Did you know the House of Taiwan is one of the newest members of the International Cottages in Balboa Park? I learned today that they joined the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages in August!
Today they hosted an exhibit in the Hall of Nations for their very first time, and wow, what great displays! The history and culture of Taiwan was celebrated with all sorts of information, traditional crafts and art objects, a film, and even treats! (I sampled an imported pastry-like buttery fènglí sū (鳳梨酥), or pineapple cake, for which Taiwan is famous. Yum!)
I met some super nice people and took a few photographs of the event.
I see the House of Taiwan has a website and they are already very active in the community. Check out their site 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.
The free community event was hosted by the Native Youth Foundation and featured Native American culture, education, crafts, food, music and fun for the entire family.
The festival brought together tribes from around the Southern California region to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day. It was a celebration of Native voices shaping the future.
I came by in the late afternoon as the festival was kicking off. When I departed about an hour later, a good crowd had gathered for this inaugural event.
I enjoyed listening to the Campo Bird Singers, visiting various booths and eating crispy tacos.
What are some of the things I learned?
I learned the people in the next photo represent Volunteer Escondido. They’re neighbors who come together to help build a stronger community and enhance the quality of life for all!
You can visit their website here! Check out their event calendar and perhaps you can participate as a volunteer in their good work!
I was interested to learn from the next group of smiling people that there is a National Native American Hall of Fame!
The organization, with its headquarters in Oklahoma City, honors Native American achievements in contemporary society, from the 1860s to present day!
Visit their website here! There are various ways that you can support them!
Look! More friendly people at the next booth!
They represent the La Jolla Generations Program, a tribal youth program of the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians.
They would be demonstrating basketmaking later during the festival!
In the late morning, the Campo Bird Singers were on stage performing traditional, sacred Bird Songs.
Lots of tasty food, including carne asada and Kumeyaay frybread!
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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.
Does your bicycle need repair? Do you live anywhere near City Heights in San Diego? Check out this free, very cool community resource!
Bikes del Pueblo operates on Sundays near the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and 40th Street. You can see them in action in these photographs.
The collective is a bunch of volunteers and neighbors who get together to maintain bicycles and help each other. They provide free educational workshops, and access to tools and bicycle parts. Some of the regular participants have a lot of experience repairing bikes and are happy to help. Bikes del Pueblo welcomes donations–bicycles, parts, and money–to help keep a good thing going.
When I walked by a few weekends ago, they were really busy! Some people were even hanging out at the picnic benches and enjoying the sunny day. What a great resource for a community that can be underserved.
Got a bike? Does it need some work? Check out their website for more info by clicking 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.
In San Diego’s Civic Center Plaza, near the Civic Theatre Ticket Office, you’ll find these words:
Blooming is the wild body unmarred by the limits of this world
Its petals temporary but you’d never know it
The two lines were written by Paola Capó-García, San Diego Poet Laureate 2025-2027. A special City of San Diego webpage provides her biography.
Paola Capó-García lives in North Park. Her accomplishments and accolades as educator, author and journalist are numerous.
The thought-provoking words in Civic Center Plaza are actually the conclusion of her poem Wild, which you can read here. Her poem explains the difference between blooming and blossoming.
Are you blooming?
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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.
I learned during the Adams Avenue Street Fair that a new community garden is coming to Normal Heights!
The community garden will occupy the south end of Ward Canyon Neighborhood Park, north of 40th Street and Madison Avenue, where the fenced Large Dog Park used to be.
As this webpage explains, amenities will include 28 garden plots, 9 waist-level garden boxes, compost and trash areas, a tool shed, running water, ADA compliant graded paths, and a native/pollinator plant garden. The existing pergola and bench will be retained.
I see local schools will be involved, allowing kids to learn about growing food, the environment, and leading a healthy life outdoors.
Very cool!
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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.
Grant Park and its new River Studio are almost ready to open by the San Diego River!
Finishing touches are being put on the public park and educational center in Mission Valley. The River Studio at Grant Park will start educating local school students in mid-October.
As you can see from today’s photos, sun-filled Grant Park is receiving new greenery, while its amphitheater, shade structure and River Studio building have already been completed.
Over a year ago, before much construction had begun, I posted photos of a tour of the site and wrote about the initial plans. At the beginning of this year I walked outside the project again and posted these photos of work underway.
If you’re curious about the mountain lion and bear in today’s photos–the sculptures will be positioned inside the park to delight visitors. Grass and native plants will fill the outdoor spaces. You’ll notice I spotted some tile art created by kids, too!
(You might find it confusing–the project has also been called “The San Diego River Discovery Center at Grant Park” and “San Diego River Center at Grant Park.”)
Approaching the outdoor amphitheater and River Studio from the nearby parking lot…
Grant Park dedicated July 25, 2025.
The amphitheater is home to The Conrad Prebys Stage. Kids will learn about the San Diego River and its life here.
A beautiful fountain at one end of the amphitheater.
Looking across Grant Park areas that still need to be planted.
Turn left here and what will you encounter?
A bear!
Bears no longer live around here. Human activity is to blame.
Walking beside the McGrath Family Commons. There will be a big grassy area ideal for picnics or play.
