Dozens of Major League Baseball players are hanging out on Little Italy’s India Street! I saw them yesterday! I took their pictures!
One great thing about Little Italy is there are always lots of colorful street banners. They celebrate the neighborhood’s Italian culture and rich history. As baseball season gets underway, a bunch of banners have been hung along India Street that feature Italian American baseball players, past and present.
Joe GaragiolaTony ConigliaroBart GiamattiPhil RizuttoTommy LasordaJoe TorreAnthony RizzoJoe DiMaggioSan Diego Little Italy’s neighborhood boys who played baseball, circa 1938.Jason GrilliSal MaglieChristopher DenorfiaFrank TorreChristopher ColabelloJohn MontefuscoAlessandro LiddiJoey VottoNick PuntoFrank CrosettiDave GiustiGus MancusoFrank ViolaMike PiazzaDom DiMaggioPaul (Li Mandri) LattmanBarry ZitoJason GiambiDevin Mescoraco
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Symmetrically painted figures practice yoga under crescent moons as the sun rises. Cool street art in downtown San Diego.
Here’s another batch of colorful art. As usual, I stumbled upon these cool discoveries while walking around the city, perhaps on one errand or another. Most of this fun urban artwork was photographed in downtown San Diego…
More cosmic yoga street art on another side of the same transformer box.Boldly painted colors on a row of electrical boxes in Little Italy.This super cool car made of colorful wires recently appeared at The Garden Project of the New Children’s Museum.The Eiffel Tower has magically appeared inside a shop on Sixth Avenue!Fun utility boxes near Pantoja Park feature lots of artistic flowers and birds.Natural scenes painted in a big city.Downtown street art. I love you more than you’ll ever know.I love this carved wooden bear bench! But for the life of me, I can’t remember where I photographed this! I think somewhere near Petco Park . . . maybe.I stumbled upon these rocketing pie slices in Hillcrest! I’m not sure if these spaceships belong to the strawberry fleet, rhubarb fleet, or the cherry fleet. But I’m certain they’re piloted by the good guys!
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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!
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Skateboarder at end of G Street Pier looks out at Red Bull Air Race course about an hour before the cool event begins on Saturday in San Diego.
Have fun checking out these photos! I took them during a long walk up and down the Embarcadero, before and during today’s Red Bull Air Race.
What did I see? Read the captions!
And if you happen to be in San Diego, the event continues tomorrow! There’s lots of cool sights to see!
Smart people grabbed seats on the Seaport Village wall by the water before the air race began. The guys on the boat are there to rescue pilots should they crash into the water.Some aerial entertainment starts early! It appeared several pilots were practicing the course before the official time trials would begin.The little airplanes are awfully fast and super maneuverable. The pilots had to steer a twisty course between those inflatable pylons and avoid losing points.A crowd is gathering by my friend Mitchell’s spot–he plays didgeridoo. I held the fort while he bought a pretzel. That ice cream passing by looks pretty good.Near one paid entrance, at Embarcadero Marina Park North, a sign shows the event schedule and provided info about the Red Bull race planes and pilots.The public could purchase all sorts of Red Bull merchandise and souvenirs at a trailer by the boardwalk.And at nearby Seaport Village, kids could visit the Easter Bunny!These poor guys had to work during the big event. Superyachts docked behind the convention center need constant maintenance!I saw this below in the water and had to take a photo. Love the color.Then I had to climb to the top of the San Diego Convention Center……where I discovered a great view of the Marriott Marina and a good portion of the Red Bull Air Race course out on beautiful San Diego Bay!As I walked south toward the Hilton, more pilots were practicing out on the bay. Zoom! I see the Coronado Ferry Landing across the water.Lots of people were finding spots along the water to watch the action.Another guy who had to work today. But one couldn’t find a better workplace!A Red Bull pilot rolls in the blue sky high above marina masts!Meanwhile, this guy was testing out a water jetpack. A bunch of these daredevils entertained the crowd later, as you’ll see.Almost time to start the official racing! Lots of people got free seats on the grass. The Embarcadero was jammed with spectators!This line contained folks who paid to get an up close