Visitors to the Maritime Museum of San Diego view a display concerning the history of rum.
A cool new exhibit opened this weekend at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Rum: Sailors, Pirates and Prohibition follows the colorful history of rum, from its origin to the present day, with a focus on its surprising history in San Diego.
There are all sorts of interesting artifacts, old photographs and displays, as you can see from the few photos I took this afternoon. Among other things, visitors to the exhibition can learn how rum is made, about the use of rum by sailors, including those of the British Royal Navy, and how rum runners used sea caves in San Diego during Prohibition.
Anyone with a love for history should check it out!
Rum: Sailors, Pirates and Prohibition is a cool new exhibit inside the Steam Ferry Berkeley, at the Maritime Museum of San Diego!A display in the Gould Eddy Gallery shows some of the coopering tools used in making oak rum barrels.Slave collars from the 18th century. Some believe African slaves in the Caribbean discovered the process of distilling the residue of sugar refining–molasses and sugarcane juice–into alcohol.A display features an explanation of grog and rum on British Royal Navy ships. Grog was rum diluted with water to prevent drunkenness. The grog ration was abolished in 1970.Old photo of the Malahat, the Queen of Rum Row. The five-masted schooner successfully delivered rum and other spirits along the West Coast during Prohibition.Local sea caves and coves in La Jolla and Sunset Cliffs were used at hideouts for rum runners arriving from Mexico during Prohibition.Photos of the Monte Carlo, San Diego’s Prohibition era floating casino. In 1937 it became beached on Coronado during a winter storm. Her wreckage can still be seen underwater at low tide.Blind Pigs and Speakeasies. A secretive Speakeasy sold alcohol during Prohibition, plus provided its guests with entertainment. Drinks were tastier than the poisonous rums and moonshines concocted in bathtubs.A photograph of anti-alcohol activists taken during Prohibition. Lips that touch liquor shall not touch ours!Display celebrates the rise of local San Diego distilleries. Our dynamic city is now considered the craft beer capital of the United States.
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PostSecret is coming to the Museum of Man in Balboa Park on April 14, 2018.
How cool is this?
I was walking through the Fall Back Festival in the Gaslamp before it opened this morning and stumbled upon a fantastic community art project!
The project is called PostSecret, and it was begun in 2004 by an inspired gentleman named Frank Warren. People anonymously write down one of their deepest emotional secrets on a postcard and mail it in. The postcards are then displayed as public art! The project has already received over a million submissions!
The folks I met at the Fall Back Festival were representing the Museum of Man in Balboa Park. I learned the traveling PostSecret exhibition is coming to San Diego and will open at the museum on April 14, 2018! Residents of San Diego are encouraged to share their secrets!
How? Simply mail a creative postcard containing one of your written secrets to the Museum of Man address you see in one of my photos. Your secret can be absolutely anything–a regret, a fear, a desire, a confession–as long as it is true. You might make your postcard into a work of art, or simply write down a few brief words.
I’m mailing my postcard tomorrow.
You also have secrets to share, don’t you?
These friendly folks would like you to mail in one of your secrets anonymously!PostSecret is a project that was begun in 2004 by Frank Warren. Over a million secrets have been shared.That address on the right is where you need to mail your postcard! Mail as many secrets as you’d like!Perhaps by mailing your secret, you’ll help us humans better understand our inner selves. Or gain a personal sense of relief. Or simply enjoy a healthy laugh!
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People ride past what is possibly the most amazing, fantastic front yard in all of San Diego!
I walked through Middletown yesterday on a mission. I wanted to pay a visit to the locally famous Harper’s Topiary Garden!
What a fantastic, amazing creation! This private front yard on a hillside has been transformed by the residents into a eye-popping landscape of weird animals and delightful designs. I felt as though I’d stepped into a small world touched by magic.
This is one super cool sight that is undeniably extraordinary!
Human imagination coupled with passion can actually turn wildest dreams into reality!
Mission Hill Garden Club asks How Does Your Garden Grow? I’ll bet it’s nothing like the Harper’s Topiary Garden!Harper’s Topiary Garden seems to be a combination of a vegetable Noah’s Ark and an army of fantasy creatures paralyzed by magic.A green guy in a sombrero takes a siesta. Perhaps this is his dream.A funny rabbit stands and points among many topiary oddities.It appears that Edna Scissorhands is kept quite busy.Harper’s Topiary Garden is a marvel of human creativity.Those who drive up this street might be in for a great surprise!Cats and critters with long ears lounge in the sun near the top of the wonderfully weird garden. I think I also see a robot.Perhaps the garden is inspired a bit by the fantastic worlds of Dr. Seuss, who lived in nearby La Jolla.A most amazing topiary garden. A treat for the eyes!
