This year, Trolley Dances includes several performances at San Diego’s downtown Central Library!
Trolley Dances in 2017 is as cool as ever!
Trolley Dances is an annual event in San Diego that uses unusual public spaces as settings for dance. The inspired, provocative performances are produced and choreographed by the San Diego Dance Theater.
Buy a ticket for this year’s event and you’ll be led on an adventure for mind, body and spirit. Mobile audiences, following Trolley Dances group leaders, disembark the San Diego Trolley’s Blue Line at various stops to view performances from Chula Vista to downtown San Diego.
Trolley Dances runs for only two weekends. It’s a brilliant concept that’s a lot of fun and full of surprises.
A few of the performances this year take place at San Diego’s downtown Central Library. I took some quick photos so that you can get a taste of what you will experience!
A mobile audience has arrived on foot from a nearby trolley station. They are led into downtown San Diego’s dynamic public library to enjoy fantastic dance performances!The dances all contain raw organic energy and beautifully expressed emotion.The dancers use the Central Library’s public entrance as an unusual stage during Trolley Dances. In another superb dance, which I didn’t photograph, the nearby escalators were used to produce an outstanding dramatic effect.Outside the library, in the courtyard, the audience now watches dancers framed in glass windows!The dancers come outside and engage the audience.Grace and power.A day enjoying the Trolley Dances makes for a great adventure!
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Every year, the lives of almost 3 million shelter animals are terminated. It’s a colossal, heartbreaking tragedy that defies understanding–because it needn’t happen. Remember Me Thursday is a global event that shines a light on the plight of shelter animals, and on the positive choice of animal adoption.
Here are a few photos from the special Remember Me Thursday candlelight vigil held this evening in Balboa Park. Those who participated gathered near the corner of Sixth Avenue and Laurel Street. The annual event was created five years ago by Mike Arms, President and CEO of Helen Woodward Animal Center.
Remember Me Thursday has spread worldwide and now hundreds of animal welfare organizations participate.
This evening in Balboa Park, hearts were lit for innocent animals in San Diego and around the world waiting for adoption. Like you, they simply want to live and be loved.
Smiles from the Helen Woodward Animal Center during Remember Me Thursday in Balboa Park.People gather to remember animals waiting in shelters to be adopted–and those who have lost their lives.The deeply touching Remember Me Thursday poem by Mike Arms.A gathering in Balboa Park and an urgent message. Millions of shelter animals around the world simply want to live and be loved.A banner invites messages of hope and gratitude.A wish that pets know the selfless love that they provide us while on Earth.A few powerful words for the best hamster a boy could ever have.As the sun sets, people wait to watch a thought-provoking video and hear the reading of Mike Arms’ poem.Many candles were then lit.
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Many beautiful works of bonsai art could be viewed today in Balboa Park.
Here are more photos that you might enjoy! I took them this afternoon at the San Diego Bonsai Club exhibition, which was held inside the Casa del Prado in Balboa Park.
The art of bonsai has always fascinated me. A tiny, carefully tended tree can speak so much about life. About time and human struggle, about balance and poise.
It’s funny how artists can create a profound feeling of untamed natural beauty using orderly, controlled methods. It is absolutely contradictory. But there is much in art–as in life–that is hard to explain.
A sign outside the Casa del Prado directs visitors to an exhibition by the San Diego Bonsai Club.Demonstrations were part of the event. These friendly people in the Casa del Prado’s inner courtyard were patiently working on their bonsai trees and explaining the process to those who were curious.The many specialized tools of a bonsai gardener.One member of the San Diego Bonsai Club created a cool display that contrasted her bonsai with photos of trees in local landscapes.Like any other good art, bonsai evokes emotion. Nature inspires the bonsai artist. Styles can include Windswept, Formal Upright, Informal Upright and Forest.This bonsai Prostrata Juniper has been trained and pruned to appear ancient–the product of wild, tempestuous nature.A tiny Japanese black pine is one object in a small room-like scene.A fine work of art created by a lover of bonsai.An ornamental porcelain berry arranged in an beautiful pot.These tiny succulents are in a tiny wheelbarrow!Visitors to the San Diego Bonsai Club exhibition in Balboa Park enjoy looking at a small, very beautiful oriental sweetgum tree.
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Donations were collected during the House of Puerto Rico’s lawn program in Balboa Park to assist with disaster relief.
Here’s an opportunity to help the people of Puerto Rico who’ve been thrown into a terrible crisis by Hurricane Maria. The devastation brought by this natural disaster is unprecedented. Every bit of help is vitally important.
By sheer coincidence, the House of Puerto Rico had their International Cottages lawn program today in Balboa Park. A collection jar was there for donations, and proceeds from food sales went to hurricane relief.
I also learned that there’s a donation button on the House of Puerto Rico website, which you’ll find here.
Please consider providing these good people with a bit of support.
