A few cool sights anticipate San Diego Comic-Con!

Fatman on Batman with Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin will be showing during San Diego Comic-Con at the American Comedy Co. in the Gaslamp.
Fatman on Batman with Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin will be showing during San Diego Comic-Con at the American Comedy Co. in the Gaslamp.

Later today I’m heading to the OB Street Fair. But, first, this morning I walked through downtown San Diego and caught a few cool sights that anticipate 2017 Comic-Con, which is only a month away! I noted that workers were hanging more Comic-Con banners in the Gaslamp, now that the big Bio conference and the Startup San Diego events are completed.

If you follow Cool San Diego Sights but don’t care all that much about Comic-Con, fear not! I’ll be blogging a lot of other San Diego stuff in the days ahead!

Workers hang San Diego Comic-Con banners along Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter.
Workers hang San Diego Comic-Con banners along Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter.
Conan O'Brien's funny TBS talk show will be in San Diego during Comic-Con, as the marquee at the Spreckels Theatre on Broadway attests!
Conan O’Brien’s funny TBS talk show will be in San Diego during Comic-Con, as the marquee at the Spreckels Theatre on Broadway attests!

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This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!

Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts.  If you’re using a small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!

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Thor and Black Panther banners for 2017 Comic-Con!

Banner for 2017 San Diego Comic-Con promotes the upcoming Marvel movie Black Panther.
Banner for 2017 San Diego Comic-Con promotes the upcoming Marvel movie Black Panther.

Another cool discovery! A few banners for 2017 San Diego Comic-Con have already been hung along Harbor Drive near the convention center. For 2017, the promotional banners depict Thor and Black Panther, Marvel superheroes who have highly-anticipated movies coming up!

Thor, one of Marvel Comics' Mighty Avengers, appears on a banner for 2017 San Diego Comic-Con. I depicts a scene from the upcoming movie Thor: Ragnarok.
Thor, one of Marvel Comics’ Mighty Avengers, appears on a banner for 2017 San Diego Comic-Con. It depicts a scene from the upcoming movie Thor: Ragnarok.

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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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!

The Gifted trolley wrap for 2017 Comic-Con!

New trolley wrap for 2017 San Diego Comic-Con promotes The Gifted, an upcoming Marvel series on FOX.
New trolley wrap for 2017 San Diego Comic-Con promotes The Gifted, an upcoming Marvel series on FOX.

I spotted a third new trolley wrap for 2017 San Diego Comic-Con! This cool wrap promotes the upcoming FOX series The Gifted, which will concern Marvel’s universe of mutant X-Men. Looks like the Sentinel Services mutant transport will be filled with gifted Comic-Con attendees this year! Hopefully it transports them to the convention center, and not somewhere less pleasant!

I spoke to an MTS supervisor at America Plaza and he believes there will be one more wrap this year!

The Gifted will be based on Marvel's popular X-Men characters.
The Gifted will be based on Marvel’s popular X-Men characters.
During San Diego Comic-Con, lots of mutants will be transported on this Sentinel Services vehicle. I wonder if it's made of plastic, in case Magneto comes along!
During San Diego Comic-Con, lots of mutants will be transported on this Sentinel Services vehicle. I wonder if it’s made of plastic. Magneto might make an appearance!

Here’s another photo I captured the following day!

That looks like some sort of prisoner transport. Wait! Don't go in!
That looks like some sort of prisoner transport. Wait! Don’t go in!

And yet another photo! There now seems to be a different variation of this wrap for the older style trolleys. It comes with a warning!

Mutants Aboard. For your safety please keep your distance.
Mutants Aboard. For your safety please keep your distance.

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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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!

Fill a red shoe online for Ronald McDonald House!

Your online gift to Ronald McDonald House will sponsor a meal, buy supplies for a student, support a night's stay for a family with a hospitalized child.
Your online gift to Ronald McDonald House will sponsor a meal, buy supplies for a student, or support a night’s stay for a family with a hospitalized child.

Today was Red Shoe Day. If you drove about San Diego, you might have seen smiling, unselfish people holding up big Ronald McDonald shoes at major intersections. Perhaps you were in traffic and didn’t have a chance to make a charitable donation.

Well, here’s your opportunity. Make your donation online (or learn about Ronald McDonald House) by clicking here!

Help support Ronald McDonald House. Fill the red shoe with an online donation!
Help support Ronald McDonald House. Fill the red shoe with an online donation!

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Funny beach street art in Mission Valley!

Breezy bird street art on Mission Center Road depicts funny beach scenes.
Breezy bird street art on Mission Center Road depicts a funny beach scene.

Four months ago I shared some colorful street art that I found on several electrical boxes in Mission Valley. You can revisit that blog post here. As you can see, one of the images was a sketch of a gull at a beach carrying away a bag of chips–a humorous work in progress. Well, that work is now completed, as well as another side of the same box! The artwork is by Brise Birdsong.

Just a note–the colors were light, so I had to increase the contrast in the photos quite a bit.

All that and a bag of chips!
All that and a bag of chips!
A wacky gull, pelican and sea lions add humor to a drive through Mission Valley!
A wacky gull, pelican and sea lions add humor to a drive through Mission Valley!

