Be kinder than necessary – for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle…
Yesterday I walked through Ocean Beach. A few of my photographs seem to spell out a message about life.
I noticed that a small park at the corner of Sunset Cliffs and W. Point Loma Boulevard contained bits of wisdom. So did a formation of pelicans and a surfer near the OB pier.
Moving shadow in a small plaza at the corner of Sunset Cliffs and W. Point Loma Boulevard. Wisdom and love are written on an Ocean Beach wall.Walking down a winding path toward Robb Field. Life is a one way meandering journey.Public art on an Ocean Beach wall. All starfish are beautiful, alike but different.A starfish is small but resilient. It moves and bends with life’s unceasing tides.A starfish that suffers loss will regenerate. During its short life, it is a survivor.Bicycling a short distance down life’s path. Be kind. The unknown awaits around some turns.A glimpse of immensity beyond the beach. The OB pier extends a short way toward the mysterious horizon.Entering the ocean. A place of beauty, power, pleasure, danger. Like life itself.Pelicans fly in formation to ease their path through the air.Riding a wave. A short trip upon the mighty ocean back toward familiar land.Live fully. Ride well. Enjoy life. We each are very small. Be forgiving. Be kind.
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Do you like to read short pieces of thought-provoking fiction? You might enjoy checking out Short Stories by Richard.
Avoid urban decay. A funny image on the window of a dentist office in San Diego’s East Village.
For your enjoyment, here’s another random batch of funny photos taken around downtown San Diego!
Don’t break into this downtown San Diego business. A sign on the door warns: Beware of Attack Cat!A very odd sign near a parking lot simply states: MEOW.A bench shaped like a mustache. A fun sight in front of a barber shop.Funny quote inside a store window. I only drink champagne on two occasions, when I am in love and when I am not.Photo of funny shirt inside a Gaslamp window. We must learn to take life with a grain of salt, slice of lime and a shot of tequila.A wonderfully bizarre downtown San Diego poster. Perhaps I need to eat here. Fear the power of Sushi Burrito. Finish off your evil hunger!Funny sign on East Village sidewalk. Rubbing an eye to wake up. Maybe some coffee will help!
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A San Diego Bike to Work Day pit stop in front of 550 West C Street early in the morning. Hello!
Today was Bike to Work Day in San Diego! There were over a hundred pit stops around the county, and I’ve learned that nearly ten thousand bicyclists participated!
This morning I started a bit earlier than usual so that I could walk past 5 pit stops downtown. (As followers of Cool San Diego Sights might know already, I happen to be a walk/trolley/bus to work person. Because I simply love walking and the outdoors, plus living downtown makes it very convenient.)
The city was still a bit sleepy as I headed west along B Street–about 6:30–and the morning light wasn’t ideal for photography when I passed two bicycle pits stops at The Donut Bar and the Wells Fargo building. I did manage to get some sharp pics once I arrived at Civic Center Plaza! Lots of people were smiling!
A couple of bicyclists pedal up Third Avenue near Civic Center Plaza during Bike to Work Day.This pit stop in Civic Center Plaza near City Hall was already seeing some incoming cyclists at this early hour. There is an active City of San Diego Bicycle Program.Bike maps, information and other goodies were given away to promote commuting by bicycle to work around San Diego.A huge Share The Road banner hung in Civic Center Plaza.Morning commuter on a bicycle waits alongside a bus for a traffic light on Broadway.On Harbor Drive at the Broadway Pier, a pit stop included a San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce table.These friendly guys representing engineering company CH2M Hill did the wave for me, but I liked this photo of them smiling better!Someone pedals past San Diego’s historic tall ship Star of India. Another beautiful day has begun.A bicyclist rolls down Pacific Highway on the morning of San Diego’s Bike to Work Day.
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Diners sit at tables on the waterfront. An Italian fish market, colorful buildings and clouds.
I really like this mural. You’ll find it near the corner of Grape Street and Kettner Boulevard in Little Italy. It was painted by San Diego artist Stephanie Clair. Her art is modern, romantic and overflowing with the simple pleasures of life. Please enjoy a few colorful photos!
Little Italy mural painted by artist Stephanie Clair shows the life of a fishing town. Perhaps it resembles San Diego’s past.Fishermen in their boats working the sea. The water is blue and green.Lovers drink wine as they sit by the water, gazing out at the sunset.A streetcar among buildings that seem to pulse with life.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! 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 enjoy!
Visitors at the San Diego Zoo Centennial Festival in Balboa Park learn how rare, threatened and endangered native plants are being saved by the zoo.
