Congratulations go to the Scripps Ranch High School Orchestra! World-renowned musician, San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez offered high praise for their performance this afternoon at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.
The students excited a large audience with their booming rendition of the Camille Saint-Saëns composition Finale, from Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Opus 78 “With Organ.” Raul was surprised that such a challenging piece could be conquered by young musicians!
Russell Shedd, Conductor of the Scripps Ranch High School Orchestra was thrilled, and visibly moved. He’d dreamed of performing this amazing piece of music for twenty years!
Bravo!
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
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The annual Fringe Festival returns this week to San Diego!
For a stretch of 11 days, unusual, innovative, sometimes bizarre performances by relative unknowns will be enjoyed at venues in Balboa Park and across San Diego!
Bad Behavior. Messes Solo Circus. I Need a Beer. Puppet Bash. Kid Goblin. Taptastic. Spiked Punch. Pirates of Hamlet. These are some of the numerous theatrical acts that you’ll be able to enjoy with the purchase of affordable tickets. Proceeds go entirely to the artists!
The two main venues for the Fringe Festival in 2024 are the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater and the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park. Tickets can be purchased outside each show or online.
I’ve randomly bought tickets to several shows in the past, not knowing what to expect. I noted the actors are all striving hard to achieve success. The performances can be a bit unpolished or crazy or unconventional, but they’re super creative and fun!
To see the full lineup and schedule, and detailed information about this wonderful festival, click 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)!
A new binational art exhibit opened last week at San Diego’s Comic-Con Museum. Three notable Mexican artists–Charles Glaubitz, Alejandra Yépiz Portillo, and Urbano Mata–have contributed large walls full of comic art in a collaboration between the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego and the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park. The exhibition is titled Border Blitz: Artistas del Cómic de Tijuana.
San Diego and Tijuana share unique qualities, including dynamic cultural cross-pollination between two nations. Border Blitz: Artistas del Cómic de Tijuana celebrates the selection of San Diego/Tijuana as World Design Capital 2024!
During my visit to the museum last weekend, I really enjoyed all the great, super creative artwork on display. I took the following photos as I explored the extensive upstairs gallery. To experience everything, make sure to visit the museum yourself!
The first group of photos represents the artwork of Charles Glaubitz. The artist’s work includes zines, graphic novels and animation, and transcends traditional visual arts. He intersects vibrant psychedelic imagery with ancient myths, quantum physics and spirituality! Pretty wild, right? Check it out…
The second artist is Alejandra Yépiz Portillo, who was born in Ensenada, Mexico. The pieces chosen for this exhibition represent the beginning of her work in professional comics. Her fun art is ever-evolving. She focuses on coming of age, comedy and drama with digitally drawn comics and panels imitating manga…
Finally, the third artist who lives in Tijuana is Urbano Mata. He asks: what is it like to live and love in a city divided by a border? He is noted for his comedic, cynical and carefree cartoon style. His characters are usually based on real people–affectionate portraits of people he knows closely…
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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)!
The colors of life in Balboa Park become even more vivid in Spring. New flowers, bright greenery, San Diego’s sunlight on amazing architecture, sunshine on smiling people…
Here’s another collection of colorful photographs. I took these today while walking in one of the world’s most amazing parks.
Read the photo captions to learn a little more about each image!
New friends meet in Balboa Park.A tour of Balboa Park stops on El Prado to learn some San Diego history. In the background, Garden Stewards tend to flowers near the reflecting pool, and beyond them rises the Botanical Building, which is being renovated.’Spring flowers and the incredible wood lath Botanical Building, which is being rebuilt.A closer photo of the Botanical Building’s major restoration.Spring colors at the San Diego Epiphyllum Society’s big Plant Sale outside the Casa del Prado.Spring flowers around the fountain at the center of Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama.Bicycles and spring colors outside the House of Hospitality.Spring into Summer at the Prado Perk!A peaceful bench near flowers and grass at the edge of the Casa del Rey Moro Garden.A perfect day for a bike ride through the park.Beautiful roses at the International Cottages.A garland of flowers inside the House of Sweden’s cottage.The Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration will take place next Saturday at the International Cottages in Balboa Park.The Spreckels Organ Pavilion is a favorite spot for elegant photography.Models wearing handmade Oaxacan fashions smile in Balboa Park. They represent Floresita Customs & Imports!A painting class in the park. There is inspiration around every corner.A painter in the Plaza de Panama interprets scenery in Balboa Park.Chet play his guitar beautifully as usual.Mitchell pauses with his didgeridoo to talk to a passerby.The weekend Glass Show and Sale fills the Spanish Village Art Center with many colors.Stunning glasswork for sale is displayed on many tables.A sale!Glass artist Melissa Heaney has created some truly extraordinary pieces.What’s a Spring day without a ride on the fun Balboa Park Carousel?A family rides over green grass on the Balboa Park Miniature Railroad.Nearby flowers are super abundant!The very colorful Balboa Park Pow Wow is held every year around Mother’s Day.Native American culture comes to life in Balboa Park. It’s another beautiful, soulful Spring weekend.
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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)!
Should you walk down the alley that runs just south of Grand Avenue in Escondido, you might notice many of the murals that once graced the blocks between Maple and Broadway have vanished. These works of local artists, from the inaugural 2021 season of Esco Alley Art, had to be removed.
I explored Escondido’s cultural center last weekend and discovered familiar works of art mounted to several outdoor walls…
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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)!
