In the last couple weeks, several street lamps in the form of traditional Chinese lanterns have been replaced along Third Avenue in downtown San Diego. Third Avenue, between Market Street and J Street, is the heart of the Asian Pacific Thematic Historic District.
The original Chinese lanterns were installed in the 1980s, back when the historic district was first designated. Those lamps, however, had deteriorated over time and were badly in need of replacement.
Sadly, these beautiful Chinese lantern street lamps no longer run the entire distance to Market Street. I was told the City of San Diego disposed of several of the old lanterns that might have been given to the museum and also refurbished.
The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum has retained one of the newly refurbished lanterns for safe keeping as you can see from my next photograph. It will be used as a model for future lanterns, if money can be raised to produce them. Recreating them from scratch will be, unfortunately, fairly expensive for the nonprofit museum. (Would you like to help?)
The museum would also love to create an Asian Pacific Thematic Historic District gateway on Market Street. Chinatowns in other cities feature such gateways.
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Old art panels along the median of Imperial Avenue in Encanto have been replaced! I noticed the vivid, new panels a couple days ago while riding the Orange Line trolley.
This artwork originated over 30 years ago as part of what was then called the Streetscape Art Project. Local artist Eddie L. Edwards contributed 24 colorful images that depict life and culture in diverse Encanto. When I took photographs of the aged panels four years ago, they were in very poor condition.
Look how sharp the restored artwork now appears! These colorful new panels, I was told, were put up in the latter part of 2023.
Here are half a dozen examples. Notice the overarching rainbows!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
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 (formerly known as Twitter)!
Would you like to help San Diego’s world-famous Balboa Park become even more beautiful? There are many volunteering opportunities for you to explore!
Today I spotted a bunch of volunteers picking up litter in the park. I learned from a friendly lady at the Forever Balboa Park canopy in the Plaza de Panama that a similar cleanup is scheduled for next weekend! Get your coworkers and friends involved!
I also learned an Arbor Day Tree Planting event that you can join is coming up! It will be on April 26th, from 9 am to 11 am.
Would you like to learn more? Check out the Forever Balboa Park volunteer web page here! And to remain informed, join their email list!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
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 (formerly known as Twitter)!
Yesterday afternoon, a walking celebration of the new Bay to Park Paseo took place in downtown San Diego!
The inaugural walk moved north from the Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel up Park Boulevard to Presidents Way in Balboa Park. A good crowd gathered, then followed a three-piece band and our guide, Pete Garcia of the non-profit URBAN INTERVENTIONS. Pete, holding his red umbrella, provided insights into each art installation and was joined by many of the participating designers and artists.
The Bay to Park Paseo is a walking experience that features over a dozen different temporary art installations. The Paseo leads walkers over the Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge, then past Petco Park, the Central Library, UC San Diego Park & Market, NewSchool of Architecture & Design, IDEA1, City College, and San Diego High School.
The idea for a pedestrian friendly corridor connecting San Diego Bay to Balboa Park actually originated in 1908. It was envisioned by John Nolen, the first American to identify exclusively as a town and city planner. San Diego’s new Bay to Park Paseo serves as a temporary prototype of what the future might hold for this corridor.
As you’ll see in the upcoming photos, some of these temporary art installations aren’t finished yet. Some also appear very different from their original conception, due to budgetary constraints.
Take a look at these colorful installations, then imagine how awesome a future Paseo with permanent public art would appear!