Puerto Rican food at the special event included arroz con gandules, pastel de masa and alcapurrias.If you missed the event, click the link I’ve included to visit the House of Puerto Rico website. There you will see a Hurricane Maria donation button.Among the many displays inside the House of Puerto Rico cottage are panderetas, cencerros and other musical instruments.Students inside the Balboa Park cottage learn about the special economic challenges of Puerto Rico, which is an unincorporated U.S. territory in the Caribbean.Many people have loved ones in Puerto Rico. Heroic efforts are underway to help those affected by Hurricane Maria.
Fred Grand, President of the Old Town Chamber of Commerce, reads a proclamation during a special Constitution Day ceremony.
Bells rang in San Diego at exactly one o’clock this Sunday afternoon to celebrate Constitution Day. A special ceremony took place on the steps of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Old Town, where a gathering of people rang bells they had brought for the occasion.
The patriotic ceremony was organized by the San Diego Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and featured a proclamation by Fred Grand, President of the Old Town Chamber of Commerce. Attendees also sang the Star-Spangled Banner, America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee), America the Beautiful, and God Bless America.
To celebrate the United States Constitution and the freedoms the document guarantees all citizens, many bells rang today simultaneously all across America. Bells pealed in Pennsylvania, where the United States Constitution was signed by delegates to the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787.
The Daughters of the American Revolution supports Old Town and have for almost 100 years. You can see their historical markers on the big rock in the southeast corner of the grassy Plaza de las Armas, at the Casa de Estudillo, the Cosmopolitan Hotel, the San Diego Union print shop, the Rockin Baja restaurant (over their front doorway), and another on Taylor Street near Presidio Drive. The DAR will soon be placing another marker at the site of the First San Diego Courthouse.
Priest of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Old Town talks to people in front of the historic church after Sunday Mass.At one o’clock, people of many backgrounds and beliefs gather on the church steps to celebrate the United States Constitution, which enshrines individual human liberty.This old bell of the Daughters of the American Revolution features an inscription from the United States Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.One historical plaque, which marks the end of the Kearney Trail in Old Town San Diego, was placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1920.Another historical marker placed by the DAR can be found inside Old Town’s Casa de Estudillo.Kathleen Winchester, historian of the San Diego Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, is presented with an official proclamation on Constitution Day.The patriotic gathering sings The Star-Spangled Banner.
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Every year, Fiestas Patrias, which celebrates Mexican independence from Spain in 1821, includes traditional entertainment for the entire family.
This morning I missed a bus to Ocean Beach at the Old Town Transit Center, so to pass the time I walked the short distance over to the State Park to see if anything was going on. And I discovered that Fiestas Patrias was being celebrated today!
I lingered for a few minutes and took some photos, headed over to OB (as you will see), then returned to Old Town a couple hours later to really soak in the event. Fiestas Patrias is a yearly celebration of Mexican independence from Spain in 1821. San Diego, a small town founded near a Spanish presidio in Alta California, thereafter became a part of Mexico until 1848.
Many diverse traditions have intermingled during San Diego’s history to make our city what it is today. The rich and colorful culture of Mexico has remained an essential part of life in San Diego!
A mariachi welcomes visitors to the historic Casa de Estudillo in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.A friendly horse came for a visit as I took some photos outside the Casa de Estudillo during Fiestas Patrias.Traditional dances were being performed on the central plaza’s main stage. Las damas y los caballeros took turns being el toro and el matador!The annual event features authentic costumes from a time when San Diego was a small Mexican town in Alta California.Kids were decorating traditional cascarones eggshells.A demonstration inside the Casa de Estudillo of yarn being spun. During the Spanish period, sheep were first introduced along with cattle and horses at the Mission San Diego de Alcalá.Nearby, ladies were demonstrating Colcha Spanish Colonial embroidery, which was typical in San Diego in the early 1800s.At the same table, another lady was cutting out festive Mexican papel picado.The historically authentic musical group Los Californios wait for their turn on the stage at Fiestas Patrias in Old Town San Diego!
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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!
A friendly hello at the 2017 San Diego Brazilian Day Festival!
My walking adventure today included a stop at the San Diego Brazilian Day Festival in Mission Beach. Lots of people were arriving late in the morning, and banners were being raised, and parade floats were being prepared for later in the afternoon, and a band had begun playing Latin beats, and dancers were dancing, and people were joining in with smiles and uninhibited energy.
And so I took some photos!
People hang a banner as the San Diego Brazilian Day Festival gets started late Sunday morning.Nearby, on the Mission Beach boardwalk, people are walking, biking and skating by the beautiful blue ocean.Brazilian culture was celebrated today, so naturally some vendors were selling crispy pastel.The music was playing as soon as the festival got started. The Brazilian Institute for Arts and Culture was bringing the spirit of Brazil to San Diego!Lots of Brazilian flags at this t-shirt booth.Later in the afternoon there would be a carnival-like parade around Belmont Park, and some people were decorating a colorful float.A group promoting Latin American and Latino art had a cool truck plastered with word magnets. Visitors were creating poems. There will be a thousand LATIN rainbows…There will also be stacks of cool hats!It didn’t take long before festival visitors were dancing in front of the main stage.More people join in, and now they’re really kicking it up!Smiling ladies commenced an energetic dance routine on the stage to the delight of the growing crowd.A funny photo of two people in the crowd. Can you spot them?Brazilian culture was celebrated today in San Diego’s sunny Mission Beach!
