Here are a few colorful photos taken today during the Escondido Tamale Festival!
This very popular free event is held every year in Grape Day Park, right next to Escondido City Hall and the California Center for the Arts. Tamale making champions from around the region come together to compete for a prized trophy!
A crowd of tamale lovers had lined up on the grass anticipating a treat, and many were at outdoor tables feasting.
There were mariachis and other entertainers performing on the Grande Stage, a big kids zone, and all sorts of vendors. I noticed a few people were dressed up for Día De Los Muertos.
Because I walked about in a zigzag, looking at a wide variety of things in and around the park, I missed the Chihuahua Costume Contest and some cool lowriders that were parked nearby.
Maybe next year!
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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’ve come to rely on The Taco Stand for a quick and super tasty dinner when my evening walks draw to a close in downtown San Diego. This popular eatery on B Street has some of the yummiest Mexican food to be found anywhere. And all the people there are super nice!
Even though I’m not a culinary expert, nor a food blogger, nor someone who even dines out much, I’d like to thank the folks at The Taco Stand.
When I walked past this evening, I noticed they had a table out on the sidewalk. I learned this was because they are a participating restaurant in the 26th Annual Taste of Downtown event.
I was drawn inside and found myself once again ordering a pescado burrito. The cool thing about ordering a fish burrito is that it takes longer to grill than most other items. So I can sit and watch all the mesmerizing action as the agile chefs prepare orders.
It’s a rapid paced, coordinated dance by the grill with arms flying every which way. They’re conductors of an orchestra. They’re magicians casting spells. It’s one of the many things that make living downtown so uniquely special!
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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!
The baseball windglyphs of local artist Lisa Schirmer fly above diners under umbrellas at Lane Field Park.
I was walking along the Embarcadero today when I saw a whole bunch of activity over at Lane Field Park. I soon discovered that today was the debut of a weekly “artisanal showcase of the creative food, drink, art and craft scene in San Diego”, otherwise known as Lane Field Park Markets.
Every Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm, look for the tents and happy people inside Lane Field Park at the corner of Broadway and Harbor Drive!
Lane Field Park Markets debuted in downtown San Diego near the waterfront today.Lots of people were enjoying the sunny, grassy, outdoor farmers’ market-like setting.I saw tasty food to eat and lots of crafts and other good stuff.Kids liked checking out the Dang Brother Pizza fire engine.Those look pretty yummy!A guitarist provided live music, too!
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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!
Left half of mural by Rafael Lopez outside Coasterra on Harbor Island seems to depict abstract boats and the San Diego skyline across the bay.
Coasterra is an elegant, very popular restaurant located at the east end of Harbor Island. It opened in 2015, in the exact same place where the iconic Reuben E. Lee paddleboat restaurant was docked for many years, before sinking.
There are two lively murals painted by renowned San Diego muralist Rafael Lopez at the restaurant. The one I photographed this morning decorates a section of Coasterra’s exterior, by the parking lot.
I love it!
Two additional murals by Rafael Lopez can be seen in downtown San Diego here and here!
Photo of the cool mural across an empty early morning parking lot.A fun, dynamic work of public art by renowned San Diego artist Rafael Lopez.Right half of mural by Rafael Lopez outside Coasterra on Harbor Island seems to depict a lady enjoying food and drink.
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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 photos for you to enjoy!
Art on the food court level of Horton Plaza shopping mall.
Tasty artwork can be found on the food court level of downtown’s Horton Plaza mall!
This fun art was created by VISUAL, whose distinctive work you might recognize. Some of my street art blog posts include photos of utility boxes decorated by VISUAL. You can spot them throughout the city.
Walking through colorful Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego.Sign describes VISUAL, an art supply shop and gallery in North Park. Street art created by VISUAL artists can be spotted all around San Diego.Eating spaghetti.A cupcake and ice cream!
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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 photos for you to enjoy!
This graphic in the window at Fifth Avenue New York Pizza looks pretty tasty. Perhaps I should dine here…
It’s National Pizza Week! Hooray! Sounds like an excellent reason to celebrate!
This evening I was hungry for a couple of slices.
But where to go?
I’m not waiting for San Diego Restaurant Week. I want pizza now!Shall I eat dinner at Tony’s Pizza?Shall I eat dinner at Samurai Pie?Shall I eat dinner at Giovanni’s Trattoria?Shall I eat dinner at Brooklyn Pizzeria?Shall I eat dinner at City Pizzeria?I found some yummy pizza! After all that walking around downtown trying to figure out where to eat, I’m starving!
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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!
What makes the annual La Mesa Oktoberfest such an awesome event?
It seems the tasty ingredients that make La Mesa Oktoberfest so awesome aren’t very secret. Because I recorded them with very little effort this afternoon.
La Mesa Oktoberfest is said to be the largest Oktoberfest in San Diego County. It’s held each year in historic La Mesa Village. Thousands turn out to enjoy the fun.
So what are those tasty ingredients?
