Anyone could add their own creative touch to this cool Imperial Street Festival spray paint mural!
This afternoon I checked out a cool neighborhood event. I headed into Logan Heights to experience the Third Annual Imperial Avenue Street Festival!
I had never been to this festival before. What did I discover? Lots of culture, live music, tasty food, dance, art . . . and smiles!
Here are some photos!
Live music could be enjoyed at multiple stages.Cool graffiti art at the Logan Heights neighborhood festival by Dehvzer Artworks.The VivaLife Health Hub had energetic dancers and upbeat music!
The VivaLife Health Hub at 2754 Imperial Avenue is a project of BAME Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization that strengthens the residents and businesses in Greater Logan Heights.
BAME puts on this awesome festival. And they are looking for neighborhood volunteers! Click the above link to learn more!
Here are two of many smiles that I saw!Guys eating at Dulceria Coty on Imperial Avenue had good seats to watch the event.Now that looks yummy.Calamity!Lots of vendors and some prize wheels.Poster shows student achievers from the local King-Chavez Primary Academy sports and athletics programs!The local Turf Klub had some custom cars out for the public to admire.At the East Stage a San Diego youth band called the Main Stage Maniacs rocked the house!
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Putting sand into wooden forms, preparing to make sand sculptures that will welcome visitors to the Broadway Pier!
Look what I spotted during my walk along the Embarcadero after work today! Preparations are underway for the big 2017 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge which takes place this coming Labor Day Weekend!
As you can see, sand is being put into large wooden forms at the base of the Broadway Pier. I learned from a friendly guy scooping sand that the competing sculptures will actually be created inside the Broadway Pier’s Port Pavilion! (In past years they were outside, along the south edge of the nearby B Street Pier.)
I also see that this year, outside on the Broadway Pier, there will be all sorts of food, cool “dimensional art” and live music, much like the past events.
Finally, I learned that the three sand sculptures just getting started today will welcome visitors to the Broadway Pier. One sculpture will depict the USS Midway and Star of India. Another has something to do with LEGOs. A third will promote MTS, San Diego’s public transit system.
I’m getting excited! The best sand artists in the world will be here next weekend! I’m going! It will be cool to see their masterpieces!
The U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge is coming to San Diego’s Broadway Pier during Labor Day Weekend!Meanwhile, this afternoon during my walk, I saw some folks enjoying the pier, watching two harbor cruise ships coming in from the bay.This friendly guy told me there will be three sand sculptures here at the base of the pier. The competing sand sculptures will actually be created inside the Port Pavilion this year!Quarry sand mixed with water will be compacted, and then carved here into three cool sculptures during the coming week! Stay tuned!
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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!
The SoCal Etsy Guild Market took place today in Horton Plaza Park.
My walk downtown today took me through Horton Plaza Park, where I came upon a very cool event.
The SoCal Etsy Guild Market had drawn a nice crowd of curious shoppers! Lots of handmade, original goodies were for sale by all sorts of crafts makers and artists…
I took a few photos as I wandered through…
Lots of cool crafts and artwork was for sale!Shoppers wore big smiles.Izzy’s Sounds is on Etsy. He makes one-of-a-kind bluetooth speakers out of vintage radios and other interesting objects.An artist advises us to live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air. Sounds wise to me!It appears a good crowd turned out for SoCal Etsy Guild Market in downtown 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!
A guy with a super cool steampunk outfit spread his mechanical wings for a photo as I entered the library!
Check out these cool photos from Steampunk Day at the Library!
I headed over to San Diego’s Central Library early this afternoon not really knowing what to expect. And what I experienced absolutely blew me away!