view. The paid area also featured videoboards, exhibits and special refreshments.Here’s that sign again. I’ve been walking my way back north.The San Diego course map for the Red Bull Air Race.The racing has officially begun! Those pilots are fast and super skilled! They probably drank some Red Bull, too! Because you need to be on edge!Planes make multiple passes through the difficult course.Just cleared that pylon!Uh, oh. One pylon deflated for some reason. Sometimes pilots would clip them and lose points. Anyway, now it’s being refilled with air.All of San Diego seems present for the big international race!Look at them go.This pair of pylons at the north end seemed the most difficult to clear. Pilots had to make a hairpin turn through them.Made it!Young flying enthusiast has pins from many aviation events and air shows.These kids simply like ice cream.Now I’m out on the pier just north of Seaport Village. A great view of the race can be enjoyed here, and for free!A big wake made this fishing vessel bob by the pier like crazy, causing a moment of excitement!During a lull in the aerial action, which allowed ships and boats to pass through the course, the paying crowd was entertained by a bunch of water jetpack guys.Coast Guard guys check with pilot rescue guys during a break in the action. The rescue guys had wetsuits and fins on, ready to be on the scene of a crash in seconds.The dog was enjoying the sunny San Diego day as much as the humans.The Red Bull Air Race has resumed! A pilot descends toward the starting pylons!Here he goes!Now to bank rapidly around a couple of single pylons…That’s pretty darn fast!
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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!
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Walking around downtown San Diego, you never quite know what you’ll find. Some sights merit a quick chuckle, or a roll of the eyes. Sometimes laughter erupts!
Guy in suit with briefcase seems desperate to escape from this building.I hate tacos said no Juan ever.Pirate Pac-Man! Arrrr!Beer . . . ask your doctor if it’s right for you. (Be mindful of possible side effects.)More espresso, less depresso.STD Construction – We’re ContagiousAll of me loves all of you (when you do the dishes).Fried, my second favorite F-word.Reggae Dog!Behind every successful person is a substantial amount of coffee.
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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!
Window near entrance to a Gaslamp retailer contains DC Comics characters and Star Wars helmets. Comic-Con is a few months away!
Walk around downtown and you’ll be reminded that San Diego is home to an international phenomenon of colossal proportions: San Diego Comic-Con!
Here are some fun photos that I took today. Are you energized? About three months to go!
I’ll be taking a whole week off–before and during San Diego Comic-Con–and blogging like crazy!
Deco Bike rental station still contains graphic from last year’s San Diego Comic-Con. The television show Colony, a science fiction series on USA Network, was being heavily promoted.Godzilla rises at the nexus for all things pop culture. The Gaslamp is a popular playground for those attending San Diego Comic-Con.The Tin Fish near the San Diego Convention Center still features an Emerald City canopy, nine months after last year’s Comic-Con.Star Trek graphic on a wall in downtown San Diego’s Domino’s Pizza store. A Starfleet insignia. Going boldly where no one has gone before . . .San Diego’s Domino’s Pizza has a fun wall with lots of pop culture imagery, including an alien, Bat signal, Mario, and the downtown skyline.Of all the cool space helmets in the known universe, Darth Vader tops them all!Walk around downtown and you might be reminded our fair city is home to San Diego Comic-Con!
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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 San Diego Chinese Historical Museum is a cultural gem in downtown’s small Chinatown.
I recently enjoyed a visit to the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum. It’s located downtown in San Diego’s Asian Pacific Historic District. I was graciously allowed to take some photos of the indoor exhibits and the peaceful outdoor garden.
Built in 1927, this Mission Revival style building was originally the Chinese Community Church in San Diego’s Chinatown. It was saved from demolition in the 1990’s, and relocated to its present location.
The museum might be small, but it overflows with an important slice of San Diego history. Its many colorful artifacts representing Chinese culture will fascinate your eyes at every turn! I recommend a visit!
