Dozens of beautiful glass wind chimes, many decorated with images of cherry blossoms, hang suspended like shining stars at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park!
Together these many wind chimes twinkle-tink-tink, creating music in the patio of the Upper Garden.
I hadn’t been to the Japanese Friendship Garden in a long time, so today I had to ask a nearby gardener when these were installed. He told me months ago. They were part of a special event or exhibition.
Their magic remains.
…
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
If poke your nose inside the Santa Fe Room of the Balboa Park Club building, you’ll find a large map on one wall. The old map is a remnant of the park’s fascinating history.
During World War II, the Palisades part of Balboa Park was turned into Camp Kidd Naval Training Station, a U.S. Navy facility that included hospital wards, training facilities and barracks.
The Balboa Park Club building, which had been the Palace of Education for the 1935-36 California Pacific International Exposition, was converted into a temporary annex to the naval hospital with a dispensary and mess hall. Here’s an interesting web page about Camp Kidd.
The building’s Santa Fe Room, with its map of The Pacific and Far East, became the Camp Kidd Officers’ Club. Visitors to the park today can view that same map–provided the room is open and not being used for a special event.
I had to increase the contrast quite a bit for my two photographs, to bring out more detail.
…
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Seventeen long, narrow mosaic panels were created last year in Encinitas on either side of the El Portal Undercrossing, which allows pedestrians to pass under railroad tracks.
I saw them the other day for the first time!
This excellent article about the project explains how it aims to tell the storied and colorful history of the city and its residents, was a collaborative effort between students from Paul Ecke Central Elementary School and San Dieguito Academy, nonprofit art studio Campana Studios and SDA art teacher Jeremy Wright.
I took a bunch of photos for everyone to enjoy!
The City of Encinitas has completed other public art projects at underpasses, similar to this. In the past I’ve photographed some of that art: here and here and here.
…
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
I wondered. Why are hundreds of little wooden stakes sticking out of the sand at South Ponto Beach in Carlsbad?
Reading a nearby sign provided the answer. Habitat restoration in progress. The fence, shims, and plants will build dunes and keep sand on the beach.
I never heard the word “shims” used this way.
I found a webpage that explains how to “make land from air.” Biomimicry uses 14- inch-long, narrow cedar shims which are randomly inserted several inches into the sand. The shims are placed 10-14 inches apart, in a random matrix, along the upper beach. This matrix stabilizes existing sand while also collecting new sand, by generating turbulence in laminar ocean storm winds.
There’s another fascinating word!
Biomimicry. Definition: The design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes.
…
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
If you’ve seen the USS Midway Museum in the past few days, you’ll notice the historic aircraft carrier is covered with yellow ribbons.
I learned today that the approximately 60,000 ribbons honor the same number of members of the United States Armed Forces who were killed in action during the Vietnam War.
The ribbons, tied several days ago around the edge of the aircraft carrier, will remain in place through Memorial Day. Visitors who go to the flight deck’s information stand can ask to tie their own yellow ribbon.
I notice some of the ribbons have messages written upon them. Loved ones can be remembered in this way.
…
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) workers were testing a new development at the Gaslamp Quarter trolley station this morning. They were setting up that large umbrella in my photo!
I learned that during upcoming Comic-Cons and other similar events near the San Diego Convention Center, temporary umbrellas will be installed at the station platform to provide shade. One of the umbrellas, I was told, will shade a spot for police canines. Dogs can overheat in San Diego’s summer sunshine!
…
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
These two cool murals can be found close to the train station in Encinitas.
One mural, in my first two photographs, is painted on a wall at the Moonlight Marketplace flea market venue, which, when not in use, appears like a dirt lot west of the station platform. The butterfly and face artwork was created by Chloe Becky (@elsiethecowww).
The second mural is in the alley one block directly south of the Encinitas train station. It’s on the back of a building near the corner of Founders Drive and E Street. The smiley face in swirled colors was spray painted by DJ NEFF (@djn3ff) in 2024.
…
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
A new art gallery recently opened in downtown San Diego. Juried works by diverse artists can be freely viewed from the sidewalk in front the Edward J. Schwartz United States Courthouse!
From behind several large windows, works by local artists greet the curious eyes of those walking down Broadway. This new Courthouse Gallery of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California is now displaying The Art of Freedom.
The courthouse website describing the project and a call for submissions explains: The inspirations for this on-going, rotating art display are: making art more accessible to the public, enhancing civic engagement through the arts, and creating an opportunity for local artists to increase exposure to their work. The gallery will be featuring emerging and established artists 18 and older residing in San Diego and Imperial Counties.
It’s difficult to photograph through these windows with the reflections. Enjoy several pieces…
Woman Charging I by Cathy Deibler.Forest Dance, by Leah Schaperow.Remember When We Were Free by Cynthia Sue Kelly.
Years ago, these same windows displayed artwork created by students for San Diego County Bar Association’s Law Week Poster and Video Contest. See three years of those displays here and here and here.
Over the years, my photos of those Law Week posters have been viewed thousands of times through Google search–quite possibly by teachers and students around the nation and world. Amazing.
…
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Here’s another sensational work of mosaic art that I discovered during my most recent visit to Coronado High School. A step-like installation filling a corner between two walls seems to flow with water and the life it sustains. Mosaics in three dimensions have created the appearance of a blue waterfall among greenery, flowers and small native animals.
The mosaic, completed in 2011, is titled The River of Giving. According to the webpage of mosaicist Kirstin Green, the project is a recognition wall for individuals and businesses who have donated money to the Coronado Schools Foundation over the past 3 decades.
The elements were all hand made by students. You can watch a time lapse video of this amazing art being made here.
The River of Giving – Mosaicist Kirstin Green – Visual Arts Laura Hill – Ceramics Eric Rempe – Created through the collaborative work of CHS students and teachers.THE RIVER OF GIVING – Coronado Schools Foundation – Dedicated to honor our most generous and consistent donors, and to inspire others to give vital support for learning that helps our students thrive. 2011
What about the other fantastic mosaic that I photographed at Coronado High School? Check that out here!
…
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
A famous car race was held in Point Loma in 1915. A historical display at the San Diego Automotive Museum recalls how the San Diego Exposition Auto Road Race involved many famous race car drivers of the era and received nationwide attention.
The race promoted the Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park. It is estimated 50,000 people watched the 305 mile race as it looped through Point Loma’s rather rough-appearing streets. The winning purse was a whopping (for 1915) $5,000. Only five of the eighteen drivers would finish the race.
The race winner would be Earl Cooper in Stutz No. 8. His average speed was a nail-biting 65.3 miles per hour!
A vintage car accompanies the museum display. The 1932 Morgan Super Sports, as much as it resembles some of the earlier race cars, debuted 17 years after the San Diego Exposition Auto Road Race was held. It can go 100 miles per hour–much faster.
When I saw this historical display, I immediately remembered my experience of the 1915 Road Race vintage car show. That amazing event was held in the parking lot by the San Diego Automotive Museum during Balboa Park’s centennial in 2015. See those photos here.
…
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Cool San Diego Sights! 