San Diego Steampunk, Gaslight Steampunk Expo, and the Friends of the Central Library put on an event that still has me smiling as I write this! You wouldn’t believe all the awesome steampunk costumes and gizmos and props and gadgets and inventions and artwork that filled a good chunk of the library’s first floor. I saw original stuff inspired by Lewis Carroll, H. G. Wells, Jules Verne… Some of my favorite authors! There were also a couple lectures and something called Tea Dueling, which I missed. Perhaps next year…
The participants, most of whom are makers, were all super friendly and eager to tell me about what they had created. I pocketed lots of business cards and flyers, and have tried to provide photo captions that accurately describe what I came across.
So what did I see? Take a look!
Steampunk Day at the San Diego Central Library promotes S.T.E.A.M. learning. Readers, students and imaginative people can explore concepts in science and technology! And enjoy excellent literature and learn some history, too!Dozens of local steampunk enthusiasts had gathered in the library to have fun and provide creative inspiration for young and old alike.A super nice lady had a table full of steampunk crafts she had made. Like others participating in the event, she is a member of San Diego Steampunk.Library visitors during Steampunk Day could pose with Victorian costume accessories and props for a cool photo.One of the first things I saw was an awesome model of Jules Verne’s Nautilus from the classic Disney movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea!Richard Ferrell aka Colonel Malcolm Weatherby was holding a ray gun at the ready. Like many other steampunk enthusiasts, he makes his own props.This ray gun from Steampunk Arsenal is a fusion of glass bottles and imagination.It’s The Mad Hatter! And her mobile table is set for tea! Or perhaps A Moveable Feast! (Okay, I’m sorry–it’s the library.)I didn’t get the names of these folks, but they had some of the most inventive stuff. The blue liquid on the right is composed of distilled moonbeams.That gadget up at the top of this photo propels a courageous adventurer through time.I believe this guy said he’s Gandalf the Brass. His staff emits different colored light, depending on the magic. Should he defeat a Balrog, he might become Gandalf the Gold.Steampunk writer Madeleine Holly-Rosing had a table displaying some of her books. If you like reading steampunk fiction, you should probably check it out!Madeleine Holly-Rosing is author of comic book series Boston Metaphysical Society. Kind of like a steampunk The X-Files I was told. Sounds cool!Maleficent greeted me at the Steampunk Public table. I learned she’s not really evil, just a bit misunderstood.And look at all the cool contraptions created by Steampunk Public! Sheer fun and human creativity!In a glass library display case I discovered steampunk collage art by Ramona Szczerba. She calls these curious vintage fictions.Imaginative uniforms exhibited during Steampunk Day by the San Diego Costume Guild. They create costumes representing many different eras.Goggles and top hats everywhere!A British explorer or officer or eccentric character from a weird alternate reality–I’m not sure which! But he was super nice!Taking an image using patented Spectral Photography.Kids in the Children’s Library were busy making Mad Hatter hats!A scary steampunk vampire looked me over when I stepped outside. Perhaps she was getting a bit thirsty. “Fangs for nothing!”More awesome steampunk cosplay near the Central Library’s auditorium.This guy on the time machine materialized from the future right as I took a photo. I don’t know whether he saw any Eloi or Morlocks.
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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!
Two vaqueros chat during an event in Old Town San Diego that reenacts fascinating Californio history.
I enjoyed the Trades That Shaped the West event in Old Town San Diego last Saturday so much, I decided to return today to experience another Stagecoach Days event: Days of the Vaqueros!
Days of the Vaqueros invited curious visitors to experience what life was like when San Diego was a part of Spain, then Mexico. The emphasis was on the vaqueros–the first true cowboys. During the era of the Californios, wealthy ranch owners employed vaqueros to manage their stock.
For a couple of decades–from the early 1820s to the mid-1840s–cattle hides were the primary export of Alta California. Merchant ships from the East Coast (and other places about the Pacific Ocean) would trade the plentiful hides for finished goods that were in high demand in early, geographically isolated, sparsely populated towns like San Diego.