Visitors enter the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum during the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s OPEN HOUSE 2017.Many colorful sights await inside the small historical and cultural museum.Someone looks at old photos of San Diego and Chinese residents who helped to build and grow our city.The museum building was originally a mission, which was moved to its present location in San Diego’s Asian Pacific Historic District.Extensive archaeological work has been performed in this area, including the block south of the museum. Many artifacts from old Chinatown have been recovered.Old photos show archaeological digs in the neighborhood.Some of many artifacts recovered include glass bottles, ceramic bowls, utensils.Objects used in everyday life include a rubber ball, marbles, mahjong tile, Chinese dice and go pieces.Historical photograph of Chinese fishing junks anchored in San Diego Harbor around 1887.Portrait of the Ah Quin family, one of the most prominent, influential early San Diego Chinese families.Chinese laundries in San Diego utilized irons, counter bells, an abacus, and other useful objects.A bridal carriage from the late 1800s made of rosewood, found in Yun Cheng.The limestone Buddha head of the Northern Qi Dynasty, was originally carved into a cave in Shanxi Province.A temple guardian, from Ming Dynasty. The carved wooden idol has a dragon headdress, robes, glass eyes and a real hair beard and mustache.A palm raincoat, called so yee, worn by fishermen and farmers for centuries in China.Colorful woven art, and Chinese shoes and slippers for bound feet.Looking past the Buddha head at a fantastic, ornate alcove bed.The gilt red-lacquered alcove bed, or babu chuang, was made of southern elm in the Sichuan province in the late 19th century.Clay Chinese opera figurines represent different scenes. The characters are from local theatrical traditions, and utilize a complicated set of symbolic gestures.Display case contains memories of military service.Punching devices used for the Chinese Lottery of San Diego, which was popular in the red-light Stingaree District and Chinatown. Technically illegal, the lottery was tolerated by the authorities.A scene from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The elaborate wood carving depicts the battle that Zhao Yun fought to save the sun of Liu Bei.Manjusri altar table, from the late 19th century. Manjusri is the Bodhisattva of wisdom–he holds a sword that cuts through ignorance and illusion.Terracotta horse and general are replicas from the Terracotta Army unearthed at Xian, China. They occupy a corner of the museum’s outdoor Chuang Garden.Statue of Confucius, donated by the generosity of the Ministry of Education, Taiwan, Republic of China.A granite courtyard scene, 1800-1840. In this wall panel, three children representing prosperity, peer out at the street.A tranquil path runs beside water along the north side of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.Ornamental carving along the peaceful path.Another warrior statue in the cool shade.Behind the horse is a tombstone made in 1796, the inaugural year of the Jia Qing Emperor. It lacks in inscription, perhaps expressing a power that no words can describe.
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Look! Up in the sky! A Red Bull Air Race plane is about to buzz the San Diego Convention Center!
Check out this cool sight that just went up in San Diego’s Gaslamp, right next to the trolley station and Tin Fish restaurant! A Red Bull Air Race plane appears to be flying low over downtown! I think it might buzz the nearby convention center!
This morning, when I took these photos, I spoke to friendly guys putting up some promotional banners and learned the cool “plane on a post” had just been installed. A couple cranes were nearby. It appears to be an actual plane that is flown during the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.
The next big race comes to San Diego Bay in two weeks. The best pilots in the world will fly a few feet above the water through an insane aerial obstacle course. Some years back a Red Bull Air Race was held in San Diego, and I caught some of the incredible action from a distance. All I can say is those pilots must have amazing reflexes and nerves of steel!
This unique motorsport was devised by the people at Red Bull. The planes move at high speed and are extremely maneuverable. This year the Master Class category features fourteen of the world’s top pilots.
There are eight races around the globe, mostly in cities by water, and San Diego will be the second race. I hope to catch it! If I do, I’ll post photos!
The type of cool airplane flown at a Red Bull Air Race. The upcoming aerial race will be through a unique obstacle course above San Diego Bay.San Diego Trolley leaves the Gaslamp Station and passes a new banner advertising the Red Bull Air Race in mid-April.Poster promotes the upcoming Red Bull Air Race over San Diego Bay, on April 15 and 16.It might be small, but it can turn on a dime and is super fast!One can see some of the airplane’s inner workings. There doesn’t appear to be much room in the cockpit!Now the Red Bull Air Race plane seems to be banking toward the Gaslamp! Perhaps it will fly up Fifth Avenue!
