn’t serve. Believing in equal access to all, the Bank of Italy opened hundreds of branches throughout the state. Eventually it became Bank of America.
A sign at Piazza Giannini explains how donors can purchase plaques in this new public space.Amadeo P. Giannini was born in San Jose to Italian immigrants. He believed California and its citizens could lead the country to prosperity.. . . we should bend increasing efforts to demonstrate the equality that underlies the American philosophy.. . . No man actually ever owns fortune–it owns him.Serving the needs of others is the only legitimate business today.A streetlamp banner in San Diego’s Little Italy pays tribute to Amadeo Giannini, father of modern banking.A banker should consider himself a servant of the people, a servant of the community.The bronze bust of Amadeo Pietro Giannini at Piazza Giannini in Little Italy.
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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!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
This evening I was walking along Broadway past the new, almost completed InterContinental San Diego when I noticed a couple of guys installing artwork near the waterfront luxury hotel’s entrance.
I spoke briefly to one of the workers and learned they were following a general design that was provided to them. I’m not sure who the artist is, but I like what I see so far!
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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 couple months ago I blogged about the debut of a fascinating dodecahedron sculpture called Unfolding Humanity. The San Diego Geometry Lab had begun building their project by a parking lot at University of San Diego.
Today I finally saw the interactive metal sculpture completed! It was among the many cool inventions on display at 2018 Maker Faire San Diego in Balboa Park!
If you want to learn more about Unfolding Humanity–the mathematics behind it, and how it’s symmetry and complexity is similar to the structure of the universe–please check out my earlier blog post here, or visit the artwork’s extremely interesting website here.
I learned from Diane Hoffoss, Associate Professor of Mathematics at USD, that the San Diego Geometry Lab might be building additional similar projects in the future. Probably every other year. Because it’s quite an undertaking!
I also learned that many people enjoyed stepping inside Unfolding Humanity during Burning Man! Someone even performed magic tricks inside it!
This is what I saw at Maker Faire San Diego today…
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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!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
I learned this huge robotic praying mantis that shoots flames from its legs is named Zap!
Another October! Time for another Maker Faire San Diego in Balboa Park!
Today, after checking out Trolley Dances at Hazard Center, I headed into Balboa Park to simply walk around and absorb the creativity. It’s amazing what human intelligence and imagination can produce! The potential is limitless! Marvelous new inventions keep on coming!
2018 Maker Faire San Diego continues through Sunday. Check it out!
Visitors to Balboa Park look at a map showing the many exhibitors and demonstrations at 2018 Maker Faire San Diego.A big crowd surrounds 30-foot-tall, flame throwing Robot Resurrection during 2018 Maker Faire San Diego in Balboa Park.These students invented a contraption that can fire multiple Frisbees in rapid succession.Russell the Electric Giraffe is back for another Maker Faire San Diego!Exploring the sensors and capabilities of a cool robotic giraffe!Kids were riding cupcake cars around the Plaza de Balboa during the annual maker event.Other kids have fun controlling robots that move blocks.Karen, of the Southwestern Artists’ Association in Spanish Village, was painting stones out on the patio!Karen’s Rescue Rocks are fun and colorful!Artistic kids were using lapidary equipment inside the San Diego Mineral and Gem Society Museum.This guy on the Spanish Village patio was creating small works of art from onyx.People were testing out virtual reality at the Japanese Friendship Garden during Maker Faire San Diego.Nearby, others were piecing together stuff that was 3D printed.The potted Rootbound Players would play music when their leaves were touched by a finger!People make Kokedama, Japanese traditional moss art! The roots of small plants are bound in living moss!This guy had created some small but very cool working submarines.UCSD students had created an unmanned aerial vehicle for an academic competition.Creative kids were cutting out words and piecing together their stories with Words To Go!This guy was melting glass and forming a beautiful jewelry pendant.Ladies were making crafts inside the House of Sweden at the International Cottages. Perhaps they should have been a part of Maker Faire San Diego!Do You Trust is a sculpture that enfolds visitors and plays an audio recording of poetry concerning trust.This cool minibike is made of odd objects, like a vegetable strainer, radio tuner, cereal bowl and umbrella. It’s called the Time Machine.Alastair, The Great Fairy Tinkerer hangs out in front of the future Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park.A small human meets friendly Know Mann – Giant Robot Puppet!