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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!
I had so much fun this morning posting “oil painted” sails, I decided to attempt something similar again!
This evening I selected some photos of downtown San Diego that have been languishing unused in my computer, then used multiple applications of GIMP’s Cubism filter to create what appear to be impressionistic paintings!
Do you recognize any of these buildings or places? If you’re familiar with downtown San Diego, you might!
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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!
Kids at Halloween Family Day in Balboa Park color Dia de los Muertos skulls.
Today was Halloween Family Day in Balboa Park!
A lively crowd filled the park, roaming about in fun costumes, trick-or-treating, eating yummy food truck offerings, and enjoying all sorts of entertainment. But the coolest part of the event, in my opinion, was the opportunity to create all sorts of colorful Halloween art!
Many families filled El Prado during Balboa Park’s annual Halloween Family Day.The Timken Museum of Art had a table that helped kids learn how to make some cool Halloween artwork.A scary hand print and nearby smiling pumpkin treat.A panda and his pals were providing music in the Plaza de Panama. Young and old in Halloween costumes look on.Decals were being applied to trick-or-treat bags in Spanish Village Art Center.Anyone at the Japanese Friendship Garden could make a cool spider sucker holder using craftily bent black pipe cleaners.More fun Halloween coloring at the International Cottages table on El Prado.Flesh-eating plants displayed by the San Diego Carnivorous Plant Society appeared even scarier than usual!The San Diego Public Library was at the annual event promoting reading. Something a bit spooky might be perfect today.Even the Balboa Park electriquettes were dressed up for the occasion!Making bats at the San Diego Natural History Museum table.A beautiful glass pumpkin, that was made by the glassblowers of Spanish Village.Kids learn how to sculpt in Spanish Village during Halloween Family Day.Yikes! That’s really creepy!
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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!
Super fast GC32 catamarans fly through and above San Diego Bay during an Extreme Sailing Series race!
Today I headed over to Harbor Island to check out the Extreme Sailing Series races out on San Diego Bay. The exciting Ultimate Stadium Racing Championship takes place over eight weekends, in eight international cities. Elite teams from countries around the world sail identical, super fast GC32 catamarans, which at their highest speed actually fly above the water!
I was amazed at how close some of the action was. A good crowd of people watched a sequence of relatively short races from the shore of Harbor Island, and from the Race Village, while announcers described exactly what was happening out on the water. When the catamarans flew by, many cheered for their favorite team!
The event continues through Sunday. Except for the VIP section, everything is free and open to the public!
I got a few decent photos!
Boy points toward fleet of high-tech foil-equipped catamarans manned by elite level teams. Another wild race is about to begin.A crowd watches the Ultimate Stadium Racing Championship event from Harbor Island’s temporary Race Village. Viewing is free!Some of the best sailors in the world, many who’ve won Olympic Gold, World Championships, and the America’s Cup, vie for supremacy in San Diego.The Extreme Sailing Series includes stadium racing competition in eight international cities. San Diego is Act 7.The race announcers add spice and sailing knowledge to an already exciting scene.The SAP Extreme Sailing Team out of Denmark seemed ahead of the pack in nearly every race. They’ve already been the winner in 3 cities.Once the catamarans attain sufficient speed, they become airborne, barely maintaining control with foils! Gusts of wind in the sails can really make these racing craft sway!Lots of people were enjoying the VIP section.The Race Village features many vendors and participating organizations. US Sailing has a fun scavenger hunt for kids.Young people compare how different sail arrangements can produce speed.A large diagram provides a guide to the amazing GC32 catamaran. Each team’s vessel is exactly alike. Skill and strategy determine ultimate victory.Legend beneath the diagram explains various key parts of the GC32, including the J-Foils, which create lift. (Click image to enlarge.)Our local Team Extreme San Diego was making a great showing! San Diego has produced many of the world’s top sailors. (Need I mention Dennis Conner?)Beautiful sailboats do battle on San Diego Bay, with the downtown skyline providing a picturesque background.The crew of each vessel includes many highly skilled athletes. The action is wild and fast-paced!A dance upon sparkling water.
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Cool artwork painted by Dolan Stearns for the PangeaSeed Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans project in 2016 depicts the harmful presence of non-biodegradable plastic trash in the oceans.
I got off the Orange Line trolley the other day to capture photos of some cool street art on Commercial Street just east of 20th Street.
