Folk dancers prepare to go on stage at today’s cultural exhibition.
I went for a typical weekend walk today. I just headed up to Balboa Park to see what I would see.
And I saw a lot!
My most interesting and enjoyable experience came as I strolled through the 30th Philippine Cultural Arts Festival put on by the Samahan Filipino American Performing Arts and Education Center. The big event was taking place on some grass at the south end of Balboa Park, near Park Boulevard.
Lots of folks were enjoying authentic Filipino food, browsing through many booths, and watching a variety of unique demonstrations and entertainment. Workshops were even available to the public, teaching anyone interested to speak Tagalog, play the Bandurria, Angklung and Kulintang, practice self-defense in the style of Arnis or Eskrima, and dance Tinikling, which is the very colorful national dance of the Philippines.
Here are some pics!
Scott Lost showcases his 2nd Shift comic books and other artwork!
Local artist Scott Lost was showing and selling his work. He has self-published a cool independent comic book series called 2nd Shift. Check it out!
Funny t-shirts celebrate Filipino life at special event in Balboa Park.Guys with swords teach Philippine martial arts!
I wouldn’t mess with these dudes!
Samahan Filipino American Performing Arts and Education Center.San Diegans from many different communities enjoyed the festival.Folk dances from the Philippines were part of the cultural exhibition.The audience enjoyed some colorful and joyful sights!
The festival is also going on Sunday (tomorrow) from 11-5. You’ll find it by the corner of Park Boulevard and Presidents Way. If you’re in San Diego, check it out!
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Festival celebrates all things Oz at Spreckels Park in Coronado.
Today a special event was held in Coronado’s Spreckels Park celebrating The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum’s other popular children’s novels. The family festival was put on to coincide with the 50th annual Winkie Con, a convention for fans of the Land of Oz.
Winkie Con, now also called Oz Con International (I suspect to sound like Comic-Con International), is growing in popularity and will be held next week for the first time in San Diego. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the classic Wizard of Oz movie, starring Judy Garland!
I strolled through the happy, colorful Coronado festival and got a few pics. According to what I’ve read, there were all sorts of activities during the day, including a children’s parade.
I then sauntered across Orange Avenue and took several photos of the famous Wizard of Oz stained glass wall inside the Coronado Public Library!
Dorothy and a Wicked Witch walk along checking out some art.Art along Orange Avenue sidewalk includes images from the Oz books.Wizard of Oz characters were all over Spreckels Park today!People enjoy music at the bandstand on a warm summer day.Kids could follow the yellow brick road and spin a prize wheel.These signs and balloons were all over the green grass.
I assume these were part of a fun kids activity.
The Cowardly Lion on stained glass at Coronado Public Library.
Now I’m visiting the Coronado Library which is located across the street from Spreckels Park.
Author L. Frank Baum spent a good deal of time in Coronado, writing many of his novels in a rented house not far from the Hotel del Coronado. (You might check out my earlier blog post on this subject!) He modeled the Emerald City of Oz after the fantastic, world famous Victorian beach resort hotel.
Because of its strong connection with L. Frank Baum, Coronado today is often referred to as the Emerald City!
These fun Wizard of Oz glass panels in the library were created by artist Brenda Smith.
The Scarecrow greets two crows and library visitors.Dorothy, Toto and Munchkins are a permanent feature of the library!
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Huge Resurrection ad on Petco Park baseball stadium.
Early this morning, shortly after sunrise, I headed down toward the Gaslamp to see what was going on at 2014 San Diego Comic-Con. Thousands of people had gravitated around the convention center and were waiting in long lines to be the first inside and attend popular panels.
I walked from the east side of Petco Park, over the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge, and past the Hilton Hotel to the back of the convention center. I then walked back around to the front and across the street to the Gaslamp trolley station. Here is what I saw:
Sleepy Hollow covered bridge recreated in Petco Park parking lot.This big Once Upon a Time banner is falling off Petco Park!
I walked a bit northwest along Tony Gwynn Drive to get this picture.
Workers push huge Homer Simpson eyeball into a big yellow head.