People gather for the inaugural walk in front of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. The Bay to Park Paseo has been created in conjunction with San Diego/Tijuana’s selection as World Design Capital 2024.We wait for the band, which was a bit late.The first art installation is a stained glass panel in front of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront.Welcome to the start of Bay to Park Paseo! The project has a butterfly as its symbol.The beautiful stained glass panel was designed by local artist and muralist Shirish Villaseñor, who happens to also work at the Hilton! She has been working on restoring the famous murals in Chicano Park.This butterfly loosely resembles the huge Hermes Copper Butterfly that will be installed on the nearby Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge.Pete Garcia welcomes the excited walkers.Here we go!I learned some of the band members participated in artist James Hubbell’s Friendship Walk on Shelter Island, which you might recall seeing on Cool San Diego Sights.You can see part of pre-existing Wind Palms public art in the background. The San Diego Convention Center appears on the right.Starting across the Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge.A designer from Safdie Rabines Architects (who designed this bridge and many other structures in San Diego) describes how a huge Hermes Copper Butterfly will decorate the Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge. The landmark public art will remain on the bridge for five years. Small dangling tiles will compose the butterfly, which should move with the wind.Once the butterfly appears, you can bet I’ll take photos!Resuming our walk over the bridge.Walking past Petco Park.Overcast this Spring day, but no rain during the walk.That big square “hole” across the street at Park 12 will contain colorful string-like artwork by acclaimed artist Inés Esnal. You can see the unrelated Growing Home public art seashell on the left.Now we’re approaching the Connector Block 1 installation.Colorful pallets and desert cacti and succulents!Stay and Play is the title of this fun, colorful sidewalk installation.Stay and Play and SMILE!Walking north to San Diego’s iconic Central Library.We gather in front of the Central Library where the Before There Were Borders installation provides a unique augmented reality experience on passersby’s phones.I already blogged about Before There Were Borders. Check that out here.North we go again!We’ve arrived at Connector Blocks 2 and 3. This fun installation, called Walk and Learn, allows people to view historical photographs from downtown San Diego.Spin the dial on a huge “viewmaster” to discover the liveliness of our city’s streets and sidewalks from the past.I see East Village’s very cool Crushing It street mural in the background!Moving along up the new Bay to Park Paseo.Passing the Park & Market trolley station, which already contains artistic elements like curvy benches.Members of the UC San Diego Design Lab pose for a quick photo!What Does Home Mean to You? is the thought-provoking installation at the UC San Diego Park and Market building. I posted a blog concerning it here. One of the three “silhouettes” has appeared. Pushing a button activates an audio recording. A homeless person tells of the hardships she has encountered.UCSD students who contributed to the installation’s design are acknowledged.Here comes the Memories at Midpoint installation. I saw them putting up the artwork and posted photos here.Our walking group has arrived in front of the NewSchool of Architecture & Design.We learn about this fun, surprising installation.What’s inside these colorful mailboxes?Some surprising discoveries!This is fun! What’s next?Along the trolley tracks we go…This cool artwork is next!This installation is called The Desert Super Bloom. It’s in front of IDEA1. There will be three such colorful clusters–two are completed.I love it!Kids painted those tall poles. I see, in the photo’s background, The Strength of Women mural by Rafael Lopez.Walking up toward the City College trolley station.Local artist Armando De La Torre poses for a photo in front of his Along the Blue Line installation before the crowd of walkers arrives! He wants his art to connect with ordinary people.Read more about this installation on a construction fence here. We also learned about artwork in the windows of the nearby Smart Corner building. That installation, called Reading Between the Lines, is best seen at night.Here we are moving right along past the City College trolley station and the Smart Corner building that rises above it.We’ve arrived at the corner of San Diego City College. The originally intended bench installation has to be changed. Now banners proclaim I Have a Dream. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous words are perfect at a diverse college where there are many dreams.A dream in beautiful San Diego.I’ve blogged a couple times about the sinuous, wavelike JOURNEYworm in front of San Diego High School. Delicate black mosquito netting was replaced by stronger plastic safety fencing because of destructive winter storms. The bright orange definitely attracts the attention of students and others passing by!The inaugural walk up the Bay to Park Paseo is approaching the finish line. There is one more art installation to check out.Multiple panels along the sides of the Park Boulevard bridge over Interstate 5 aren’t ready yet. But we saw the representation of one mural. It’s a palm tree! The images will be reflective of San Diego’s beautiful Balboa Park.1.7 miles of walking nearly completed!You can see downtown’s Cortez Hill neighborhood in the distance. That’s where I live!The Bay to Park Paseo walkers pose for a concluding photograph in Balboa Park! Why don’t YOU take a walk up the art-filled Paseo? It’s fun!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
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 (formerly known as Twitter)!
A new basketball court is taking shape at Waterfront Park, just north of San Diego’s County Administration Building! Check out the above photo taken this afternoon.