Like many other PangeaSeed Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans artwork that one can spot around San Diego, this one has an environmental message about taking care of the ocean. The mural, which illustrates the harmful effects of plastic pollution on marine life, was painted in 2016 by Dolan Stearns.
The left side of the mural shows a big, ugly yellow head spewing pollution into the water.The right side of the mural features a large pink whale.The three-eyed whale has a mouthful of plastic bags, bottles, cups and junk.The yellow human head, topped by city buildings and a smokestack, vomits disgusting waste into the blue ocean.
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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!
A huge 16-feet-tall robot stands guard on Commercial Street!
Take the Orange Line of the San Diego Trolley down Commercial Street and you might encounter a giant 16-feet-tall robot! As if waiting to repel malicious invaders, the friendly-looking robot patiently stands guard near the corner of 22nd Street!
This unique public art was designed to add fun to the front of Paseo at Comm22, a housing project in Logan Heights east of downtown San Diego. The sculpture was created by artists Jamex and Einar de la Torre, who are brothers. The old school robot, complete with dials, gears and antennae rising from its cylindrical steel head, contains panels of stone that were carved in Tecate, Mexico. Many of these panels contain inventive, humorous Mayan designs!
Very cool!
The cool robot sculpture, made of steel and stone, was created by artists Einar and Jamex de la Torre.
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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!
People look at potted greenery during the California Native Plant Society’s Fall Plant Sale in Balboa Park.
Yesterday the California Native Plant Society had their Fall Plant Sale in Balboa Park. I stumbled upon the cool event during my random walk through the park.
Lots of people were looking at all sorts of potted plants, perhaps thinking of making a purchase for their yards. Residents of San Diego are encouraged to use native flora for landscaping. San Diego has a cool arid climate, and like the rest of Southern California our growing city has a limited supply of water.
Many plants and flowers native to the San Diego region were for sale in the outdoor courtyard of the Casa del Prado.Balboa Park’s iconic California Tower is seen through an archway at the Casa del Prado.Many packets of seeds were also for sale.Fred Roberts, a local botanist, artist and author had some of his beautiful bird art for sale at one end of the long table.He also created these flower shirts.One very good thing about native plants is they don’t require much water. San Diego has an arid climate!
If you’d like to see some photos of the House of Spain’s lawn program in Balboa Park yesterday, which included lots of colorful dancing, I posted those here!
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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!
This member of the San Diego Sabers has personally made many lightsabers. Some examples lie on the group’s table during Maker Faire in Balboa Park.
The last couple of years at Maker Faire San Diego I’ve watched a group of Star Wars enthusiasts entertain audiences with lightsaber duels. They have engaged in their elaborate play on the main stage, swinging their illuminated lightsabers in mock combat, to rousing music from the Star Wars movies.
This year, as I walked around Maker Faire, I happened upon this group’s cool lightsaber exhibit. These local Star Wars fans call themselves the San Diego Sabers. They are one of many similar groups all around the world that make their own lightsabers and engage in mock combat.
I asked all sort of questions and learned more than I expected. Most of the extremely elaborate lightsabers used by the members produce colored light, illuminating a long clear tube that can be attached, thereby appearing much like the Jedi and Sith weapons made famous in the movies. Most of the mock weapons also generate that distinctive lightsaber sound. I learned that it’s also possible to order a variety of lightsabers from several online vendors.
Regional competitions are often held between groups, and the method of scoring is similar to that used in fencing. The sport is lightning fast, highly athletic and incorporates various styles of martial arts. The San Diego Sabers provide demos free to the public, teach all ages including kids (often using foam lightsabers for safety), and encourage acceptance, respect, and a positive attitude.
And it’s obvious they have a lot of fun!
Many DIY lightsabers are surprisingly elaborate, generating light and sound, while appearing as authentic as any movie prop.The San Diego Sabers provides full contact lightsaber training based on fencing, HEMA, Kendo and Wu-shu. Kids are welcome and it’s free!Someone picks up one of the cool lightsabers on display.Members of the San Diego Sabers demonstrate mock combat using foam attachments. Together they’ve got enough lightsabers to take on General Grievous!A kid checks out one of the cool lightsabers. As you might have noticed, I took these photos on two different days during Maker Faire San Diego.Kids have a lot of fun with the foam lightsabers.Members of the San Diego Sabers arrive at the Maker Faire main stage in the Plaza de Panama. A combat exhibition is about to begin.As Star Wars music plays, two members of the San Diego Sabers simulate an epic battle between the Jedi and Sith.
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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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