Many know how the San Diego Zoo is a world leader in working to protect animal species from extinction. One important task is to store critical genetic material. Their world-renowned Frozen Zoo has been storing cryogenically preserved biological samples since 1976.
When I walked through the San Diego Zoo Centennial Festival in Balboa Park last Saturday, I learned something that really impressed me. Not only is the zoo striving to save the world’s most endangered wild animals, but San Diego Zoo Global has developed an important native plant seed bank, in an effort to conserve rare and threatened local plant species.
The zoo is member of the California Plant Rescue Partnership, whose goal is the long term conservation of wild plant species through seed banks and field work. One of the people with whom I briefly spoke has the job of hiking about San Diego County, searching for and monitoring populations of these rare plant species. What a fantastic job that must be!
The zoo has developed an extensive seed collection. Some native plants being protected are the San Diego golden star Bloomeria clevelandii, Dudleya brevifolia, Monardella stoneana, Comarostaphylis diversifolia ssp. diversifolia, and Corethrogyne filaginifolia var. linifolia, which is commonly called the Del Mar sand aster.
The San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research is also working hard to save the Tecate Cypress in Southern California and Baja California, a tree that the rare Thorne’s hairstreak butterfly depends upon. A poster at the zoo’s centennial event helped to explain why this effort is so urgent.
San Diego Zoo Global’s Native Plant Seed Bank and horticulture departments have planted 500 Tecate Cypress trees to establish a field gene bank. (Click to enlarge.)The San Diego Zoo’s conservation efforts extend beyond protecting animal species threatened by extinction. Plants are important, too!
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On the set of Tonight in San Diego, taped with a live studio audience in The Raw Space at the Spreckels Theatre. Host Jesse Egan talks to comedian Erik Knowles.
Are you looking for some cool entertainment? There’s a live television talk show debuting in San Diego modeled after those popular late night variety shows which millions of people love. It’s called Tonight in San Diego.
Anyone can attend a live taping of new shows in The Raw Space, a small venue that is part of the downtown Spreckels Theatre. Like those well-known national shows filmed in Los Angeles, San Diego audience members participate in the live taping: clapping and cheering on cue, while enjoying comedy acts, live music and interviews of local celebrities. Of course there’s a house band and opportunities for the most enthusiastic audience members to win prizes. There’s also a bar serving wine and beer that people can visit during breaks.
I was invited to the most recent taping–which was last night! It was the last episode of the show to be featured exclusively on YouTube. From this point forward, Tonight in San Diego will air on KSDY Channel 50!
So what did I think?
The show is fairly witty, fun and quite well-produced. The host Jesse Egan, who hails from Ocean Beach, is a naturally funny guy. The monologue was a bit silly. The music was great. The opportunity to watch a live television show being produced is what intrigued me most–I was surprised at the number of people involved and impressed by how smoothly the entire process went.
The night I attended, the guests were standup comedian Erik Knowles, San Diego Rugby’s Phil MacKenzie (aka The Dragon) and a fantastic musician Mike Pinto, who I considered to be the highlight of the evening. The atmosphere was casual and many jokes were off-color. Laughter was provoked with quips about open pants, alcohol and smoking weed. This will obviously narrow the show’s appeal. I got the impression the show was directed more toward party people and hipsters than a more general audience.
Tonight in San Diego has incredible potential. At this point, seemingly few know about it. If this is your cup of tea, head to their website and get a ticket. As a member of the live studio audience, you’ll certainly be entertained for an hour and a half, and you’ll have the opportunity to be a part of history. Because I think this might be the beginning of something big!
The Raw Space is a small venue on First Avenue just south of Broadway in downtown San Diego.A comedy act by Erik Knowles, who explains with a wink that being a stoned Dad can be surprisingly beneficial.Tonight in San Diego host Jesse Egan discusses our city’s new pro rugby team with guest Phil MacKenzie.Photograph of the house band’s drummer. Three other great musicians were concealed by cameras. Yours truly, a mere blogger, was considered media and given a front row seat! I still can’t believe it!A quick change on the set. Getting ready for a musical act by talented guest Mike Pinto, who brought the house down.A video screen off to one side shows what actually appears on television. Here Jesse Egan is having a laugh with musician Mike Pinto.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk. Occasionally my blog contains surprises! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
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A happy clown face decorates the Fourth Avenue sidewalk, a block north of Broadway near the center of San Diego.
Should you ever walk along Fourth Avenue in downtown San Diego, you might stumble upon a delightful surprise. A bit north of Broadway a clown face smiles up from the sidewalk. Above him is a heaven of old circus tile artwork, depicting exotic animals and performers in every sort of crazy pose. The art decorates a building which is now home to Halah’s Market.