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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!

Pirate Con in San Diego during Comic-Con week!

Pirate Con is coming to the Maritime Museum of San Diego during Comic-Con.
Pirate Con is coming to the Maritime Museum of San Diego during Comic-Con week.

Ahoy mateys! You despicable pirates, buccaneers, scoundrels! Avast! See what I discovered while innocently walking along the Embarcadero!

Pirate Con is coming to San Diego! The event will be held at the Maritime Museum of San Diego on July 21, 2017, the Friday of Comic-Con week. There will be pirate and mermaid cosplay and even hidden treasure: a free Funko Pop! I don’t know if hardtack, bone soup and rum will be served.

Looks like salty fun! And no better place to have it!

Maritime Museum of San Diego presents Pirate Con on July 21, 2017.
Maritime Museum of San Diego presents Pirate Con on July 21, 2017.
Lots of pirate and mermaid cosplay will be seen at Pirate Con in San Diego! Paarrrty like a pirate!
Lots of pirate and mermaid cosplay will be seen at Pirate Con in San Diego! Paarrrty like a pirate!
These tough-looking pirates are promoting Sea of Thieves, an upcoming video game for the Xbox.
I’m not sure if these beady-eyed pirates will attend.
Watch out! This wild-eyed pirate has two wicked swords! Run for it!
I certainly hope this piratical two-sworded villain isn’t present!
Mister Mac, that notorious pirate, has descended on San Diego with two rascally accomplices to wreak havoc.
Goodness gracious! There seem to be a lot of pirates populating my blog. Chances are at least one of these rascals will attend Pirate Con at the Maritime Museum of San Diego!

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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 new Conan O’Brien trolley wrap for 2017 SDCC!

Conan O'Brien is returning to San Diego Comic-Con in 2017. Trolleys are wrapped with images of Conan as four different Funko Pop! toys.
Conan O’Brien is returning to San Diego Comic-Con in 2017. Some trolleys are wrapped with images of Conan as four different Funko Pop! toys.

Here are some photos of the new Conan O’Brien trolley wrap for 2017 San Diego Comic-Con! I spied two trolley cars with this wrap on my way home from work aboard the Green Line.

This is the third year in a row Conan will be hosting his funny TBS talk show at the Spreckels Theatre during Comic-Con. And, as before, the trolley wraps feature him transformed into four different Funko Pop! characters.

This year Conan appears as Justice League member the Flash, as a Game of Thrones White Walker, as Marvel’s ever-popular superhero Spiderman, and finally as a Star Wars Jedi holding a lightsaber.

Enjoy these photos! I’ll keep watching for new SDCC trolley wraps in the days ahead!

For the third year in a row, TBS television talk show host Conan O'Brien is transformed by Funko into famous pop culture characters.
For the third year in a row, TBS television talk show host Conan O’Brien has been transformed by Funko into four famous pop culture characters.
Conan O'Brien has become the fastest man alive--The Flash!
Conan O’Brien has become the fastest man alive–The Flash!
This trolley wrap image has Conan turned into a White Walker from Game of Thrones.
This trolley wrap image has Conan turned into a White Walker from Game of Thrones.
Conan is hanging upside down from the roof of the trolley. He is your friendly neighborhood Spiderman!
Conan is hanging upside down from the roof of the trolley. He is your friendly neighborhood Spiderman!
Or perhaps Conan is actually a Star Wars Jedi!
Or perhaps Conan is actually a Star Wars Jedi. Is he a Gray Jedi?
San Diego Comic-Con is on the way, and lots of trolleys are appearing with a variety of cool wraps!
San Diego Comic-Con is on the way, and lots of trolleys are appearing with a variety of cool wraps!

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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 of photos (including a bunch from past Comic-Cons) for you to share and enjoy!

More art pops up in breezeway by MCASD.

A big cat roars a bouquet.
A big cat roars a bouquet.

A new batch of public art has popped up in the breezeway between the Santa Fe Depot and Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. I believe these pieces were all created by youth.

On Saturday I took a few photos after stepping off the trolley. Enjoy!

Half face of husky.
Half face of husky.
Ali times eight.
Ali times eight.
Pink face with closed eyes.
Pink face with closed eyes.
Defying gravity. Something appears odd.
Defying gravity. Something appears odd. Can you spot it?
King, with a Dream.
King, with a Dream.
Patchwork elephant.
Patchwork elephant.

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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!

To read some short fiction I’ve written, click Short Stories by Richard.

Photos of the San Diego Wooden Boat Festival!

A few vessels the public can visit during the San Diego Wooden Boat Festival at the Koehler Kraft boatyard on Shelter Island.
A few vessels the public can visit during the San Diego Wooden Boat Festival at the Koehler Kraft boatyard on Shelter Island.

Yesterday I headed over to Shelter Island to check out the annual San Diego Wooden Boat Festival. The event is taking place all Father’s Day weekend at the Koehler Kraft boatyard. Proceeds from the festival help out local charities.

