Tag: events

San Diego gets ready for TwitchCon 2024!

Thousands of video live streamers and fans will soon be converging on the San Diego Convention Center. San Diego is getting ready for TwitchCon 2024!

This year, TwitchCon will be bigger than ever, and evidence of its popularity has begun to pop up around downtown–in particular the Gaslamp Quarter.

TwitchCon 2024 will run this weekend from September 20 to September 22. The San Diego Convention Center is already decorated for the event, as you can see from these photos taken Tuesday afternoon.

The TwitchCon Block Party will be held in the Gaslamp Quarter near the convention center on Fifth Avenue this Saturday, September 21, beginning at 7:00 pm. Head on down for three hours of food vendors, live music options, themed photo ops, plenty of spots to chill with friends, and more.

A bunch of advertisements concerning TwitchCon have appeared up and down Fifth Avenue. Here are two “glitchy” ones…

And check this one out. Find five marbleverse marbles and get free loot!

Gamers! This is really cool.

Bards & Cards at 936 Fifth Avenue will be hosting a free event. On Saturday, September 21, from 11 am to 4 pm, you can meet Briana White, the voice of Aerith Gainsborough in Final Fantasy VII Remake! Get her autograph and photos!

Briana White is also a Twitch streamer. She’s known as TheStrangeRebel.

Finally, if you’re a fan of Sonic the Hedgehog, go check out the Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Café at 910 J Street, just north of Petco Park. They debuted before Comic-Con and will remain open to the public until early November.

Inside they’ve got fun graphics for photo-ops, all sorts of Sonic merch, and really great fast food. Tonight I took home one of their Knuckles chicken sandwiches and it was tasty good!

UPDATE!

Next day, street lamp banners were appearing in the Gaslamp…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Art gallery at the Rancho Bernardo Library!

If you love art and have a chance to visit the Rancho Bernardo Library, make sure to head up the stairs or elevator. A long hallway on the second floor doubles as an art gallery!

On view in this gallery through the end of September are colorful works by award-winning San Diego artists Terry Anderson and Marlene Levitt. The two artists paint acrylic abstracts on the same canvas at the same time!

According to the artists’ website, their Temáre abstract paintings evoke an emotion of color and contrast...

As my photographs demonstrate, their bold, dynamic art really grabs your attention! Need some home decor? I noticed these pieces at the library are also for sale.

Are you a local or regional artist with work you’d like to exhibit in a branch of the San Diego Public Library? Check out SDPL’s Visual Arts Program and fill out an application by clicking here!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

San Diego artist invites you into his Portal to Heaven!

San Diego artist James E. Watts will be hosting an art show inside his downtown studio this coming Sunday, September 22, 2024. Visitors will have the opportunity to be transported by his wonderful Portal to Heaven!

I swung by his studio this morning and was able to sneak a look at his completed Portal to Heaven project myself.

An astonishing wall appears like a puzzle piece sky full of clouds. Each of the 105 hand sewn clouds, he explains, gather and radiate orgone life energy like a battery! Stand at the heavenly portal and feel its energy!

I blogged about this ambitious project last December. You can read more about it here.

After James showed me the amazing Portal to Heaven, I turned about and saw how he’s creating bunches of apples. They’re in groups of five. He calls them all together the Gates of Hell!

The apples are of different sizes, just as sins are. Would you take a bite of these apples? Perhaps a little one?

James Watts’ studio never ceases to amaze me. Creativity fills it wall to wall, and every time I visit it seems there’s a new, fantastic project.

James loves ideas, theories, philosophy, literature . . . different ways of seeing this world. With his art he inspires, teaches. He explained during our talk today that he’s a teacher without a classroom.

You’ll note he also has a big smile.

Next he showed me what he called a sense board. This particular work of art, which is titled Six Senses, actively interacts with a person using sound, smell, touch, taste, sight and intuition! Should you attend his art show next Sunday, perhaps you can try it out!

Interested, yet?

James E. Watts will host the 100 Clouds 100 Apples art show this coming Sunday, from 12 to 8 pm. His studio is located in the heart of downtown at 1046 Seventh Avenue.

Lovers of art just might find heaven!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Rancho Bernardo gathers for RB Alive!

A very cool street festival was held today in Rancho Bernardo. Several blocks of Bernardo Center Drive filled with vendors, artists, food, entertainment and fun for the North San Diego Business Chamber’s 36th Annual RB Alive!

I walked through the festival around noontime as it got underway. A good crowd appeared quickly, attesting to the popularity of this community gathering. (Unfortunately, RB Alive! was put on hold the past few years due to COVID.)