Now I’m across Harbor Drive directly in front of the Hilton.
Homer’s Dome area opened on Friday behind the convention center.One of the fun Simpsons games set up on the grass by the Hilton hotel.Gotham skyline contains Riddler’s and Penguin’s not-so-secret lairs.
This is between Homer’s Dome and the San Diego bay.
A long zip line lets daring Comic-Con guests fly past Gotham City!Comic-Con fans wait in long lines for popular panels.Vehicle from Into the Storm, a new movie about storm chasers.Fan sitting by the bay behind San Diego Convention Center looks wicked.Looks like a huge Godzilla is on the rampage in San Diego!The fearsome monster rises darkly into the sky and now I’m worried.Smiling Wonder Girl is here to handle the dire situation!Someone inside this costume will keep us all safe, thank goodness.News reporter talks with very elegantly dressed Star Wars characters.Cool cosplayers were in front of the convention center before it opened.Batman zoomed by. I used Gimp cartoon filter to improve blurry pic!Captain America and others head across Harbor Drive to the Gaslamp.
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Gentleman heads toward downtown’s Gaslamp with a Spiderman tie.
Except for the very last photo, I snapped these pics today in the early evening as I walked around downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. 2014 San Diego Comic-Con is in full swing!
Cool Adult Swim car seems to offer free rides around San Diego.Mad Hatter guys heading down toward the center of cosplay action.It’s Spidey driving a pedicab and giving me a thumbs up!Lifetime Channel is to hold a Witches event tonight in San Diego.Mobile advertisement for the Sin City sequel, A Dame to Kill For.This colorful shop is appealing to the huge Comic-Con crowd.Gaslamp Reading Cinemas has showings, including Star Wars Rebels.Flash sign is a window wrap near Petco Park.Two hostesses at a local restaurant are dressed for Comic-Con.Lady with gigantic identification card is promoting Community.Lady swings in middle of the cool Assassin’s Creed obstacle course.This happy family belongs to the Justice League.Oh my goodness! That might be the real Dark Knight facing me!Witches were chanting in a circle by the Gaslamp trolley station.One witch hexes me with her spooky red eyes.Superman is down but not out.Is that an angry bird or a happy bird, I wonder.That arm looks downright formidable.Giant Creature catches the attention of Comic-Con fans near the Tin Fish.
This fantastic beast is called the Giant Creature. It’s piloted by a small alien on top. No, actually it contains four people who move the huge limbs from inside. The creature was slowly moving about for the nearby crowd.
Giant Creature is promoting a new fun phone app called Blippar.Pedicabs become pirate ships and carriages for Once Upon a Time.This tough vehicle is from the upcoming Brad Pitt movie Fury.Dead Island 2 ad on back of enterprising pedicab.Here comes Wonder Woman from the convention center across street.This guy is Green Goblin of Mordor.Crazy people wearing shark heads were promoting Sharknado 2.Young Princess Leia has a Sharknado 2 chainsaw.Just a whole bunch of fun cosplay up and down the crowded streets!Boy shows cool costume as I cross street in Mission Valley this morning.
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Thousands crammed San Diego Convention Center for Preview Night!