Someone checks out Days of the Vaqueros activities. The banner hangs on the Robinson Rose House in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.Taking place during Old Town’s summer weekend Stagecoach Days, today’s event primarily celebrated life in San Diego when the small town and Alta California were part of Mexico.Ladies pass by in period dresses. One of many cool sights at the Days of the Vaqueros event in Old Town San Diego.Tables contained information about life during the era of huge Mexican land grant ranches worked by vaqueros. Vaqueros, the first true cowboys, were mostly indigenous people employed to manage cattle by the wealthy land owners.A vaquero shows a visitor to Old Town how to properly handle a rope.The visitor successfully lassoes his cow–the rear end, that is–first try!A gentleman who used to work for Buck Knives makes unique knife handles out of elk antlers. He has developed his own technique, which takes great skill and precision.A hat maker shows how beaver felt material was steamed then pushed over a hat-form block.What’s cooking on the campfire? Some tasty pozole, I was told!Pozole is a traditional Mexican soup or stew, made from hominy, meat and various vegetable seasonings.Decorating eggshell cascarones. Near the end of a fiesta, Californios flirted by cracking eggs filled with scented water or confetti over the startled head of someone they liked.A group called Los Californios played authentic early California music–tunes that were preserved over a century ago on wax cylinder sound recordings made by Charles Lummis.A couple dances to the happy, gentle music.Publications by a nonprofit project called San Diego Friends of Old Time Music. Author Vykki Mende Gray is helping to preserve the musical history of California.A display of braided ropes and rawhide, once commonly used by vaqueros as they worked on the large cattle ranches around San Diego.On this table I see more ropes, a canteen, iron brands and boot spurs.A gentleman who teaches school students visiting Old Town about history holds up an illustration of bear-baiting, which early Californians found entertaining.These guys were making adobe bricks. I learned earth and water are mixed, and straw or manure are often added for strength and cohesion.Authentic adobe bricks take weeks or months to properly dry. When hard, these bricks will possibly be used in new construction or to restore existing exhibits inside Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.Traditional dancing in the courtyard of Casa de Estudillo of Los Camotes (which translates the sweet potatoes), a tune from old Mexican and Spanish California.
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A Wells Fargo stagecoach takes a turn around La Plaza de Las Armas in San Diego’s historic Old Town.
Here come photos from today’s Trades That Shaped the West event, which took place in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park!
A wide variety of demonstrations drew curious visitors to a cluster of tents in the park’s grassy plaza. Early San Diego in the 1800’s was completely different from our modern city of gleaming skyscrapers. In many ways, life back then was both simpler and more difficult. Many household objects that are manufactured today were crafted using raw muscle and sweat. Most ordinary tasks were neither easy nor automated.
One hopes that historical reenactments like this continue for generations, so that people don’t forget the unique and meaningful lives of our ancestors.
You might notice this isn’t the first time I’ve blogged about this annual event. I’m so fascinated by San Diego’s history, I decided to experience Trades That Shaped the West again!
Stagecoach Days is celebrated every Saturday in Old Town during the summer. There’s a different themed event every week!