Koehler Kraft is where many wooden boat owners head if their vessel needs a repair or upgrade. The boatyard was founded in 1938. I enjoyed poking around the place, and examining some very cool vintage wooden boats. There were also beautiful newer boats, and a few had unusual, fascinating designs.

Enjoy my photos and read the captions to learn more!

A look at the Koehler Kraft boatyard from a platform that juts out over the edge of Shelter Cove Marina in Americas Cup Harbor.
A look at the Koehler Kraft boatyard from a platform that juts out over the edge of Shelter Cove Marina in Americas Cup Harbor.
People walk out to look at some wooden boats during a very cool festival on Shelter Island.
People walk out to look at some wooden boats during a very cool festival on Shelter Island.
Koehler Kraft's San Diego Wooden Boat Festival is taking place on Father's Day weekend.
Koehler Kraft’s San Diego Wooden Boat Festival is taking place on Father’s Day weekend.
Various boats in the boatyard are being worked on. Some displays show the public how wooden boats are made.
Various boats in the boatyard are being worked on. Some displays show the public how wooden boats are made.
One can see the framework of this small wooden boat.
One can see the exposed framework of this small wooden boat.
Inside the Koehler Kraft building are several more wooden boats. The big one being worked on is Siwash, a 1910 yawl that held the round Catalina time record for 27 years.
Inside the Koehler Kraft building are several more wooden boats. The big one being worked on is Siwash, a 1910 yawl that held the round Catalina time record for 27 years.
Friendly folks show off lots of cool stuff at Koehler Kraft.
Friendly folks show off lots of cool stuff at Koehler Kraft.
I love how wood is everywhere. Working here must be a woodworkers dream.
I love how wood is everywhere. Working here must be a woodworker’s dream.
Another boat is being worked upon. The varnished wood is simply beautiful.
Another boat is being worked upon. The varnished wood is simply beautiful.
Now we're outside again, looking down at the water where many boats crafted from wood await.
Now we’re outside again, looking down at the water where many boats crafted from wood await.
Boats can be moved into and out of the water using these old rails and a wheeled platform.
Boats can be moved into and out of the water using these old rails and a wheeled platform.
The Marjorie is an elegant wooden boat.
The Marjorie is an elegant wooden boat.
Visitors to the San Diego Wooden Boat Festival check out a variety of interesting vessels.
Visitors to the San Diego Wooden Boat Festival check out a variety of interesting vessels.
This small boat is named Tom. It's a 2015 catboat. Carvel planked Port Oxford cedar on white oak frames.
This small boat is named Tom. It’s a 2015 catboat. Carvel planked Port Oxford cedar on white oak frames.
The stern of Old Glory.
Water reflects rippled light on the smooth stern of Old Glory.
Some guys and a dog on the deck of Sally, of the San Diego Yacht Club.
Some guys and a dog on the deck of Sally, of the San Diego Yacht Club.
Wooden boats have amazing character. Even the weathering adds personality.
Wooden boats have amazing character. Even the weathering adds personality.
One's eyes can take delight in these boats all day long.
One’s eyes can take delight in these boats all day long.
I believe I've seen the Patricia Belle at the yearly Festival of Sail. It's a schooner cargo type boat built in 1998.
I believe I’ve seen the Patricia Belle at the yearly Festival of Sail. It’s a schooner cargo type boat built in 1998.
Everyone is checking out these great boats!
Everyone is checking out these great boats!
Someone peers down into a beautiful wooden sailboat.
Someone peers down into a beautiful wooden sailboat.

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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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!

Carefree street art on Shelter Island Drive!

Sailboats are painted on the side of the building at 2608 Shelter Island Drive in San Diego.
Sailboats are painted on the side of the building at 2608 Shelter Island Drive in San Diego.

Today I headed over to the San Diego Wooden Boat Festival on Shelter Island. As I walked to the festival down Shelter Island Drive, I noticed several works of sun-splashed, carefree street art! Here they are!

The beautiful mural shows sailboats racing on the blue ocean.
One side of the beautiful mural shows sailboats racing on the blue ocean.
The artwork reflects the beautiful marinas and busy boatyards around Shelter Island on San Diego Bay.
The artwork reflects the busy marinas and boatyards around Shelter Island on San Diego Bay.
Electrical box on Shelter Island Drive has two seagulls.
An electrical box on Shelter Island Drive has two seagulls.
Make that three!
Make that three!
The water off Point Loma in this painted street art seems to glisten and sparkle.
The water off Point Loma in this painted street art seems to glisten and sparkle.
One side of a utility box shows the back of a young boy playing on a bench with a toy boat.
One side of a utility box shows the back of a young boy playing on a bench with a toy boat.
One side of the same box. We now see the side of the boy who is holding his boat.
Another side of the same box. We now see the left side of the boy who is holding his boat.
And now the front. All four sides show the same happy scene. Some fun 3-dimensional street art on Shelter Island!
And now the front. All four sides show the same happy scene. Some fun, creative 3-dimensional street art on Shelter Island!

UPDATE!

I captured unobstructed photos of the sailboats mural during a later walk. I see the artwork was created by Linda Churchill of Muralizing in 2009…

IMG_8810z

IMG_8811z

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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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!