I finally sorted through a bunch of photos from 2014 San Diego Comic-Con Preview Night, which ended just a few hours ago! Many images came out blurry, poorly composed or marred by glare from bright lights in the convention center’s ceiling. I did manage to capture a few decent pics which provide an idea of the extraordinary, mind-blowing experience. Three hours raced by in a flash as I wandered with a friend about the endless and amazing displays. I hope you enjoy this small glimpse…
Loads of awesomely cool stuff was literally everywhere one turned.Anything imaginable could be bought, including Star Trek uniforms.Models of science fiction and fantasy characters were everywhere.Spiderman figurine just one of hundreds on display.Rocket Raccoon was a very popular character.Huge Marvel mural contained the new Thor and Captain America.I recognized this tiny alien from Men in Black.Mace Windu in a movie clip shown above huge Star Wars exhibit.Cool detailed model of Boba Fett.One of many Darth Vaders at San Diego Comic-Con!This is a special, huge Darth Vader Hot Wheels car!I spotted the DeLorean from Back to the Future!Super scary looking Predator head.Almost looks like this T. Rex is devouring a nearby Nazgul.I tried to jazz up this sadly blurry image of the DC exhibit.Wonder Woman in a glass case and passing fans.Cowl used by Michael Keaton in first Batman movie.Cowl used by George Clooney in Batman and Robin.Batarangs used as props in various movies.Clown masks used in heist scene in The Dark Knight.Mosaic of MAD magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman.Alfred E. Neuman evolves from a caveman.Swag bags were handy for 2014 San Diego Comic-Con Preview Night.Art, prints, comics, collectibles, you name it was for sale and on display.Huge Alien pod was an isolation chamber for video game players.Lots of video games could be sampled including realistic racers.Comic books are a staple of San Diego Comic-Con.Even Sponge Bob has his own crazy comic.Horror paintings from Clive Barker’s Imaginer art book on display.Gollum with a tasty fish poses with Tolkien fan.Elven helmet from Lord of the Rings trilogy.Smaug from The Hobbit was a popular attraction during Preview Night.Bright cartoon faces hover above the Nickelodeon exhibit.Another sample of sheer fun and eye-catching delights.You could buy official Wonder Woman bracelets!Batman and his rogue’s gallery are always super popular.Warner Bros. was promoting their superhero television lineup.Fantastic art filled row upon row. You could spend hours just looking.Geek Nation did a fine job creating this fellow.Kids young and old were just having a big load of fun.You could win a White Walker mask from Game of Thrones.
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Workers put up special venue for 2014 San Diego Comic-Con.
This afternoon, four days before the start of 2014 San Diego Comic-Con, I went for a walk around the Gaslamp and convention center and took a bunch of very unique pictures!
Check out some photos of construction workers assembling cool event venues, hanging banners, applying gigantic building wraps, and painting colorful advertising murals for the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con!
Enjoy!
This structure will promote the new Constantine television show.Blacklist site is by the convention center and Omni Hotel.Gaslamp’s Tin Fish restaurant to be taken over by the Blacklist.Hannibal poster with Comic-Con construction in background.Grimm ad by the Gaslamp trolley station.Emerald City will be a brand new NBC TV series.Brad Pitt’s Fury splashed on side of the Hard Rock Hotel.Workers take break while hanging big 2014 San Diego Comic-Con banner!Several Comic-Con banners already on San Diego Convention Center.Huge Legends building wrap on Marriott Hotel features Sean Bean.Workers on platform apply Legends graphic on building for Comic-Con!Magic 2015 table top gaming poster on Marriott Hotel parking wall.True Blood banners have been hung from San Diego trolley posts.Huge Simpsons wrap rises colorfully on the Marriott!
Looks like the left half of the Simpsons graphic is up so far.
Simpsons TV marathon to launch in August on FXX.Assassin’s Creed obstacle course being installed across Harbor Drive.Obstacle course includes lots of jumping and climbing.Ubisoft’s video game Assassin’s Creed Unity to debut at 2014 Comic-Con.New television show The Strain has mural painted on Gaslamp building.Worker paints worm dangling from a huge bulging eyeball!
Stay tuned! Many more pics are coming!
UPDATE!!!
Here come more pics that I took early Tuesday morning, with about 48 hours to go before 2014 Comic-Con officially opens…
The Strain building mural is finally completed.The Assassin’s Creed obstacle course looks half finished on Tuesday.The Interview on Hard Rock Hotel with James Franco and Seth Rogen.Large blue Constantine dome appears to be covered with strange runes.Constantine banners hang by the Gaslamp trolley station.The Tin Fish restaurant now completely covered with Blacklist graphics!History Channel mural on Petco Park advertises Vikings.Ascension building wrap being applied early Tuesday morning.Closer look at Ascension graphics on Gaslamp building.Goosebumps green face peers from Hard Rock Hotel.
Here’s one last cool pic which I altered a bit by increasing the contrast:
View from San Diego Convention Center as Gotham trolley passes.