It isn’t the sort of thing one expects to see in San Diego! At a Las Vegas hotel or casino, perhaps!
I can find nothing about the origin of this circus artwork. If you happen to know something, please leave a comment!
Halah’s Market in downtown San Diego has a storefront with some fantastic, nostalgic circus artwork. The canopy above the entrance resembles a carousel. Searching the internet, all I learned about this building was that it was built in 1925.Acrobats and performing animals of every description . . . including elephants, penguins, zebras, camels and bears. A circus atmosphere in an unexpected place!A singing pig is joined by a trapeze artist and a seal in a hat. One often sees images of surfers, Hispanic culture or local landmarks in San Diego–not the circus!More fun animals in poses that suggest circus acts.A surprising clown greets walkers in downtown San Diego!
UPDATE!
I got a great comment! This location used to be the Chi-Chi Club San Diego! More can be learned here!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! 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 enjoy!
Youth play soccer in San Diego’s Waterfront Park. They are competing today in the Neymar Fives Soccer Tournament. World champs get to meet the Brazilian superstar.
As usual, my walk today provoked a whole range of feelings. The four simple words: Play, Work, Sadness, Time . . . they describe a few photos that I took.
Those basic words we all understand.
Scrambling for the ball. Joy in movement, camaraderie, friendly competition. Youthful ambitions.Neymar Jr.’s Five soccer competition includes amateur teams from more than 35 countries.Recreation on the green grass, one promising San Diego morning.Strolling down the Embarcadero. Pirate Days is coming to the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Let the invasion begin!Containing many pleasures, the gleaming Disney Wonder cruise ship is docked in San Diego. Seen from the deck of the very old Star of India, where countless lives have been tossed by difficult seas.Volunteer on Star of India is preparing to hoist this plastic cap up to the top of the foremast, which is open and exposed to the eternal elements.Other volunteers are working hard atop the forecastle. Ships require constant work, constant attention and care.Climbing carefully up to the very top of the foremast to apply a protective cap, to prevent exposed iron from rusting, decaying.A writer sat here. Words purposefully put down . . . or discarded . . . or forgotten. Many thoughts lie alone by a bench near the water.The hands of a sleeping homeless man.Time-faded monkeys still cling to the wall of a parking garage on Laurel Street.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Do you like to read short pieces of thought-provoking fiction? You might enjoy checking out Short Stories by Richard.
Many of the world’s top bicycling athletes fly up the Laurel Street hill in San Diego during the first stage of the Tour de California.
Here are lots of cool pics of Tour de California (officially called Amgen Tour of California) elite bicyclists racing up the steep hill on Laurel Street, just east of Interstate 5! Today was the first stage of the big international multi-day race, and the route looped around a good chunk of San Diego County. Easily the toughest part of the race near downtown was up Laurel Street, which presents a pretty steep grade for several blocks.
Lots of people gathered on the hill, and everyone was excited to see many of the world’s greatest bicycle athletes compete! Many of the participants have raced in the Tour de France and other top international competitions.
While I enjoy riding my street bike once in a while, I don’t know much about the professional sport. It was my first time watching this sort of event. And boy was it exciting! Lots of suspense–then flashing lights as the route is prepped and cleared–then boom! A flurry of colorful racers flying past! It was like a fantastic sporting parade! When the racers turned the corner and came into view, I felt my own adrenaline flowing!