The North County Cinco de Mayo Festival brought exuberant life to Grape Day Park in Escondido today. The annual event, produced by USA Multicultural, was said to be bigger than ever. And I believe it!
Those arriving from around San Diego’s North County enjoyed Mariachis, different groups of colorful folklórico dancers, great singers, and other (mostly) Mexican cultural entertainment.
And tons of food, of every description, everywhere! (I succumbed to the temptation of a scrumptious carne asada quesadilla.)
Nonprofit community organizations were also on hand, and more than a few artists were showing their work. Beautify Escondido was present, too. I’ll be blogging about their efforts next.
Enjoy this collection of photographs!
The 2024 North County Cinco de Mayo Festival gets started on a late Sunday afternoon at Escondido’s Grape Day Park.The National Anthems of both Mexico and the United States begin the Cinco de Mayo program.Mariachi Del Mar/Rio kick off the main stage entertainment.Mariachis perform at a second, smaller stage across the grass.The crowd grows as the Cinco de Mayo event continues.The House of Mexico had a smiling representative at the festival!Colorful art from Mexico’s state of Nayarit.Ms. USA Multicultural poses for a photo.Lots of cool art could be enjoyed courtesy of Beautify Escondido.Irma Gogova (@irmagogovatattoo_art) smiles near a cosmic work of art she created!Lots of diverse food to eat at the event.Loteria aprons! Awesome!Young people perform up on the festive stage.Young vaqueros dance on the main stage.
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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)!
As many of you know, when a new month comes along I like to revisit interesting blog posts from five years ago. It’s time to check out what Cool San Diego Sights was featuring back in May of 2019!
The upcoming links will take you to photographs of dragon boats races in Mission Bay, Cinco de Mayo in Old Town, a Balboa Park Pow Wow, an arts festival in North Park, and the Manzanita Mountain Man Rendezvous.
And there are photos of murals, monuments, the historic El Cuervo adobe ruins (which few people know about) and a super cool stellarium. What’s a stellarium? Aren’t you curious?
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)!
Looking for something fun to do in San Diego this weekend? Head over to City Heights both Saturday and Sunday for the premier of Jokes, Jazz, and Razzmatazz!
The Jokes, Jazz and Razzmatazz multimedia art installation is opening at the City Heights Culture Atelier. The Atelier is a new cultural center in City Heights where local artists collaborate in the development of personal and collective works. (Perhaps you recall seeing my photos of their Beyond the Anthropocene installation last year.)
The event includes an artist reception, stand-up comedy show and live Jazz! The art, music, and comedy experience will be spontaneous and unpredictable . . . a razzle-dazzle razzmatazz!
The Atelier is located at 4425 Home Avenue, at the intersection of Home Avenue and Fairmount Avenue (the Columbus Club of San Diego building).
The free event welcomes the public both today and tomorrow starting at 2 pm. See the graphic above for the schedule!
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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 good sized crowd came out today to Balboa Park’s WorldBeat Cultural Center. The public was invited to take part in the 32nd Annual Multi-Cultural Earth Day!
Visitors to this unique Earth Day festival were not only treated to colorful multi-cultural entertainment, but had the opportunity to learn about two issues in particular: the changing climate and food accessibility. Visitors could also support organizations and local businesses that are trying in their own unique way to improve education, sustainability, and protect the environment. Artists and more ordinary vendors were present, too.
Special activities included a seed swap, a lesson on how to create and maintain a worm farm, and compost workshops. Kids could color fun artwork, too!
For the hungry crowd gathered outside in the San Diego sunshine, ethnic and vegetarian food vendors offered their special menus to choose from.
As you can see from my photos, I watched Azteca dancers perform for the crowd. They followed an impassioned speech by a holy man who once met the Dalai Lama. We need to raise our consciousness was his message.
Inside the WorldBeat Cultural Center I watched and listened to the joyful music of San Diego Taiko. I personally love energetic taiko drumming!
Other performances during the event would include Middle Eastern belly dance, West African drum and dance, Brazilian samba, and Native American drumming.
There were also tours of the center’s lush garden. I’ll have to do that next time.
I loved these Hopi Kachina dolls, made of cottonwood. They were hand carved by Arizona-based artist Elroy Kewanyama…
The following two ladies explained how Green Pocket Forest has partnered with the WorldBeat Cultural Center to create a 320 square meters Children’s Nature Zone, designed with the innovative Miyawaki method to spotlight 1000 native plants, providing habitat for 20+ species of birds and insects. Wow!
The San Diego Audubon Society table had tons of information about their current activities, plus beautiful bird artwork and a mural coloring station. (I learned their Bird Festival this year was a big success!)
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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, at the Chicano Park Day event in Barrio Logan, I stepped into the Turning Wheel Mobile Classroom, which was parked next to the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center. What, I wondered, was this University of San Diego community outreach program up to?
I was greeted by Drawing/Painting teacher and Chicano Park Fellow Miss Jessi Rogawski, plus two of her exceptional Lincoln High School students!
I learned that about 70 students in Miss Jessi’s classes have learned how to create murals, inspired by poster art in the Chicano Park Day Poster Archive.
Students choose a favorite poster, analyze it, then produce their own original sketches, inspired by the poster design. Through a multi-stage process, including enlargement and color mapping, the sketches would evolve into finished murals!
What a great opportunity for young people to learn both the history of Chicano Park, activate their imagination, collaborate, and develop their creative skills!
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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)!
Cool San Diego Sights! 