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2014 Imperial Beach Sun and Sea sandcastle greets visitors.
I had to take one more trip to Imperial Beach this summer because of another big, fun event by the pier. Today was the 2014 Sun and Sea Festival! The event replaces the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition which came to an end back in 2011.
Master sandcastle builders who have won many international awards converged to demonstrate their craft and compete for top honors just north of the Imperial Beach pier. When I arrived, the creations were roughly half done. So I got a bunch of interesting photos of the artists in action!
Featured sand sculpture built by Kirk Rademaker of Sand Masters.
This centerpiece sandcastle stood near the foot of the pier, adjacent to busy vendor tents, and a variety of other fun activities.
Crowd watches master sand sculptors creating fantastic works of art.
Looking north from the pier toward the field of action.
Teams north of Imperial Beach pier work on detailed creations.Plastic fork with two tines removed is used to create stonework detail.Patience, planning and creativity on a Southern California beach!Sand creations are sprinkled with water to prevent disintegration.Tall structure looks like an exaggerated Eiffel Tower.Sand head props up photos used to model rat from Ratatouille.One unique sand sculpture was all about dogs.A beach dog has its day at Camp Run a Mutt.A castle with tall spires in the Imperial Beach competition.The 2014 Sun and Sea Festival attracted many onlookers.Brushes are often used to smooth and contour the sand.Water and sand are mixed to form raw building material.Close look at some detailed work getting started.Artist works on a tire of a Transformers sand sculpture.
Unfortunately, the Transformers sculpture wasn’t too far along, so I couldn’t get more interesting pics.
I think this is an octopus.Huge, complex sand sculpture with many team members working.Now and Then is the theme of this sculpture.Long straight edge turns a broad swath of level sand into a boardwalk.I like how quaint this sandcastle appears!The Sand Squirrels was one team competing at the festival.Rocket’s engine of the funny Futurama sand sculpture.Robot appears to be doing some sun bathing!Super cool locomotive sand sculpture near the IB pier.I liked this huge underground sand train most of all!Everybody is watching the pros build their sand creations!Kids on the pier’s other side build castles, too!
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Gaslamp trolley station has superhero sign about a ticket app.
Here are a few pics of new Comic-Con related things I’ve spotted around the Gaslamp in the past two days. The 2014 San Diego Comic-Con is now just one week away! It seems that most of the important preparation will take place early next week, and perhaps over this weekend. I’ll post new stuff as I discover it!
Several long banners with faces advertise The Leftovers on HBO.
Several of these banners run along the trolley tracks opposite the convention center. I saw one being put up yesterday morning.
Jay and Silent Bob will eat Comic-Con!
Looks like The American Comedy Co. has a bunch of hilarious Comic-Con entertainment ready to go!
This unusual Hulk is on one window of Rockin’ Baja.Lobster with pointed ears. Steam me up, Scotty!
I wonder if Spock would ever put on a sombrero. He probably would if it were logical.
Electric Dreams Factory sign applied to Hard Rock Hotel window.
Huge signs concerning an upcoming Adam Sandler movie called Pixels were going up all over the Hard Rock Hotel as I walked by early this morning. Sony will host a special event during Comic-Con called the Pixels Electric Dreams Factory Arcade, where gamers will be able to play classic arcade games from the 80’s!
San Diego Comic-Con logo being painted on a taco shop window.
Okay, I added the above photo from Little Italy on Friday afternoon. I was walking home from work. So now, technically, all these pics aren’t from the Gaslamp.
UPDATE!
I just learned I’ll probably be attending Preview Night this coming Wednesday, so stay tuned for (hopefully) a whole bunch of awesome stuff!
ANOTHER UPDATE!
Here come more pics… I snapped these in the days leading up to Comic-Con!
Poster by trolley station promotes another season of Blacklist.Alex Ross cool Justice League graphic above a Gaslamp door.The Haunted Hotel has two scary Comic-Con dates.The Strain television show advertisement on Old Town Trolley Tours bus.
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Dogs and their human pals arrive at the big surfing competition.