A shady place to sit, while gazing out at nature and river vegetation.
Walking along. A friendly worker was busy digging holes and putting in plants.
Wooden benches for relaxation.
Here’s that tile art I mentioned. Each tile depicts a river plant or creature…
Those vertical posts to the right of the River Studio will support a shady canopy.
Now let’s walk back to the River Studio…
I was privileged to be shown the interior of the River Studio, where student groups will learn about the San Diego River environment.
Students from local schools will observe the effects of urban runoff. Using microscopes they’ll examine water samples. They’ll learn how the organisms they observe reflect the health of the nearby river.
Those aquariums will contain live fish.
Also inside the River Studio, there’s a gallery wall with art created by members of the San Diego River Artists Alliance. The group celebrates the San Diego River ecosystem.
The works of art will change from time to time and will be available for purchase. Sales will help fund the San Diego River Park Foundation.
When it finally opens in mid-October, this important addition to Mission Valley is going to be amazing!
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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.
Did you know National City in San Diego’s South Bay has a Historic Railcar Plaza?
The small museum-like building is located at the intersection of Bay Marina Drive and Marina Way. A train track running through the building is home to old Passenger Coach No. 1.
I posted a blog about the National City Historic Railcar Plaza almost ten years ago, after peeking inside. You can revisit that past blog post here.
From outside, anyone can peer through windows into four small display rooms at each corner of the building. When I walked by several weeks ago, it seemed that displays in two of the corner windows had changed. So I took photos!
In one window, dummies of passengers in Victorian-era attire stand or sit on a bench, as if waiting for a train or streetcar.
In a second window I found a variety of educational displays. They’re mostly about protecting the wetlands in National City and around the San Diego region.
According to one sign, the public is invited to participate in Creek Day on the last Saturday of every month, from 8 am to noon. The address where people meet is 1815 Hoover Avenue.
You can check out the Facebook page of Paradise Creek Educational Park by clicking here. (Unfortunately, that page doesn’t seem very active right now.)
Another sign inside the Historic Railcar Plaza indicates: “Display rooms are available to nonprofits to showcase artifacts and interpretive exhibits relating to the early railroads and local history. Contact the Port of San Diego Public Art Department for program information.”
What might I see the next time I walk past?
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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.
A very cool event is taking place in San Diego this weekend through tomorrow, Sunday, August 21, 2025. Artists from the Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park are helping you to create your own art, in a fundraiser that benefits kids!
It’s Art Galore Days!
Between 11 am and 4 pm, head over to the Casa del Prado’s outdoor courtyard and look for various stations where you can make fun art!
Purchase $5 tickets and use them to create what you wish. You get entered in a raffle, too, where you can win a fine work of professional art!
The awesome thing is, funds raised will be used to support Spanish Village art education programs for kids and young students!
Some of the beautiful pieces you can win in the raffle:
You can create a snowman button!
You can paint tribal rocks!
You can paint a sunset (or anything you desire) with a frame!
Make a cool succulent shoe!
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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.
The French Market returned to San Diego’s bayfront this afternoon. The fun cultural event, organized by the French-American Chamber of Commerce of SoCal, was held outdoors at Lane Field Park. Its purpose was to celebrate French culture, flavors and innovation right here in San Diego, and to promote vibrant Franco-American business ties and cultural exchange.
I swung by to check it out!
Several vendors and organizations had canopies on the grass, and there was live music provided by Chloe Perrier & the French Heart Jazz Band, too!
Without further ado…
Versailles Café & Pastries had tasty crepes topped with strawberries and chocolate!The Alliance Française de San Diego offers French classes in La Jolla and Vista, and organizes social gatherings. Their French Literature & Arts Festival is coming October 2-4, 2025 in San Diego. More here.The San Diego French American School, in La Jolla, offers bilingual education from preschool through 8th grade.The mobile and online Clotilde French Bookstore had many books at their table!Author Claude Koehl’s book, The American Way of Life: The Foreigner’s Perspective, helps people understand cultural differences, using humor.Some smiling authors!Six Years of Absence is a novel based on French Sergeant Alexandre Rolland’s harrowing experiences during World War II. Written by Alain Rolland, his son.A good time in sunny San Diego.
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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.
Eight years ago I posted the blog Natural beauty at the West Coast Shell Show. Today, while walking through Balboa Park, I noticed the West Coast Shell Show was being held again in the Casa del Prado, so I checked it out!
Yes, there were hundreds of amazing shells. All types! I’m no expert when it comes to seashells or marine organisms–all I know is that these jewels from the ocean can be indescribably beautiful. I can see why people collect them.
Dealers had tables full of specimens and there were educational displays to read, too. I learned these shells were gathered from all around the world. One gentleman told me that collecting shells at protected San Diego beaches is illegal.
I must admit that while walking along the sand I’ve never seen anything that approaches these perfect specimens at the Shell Show. When lucky, I might observe very tiny polished shells underfoot, or an occasional sand dollar, or a broken abalone piece glinting in the sun.
Searching for what the vast ocean has churned up is instinctive, I suppose. The sudden discoveries–even shells that are broken–invite a closer look. They’re small hints of our planet’s immense magnificence.
Cool San Diego Sights! 