Tag: culture

City Heights inaugural art exhibit this weekend!

Image courtesy of Jim Bliesner.

A groundbreaking, free cultural event in City Heights is coming this weekend!

The Columbus Club of San Diego, at 4425 Home Avenue, will host its inaugural art exhibition on Saturday, July 1. A free-style, eclectic collection of work will be on display in the Columbus Hall gallery from 1 pm to 1 am for everyone to enjoy.

Dialogue of Disparate Visions will include the work of artists Jim Bliesner, Spencer Little, Tarrah Aronoskool, Dorothy Annette and Gmonikart.

In addition to this gallery exhibit, the artists will be on site to discuss their emerging installation work on the concept “Beyond the Anthropocene” which is under construction throughout the grounds of Columbus Hall. The installation will include work by noted East Coast artist Lionel Delevingne.

It is hoped that Columbus Hall will evolve into a dynamic City Heights cultural venue. Your attendance at this weekend’s event can help make that positive vision happen!

Here are just a few examples of the art you will experience…

Image courtesy Jim Bliesner.
Image courtesy Jim Bliesner.
Image courtesy Jim Bliesner.

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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 Twitter!

A peek into the Japanese Friendship Garden gallery.

The Japanese Friendship Garden in San Diego’s Balboa Park has more than beautiful trees, plants, waterfalls and streams. The garden is home to a gallery containing Japanese cultural artifacts.

Not to be confused with the Exhibit Hall, which houses rotating art exhibits, the museum-like gallery that I visited today is located near the outdoor courtyard in the Upper Garden. You’ll find it inside the Deborah Szekely Activity Center.

The diverse pieces you can admire in this gallery are very fine. Anyone can take a close look at several colorful kimonos, an exquisite Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest), the elaborate model of a Japanese-style cargo ship, and a jinrikisha dated circa 1868-1912. You’ll also find traditional works of Japanese craft and art.

The next time you walk through the breathtaking natural beauty of the Japanese Friendship Garden, remember to enjoy this great gallery!

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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 Twitter!

Mario Torero mural debuts in Escondido!

Several days ago a fantastic new mural debuted in Escondido. Tortilla Tesoro is colorful 32′ x 8′ panel that greets customers on the east side Tortilleria Santacruz, to the left of the store’s front entrance. The mural, which celebrates the cultural heritage and diversity of Escondido’s population, was created by Mario Torero, one of the renowned co-founders of Chicano Park in San Diego.

Additional “Chicano Colorful walls” artwork has been finished on the building’s east and south side, featuring Michoacan inspired imagery. According to the project website: Participation in the creation of the murals included students of the Conway Academy of Expeditionary Learning Elementary School and “A Step Beyond”, an Escondido creative youth development organisation serving youth and their families living at or below the poverty line with free after-school dance classes, academic support, and social services.

Another very colorful mural on the building’s north side was completed earlier this year. It was painted by Charlie Mejia. I posted photos of it in late March here.

First, here’s the new artwork on the tortilleria’s south side…

The following sign provides an explanation of the Tortilla Tesoro (Tortilla Treasure) mural in front of the building.

It was designed by Mario Torero using acrylic on poly-aluminum material. The mural highlights the natural beauty of the Escondido Valley landscape, and includes notable landmarks like the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and Queen Califia’s Magical Circle. Figures in the mural portray students, athletes, musicians, laborers and dancers.

Tortilleria Santacruz was started around 1996 at a nearby location by Juan and Gaudencia Santacruz. It is a family run business. There was a shared dream that one day murals would be painted here.

Here’s Mario Torero’s beautiful Tortilla Tesoro mural…

And more new artwork, by the building’s front entrance…

Learn more about the inspirational project at this website!

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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 Twitter!

Cool photo memories from June 2018.

I photographed lots of cool San Diego sights five years ago, in June 2018. Come jump into my monthly time machine!

I visited a big Greek Festival and the San Diego Scottish Highland Games. My jaw dropped upon seeing crazy silvery steampunk vehicles. I enjoyed several very unique art exhibitions, including one concerning UFOs. And, of course, there were early preparations for Comic-Con, including lots of fun trolley wraps!

Are you curious?

Coming up are links to blog posts containing those photos, and more!

CLICK THE LINKS FOR MANY PHOTOS!

A favorite garden, so close to perfection.

A (strange) Method for Reaching Extreme Altitudes!

Dancing with joy at a big Greek Festival!

Steampunk vehicles exhibited in Balboa Park!

The Simpsons trolley wrap for 2018 Comic-Con!

Bob’s Burgers served on a Comic-Con trolley!

Medieval knights mock fight in Balboa Park!

Photos of fun street art at Rio Vista!

Photos of San Diego Scottish Highland Games.

Art exhibit paints colors of Southern California!

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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 Twitter!

Long Beach Youth Chorus inspires San Diego!

