Balboa Park to me is a place like heaven. A place overflowing with joy and sunshine and smiles and wonder. A carefree place that is full of surprises.
Today I enjoyed a few delightful surprises during my walk–as you’ll see.
Balboa Park is one of the most wonderful places on Earth.
…
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!
What’s did I see today in Balboa Park? There’s a car parked in the middle of Spanish Village Art Center’s patio and it’s decorated with all sorts of fun, colorful artwork!
According to a sign on the windshield, the Art Car was donated for this project by the San Diego Automotive Museum. It appears to be a cool work in progress during this Summer of Love!
Nobody was painting the car when I walked by, but I saw plenty of space for more creativity!
…
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 the San Diego Museum of Art held a free public event titled On the Steps At SDMA: The Golden Age Of Spain. The small outdoor festival, which was held in Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama, celebrated the museum’s current exhibition, which features fine art produced in the Spanish Empire from about 1600 to 1750.
Local artists had booths near the museum’s front steps, as did Balboa Park’s House of Spain, but my favorite part of the event was the fantastic flamenco dancing.
I lingered for a good while and enjoyed performances by Flamenco Sur (Carlos Hernandez and Students), Olé Flamenco, and Luna Flamenca Dance Company.
Each dancer possessed fire, intensity, passion.
…
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!
Today I checked out the Batman Experience at the Comic-Con Museum!
This fantastic exhibition is running during 2019 Comic-Con and is well worth the short trip from the San Diego Convention Center to Balboa Park. It’s free to the public–no badge required!
All three levels of the Comic-Con Museum have been taken over by Batman, as has a section of lawn outside the museum’s front entrance. That’s because Batman, celebrating his 80-year publishing history, is the very first inductee into the Comic-Con Museum Character Hall of Fame!
Walk through the looming gate of Arkham Asylum and feast your eyes on authentic, original items from the Warner Bros. Corporate Archive. You’ll see a couple of Batmobiles, iconic props from the major motion pictures, and costumes from the movies and the television series Gotham. There’s a Bat-Signal that projects Commissioner Gordon’s urgent call for assistance on the museum’s ceiling. In the lower level there’s a super cool Batcave Gaming Lounge, with current and old school video games featuring the Caped Crusader. You can also punch a villain. BAM! ARRGH! POW! Or play Batman pinball games. Or view the complete 100-piece series of collectible Batman Black and White statues.
After you do all this, you should step through a door and enjoy looking at the original Jim Lee artwork for the 2019 Comic-Con Souvenir Book. It’s on display in the museum’s ongoing exhibit Cover Story: The Art of Comic-Con 50.
Finally, if you’re feeling heroic, put on Batman’s cowl and try out the skydive simulator on the grass outside. The Dark Knight Dive allows brave crimefighters to simulate soaring over Gotham City!
…
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!
Late this afternoon I stepped into the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park to enjoy their first ever Tanabata Festival!
I arrived half an hour before the festival officially opened, and as time progressed more and more people arrived for this joyful summer event. I lingered for a while to enjoy the sights, smells and tastes, and to learn about various aspects of Japanese culture and the Tanabata holiday.
According to the Japanese Friendship Garden website: “Originating from Chinese folklore, Tanabata is a holiday that celebrates the meeting of Orihime and Hikoboshi. Separated by the Milky Way, the stars Orihime and Hikoboshi are able to meet once per year on the seventh day of the seventh month. On Sunday, July 7th, JFG has partnered with the Minatomo Japanese Community to have their inaugural Tanabata Festival in San Diego!”
As I walked randomly about I learned about the Tanabata tradition of tanzaku: wishes are written on small pieces of paper which are then hung with other happy decorations on bamboo. I paused to admire some living moss art–kokedama. I then walked down into the Lower Garden.
Outside the Inamori Pavilion yummy Japanese food was being prepared. Inside the elegant pavilion there was artwork, including some bright, very colorful fluorescent paintings. I caught the first scheduled performance in the pavilion, which was an onigiri (rice ball) preparation demonstration. I was shown how to easily fold a paper flower.
I then headed back to the Upper Garden and listened as Write Out Loud presented a Japanese fairy tale. I paused to admire a bunch of origami artwork that was being created.
Every person I met was smiling.
I hope this is the first of many wonderful Tanabata Festivals at the Japanese Friendship Garden. That is my wish.
…
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!
PAWmicon keeps on growing!