Aspects of frontier life were reenacted today in Old Town San Diego. Visitors watch as a stagecoach passes by!History comes to life during Stagecoach Days in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. There’s a different theme each Saturday in July and August.Many fascinating demonstrations could be viewed by the public at the Trades That Shaped the West event today.Young and old alike watched two blacksmiths at work with an anvil and small forge.A wheelwright explains his craft. To make wagon wheels required great skill. Like cars today, wagons were an important part of life in the 1800’s.The bent metal band tyre would be expanded with heat, then contracted using cold water once carefully placed around the wooden wheel.We take laundry machines for granted today. Years ago in the Old West, cleaning clothes required a whole lot more work!Irons, washboards and other objects from daily life generations ago were on display.These ladies were weaving baskets. Basket-weaving is said to be the oldest of all human crafts.The local Native American Kumeyaay would use willow baskets to protect their gathered acorns and other food from insects.This portable green forge is being used for the first time. The handle turns a belt which operates an air blower. I recognized this blacksmith from the Fall Back Festival in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.Local blacksmith hobbyists created all the items you see here, including the ornamental snake (which took about an hour and a half to make) and the huge padlock!This crafty gambler tried to entice me into playing a game of chance. Nice try!A gentleman had a table containing old tintype photographs. He also had antique cameras on display that were used for daguerreotype photographs.A new wheel is being produced by several wainwrights, trades people who craft and repair wagons and carts. These guys belong to the California Historical Artillery Society.A variety of useful tools on their table. Many look familiar today.The members of the California Historical Artillery Society were attending the annual Trades That Shaped the West event for the first time.Sign shows average blacksmithing prices in the mid 1800’s. The prices were much higher in Northern California during the Gold Rush.These guys also had a traveling battery forge, used by the Army long ago. Today they are often used in Civil War reenactments.I noticed that a snake oil salesman had drawn a crowd!An old lady with a bad case of lumbago was eager to try Dr. Montbank’s Tonic Elixir.I’m not sure it helped much.A guitar, a fiddle, and a bottle. These frontier musicians were getting themselves ready to provide a bit of Western entertainment.Visitors to Old Town were walking in front of the Colorado House and enjoying a sunny San Diego weekend.Look what’s coming! These pack animals have transported the mail all the way from San Antonio!The Overland Mail Delivery arrived exactly at one o’clock!I guess this would qualify as Ground Mail.The small Old Town encampment excitedly greets the four-legged mail carriers.Mail is handed out to many of the event participants!These creative young folk are too busy writing their own letters to notice.An educational reenactment of history was enjoyed today in Old Town San Diego State Historic 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!
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!
Please forgive me. I’m taking it easy this weekend after all that wonderful Comic-Con insanity. So my walk today was slow and simple: meandering through Balboa Park.
I lingered a long while in the Casa del Prado, where the San Diego County Orchid Society is having their summer show and sale. (It continues on Sunday.)
I discovered amazing beauty everywhere.
Feeling lazy, I didn’t take notes. Just photos of a few blooms that caught my eye.
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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 fun, upbeat music video featuring Estelle was videotaped this afternoon in San Diego during 2017 Comic-Con! And hundreds of super enthusiastic people–young and old–came out to sing along!
Many in the crowd dressed like their favorite Steven Universe characters or held up signs containing messages of optimism and love!
The crowd sang along and enjoyed every second of it. I’m still feeling elated as I write this blog! Even though I’ve never watched a single episode of Steven Universe or heard the song before.
Estelle is a Grammy-award winning musician. She also voices the character Garnet in Cartoon Network’s super popular animated TV show. It looks to me like Steven Universe rocks!
The guy in charge of the production announced to the crowd that the video, titled Stronger Than You, should appear on Cartoon Network in a couple days.
Let me share a few photos…
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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!
Klingon warrior uniforms on display at the Star Trek: Discovery exhibit. Each member or follower of a House is equipped with a unique style.
Uniforms, space suits, armors, weapons and other props used in the filming of Star Trek: Discovery have been previewed at 2017 San Diego Comic-Con. The exhibit in the Gaslamp Quarter includes some really incredible pieces. A good number of Federation and Klingon items are on display. I took some photos!
After looking at this incredible exhibit, I definitely want to check out the upcoming television series on CBS All Access. The story will take place about a decade before the events of the original Star Trek series.
