Tag: events

The Art of Science exhibit by UC San Diego.

The Art of Science is a photographic exhibit that explores the intersection of art and science. Curious eyes can view this cool exhibit inside the Sally T. WongAvery Library at UC San Diego, and at the Natural History Museum in Balboa Park.

The above fluorescent image of a pine tree stem cross-section was taken using a microscope. A stem that is scientifically examined might be a natural object, but like any art the resulting image is human-created, and can stimulate complex thought and emotion.

Many would say the above image is beautiful.

Do you consider it to be beautiful?

Why or why not?

Aren’t all things in this world potentially beautiful?

Is beauty entirely in the eye (or mind) of the beholder?

The Art of Science presents several intriguing images that appear simultaneously familiar and strange.

Here’s a web page that describes the exhibit, including: Now in its third year, the Library’s Art of Science contest celebrates the beauty that can emerge during scientific research at UC San Diego and beyond. This year, librarians and staff pre-selected items from the Research Data Collections repository. From these selected images, winners were chosen by the campus and the broader San Diego community via online voting.

More samples from the exhibit…

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Historic U.S. Route 101 signs debut in South Bay!

Thirteen new Historic California US 101 Route Signs have debuted in San Ysidro and Chula Vista, marking where the legendary highway once ran through the South Bay. The signs recall a time when motorists relied on old Highway 101 to travel from San Diego down to Mexico.

The signs, recently installed by the City of San Diego and Chula Vista, are part of a project undertaken by the South Bay Historical Society, led by Jack Gechter. Seven additional signs have been created for National City. Hopefully those will debut soon, too!

Here is Jack’s Facebook page with a post that describes exactly where these new Historic California US 101 Route Signs have been placed.

I walked along Beyer Boulevard in San Ysidro this morning to capture a few photographs. Had I continued north into Chula Vista, where Beyer turns into Broadway, I would have seen more of these awesome new signs!

Here’s a blog post from last summer where I share more details about the project. You’ll find links to maps depicting where U.S. Route 101 once ran south of downtown 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!

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House of Ukraine kids sing Christmas carols!

The spirit of Christmas lives on in San Diego!

This afternoon, kids performed traditional Ukrainian Christmas carols at the International Cottages in Balboa Park. They sang and played guitar in front of the House of Ukraine cottage.

I saw small wise men, an angel, a bright guiding star, and possibly Mary and Joseph on donkeys. When I asked about the riders, I learned animals from the stable where Jesus was born are often represented in traditional Ukrainian skits performed by kids wandering from door to door during the holiday season.

In this world where adult wars never seem to cease, let us remember the children. May there be Peace on Earth.

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

Fine stamp collection displayed at Central Library.

Postage stamps from the award-winning Helen Cushman Philatelic Collection are now being exhibited at the San Diego Central Library. Several large display cases inside the Special Collections Center contain dozens of colorful stamps that should interest art lovers and philatelists alike.

As one sign explains, Helen Cushman, a prominent civic activist in San Diego, participated in many regional and national competitions that showcased her Topical stamp collections. Her 1974 book entitled “San Diego Vacation” won the top prize at the national SOJEX Stamp Exposition. The book illustrated the best of San Diego using postage stamps to illustrate why San Diego is a great place to visit.

Peering into the display cases, I noticed postage stamps of different shapes and sizes from many nations. Her collection, in fact, spans 234 countries and over 160 years of production. Many of the stamps she collected commemorate events and/or people of historical significance, capturing a glimpse in time.

I fondly remember collecting stamps when I was very young. I would carefully tear away the corners of received mail, soak the stamps in a sink to separate them from the envelope, dry the stamps on a towel, then use a licked hinge to attach my new finds to the correct pages of a big stamp album. That was long ago. I’m not sure what became of my album. Sold at a swap meet, perhaps. It’s fun to imagine that those stamps I gathered might now be in the collection of another young person!

If you’ve never visited the San Diego Central Library’s rooftop Ninth Floor, you really should. There are beautiful views of the city, an art gallery, and the Marilyn & Gene Marx Special Collections Center, where you’ll find not only these stamps, but a museum-like collection of research materials, fine art and rare books!

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

Construction improves Gallagher Square at Petco Park!

Gallagher Square at Petco Park is being greatly improved. Construction is now underway outside the Padres’ home ballpark in East Village, and I was able to take photographs that include a bird’s-eye view of the activity!

A sign on the fence surrounding the construction site indicates the new Gallagher Square will include an expanded playground and play area, an off-leash dog park, an improved Play Ball Field for kids, a new Tony Gwynn Terrace viewing deck and picnic space, plus state of the art technology and sound mitigation. The latter might be helpful during future concerts here.

I remember when this innovative outdoor area beyond Petco Park’s outfield was called Park at the Park. Several changes have occurred since then! I believe the Tony Gwynn statue will be moved onto the viewing deck that will bear his name.