A couple years ago I attended this unique pet cosplay event at Hazard Center, but PAWmicon has grown in popularity so much, this year it was held in Balboa Park at the future home of the Comic-Con Museum!
Every year PAWmicon, organized by the Helen Woodward Animal Center, is enjoyed a week or two before San Diego Comic-Con. Pet owners dress up their pooches like superheroes (or supervillains) and compete in a fun cosplay (paws-play) competition. Some of the dog owners put on costumes, too!
This year I noticed members of the Science Fiction Coalition were in attendance, cosplaying as DC Comics characters. Not surprisingly, I saw that scheming villain Penguin hanging out very suspiciously near a SeaWorld penguin!
Funds raised from this very cool annual event benefit the Helen Woodward Animal Center, a world-renowned organization that rescues homeless dogs and other animals. They also provide education and therapeutic programs for us humans.
Please visit the Helen Woodward Animal Center website here!
…
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!
Today I entered the future Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park to check out PAWmicon! As I walked around, I poked my nose into the gallery where the Cover Story: The Art of Comic-Con 50 exhibit is located, and in one corner I discovered walls full of original art created by kids!
The colorful artwork, often featuring superheroes and pop culture characters, is drawn to resemble the covers of Comic-Con souvenir program books! Some of the designs are super inventive!
These covers that I photographed are just a small fraction of those on display.
Creativity rocks at the Comic-Con Museum!
…
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!
During my walk through Balboa Park this afternoon, I observed members of the House of USA setting up for their lawn program at the International Cottages. And suddenly I remembered Independence Day is coming up on Thursday!
After walking a little more about the park, I returned to the International Cottages right at two o’clock, just in time for the singing of the Star Spangled Banner.
The crowd wasn’t very large, but everyone was enjoying a fine occasion. The House of USA was serving up hot dogs, and people were stepping inside their cottage to see all sorts of cultural and historical displays. Outside on the stage, Navy Band Southwest’s outstanding Prevailing Winds Ensemble was playing a mixture of classic and popular tunes. I really enjoyed their great rendition of music from The Incredibles!
I checked out a couple of booths on the lawn. The House of USA princess posed for a cool photo. I met a gentlemen promoting the Civil Air Patrol.
Over the years, Civil Air Patrol volunteers have saved thousands of lives. They’re the ones who often transport emergency supplies after a disaster, spot people trapped on rooftops during catastrophic floods, and locate hikers lost in the mountains. I learned they have a cadet program for youth interesting in aviation, personal growth and community service.
The Civil Air Patrol always needs volunteers! Click here to learn more!
…
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!
Several years ago I attended the Art Club of San Diego’s summer show in Balboa Park. You can revisit that memory here.
Today, as I walked through Balboa Park past the Casa del Prado, I noticed this group of local artists was having their 17th Annual Art Show.
I love Japanese art. It’s suggestive, dreamlike, and has a deep spiritual quality. Naturally I stepped inside.
I met a group of very nice people. The artists whose creative work was on display were Hiroko Szechinski, Kayo Beach, Kazue Knowlton, Joe Cross, Louise Rendich, Keiko Kitano, Teri Ashabraner and Naoko Ozaki. Their diverse artwork includes ceramics, calligraphy, ikebana (flower arrangement) and brush painting.
I was informed the Art Club of San Diego welcomes new members! If you want to learn more, or perhaps would like to purchase one of their pieces, you can find contact info at the bottom left corner of the following flyer. (Click the photo and it will enlarge for easy reading.)
I was glad my feet turned this way today. As I walked among these precious works of art, I felt I was walking through a beautiful memory, or a dream.
…
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!
Look what I discovered today!
The San Diego International Fringe Festival has moved this year from its old downtown location inside the Spreckels Theater Building to Balboa Park. As I walked past the Starlight Bowl this afternoon, I was surprised to stumble upon Fringe City, the festival’s box office and cool outdoor public lounge!
If you’re into weird, experimental, absolutely unique alternative entertainment, including live, uncensored comedy, dance, satire and even circus acts, head to Balboa Park’s Palisades area to check out the Fringe Festival. Performance venues in Balboa Park include the nearby Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater, the Centro Cultural de la Raza and the WorldBeat Cultural Center. Come on out and support visionary artists!
Read the poster and the signs to learn a bit more. (Click the photos and they will enlarge.) Better yet, go to the event website here!
The San Diego International Fringe Festival continues through June 16, 2019.
…
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!
Cool San Diego Sights! 