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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 south side of the historic U.S. Grant Hotel, as seen from an upper level of Horton Plaza. The 1910 Broadway Fountain is visible in Horton Plaza Park.
During last weekend’s San Diego Architectural Foundation’s OPEN HOUSE 2017, I ventured into one of the event’s featured downtown locations: the historic U.S. Grant Hotel. I was able to get some photos of the hotel’s elegant interior!
The U.S. Grant was built by Ulysses S. Grant, Jr., the son of American President Ulysses S. Grant. The building was designed by architect Harrison Albright and built in the same spot where Alonzo Horton had his 1870 Horton House Hotel, which was demolished.
The U.S. Grant Hotel opened in 1910. It featured a steel and reinforced concrete framework to counter the threats of fire and California earthquakes. For over a hundred years the grand old hotel has stood prominently at the center of downtown San Diego. Notable guests have included 15 United States Presidents (there are 3 different presidential suites), Albert Einstein and Charles Lindbergh.
It’s also interesting to note the very first San Diego Comic-Con was held in the U.S. Grant, back in 1970.
The east side entrance of the elegant U.S. Grant Hotel on Fourth Avenue in downtown San Diego.I entered the hotel from the east entrance, where many guests arrive.The elegant interior just inside the east entrance.Large glittering chandeliers add a glamorous touch throughout the posh hotel.Some beautiful artwork above stairs descending to the Crystal Ballroom.Standing in the grand lobby, looking south toward the U.S. Grant Hotel’s entrance on Broadway.The U.S. Grant Hotel’s front desk.The beautiful lobby, fit for royalty.A small sculpture near the Broadway entrance is titled Sweet Dreams, by artist David A. Montour.Even the hotel elevators are beautiful.A sitting area near the bank of elevators.Portraits along this wall include Native Americans. The U.S. Grant Hotel was bought by the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation in 2003. It is operated by Starwood Hotels and Resorts.North of the elevators is this large Presidential Portrait of Ulysses S. Grant.Old photo of the Horton House, which stood at this downtown San Diego location before its demolition.Headline of The Evening Tribune announces the opening of the U.S. Grant Hotel on October 15, 1910.On display is a 1910 US Grant Hotel door knob.A look across the U.S. Grant Hotel lobby from the mezzanine level. Pure elegance.
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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!
Stained glass window, and its reflection in a mirror, inside The Abbey on Fifth Avenue. The building was originally the Park Place Methodist Episcopal Church.
I’ve walked past The Abbey on Fifth Avenue many times over the years. I often pause to admire the monumental building’s Classical Revival style exterior and take a photo or two. But last weekend I finally ventured inside.
That’s because The Abbey was open to the public during the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s OPEN HOUSE 2017. It was one of several fascinating places that I visited!
The Abbey on Fifth Avenue is utilized by Hornblower Cruises in San Diego for private parties, weddings and corporate events. In 1910, however, when its doors were first opened to welcome the people of San Diego, the building was a place of worship: the Park Place Methodist Episcopal Church. A gleaming gold leaf statue of the angel Gabriel stands atop the roof, blowing his horn, summoning eyes around Bankers Hill. Approach the building and one sees its dozen stained glass windows illustrating figures from the Bible.
Stained glass when viewed from outside a building can often appear a bit dull and unremarkable. When seen from inside, however . . . words can barely express the feeling. It’s like finding the end of a rainbow. It’s like stepping into a light-filled heaven.
Please enjoy some photos of The Abbey’s exterior and interior.