Follow my photo captions and I’ll try to describe what I saw. Please excuse me if I don’t know all the proper terms…
This is the first block of the Laurel Street hill–probably the toughest, steepest part.About half an hour before the race leaders were anticipated, lots of biking enthusiasts and onlookers were already lining the sidewalks.Most people formed a crowd at the top of the hill. I got photographs of the race from a point a bit lower, with a good, unobstructed view.Someone wrote a big word on the street with chalk. I think it reads Bizipoz. I’m not sure, though.Announcers on Laurel Street hill provided pre-race music, then humorous, lighthearted commentary.I saw a few banners being flown–I suppose certain international teams were being rooted on.A dog came out to view the action!Lots of spectators rode their own bikes to watch this small part of the world-famous event.Ordinary people riding up the hill before the race were cheered and spurred forward with cowbells.Some more bike lovers showing up a few minutes before the pro racers should pass through.Okay, now we’re getting close. The fast elite racers started in Mission Beach, about 15 minutes away from this spot at the very west edge of Bankers Hill.Everyone perks up! Here comes an Amgen Tour of California official spray-painting the street for the bicyclists, soon to arrive!Cameras at the ready!The race is almost here! A huge line of motorcycle cops and Highway Patrol cars, along with tour official and VIP vehicles, parades past for several minutes.Excitement mounts. They should come around Columbia Street any moment!A team support vehicle carries spare bikes. Where are they?Here they come at last! And they’re moving really fast!They’re going so fast, my camera could manage only a few pics of this first group. There seemed to be six racers in this grouping.Here comes the leader at this early part of Stage One. These amazing athletes make it look effortless. (Of course, it’s still early in the race.)And there they go! Boom! Just like that! Perhaps they slowed a bit further up the hill.The main group didn’t arrive for what seemed like another 10 minutes. People around me were amazed by that. They appeared to be pedaling quite casually!Here the huge group comes! You can just glimpse San Diego Bay and Lindbergh Field in the background. A perfect cool weather day for a bike race!Everyone watching from the sidewalks applauds, makes noise and cheers.These guys seemed to be in no hurry. Some even waved at the onlookers! I suppose they were pacing themselves.Looks of determination, and a love for their sport.Hoping for glory, bicyclists in the Tour de California power up Laurel Street hill in San Diego.A party atmosphere! Everyone is cheerfully rooting on these elite world athletes.Some cyclists at the end of the main group were intermixed with team support vehicles.And here comes a whole bunch of those team support vehicles–or whatever they’re called!Outstanding athletes conquer a tough but relatively short hill.I could hardly believe the tremendous excitement!And then it was over. They’d passed. Just some ambulances and law enforcement vehicles followed.And folks headed home. You can see more of the Laurel Street hill in this pic. The first part is definitely the steepest.World-class athletes defy gravity as they bicycle up a hill near downtown San Diego during the first stage of the Tour de California.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! 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 enjoy!
The San Diego Zoo is 100! And this evening, it is celebrating with a big centennial festival in its beautiful home: Balboa Park!
Late this afternoon, I walked through Balboa Park to check out the beginning of the huge San Diego Zoo Centennial Festival! As you might’ve guessed, our world-famous zoo has turned a hundred years old!
The San Diego Zoo began when the 1915 Panama-California Exposition came to an end in 1916. The exposition’s veterinarian, Harry Milton Wegeforth, heard the caged lions roar. He turned to his brother and said: “Wouldn’t it be splendid if San Diego had a zoo! You know…I think I’ll start one.”
The rest is history. A century of amazing history!
The big festival today featured all sorts of fun and educational stuff, as you’ll see in my photos. I can hardly believe the size of the crowd that turned out!
I went home before dark and missed a world-record attempt in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion–the most hand puppets performing at one time. Regrettably, I also missed the opening of the big mystery boxes–gifts from the zoo to the San Diego community. As of this moment–as I publish this post–they still haven’t been opened! I’ll provide an update when I learn what was inside!
UPDATE!
From what I read the following morning, the three huge gift boxes on stage contained a puppet elephant, a puppet condor, and an 11-foot-high puppet lion that roared at the conclusion of an epic evening performance!
I should’ve stayed to watch! Apparently the Broadway-style show was amazing, and featured Tony and Grammy Award-winning singer Heather Headley, lots of dancing, the performing puppets, and an inspiring light show. If you want to check out some pics, here are a bunch of good ones!
A huge crowd walks down El Prado in Balboa Park, enjoying exhibits and entertainment celebrating the world-famous San Diego Zoo’s centennial.People listen to live music in the Plaza de Panama. Many people wore hats or shirts decorated with animals.Sign lists the various activities at the San Diego Zoo Centennial community celebration.Zoo staff and volunteers help kids create animal-themed art.These mariachis were almost ready to perform!Street magician excites a kid.Musicians were everywhere. It was a big party for San Diego.A botanicals exhibit explained how the San Diego Zoo isn’t merely saving endangered animal species, but saving rare plants, too! I’m going to blog about this shortly!Look who I spotted giving an interview. The celebrated and much-beloved zoo spokesperson Joan Embery!Lots of cool zoo gifts and fun commemorative stuff was for sale, of course!Another exhibit showed how the zoo helps wildlife researchers using modern digital recording technology in the field.Several local high schools were having their proms tonight, and I spotted many fancy dresses throughout Balboa Park. I’m not sure about this photo shoot!It’s still two hours before the main programming begins, but people are already gathering in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. There are the large mystery boxes!This super friendly San Diego Zoo team member answered several of my questions. Every zoo representative I talked to was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and really nice.Some dancing up on the stage. At eight o’clock, the main program would begin.A tiger roams through Balboa Park.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
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