It was interesting to learn about many of the organizations on hand. Civic groups, politicians, churches, clubs, schools, you name it–everyone was smiling and ready to greet passersby.

This was my first time experiencing the event. I took some photographs as I walked about.

The RB Karate Center was providing martial arts demonstrations on one stage.

RB Alive! is organized by the North San Diego Business Chamber. They have numerous educational programs and events that support local business.

The Ed Brown Center for Active Adults is working to convert an old lawn bowling area in Rancho Bernardo Community Park into 16 pickleball courts.

The Rancho Bernardo Historical Society has a museum at the Bernardo Winery. The museum’s exhibits include a replica mud wagon stagecoach.

The Historical Society’s table had a detailed timeline of Rancho Bernardo’s history. Thank you for all the informative brochures. I need to visit their museum some day!

If history is your thing, why not join their efforts as a volunteer?

The Rancho Bernardo Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol acts as eyes and ears for the San Diego Police Department.

Are you 50 years or older? They’re always looking for volunteers!

More smiles!

I learned the Rancho Bernardo Public Library is just down the street. So after the festival I went there. Blog posts are coming up concerning my visit!

Creative vendors had all sorts of cool crafts and art out on display…

There would be entertainment throughout the day, including live music.

Loads of food everywhere you look!

I learned the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary is engaged in many charitable projects in Mexico and developing countries. They’re fighting childhood disease, providing clean water, building houses and hospitals…

The Rancho Bernardo Community Council is Your Voice in the Community. They are an all-volunteer organization acting as an advisory board to the City of San Diego on a range of public issues.

They also organize many fun community events! They’re glad to welcome volunteers!

Even the dogs were having a great time at RB Alive!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Ballet folklórico, joy, and the Gift of Dance!

Enjoy a collection of colorful photographs. I took them today during the Fiestas Patrias event in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.

These young ballet folklórico dancers are from Gift of Dance, a school Where Love, Technique, Joy and Tradition brings Communities and Families Together!

I’ve seen this group at other San Diego events. When they perform, I feel that life is indeed good. All the troubles of this world melt away, and one can see how the human race might be. Simply joyful.

After a fun Fiestas Patrias parade around Old Town’s central plaza (in which the costumed dancers participated), two separate dance performances were staged on the grass. Onlookers enjoyed a variety of traditional Mexican baile folklórico folk dances, including La Raspa, Los Machetes, and even a Mexican Waltz. Beginning dancers included a two-year-old!

At the end of each performance, the audience was invited to come up and dance on the grass, too!

I hope these photos convey the joy…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Photos of Fiestas Patrias in Old Town State Park!

A great event was held today in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Mexico’s Independence Day was celebrated with a fun, cultural Fiestas Patrias!

California State Park employees and volunteers teamed up with the Boosters of Old Town San Diego and the Old Town San Diego Chamber of Commerce to bring an assortment of free activities.

It all began with a late morning kick-off parade circling the historic park’s Plaza de las Armas. The very colorful Fiestas Patrias parade was led by Old Town’s beloved rescue donkey Dulce. Then there were two wonderful performances of ballet folklorico by beautifully costumed young people, representing Gift of Dance.

On the perimeter of the grassy plaza, living history activities could be freely enjoyed by anyone, young or old. There was a calligraphy learning table, tortilla making and traditional crafts. Kids were excited to make corn husk dolls and Mexican cascarones.

What’s more, there was a Guac’ Off Competition! For five bucks the public was invited to try samples of guacamole and judge which was best!

For those who wanted a good look at San Diego’s early history, Historic Adobe Tours were also available to the public, with groups setting off from the Robinson-Rose House Visitor Center.

I walked around the event late this morning and took some photos…

Everyone could get a small Mexican flag to wave during the fun, cultural event.

Here comes the Fiestas Patrias parade!

Dulce the Old Town donkey leads the Fiestas Patrias parade.

Smiles and period attire on parade!

The parade included volunteers of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.

Many traditional Mexican folk dances would follow the parade.

Young dancers from San Diego ballet folklorico school Gift of Dance.

Pure joy.

Fiestas Patrias activities for families in Old Town’s historic central plaza.

A smile from Strenger Studio, which provides calligraphy workshops and supplies in Old Town.

A young Fiestas Patrias visitor learns calligraphy.

Kids were learning how to make confetti-filled cascarones here.

Traditional tortilla-making demonstration.

Friendly Boosters of Old Town work the Guac’ Off Competition tent.

