Tag: east village

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…

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Fun photos of 2025 East Village Block Party!

This morning, before the East Village Block Party officially began, I walked down J Street just north of Petco Park and checked out a bunch of very cool lowrider cars. You can see those photographs by clicking here.

I returned to the block party in the mid-afternoon as it was in full swing!

The huge crowd wasn’t surprising. The San Diego Padres seem more popular than ever. The East Village Block Party celebrates the beginning of a promising 2025 baseball season.

Enjoy some fun photos!

Mariachi Internacional was performing on the stage at the east end of the block party. As you’ll see, they’d later walk down J Street playing their instruments with big smiles.

The pitching game must be tough. I didn’t see a single person succeed.

Lots of Padres fans had their pets along…

Cody Carter and Quartet were performing country music live on another block party stage.

A fun street performer makes passersby smile…

People (mostly kids) were trying their hand at climbing…

A street artist who said his name is James created this cool graffiti East Village art. A dog with a swag chain gets ready for a photo in front of it!

A sign explains how fans helped to replace a vandalized Padres mural in North Park. (You can see the mural that was replaced here.)

Here come the mariachis!

Will the Padres make the MLB Postseason again in 2025? We hope so!

Firefighters at San Diego Fire Station No. 4 give my camera a thumbs up!

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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 X.

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Cool lowriders at the East Village Block Party!

Very cool lowriders are a big attraction at today’s East Village Block Party in downtown San Diego. As I walked along J Street between Sixth and Tenth Avenues, a few minutes before the event officially began, I took these photos. I was surprised at the number of cars participating this year. Check them out!

The 2025 East Village Block Party is being held one block north of Petco Park and celebrates the opening of the new baseball season. (The San Diego Padres are 2-0 and looking good so far!) The event is today, March 29, 2025, from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm.

When I walked through the outdoor party, several late arriving vendors were still setting up tables and the entertainment hadn’t begun. I’ve thrown in a few miscellaneous photos, as well, so you get the general vibe!

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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 X.

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Photos around Petco Park on 2025 Opening Day!

The San Diego Padres are playing the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park this 2025 Opening Day. As I type these words, the score is 4-3.

Before the game, I walked around Petco Park and through East Village and the Gaslamp Quarter breathing in the exciting atmosphere.

Padres baseball jerseys, shirts and hats everywhere. The media on the scene. A huge crowd entering the ballpark. Many smiles and thumbs up. Just before the start of the big game, a flyover of military helicopters…

Enjoy a variety of photographs!

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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 X.

Feel free to share!

San Diego prepares for Padres 2025 Opening Day!

Padres banners and flags are going up throughout downtown San Diego–in the Gaslamp, East Village, and around Petco Park! The city is almost ready for 2025 Opening Day, which is tomorrow!

This morning, Padres personnel were putting up fencing beside Petco Park for the anticipated long lines and crowds. Tom’s Watch Bar, which has taken over the old location of Social Tap, was hurriedly installing big television screens.

Tens of thousands of excited fans will converge downtown for the early afternoon start. The Pads are playing the Braves. Let’s go!

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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 X.

Feel free to share!

San Diego’s favorite player greets motorists!

San Diego’s all-time favorite player, Padres baseball legend Tony Gwynn, greets motorists driving into downtown from State Route 94!

This amazing mural of Tony Gwynn was painted last year in East Village, at F Street and 16th Avenue, by Ground Floor Murals. A Jamul Casino billboard next to it proclaims: Here’s to SD’s favorite player.

Signe Ditona and Paul Jimenez of Ground Floor Murals have painted many amazing Padres player murals all around San Diego. In the past I’ve documented two more of their Tony Gwynn murals. See those photos here and here!

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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 X.

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Mysterious eye stares from San Diego rooftop!

Colorful murals have been painted on a rooftop structure above Pinch Pottery Studio in San Diego’s downtown East Village.

Stylized hummingbird and hearts artwork can be seen from E Street, if you raise your eyes to look for it. I love how a strange, mysterious eye seems to be staring back at you from what appears to be a barred window!

Another mural depicting a pink Volkswagen Beetle on the east side of the rooftop structure can be seen from Tenth Avenue, if you look above Pokez Mexican Restaurant.

This artwork’s style appears familiar, but I’m not certain who created these faded murals. If you know, leave a comment!

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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 X.

Feel free to share this!

Gourd and Basket Guild exhibit at Central Library.

Stunning works of hand made art can be viewed in five glass display cases on the Second Floor of San Diego’s downtown Central Library. As a sign explains, the Misti Washington Gourd and Basket Guild is showcasing the variety of technique and materials used by the guild’s talented artists.

The San Diego group weaves baskets and creates gourd art. It appeared to me that most pieces are composed of natural materials. Looking at these amazing works, I noted that materials include pine needles, cedar, bear grass, reed, willow…

The Misti Washington Gourd and Basket Guild welcomes everyone who might be interested in learning or practicing their craft in a supportive community. Members range from beginners to professionals.

The exhibit will be visible through November, 2024. Check out the exhibit website here.

And if you’d like to read more about the guild, here’s their website.

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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 X.

Thank you for sharing!

San Diego Padres fans: Beat LA!

Beat LA! Beat LA!

That’s the phrase for the day if you’re a San Diego Padres fan!

A home game . . . National League Division Series tied 1-1 . . . The greatly disliked (I almost used another stronger word) Dodgers in town . . . Petco Park is going to go completely bonkers once the game begins!

Around the time the gates opened, the Beat Los Angeles sentiment was visible on streets and sidewalks in the Gaslamp Quarter and near the ballpark. As were other optimistic messages!

Go Pads!

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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.

Photos outside Petco Park during Padres 2024 Postseason!

The excitement outside Petco Park just before Game 1 of the Major League Baseball Wild Card Series in San Diego was off the charts!

Smiles everywhere. As fans streamed toward the ballpark, I noted every sort of Padres jersey, hat, shirt. There were lots of excited kids about to make lifelong memories. (And the excitement is only growing! As I type this, the Padres lead Atlanta 3-0, and Tatis has hit a towering home run!)

Before the game began, I walked around Petco Park searching for fun photographs.

This is what I captured… (The next photo is actually from early this morning.)

Steven Woods and Ben Higgins smile for a photo during a break in their 97.3 FM morning show.

Fans stream from a packed Green Line trolley at the Gaslamp station, an hour before the game.

Many Friar Faithful have gathered at Bub’s.

Keep Calm and Hate the Dodgers. (My supervisor at work might not like this!)

Hand in hand, Padres fans walk down the sidewalk.

Two cool Padres serapes!

A big smile, ready to help fans as they arrive at Petco Park!

Padres fans lean up against Padres players.

Somebody had some extra tickets.

Friendly reporters from FOX 5 and KUSI give me thumbs up!

Check out this Dead Head Padres shirt!

This guitarist had a very big audience!

That is a super cool bike!

And check out these shoes!

San Diego Padres shoes!

Heading toward Petco Park, anticipating a Padres victory against Atlanta!

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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.