I’d never seen a dog surf in my entire life. Not until today.
Now I’ve seen a whole pack of dogs surfing.
Yes, I have to admit it. I couldn’t resist heading down to the big Surfdog event at Imperial Beach today. This year it was sponsored by Unleashed by Petco. In the past it was called Loews Coronado Bay Surf Dog Competition.
What? Some of you have never seen a dog athlete mount a surfboard and skillfully ride mighty ocean breakers?
Seeing is believing…
It’s the epic Surfdog summer event everyone has waited for!Finishing touches are put on a sand sculpture at Imperial Beach.This dog can hardly wait to watch the intense animal action!Information boards outline the various heats in the big surf contest.Announcer readies for some incredible pooch performances.The VIP section fills and so does the beach and pier.Dogs and non-dogs at water’s edge have a great place to watch.These guys want a great spot on the pier to view the action.Everyone is ready for the first exciting freestyle heat!This little fellow doesn’t seem to know what’s going on.Surfing contestants mount their surfboards waiting for the starting horn.The crowd favorite, a genuine superstar, poses for my camera.The horn blows and the first fifteen minute heat begins!The crowd converges on the ocean in disbelief.One four-legged athlete is already out near the breakers.Here come two canine athletes showing great form!Steady as she goes!Hot dogging it and hanging twenty!Wow, those incredible, amazing surfers are absolutely inhuman!Thousands enjoy Unleashed by Petco’s surf dog event!
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Arriving at the long-time OTL venue on Fiesta Island.
Shame on me. I’ve lived in San Diego a good chunk of my life, and I’ve never headed to Fiesta Island to experience the legendary fun of OTL. Well, I finally went early this morning!
Over The Line, commonly called OTL, is a San Diego original, a unique beach game that every year seems to gain in popularity. Played on the sand, it resembles a simple version of softball with no baserunners. You must hit the ball over “the line” and between two foul lines, and not have it be caught, which would result in an out. Three innings, three outs. While the rules are a bit more complicated, that’s the gist of it.
The OTL World Championship has become a local institution. It’s played on Fiesta Island, which is located near the center of Mission Bay. It’s put on by OMBAC, the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club. The highly anticipated annual summer event is now 61 years old! But you might never guess this spectacle was so venerable, given its outlandish party atmosphere and the sheer raunchiness of the crowd.
Team names are often juvenile and sexually explicit, to the extent you’d probably just roll your eyes. But it’s all very good-natured and amusing. The crowd is composed largely of males in their 20’s and 30’s, and beer is chugged freely everywhere, as it’s BYOB. I suppose as the day progresses, the crowd becomes more randy–I’ll admit that’s one reason I swung by so early in the morning. That and the avoidance of a hot afternoon!
The tournament goes on for two weekends. This first weekend is for the amateurs; on the second weekend the teams and the play become more serious.
I’m glad I checked it out. Now I know what I’ve missed all these years!
Follow me as I arrive from the shuttle bus around seven in the morning. The sun hasn’t broken through the clouds yet…
Walking past an Old Mission Beach Athletic Club truck and banner.People stand as day begins with the national anthem.Official OTL programs for sale near the entrance.Miss Emerson Headquarters is on sandy Emerson Street.
As you might guess, there’s a bikini contest, and every year the winner is titled Miss Emerson.
Scoreboard for 61st World Championship of Over The Line.Players and teams check the official schedule board.Early in the morning and many people are arriving with chairs and coolers.The OTL tournament doesn’t begin until seven thirty.San Diego Parrot Head Club lounge is still empty at this early hour.Guy checks out some silly, very raunchy posters.A player practices fielding a batted ball.The huge OTL tournament finally begins in earnest!Ball is to be struck into a narrow outfield.Lots more people will arrive throughout the day.Some old guys just kicking back on the sand.Marines from opening ceremony color guard pass on an OMBAC cart.The t-shirt gardens shack is becoming more active.Hundreds of games of OTL will be played here over two weekends.San Diego’s sunny Fiesta Island is the home to Over The Line.
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Cool San Diego Sights! 