Today the Abbey on Fifth Avenue is operated by Hornblower Cruises and Events. Built as a church in 1910, the building has undergone various changes over the years. In 1984 it became a restaurant.Photo of The Abbey taken from the intersection of Olive Street and Fifth Avenue in the Bankers Hill neighborhood. A new building is under construction on the north side.Stained glass windows seen from the street outside.The 1910 Park Place Methodist Episcopal Church was built in the Classical Revival style, which is quite unusual in San Diego.Gabriel blows his horn. Light reflecting from the gold leaf shines brightly like the sun.This gorgeous stained glass skylight and purple floor lights tinting the walls make a memorable dining experience at these tables on the second floor of The Abbey.Another dome of stained glass in the ceiling.These doors on the second floor have beautiful floral stained glass panels.The interior of The Abbey on Fifth Avenue is a wonderland of colorful light.People pause by one of the south-facing stained glass windows.These tables along the second floor overlook a large space where people might dance or mingle during a special event.Stained glass shows classical columns and a cross in a crown.If I recall, this stained glass panel was in a door on the second floor. Those appear to be grapes.More stained glass behind dining tables on the north side of the second floor.The many stained glass windows seem to fill the historic building with magic.Close look at one window.Christ portrayed in one radiant window.Religious figures near wine glasses hanging in a bar on the second floor. An interesting juxtaposition.The beautiful stained glass is both mysterious and penetrating.Another vibrant stained glass window portrays a risen Christ in heaven.A scene from the Bible. One of many stained glass windows that fill The Abbey on Fifth Avenue with color and life.
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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!
People walk along Broadway near the entrance of the SDSU Downtown Gallery.
One of the sites that I visited this weekend during the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s OPEN HOUSE 2017 was the SDSU Downtown Gallery. I’d never stepped into the small art gallery before. Rotating exhibits feature the work of faculty and students at SDSU.
The building in which the gallery is housed, located at the corner of Kettner Boulevard and Broadway, served as the 1911 Station B power plant of the San Diego Electric Railway. The historic railway, which served a large area of early San Diego, was established by John D. Spreckels.
According to a short tour and handout I was given, a circa 1900 building at this location served as an earlier San Diego Electric Railway power house, railcar barn and paint shop. Some enormous doors still exist in the building today where train cars would enter and exit. I also learned the extravagant 1897 Los Banos bathhouse stood at the building’s northwest corner–but there remains no trace of that historic old structure.
In 1921, San Diego Consolidated Gas and Electric Company purchased Station B, and two additions to the building were subsequently made. The additions were designed by famed architect William Templeton Johnson.
Today the original Station B power plant contains powerful works of art, and forms a section of the base of the skyscraping Electra Building, a modern residential development built in 2008.
Please enjoy some photos of the gallery and the historic building.
If you love art and find yourself downtown while the gallery is open, swing on by!
Now part of the high-rise Electra Building, this originally was the 1911 Station B power plant of the San Diego Electric Railway.Historical ornamentation above the front entrance of the SDSU Downtown Gallery.Walk through these beads to enjoy a small but dynamic art gallery in downtown San Diego.Works on the gallery walls were produced by faculty and students at San Diego State University. Exhibits change every few months.Description of current gallery exhibit by faculty and students of San Diego State University. Every Which Way investigates artistic experience and human movement.Visitor to the gallery checks out thought-provoking artwork.Fear/Less, 2016, by Troy Guard.Works of human imagination along one wall.The serigraphs on this wall were made by students in the SDSU Graphic Design program. Imagery depicts ocean and desert ecosystems as migratory environments.More eye-catching works of art.Some of the pieces are quite unusual and creative.A short tour begins in the SDSU Downtown Gallery–Just one fascinating tour during the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s OPEN HOUSE 2017.We are shown various photos, including Station B behind Santa Fe Depot in the 1960s. The smokestacks were removed in the 1980s.Old photo of Los Banos, a bathhouse which was located just south of Santa Fe Depot. The neo-Moorish structure designed by William S. Hebbard and Irving J. Gill opened in 1897.One of the enormous, heavy doors is opened from inside the historic building. I was told these were used for a railcar barn.Our small tour group walks down the sidewalk along the Broadway side of the SDSU Downtown Gallery building.Now we are at the southeast corner of the large Electra Building, which rises above the historic San Diego Gas and Electric building.A symbolic painting inside the SDSU Downtown Gallery. Waves Inside, 2016, by Alison Zuniga.
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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!
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