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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!
Tampa Chargers huddle up during the 2017 Labor Day Stickball Tournament in Little Italy. Photo by Margie Jones.
An important event in San Diego history took place over the Labor Day weekend. It involved a firefighter hero who saved lives during 9/11, his two sons, and the game of stickball.
The following inspirational article is contributed by Margie Jones of 4 Heroes 4 Life:
The 2017 Labor Day Stickball Tournament in Little Italy was one of the largest in its 19 year history with a field of 16 teams, four from New York and one from Tampa Bay, Florida. New York transplant Bob Ortiz and a group of players brought the Bronx-style tradition of street baseball to California in the early 1990s, later passing the torch to brothers Louie and Joey Centanni.
This year’s tournament held a special meaning for the San Diego and New York stickball communities, bringing the return of Skylar and Austin Mercado, sons of former Emperor’s Stickball League President Steve Mercado. Mercado and his family brought the team to San Diego from the Bronx in 2001 when the boys were 6 and 2 years old. The Mercado family made a lasting impression on many San Diegans, including SD City Firefighter and Stickball League Commissioner Willie Blas and Fire Marshal Mark George. After saying their goodbyes, Steve returned to NYC and went straight to work on 9/11, courageously saving lives. He was one of 12 of 13 from Engine 40 and Ladder 35 to lose their lives on that day, along with over 400 NYC first responders.
This weekend, Skylar and Austin Mercado brought the legacy of their Dad and Grandfather to Stickball in San Diego. Their team, the Tampa Chargers, was undefeated going into the Championship Game on Monday but could not best the local Sultans of Swat, who took home the trophy this year. We hope the Mercados experienced the outpouring of love and support for these two fine young men, their family, and the entire NYC community of heroes.
So that Steve and all heroes on that day will be NEVER FORGOTTEN, Mark and Willie as sponsored by 4 Heroes 4 Life and Veteran Adventures will be hosting a 9/11 NEVER FORGOTTEN Charity Golf Tournament and Community Extravaganza on September 11. Proceeds of the event will benefit the Steven Mercado Foundation, and funds for Engine 40 and Ladder 35, and the NYC Emergency Fund. This is the first of an annual event on 9/11 as an opportunity to bring community together in support of our fallen heroes and for our nation’s healing. Please join us. Register or donate here.
Commemorative bat honoring 9/11 firefighter Steve Mercado. Photo by Margie Jones.Tampa Chargers’ Austin Mercado. Photo by Margie Jones.Tampa Chargers’ Skylar Mercado. Photo by Margie Jones.Swinging with heart on a San Diego street. Photo by Margie Jones.2017 Championship Game final score. Photo by Margie Jones.Stickball brings many together. Photo by Margie Jones.
Nimble members of the Exy Johnson crew furl the tall ship’s sails after a cruise on San Diego Bay.
One final blog post concerning the 2017 Festival of Sail.
After spending most of Labor Day in Balboa Park, I finally walked down Laurel Street to San Diego Bay. I wanted to savor one last look at the visiting tall ships.
As I lingered near the Exy Johnson, crew members were climbing about the rigging, furling the many sails. It’s always a breathtaking sight: godlike sailors risen into the blue sky, the masters of white clouds…
Securely furling the brigantine’s square topsails high on the foremast takes strength, coordination and concentration.Dangling high above the water!Several of Exy Johnson’s hardworking crew wrestle a jib sail onto the bowsprit.Carefully scrambling about the beautiful tall ship.Teamwork is required as a staysail is neatly furled.The Festival of Sail approaches its end. The masts and yards of the docked brigantine now appear bare.Sky-riding sailors, a common sight in the bygone Age of Sail.
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A batter gets ready to swing during the Labor Day Stickball Tournament in San Diego. Sixteen teams, including five from the East Coast, played over two days.
I watched some of the action today at the 2017 Labor Day Stickball Tournament in Little Italy. This annual San Diego tradition–which has been going on for 19 years now–includes West and East Coast stickball teams competing for glory. Even a slight drizzle couldn’t stop the intense street action!
I took some photos while enjoying a few of the games. A good crowd lined the sidewalks to watch play on three different street blocks in Little Italy. Stickball in San Diego seems to be growing in popularity–at least it appears that way to me!
Every year the event seems to grow. Many people were lining the sidewalks watching action-packed stickball games. The dog barked excitedly with every great play.Banner for the Nineteenth Annual Labor Day Stickball Tournament in Little Italy, sponsored by Mission Federal Credit Union.Cars head down the nearby street as a game is in progress. It rained a little bit today, as you can see.Running for home in front of the San Diego Firehouse Museum during the 2017 Labor Day Stickball Tournament.Playing hard with a smile. Good times, good people.A big grid of 16 teams this year for the stickball tournament. Just from personal observation, the event seems to grow every Labor Day weekend.A player stretches as a team huddles. The play on hard asphalt is blazing fast and fierce.Getting ready to be a stickball hero!
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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!
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