Those attending 2017 San Diego Comic-Con had a first look at uniforms, armor, weapons and other props from the upcoming television series Star Trek: Discovery.As I waited in line for the Star Trek: Discovery exhibit at 2017 Comic-Con, some cool cosplay went by. These guys have Federation fezzes!I’m almost ready to enter the Star Trek: Discovery exhibit in San Diego’s Gaslamp!A Starfleet Long Haul Space Suit.Torchbearer Armor. This suit serves as both an EV space suit and battle armor for selected Kingon warriors.The Comic-Con exhibit contains Star Trek: Discovery promotional posters and photos from the show’s production.Starfleet Duty Uniforms used in the filming of Star Trek: Discovery.Starfleet Phaser Pulse Rifle, and Starfleet Hand Phaser.Another photo of the Starfleet Hand Phaser.Periscopic Klingon Bridge Officer Helmet. Worn by Klingon pilots to provide a Heads Up Display of weapon systems, star system charts, and other tactical information.Starfleet Tactical Jumpsuit and Vest.Starfleet Medical Officer Duty Uniform and Starfleet Duty Uniform, Operations Division.Standard issue Starfleet Command Communicator and Tricorder.Klingon Disruptor Rifle and a smaller Disruptor.Part of a Klingon mek’leth, a ceremonial bladed weapon used in close quarters combat.House of T’Kuvma Klingon Uniform.Klingon Helmet and Collar. Each warrior’s battle armor bears a unique look reflecting their honor.
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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 never seen San Diego Comic-Con so crowded. Saturday is usually the busiest day of Comic-Con, but this year it was plain crazy. So crowded in places you almost couldn’t move!
I somehow managed to walk all over the place. Too much fun!
I started off my walk by getting a free Nickelodeon ice cream sandwich at Horton Plaza Park!It seems the Borg and the Federation have joined forces.That crazy, super energetic Syfy drum line is in the Gaslamp again!Must get the hair just right before taking a nice picture with a shark.It’s Jason! Run!Very cool.The latest Mummy is getting all wrapped up at Comic-Con.So much humanity, one can barely move.Profile of a Ferengi.Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman has a buddy.Lego Ninjago characters welcome a Comic-Con fan!People everywhere.Cosplay in the Petco Interactive Zone.Some laser tag action.A party inside the Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie truck.Making friends with Godzilla.More crowds.More cosplay.Don’t ask.Heading down to the area near the Hilton behind the convention center.I guess those Star Wars lasers do manage to hit something from time to time.Salsa picante!Big video screen at the FXhibition.Bolivar Master, from Season 3 of The Strain.A creepy Strigoi Stinger from The Strain.Free water at Archer, but bring your own cup.Cool Snowfall graphic.A pleasant Legion swing.A convenient Snowfall shoe lacing station.Looking cool!Yodeling.People are eager to be screened for the X-Gene.Here comes a couple now.They are placed in a transparent tube by Sentinel Services.An alarm goes off! X-Gene detected! Mutants! The tube fills with some sort of gas!The Orville Space Training Station readies astronauts to be spun like crazy out of control.A shark fin swimming past Adult Swim.Thor and others walking near the entrance to Adult Swim.Thousands of nerds. I feel right at home.Yes, a perfect day for ice cream.Yikes. I surrender.At first I thought he was a castle. He informed me, however, that his cosplay is silverware.An original cosplay inspired by H.P Lovecraft, I was told.Conival was being held on the terrace near the Marriott Marina.Folks chill at Conival.Kylo Ren uses the Force to extract cold mist from a fan.Posing as astronauts amid flying saucers.Looks like some ordinary person is just walking along heading to the hotel.These guys started with established characters then added their own original stuff.These sinister villains are in pink and black uniforms.The Cartoon Network balloons seen from Children’s Park. One of the balloons burst I was told. A bird hit it.A caricature artist at work on MLK Promenade.Superboy transforms into The Tick.Someone had a transplant. They now have a monitor instead of a head.Cleaning up means finding cool swag!Batman’s Rogue Gallery has the Caped Crusader and Robin surrounded.The DC superheroes and supervillains seem to be getting along better than usual.An awesome Transformer stands high above the Comic-Con crowd in the Gaslamp.I don’t know this cosplay. Pretty cool, though. UPDATE! Sam commented that this is likely Azrael Batman.I’m pretty sure that’s Cable of the X-Men.Yes. It must be another San Diego Comic-Con!
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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!