Which guacamole is best? Winner gets bragging rights for a year!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Fiestas Patrias parade in Old Town San Diego!

A colorful parade moved through Old Town San Diego State Historic Park late this morning. At eleven o’clock, to kick off a big, family-friendly Fiestas Patrias celebration, the parade gathered near the Cosmopolitan Hotel then proceeded around the State Park’s grassy plaza!

The parade, celebrating Mexico’s Independence Day, was led by Old Town’s rescue donkey Dulce. It was her first parade in years. Sadly, Dulce was not joined by her old companion donkey Don, who passed away earlier this year. (I’m told Dulce is now doing well.)

Included in the parade were Old Town San Diego State Historic Park volunteers in period attire and young ballet folklorico dancers from Gift of Dance. The procession moved past restored buildings from San Diego’s early history. The park interprets a fascinating period of time, back when the newborn city was a part of Spain, then Mexico, then the United States.

After circling the plaza, the costumed dancers filed onto the grass in front of the stage, where they would entertain the gathered crowd. (Later today I’ll post photographs of the dancing!)

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Man of the Crowd at San Diego Museum of Art.

Extraordinary photographs by preeminent mid-20th century photographer Garry Winogrand are currently on display at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park.

Images of people in the act of being very human line the walls of the museum’s free-to-the-public Galleries 14 and 15. The exhibition is titled Garry Winogrand: Man of the Crowd.

Yes, there are photographs of celebrities and social activism, but images of ordinary people on the street are perhaps more interesting. Moments captured spontaneously in different settings show unexpected contrasts, humor, pathos, and quirks of human nature. These often surprising photos reveal truths about life and living.

Nowadays, in our brave new world of social media and smartphones, most photos seem taken to gain self-centered attention. It’s refreshing to view extraordinary photographs that are dedicated to investigating this captivating world that is all around us.

I took my own photos from a video in the exhibition, where Garry Winogrand provides his thoughts on photography. (That explains the subtitles.)

Garry Winogrand: Man of the Crowd will be on view through January 12, 2025. The free exhibition can be accessed through a door next to Panama 66 that leads to museum restrooms. Look for the following sign:

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

An eruption of Blue at the Timken Museum!

It’s like a volcano erupting with the deepest blue! That was my first impression of two large monochromatic blue drawings at the Timken Museum of Art. They are part of this summer’s exhibition In Blue Time by the Timken’s most recent Artist-in-Residence Tatiana Ortiz-Rubio.

Tatiana Ortiz-Rubio is originally from Mexico. While living in Mexico City, she became fascinated by that city’s many murals.

Her large works of art are certainly eye-catching. Perhaps you remember her gigantic COVID mural on the side of the tall Bread and Salt building in Logan Heights, easily seen when driving back to San Diego over the Coronado Bridge. I posted photos of that mural back in 2021 here.

Much of Tatiana’s work has a cloud-like appearance–cloudy and nebulous, like memory. She has stated, per the museum website: “Memory is written once, then rewritten, manipulated, reinvented and recreated. Each time we reach for a memory it becomes something else. Forgetting is the distance from our past, the nebulous blue horizon of a memory standing at the edge allowing us to continuously reshape who we are.“

In the Timken’s temporary Exhibition Gallery, you’ll also find a recent large-scale drawing, created in collaboration with musical composer Stefan Cwik and inspired by the concept of time. It’s in my final photograph.

There are more of her works to see, too, plus you can add to the blueness! A community mural that anyone can help create awaits those who feel inspired. It’s entirely in blue!

In Blue Time is only on view for another two and a half weeks, through September 29, 2024.

The Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park is free and full of masterpieces by old masters. Nowhere else in San Diego will you find a painting by Rembrandt!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Survivors of Suicide Loss provides comfort, hope.

An important event was held today in Balboa Park. The Survivors of Suicide Loss San Diego held a Walk in Remembrance With Hope.

As I entered Balboa Park for a late Sunday morning stroll, I noticed tents and a stage coming down on the grass near Sixth Avenue. I then spoke to smiling people who had worked to organize the event.

When I was told about the Walk in Remembrance With Hope, I wanted to help in a small way with my blog.

The walk was a memorable way to celebrate the lives of loved ones lost to suicide
& to raise awareness about suicide prevention. Funds raised stay in San Diego County for suicide outreach & prevention and survivor support services.

If you’d like to read more about the organization, find comfort, or help spread human compassion, please visit the Survivors of Suicide Loss San Diego website by clicking here.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.