Food, drink, friends, good conversation.Sausages.Cool cars.Colorful dancing.A massive Spaten Hofbrauhaus Biergarten!More sausages.Lederhosen.Thrilling rides.Inspiration.Cuckoo clocks.Sidewalks jammed with happiness.More sausages.A huge container of mustard.Smiles.Family.And more sausages!
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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!
People stroll down El Prado, checking out a huge variety of gourmet food trucks on a late Friday afternoon.
If you haven’t been to Food Truck Friday in Balboa Park, you’re missing out!
Not only is there all sorts of yummy food, but there is grass to picnic on and live music and juggling and hula hoops and checkers and crafts for the kids and colorful flowers and splashing fountains and amazing architecture and smiles and . . . I could go on and on! And the museums are open late, too!
Balboa Park’s special magic adds spice to an already tasty meal!
Balboa Park’s Food Truck Friday promises yummy eats and fun through September in the Plaza de Panama and along the length of El Prado.Feasting on the grass in sunny Balboa Park. Food Truck Fridays is the place to be for a festive family-friendly dinner.Kenny Shelton the awesome juggler was getting warmed up. He and other entertainers can be found throughout the park.A beautiful photo of the Plaza de Panama, its fountain, flowers, and the sunlit House of Hospitality during Food Truck Friday.If you live in San Diego, this giant checkerboard and these hula hoops are waiting for you!Musicians were playing under the Balboa Park Conservancy canopy near the Plaza de Panama fountain.The San Diego Model Railroad Museum had a table in the plaza where young kids could apply dots of paint to fun trains!And nearby, Spanish Village Art Center had their own cool table where kids could be creative!I spotted a Puppet Shows sign traveling through the plaza. So naturally I had to investigate…The Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre in Balboa Park is now presenting The Little Mermaid! A pelican puppet says hello and invites you all to the show!A truly Happy Friday in San Diego’s always amazing Balboa Park.
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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!
A hungry zombie eyes dinner at 2017 San Diego Comic-Con . . . and it’s me!
If you are nervous or squeamish, don’t look at these photos or read the captions. I’m warning you. It’s all quite gruesome.
The events you are about to witness happened today at 2017 San Diego Comic-Con. Some of the fans were completely unprepared for what happened…
Everyone was having a great time at Comic-Con. I was just wandering about, not paying very close attention.That place looks cool. I’ll go check that out. I wonder what they mean by Deadquarters?They’ve got a nice lounge! Awesome! My feet are tired!Let’s all sit here and watch AMC’s show The Walking Dead. How entertaining and relaxing.Oh, wow! They’ve got pinball, too! This place rocks!A lady suddenly screamed and started running! Huh? What happened?Oh my gosh. That door says Dead Inside, and some hands are trying to open it from the inside.Oh my goodness! They’ve got zombies loose in here! Where’d they come from.Thank goodness this one doesn’t seem to see me.But this one does!Get away from me! I probably don’t taste all that good!The Walking Dead Encounter! I wish I’d seen that sooner. Maybe some caffeine from a Mountain Dew will help me escape . . .I see fans of The Walking Dead are learning fighting skills to fend off these hungry zombies.A tiny version of Deadpool was swinging a bat wrapped with barbed wire. I think he nailed a couple zombies.Over here, quick! Help! Where’s that little superhero?Nobody seems to take these zombies very seriously. Watch out, people! They actually appear to be hungry!Told you so!
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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!
Real Santas United to End Childhood Obesity pose for the judges in the Uniform Contest at 2017 OTL. (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)
People playing Over The Line on Fiesta Island today had to be blinking their eyes. They didn’t just see Santa Claus striding across the sand–they saw a whole team of jolly Santas!
Real Santas United to End Childhood Obesity is competing this year in the OMBAC World Championship Over The Line Tournament in San Diego! And they’re spreading the important message that kids should eat healthy, nutritious food!
The unique team of Santas is organized by “Sustainable Santa” Richard Eckfield, and its members were observed this morning parading around the island handing out carrots and talking about the dangers of processed, sugary junk food and the rise of childhood obesity. Supported by several sponsors and the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas, their mission is simply to promote healthy eating habits for children. “Healthy, Happy and Fit for Life!”
Members of Real Santas United to End Childhood Obesity can also be seen from time to time at farmers markets across San Diego County. They encourage children to eat real, honest-to-goodness wholesome food.
Will they win the OTL Camummy Division this year? I don’t know. I do know these Santas have a winning message!
You might like to follow the Santa & Mrs Claus for Healthy Children Facebook page!
Unlike most presents unwrapped at Christmas, good health is a gift that will last a long, merry, magical lifetime!
Kristin Francy, Miss Emerson in 2015, and a team of sporty Santas at the Over The Line World Championship tournament in San Diego. (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)Photo of Baseball Santa Bill Swank and Richard “Sustainable Santa” Eckfield at the Linda Vista Farmers Market last December. (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)Front and back of cards that Sustainable Santa hands out at farmers markets throughout San Diego County. (Image courtesy Bill Swank.)Baseball Santa Swank holds up carrots which the Real Santas United hand out to kids instead of sugary candy canes. (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)
Cool San Diego Sights! 