Tag: downtown

Meet celebrated chefs, fishermen in San Diego!

A big event is being held this coming Saturday, June 14, 2025 in San Diego!

Celebrated chefs and local fishermen will greet the public at Tuna Harbor Dockside Market as an amazing new cookbook is launched that celebrates seafood and fishing history in San Diego!

San Diego Seafood: Then & Now contains over 75 excellent recipes, and includes the contributions of over a hundred people from the San Diego community, such as historians and fishing boat captains.

The book is curated by California Sea Grant, a unique partnership that unites the resources of the federal government, the State of California and universities across the state to create knowledge, products and services that benefit the economy, the environment and the citizens of California.

In addition to recipes, the cookbook contains many great photographs, stories and essays concerning the rich history of fishing in San Diego. Those who’ve contributed to our fishing history include the Kumeyaay, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Italians and Mexicans. Many immigrants settled in San Diego because of our long-time status as tuna fishing capital of the world. You’ve heard of Little Italy, right?

As the Amazon page concerning the book explains: San Diego Seafood: Then & Now blends local history and cuisine to celebrate the region’s rich maritime heritage and culinary diversity. More than a cookbook, this volume features colorful stories from past and present, stunning visuals, and helpful tips on buying, storing and preparing seafood, in addition to over 75 recipes that showcase local catch– from widely-known favorites, like tuna and halibut, to lesser-known treasures, like black cod and spiny lobster...

At Tuna Harbor Dockside Market next Saturday, there will be book signings and a meet and greet. The public can rub elbows with book project participants, working fishermen and renowned chefs. And there will be seafood tastings!

If you’ve never been to Tuna Harbor Dockside Market, it’s where fishermen sell freshly caught seafood directly to the public and restaurants. It’s open Saturdays from 8 am to 1 pm or sold out. Look for the many canopies on the pier just north of Seaport Village, next to Tuna Harbor.

Even if you have no interest in buying freshly caught fish, crabs or sea urchins, Tuna Harbor Dockside Market is a bustling and fascinating place to experience. (I’ve blogged about it many times over the years, including the day of its grand opening!) There are usually sea lions playing and barking nearby. You can watch fishermen at work on their boats. And you can also buy and eat fish and chips on the pier!

Some past photos…

Here are some friendly folks from California Sea Grant that I once met…

If you want to be part of the San Diego Seafood: Then & Now book launch celebration next Saturday, and perhaps purchase a signed copy, look for the first canopy on the pier!

You can also purchase San Diego Seafood: Then & Now in the gift shop of the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

…

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.

Feel free to share!

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes sequel films near USS Midway!

Another sequel to cult classic Attack of the Killer Tomatoes is filming today in San Diego. I saw the production crew out on the wooden boardwalk just south of the USS Midway, and the scene was of tomato mayhem!

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence is the name of this latest sequel according to IMDb. It’s described as “Jurassic Park” meets “Dr. Strangelove” which sounds like more campy absurd crazy fun. I did see an alligator on the set, so there’s at least one reptile among the rolling red vegetables!

Are those giant tomatoes co-stars in the film? Who plays Doctor Doom? Oops–wrong franchise.

Is this what tomato Armageddon looks like? You can spy the alligator on the right in the next photo–or is that a crocodile? Must’ve escaped from the San Diego Zoo.

Thank goodness they’ve caged one of the rampant ripe vegetables. Or, wait–is a tomato a fruit?

Man versus an overgrown villainous vegetable. Who is victorious?

…

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.

Feel free to share!

Fun (and edible) Labubus in San Diego!

Instead of snuggling with a Labubu plush toy monster, why not devour one? (Yes, a fuzzy toy would be difficult to swallow–I mean eat a Labubu donut!)

I’m told Labubus right now are one of the hottest collectibles around. If you’d like to collect one in your stomach, head over to the Donut Bar in downtown San Diego!

That’s my smiling friend in the above photo! (The human-eared, non-purple face to the right.)

The Donut Bar has other fun Labubu merchandise, too, and I can see it’s selling fast!

I’m told that during Comic-Con, their world-famous donuts will be adding a Fantastic Four design for 2025. I can’t wait!

…

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.

Feel free to share!

San Diego’s Civic Theatre celebrates 60 years!

As I walked through downtown’s Civic Center Plaza this morning, I noticed banners on fencing near the San Diego Civic Theatre. They recall how superstars such as Diana Ross, Tony Bennett and Robin Williams have performed in the popular venue over the past six decades.

I hadn’t realized the Civic Theatre is celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year!

Curious, I checked out the history of the San Diego Civic Theatre. Here it is.

Others who’ve entertained audiences at this historic venue include Frank Sinatra, Jerry Seinfeld, Conan O’Brien, Luther Vandross, Jerry Lewis, Patti LaBelle, Carole King, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. Do you have any memories?

Today, if you enjoy performances by San Diego Opera or Broadway San Diego, you are part of that continuing history!

Five years ago I went on an architectural tour of the Civic Theatre building and took photographs of the grand, elegant interior. You can revisit that blog post here.

…

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.

Feel free to share!

Interesting activity around the USS Midway!

Interesting activity could be observed today around the USS Midway aircraft carrier, which operates as a popular San Diego museum.

I noticed during my walk along the Embarcadero that divers were in the water near the USS Midway’s hull. In addition, there was a large section of scaffolding erected against the bow on the massive ship’s port side.

My initial assumption was the hull was being cleaned underwater. I was wrong. I was told the scuba divers in the water were Navy personnel training to do security sweeps.