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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!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
Audience looks down as a dancer portrays a homeless person during the first stage of 2018 Trolley Dances at Hazard Center.
This morning I watched the first dance of the 2018 Trolley Dances at Hazard Center shopping mall. This unique annual event is a production of the San Diego Dance Theater.
Arriving early, I stood a couple of floors above the outdoor performance, and let my eyes wander about as I took in the entire scene.
The first dance portrayed the homeless. As the invisible curtain rose, dancers, who sat alone among their scant possessions, rose and converged in a dizzy, tragic performance.
Two male dancers tussled over a shopping cart, but that seemed to be the extent of their malice. The twisting dance showed troubled souls coming together, having a moment of hope and happiness, raising each other up before departing to go their separate ways.
After the first dance ended, I followed the mobile audience as they were led west down the nearby San Diego River Trail to the next outdoor stage. Chairs were set up short of the place where Highway 163 crosses Mission Valley.
I continued walking. What I saw thereafter wasn’t part of the program.
As the audience gathers on the south side of the Hazard Center shopping mall, one performer appears be homeless, sitting alone.The gathered audience awaits the first outdoor dance of 2018 Trolley Dances.The performance begins, and another dancer rushes onto the stage.Dancers converge in front of the audience. The raw, disturbing dance portrays the lives of different people who are homeless.Dancers move about fluidly, showing a variety of emotions, including pain, loss, uncertainty, anger, hopelessness.A shopping cart is a focal prop. Seen from above, it is empty.Performers tussle briefly over the shopping cart, while a nearby couple dances.The dancers spread out and face the audience.The dancers move together, as if suddenly animated by a unifying energy.One dancer is raised up by the others.
The dancers finally exit the stage, struggling up sets of stairs at Hazard Center.They return to take their bow. There is great applause.The dancers collapse and lie on the concrete.This performance is over.The audience will be led across the street and on to the next nearby dance location, on the path by the San Diego River.What the audience did not see. An empty drug baggie at the bottom of some stairs behind Hazard Center. Very few people use these particular stairs.The audience heads west along the San Diego Trolley tracks.The mobile Trolley Dances audience is guided through a short stretch of Mission Valley along the San Diego River toward the next unique stage.Empty chairs and graffiti on a construction wall await at the next Trolley Dances stage.That is as far down the path the audience would venture.Had they proceeded farther, they would have reached a place where many homeless gather and take shelter–in shadowy places beneath Highway 163.
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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!
Statue of Hall of Fame relief pitcher Trevor Hoffman at Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres.
“There is no shortcut to true success.” Those are the words of Trevor Hoffman, 2018 inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He is remembered as one of the greatest players in the history of baseball.
The wise quote adorns the base of his bronze statue, which was unveiled this summer at Petco Park.
Great achievements require hard work and persistence. Achievements that endure the test of time must be built game by game, inning by inning, pitch by pitch.
The San Diego Padres have honored two of their Hall of Fame players with magnificent statues at Petco Park. Both Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman are now immortalized in bronze. Both sculptures were created by artist William Behrends, who has been referred to as the Sculptor of Sporting History.
I posted a few photos of the Tony Gwynn statue five years ago here.
Neither Trevor Hoffman nor Tony Gwynn chose the easy path. Both worked constantly, studied the game, and never stopped honing their skills.
“There is no shortcut to true success.” To those who have high aspirations, important words to remember.
A sculpture of Trevor Hoffman overlooks the Padres bullpen, just beyond left field at Petco Park.There is no shortcut to true success. Trevor Hoffman.The high leg kick of Hall of Fame relief pitcher Trevor Hoffman immortalized in bronze.Two legends of baseball now intersect at Tony Gwynn Drive and Trevor Hoffman Way, just outside Petco Park.The bronze sculpture of legendary pitcher Trevor Hoffman, by artist William Behrends.
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