A large swath of the garden that originally existed on the north side of Waterfront Park has been removed, and recreational facilities are beginning to appear. Right next to this basketball court will be two pickleball courts. There will be table tennis and fitness equipment. A dog park will also be created.
These facilities will be welcomed by many downtown residents.
According to a banner on a construction fence, estimated time of project completion is July 2024.
(I’ve been told the Serpent Tree, a colorful sculpture by Niki de Saint Phalle that used to rise here, will not be returning. If true, that’s sad.)
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
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 (formerly known as Twitter)!
Leap Day comes around once every four years–usually. Here’s a description provided by Wikipedia: In the Gregorian calendar, the standard civil calendar used in most of the world, February 29 is added in each year that is an integer multiple of four unless it is evenly divisible by 100 but not by 400. For example, 1900 was not a leap year but 2000 was.
It’s 2024, so Leap Day will be adding one extra day to the year.
Here’s a fun celebration of Leap Day!
I’ve gone through my old blog posts and found photographs taken around San Diego that depict great leaps. So let’s jump to it…
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
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 (formerly known as Twitter)!
A two-part mural titled Singing Patterns brightens a corner of Valencia Park in Southeast San Diego. The colorful public art decorates the west side of the Southeastern Live Well Center, which opened last year. Travel along Euclid Avenue near Market Street and you’ll see it!
Singing Patterns was created by artist, writer and activist Doris Bittar. Here’s her Instagram page where you’ll see photos of the mural panels being installed.
You can read about this installation and all the art inside and outside the Southeastern Live Well Center by clicking here. You’ll learn this outdoor mural honors the culture of San Diego’s dynamic and historic neighborhoods… The artwork metaphorically bridges regions, history and time together using patterns from all over the world.
The patterns are derived from Black, Latin, Syrian, Somali and Filipino culture.
Earlier this year, while walking in Valencia Park, I took photographs of other public art outside this large new San Diego County complex. See those photos here and here!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
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 (formerly known as Twitter)!
Spirited people were learning how to folk dance this afternoon in San Diego’s historic Balboa Park Club building!
During today’s Dance Festival, which was sponsored by the San Diego Park and Recreation Department and the International Dance Association, folk dancing lessons were provided for beginners. The spacious ballroom was filled with joyful music representing diverse cultures. Several friendly teachers were on hand.
I watched for a bit as participants learned fun new steps in the ballroom.
As you can see from my photos, the dancing sculpture at the center of the grand foyer of the Balboa Park Club had been decorated for the event. Next door, in the Santa Fe Room, international crafts were for sale by a variety of smiling vendors. Some puppets were also visiting from the nearby Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater!
Would you like to learn how to folk dance? Or ballroom dance? Go to the website of the International Dance Association of San Diego County by clicking here, then check out their information and future events!
“Laughter, song, and dance create emotional and spiritual connection; they remind us of the one thing that truly matters when we are searching for comfort, celebration, inspiration, or healing: We are not alone.”
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
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 (formerly known as Twitter)!
Did you know there’s a special talent show for seniors in San Diego?
I learned about the AgeWell Services 48th Annual Talent Show today when I wandered into Balboa Park’s Senior Lounge. The talent show is quite popular, and is held in the War Memorial Building in Balboa Park–just north of the San Diego Zoo. Participants must be age 60 or better.
Here’s a photo of the flyer if you (or someone you know) would like to participate or purchase tickets to the show!
Auditions are coming up very soon–on February 7, 2024. The talent show itself will take place on March 28, 2024. Tickets will go on sale starting February 7.
There are group discounts available for 10 or more. The entertainment is inexpensive and promises to be great fun!
If you’d like to either sign up for the audition or purchase show tickets, you can visit this web page. You can also call (619) 525-8247.
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
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 (formerly known as Twitter)!
Three residents of Little Italy were rocking San Diego’s Embarcadero this afternoon!
The band Shimms had set up their instruments by San Diego Bay, just south of the Grape Street Pier, and were performing indie rock for an audience that had gathered on the boardwalk.
I lingered for a short while and listened to some darn good music.
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 (formerly known as Twitter)!
Cool San Diego Sights! 