The first ever tour of the Long Beach Youth Chorus has begun in San Diego!

This afternoon the youth singing group performed at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. They were accompanied by Adam Ferrara, a fine guest organist. A sizable crowd sat listening in the benches.

What did we hear? Songs about hopes, dreams, love and acceptance. The inspirational performance was titled Hopes and Dreams.

The young people sang their hearts out and received great applause.

There were some patriotic songs to celebrate this Memorial Day weekend. Gratitude was expressed that we all live in a free country, where we are free to be who we want to be.

Looking at the Long Beach Youth Chorus website, I see they have a very positive mission statement. Why not check it out and support them!

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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 Twitter!

Our People’s Garden in downtown San Diego.

Over the years, a small garden space south of The New Children’s Museum in downtown San Diego has undergone several transformations. Early this morning, during a walk down the Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade, I noticed it is now called Iipay Nyechewuuw, or Our People’s Garden.

A sign near the wooden planter boxes explains that Our People’s Garden was inspired by the Barona Indian Charter School’s Native Plant Garden, and the Barona Cultural Center + Museum’s Native Plant Seed Library.

The garden is now used by the nearby children’s museum to teach kids about the environment and Kumeyaay culture. The Kumeyaay have traditionally used native plants in our region as food, tools and medicine.

I noticed bits of art scattered about, evidently painted by young hands. I added contrast to my photograph of the sign so it can be more easily read.

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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 Twitter!

A caffeinated San Diego Fringe Festival!

The multi-day 2023 San Diego Fringe Festival is now underway! Most of the very inventive Fringe performances can be enjoyed in Balboa Park, at either the Centro Cultural de la Raza or the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater. For a list of the festival’s complete lineup, click here!

This afternoon I sat in the audience at a very unique performance. The Coffee Plays, in five theatrical acts (each concerning types of coffee from around the world) was a fun mixture of storytelling, music, singing, coffee history, and love for the drink.

At certain points during the performance, members of the audience got to sample each type of coffee, courtesy of Mr. Green’s Coffee Beans. The Dalgona, The Bunn, The Kona, The Sumatra, The Jamoke. Those watching, as they ingested caffeine, enjoyed additional stimulation provided by the talented actors!

Fringe performances are usually unusual and typically untypical. Small, intimate audiences enjoy the efforts of often little-known artists. The audience determines whether a production is successful or less-than-successful. (Fortunately, I didn’t see any bags of rotten tomatoes.) Those who buy a ticket can’t really go wrong, because each performance is less than an hour and only ten dollars.

The Coffee Plays was amusing, inventive, and brimming with delicious humor. It did seem to drag and ramble in a few places, as an amateur production might, but overall it was an enjoyable experience. The audience really drank it up!

The Coffee Plays was co-produced by San Diego Black Ensemble Theatre and Asian Story Theater.

Check out the San Diego Fringe Festival website here and see what creative craziness awaits!

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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 Twitter!

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration!

Look what’s going on today in Balboa Park!

This year’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration is bringing dance, music, art and lots of cultural fun to the International Cottages! Until about 4 pm, that is. If you read this in time, you might go check it out!

Today’s event includes participants from the Houses of USA, Chamorros, China, India, Korea and Philippines.

Special festivals and lawn programs are held nearly every weekend at Balboa Park’s International Cottages. You’ve never been? You’re missing out! Here’s the webpage that lists all the upcoming events!

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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 Twitter!

Nearly 1000 photos of San Diego street art!

San Diego boasts an amazing quantity and variety of street art. Artists have added color to almost every community. Head down any street and there’s a chance you’ll discover a new mural or unexpected bit of art!

I’ve been posting photographs to Cool San Diego Sights for almost ten years now. During my walks around San Diego, my camera has scored numerous such discoveries. So many, in fact, that I created a Pinterest page that now contains almost 1000 street art images!

Links on my Pinterest page allow you to navigate to the associated blog posts on Cool San Diego Sights, where I usually provide a description of the artwork.

This week the big Our Walls Speak event is being held in and around Barrio Logan. Given the renewed interest in our city’s outdoor murals, I figured now would be a good time to share that Pinterest page.

Check out nearly 1000 photographs of San Diego street art by clicking 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 Twitter!

San Diego art show: Murals Projected in Light!

A special, very unique art show will take place in San Diego this Thursday. The public is invited to experience PROTOTOPIAN VISIONS + SOUNDS: Murals Projected in Light!

The free art show, part of the Our Walls Speak multi-day cultural event, can be enjoyed May 18th between 7 pm and 11 pm at San Diego Made Factory, a creative event space located at 2031 Commercial Street. Read the information on the above flyer.

San Diego’s amazing outdoor murals, many of which you’ve seen here on Cool San Diego Sights, will be celebrated! You might recognize some of the artist names. I’m told several of my photographs will be used!

Perhaps I’ll see you there!

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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 Twitter!