Someone with the USS Midway Museum told me that Navy SEALs often train near the inactive aircraft carrier, learning how to maneuver underwater. (Years ago I saw them operate in the night near the Star of India.)

As for the scaffolding–I learned the hull of the famous old aircraft carrier is being restored. Removing rust, painting and such. It’s a monumental undertaking!

…

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.

Feel free to share!

The huge “toy box” docked in San Diego!

An impressive yacht has been docked on San Diego’s Embarcadero for weeks now. Perhaps you’ve seen it, just north of the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

As I walked past the yacht this morning, I was surprised to see its side open and gentlemen working on a super cool, bubble-like submersible. For a moment I thought I had wandered into a documentary about ocean exploration–or a science fiction movie!

In fact, I was looking inside the Hodor, a 66-meter catamaran that this article describes as the world’s largest floating toy box! Among the toys it holds is the three-person Seamagine Aurora-3 submersible, which I spotted in its open “submarine garage” while walking down the boardwalk. Other toys include a helicopter, motorcycles, and ATVs!

Hodor is support vessel of larger privately owned superyacht Lonian, which is also docked in San Diego.

You never know what cool thing you might discover during a morning walk!

…

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.

Feel free to share!

The Drawing Show exhibits work of local artists!

An exhibition in the Judith Harris Art Gallery on the 9th floor of San Diego’s Central Library deserves citywide attention.

The Drawing Show, which includes work by notable local artists, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The recurring exhibition has included the work of 82 artists over the years!

For 2025, the artists are Celeste Byers, Hugo Crosthwaite, Steve Gibson, Amanda Kazemi, Neil Kendricks, Joshua Moreno, Annalise Neil, David Peña, Melanie Taylor and Eden de la Vara. Followers of Cool San Diego Sights might recognize the names of certain artists who’ve painted murals around town.

The dozens of works on display in the library’s art gallery are very fine. Many of the drawings are meticulously detailed. One can see how they flow from each artist’s personal experiences in life. Emotions stirred by the art can be strong, and every piece made me look closely.

If you’ve never been to an art exhibition at San Diego’s Central Library, this would be a great one to check out. You won’t be disappointed.

The Drawing Show has been extended, and will now close on June 15, 2025, so you still have a few weeks.

For the gallery’s hours, click here.

A handful of examples…

…

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.

Feel free to share!

Historic downtown street clock to be repaired!

The unusual Seiko street clock on B Street in downtown San Diego hasn’t been working for years. I learned today an effort is now underway to repair it!

The 20 feet tall clock is very unique. The “Solar Post Clock” is said to be the first solar powered clock to be installed in San Diego. It was a gift in 1983 from Seiko to Jacobs & Sons Jewelers, a family business that once was located on the corner of B Street and 7th Avenue. You can read more about the historic clock here.

Today I walked past a fun “Dogs of Downtown” event on my way home from another event, so I had to see what that was all about. I was greeted by Joel Hermosillo from the Downtown San Diego Partnership who recognized Cool San Diego Sights, and informed me they are working to repair the Seiko street clock!

How cool would that be!

I’ll try to stay informed on its progress.

Meanwhile, here are several photos of the “Dogs of Downtown” community event. (Thank you for the free Coke!)

…

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.

Feel free to share!

Monument to William Heath Davis, Jr. unveiled!

A very special event was held today in San Diego’s Pantoja Park. A monument to downtown’s original founder, William Heath Davis, Jr. (aka Kanaka Davis) was unveiled during a beautiful ceremony!

The monument is in the form of a bronze bust. During the ceremony many leis were hung around its neck by organizations instrumental in creating the historical monument. Representatives were from Ahahui Kiwila of San Diego, Kaha I ka Panoa (Hawaiian Civic Clubs), Hui o Hawaii of San Diego, Pacific Islander Festival Association and The Samoan Association San Diego. Other organizations at the event who helped to make this monument a reality included the Gaslamp Historical Foundation and the Asian Pacific American Coalition.

William Heath Davis was born in Hawaii and eventually made his way to early San Diego. With a vision of the future, great courage and much energy, he strategically created the initial version of “New Town” on San Diego Bay, where downtown is today. Read his history here.

Traditional Hawaiian dance was performed during the ceremony, and numerous speakers expressed pride in having a monument to Davis placed in Pantoja Park–the city’s first park, not far from where he himself lived. Two of the speakers were descendants of Davis.

The event brought many members of the local Asian and Pacific Islander community together. As caretakers of their culture and creators of the monument, they now have this visible tribute to San Diego’s past for younger generations to see. As one speaker said, We Are Here. The Spirit of Kanaka Davis Lives On.

Toward the end of the ceremony an impersonator of William Heath Davis spoke. He recalled the life of one of San Diego’s most important historical figures.

I took photos of more history being made…

UPDATE!

During a later walk in the park, I took a good photo of the historical plaque…

…

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.

Feel free to share!

Doing an “Egyptian walk” in San Diego!

One way to perform an “Egyptian walk” in San Diego? Become a volunteer at the Maritime Museum of San Diego and help carry a tall ship’s long mast or yard!

Today the lateen yard was being removed by a small army of volunteers from the museum’s Spanish galleon replica San Salvador. The ship will be heading down to Marine Group Boat Works in Chula Vista to be lifted out of the water for the periodic hull cleaning and inspection. Removing the yard is necessary before this operation.

A line of people, walking in unison, with arms bent or extended as they hold up a heavy spar does appear a bit like Egyptian hieroglyphics. One of the volunteers called what you see in my photographs an Egyptian walk!

(No, that popular song by The Bangles wasn’t playing in the background.)

…

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.

Feel free to share!