A special thank you to Chris, super cool bartender at Fairweather Rooftop Bar and Grill, whose outdoor patio overlooks Gallagher Square. What a perfect place to sit, drink and dine, while watching a live concert, or taking in the ambience of a baseball game . . . or viewing the progress of this project!

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

Cool photo memories from January 2019.

Five years ago, during the month of January, I shared hundreds of photographs from a variety of interesting walks around San Diego. It’s time to revisit some of those old blog posts from 2019!

Roaming through diverse neighborhoods, I had fun discovering all sorts of public art. I encountered a group of superheroes in Balboa Park. I walked through snow in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park in the mountains east of San Diego. I enjoyed a very cool museum annex that few people visit. But my favorite memory is the “book pass” event at the new library in Mission Hills.

Curious? Click the following links!

Click the following links to see many cool photographs!

Snow and winter beauty at Cuyamaca.

Two colorful, fun benches in Pepper Park!

Two colorful, fun benches in Tidelands Park!

San Diego’s drive-through art gallery expands!

Sand sculpture murals show San Diego history!

A visit to the Air and Space Museum Annex!

Justice League superheroes patrol Balboa Park!

I AM EELCO’s colorful Sea Walls mural!

Liquid Harmony mural at Encanto trolley station.

Photos of historic “Book Pass” in Mission Hills!

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

The holiday Grinch Tree comes down!

You know the holiday season in San Diego is over when the Grinch Tree comes down outside the Old Globe in Balboa Park!

The joyful Christmas tree, with its candelabras, horns, wreaths and happy Whoville characters, was disassembled today and promptly hustled away. The Grinch, that old grouch, would applaud its disappearance!

What’s with that funny monkey mask atop the boxes? I was told by two of the smiling Grinch Tree disassemblers that the monkey face was embedded inside the tree. I don’t know if they were pulling my leg. For real? I asked. Yes, I was assured.

I suppose next holiday season, I’ll have to peer into the tree more closely!

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

Celebrating the 109th birthday of the Spreckels Organ!

A special concert today in Balboa Park celebrated the 109th birthday of the Spreckels Organ!

San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez performed a crowd pleasing assortment of music, and received another standing ovation. Our city is fortunate to have a charismatic, world-class organist increasing the popularity of the Spreckels Organ, the largest outdoor musical instrument in the world!

During the free concert, audience members were invited to file through the organ building to watch and hear the incredible pipe organ in action. I myself entered as Raul began a medley from The Sound of Music. I wanted to take another look at historical photographs that line the walls of the building’s central hallway.

(You can see behind-the-scenes photos I took of the Spreckels Organ nine years ago by clicking here.)

The Spreckels Organ made its debut on January 1, 1915, at the opening of the Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park. The organ was donated by the Spreckels brothers to the people of San Diego and the people of all the world. They stipulated that all concerts must be free.

Free concerts can be enjoyed 109 years later every Sunday at 2 pm!

Crowd listens to Spreckels Organ 109th birthday concert during the holiday season.

The San Diego Union newspaper, Friday Morning, January 1, 1915. John D. Spreckels Gives to San Diego America’s First Out-Of-Door Organ.

Mr. Edward Crome, Spreckels Organ Installer, 1914.

Mr. Harrison Albright, Architect, Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

Dr. Humphrey J. Stewart, City Organist, 1915-1932.

The Spreckels Organ Pavilion Under Construction – 1914. The only surviving picture.

A 1915 Concert. Note the hooded console and umbrellas.

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

Magical marionettes at Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater!

The Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater in Balboa Park hosted Steve Taylor’s funny “Magical Marionettes Show” this weekend. I enjoyed a fun performance this afternoon!

Balboa Park’s historic Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater, which got its start back in 1947, remains a favorite destination for families looking for child-friendly, light-hearted entertainment.

I’m sure Steve Taylor’s puppeteering brought smiles to every face in the audience. Very young kids clapped and danced with the marionettes. Older folks like me were often chuckling at clever bits of gentle humor.

During the 30 minute show, we watched as King Kong’s baby played electric guitar, and as Charlie Chaplin adopted a lovable rescue dog. We watched ventriloquist dummy Rudy O’Reilly engage Steve in humorous dialogue. We saw an elephant take a bubble bath (and squirt the excited audience) and a goofy skeleton dance.

Steve Taylor has been putting on puppet shows for 55 years! He got his start as an apprentice to Marie Hitchcock when he was nine years old!

He’s awesome!

As I exited the theater, I noticed some information on a wall that might interest you. Workshops are offered by the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater where anyone can learn about Hand, Marionette, Shadow and Full Body Puppetry. You can also learn how to write a story, and be wild and crazy!

Read the contact info at the bottom of the next image!

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

USC Trojan Marching Band excites San Diego!

Two hours before the start of the 2023 Holiday Bowl football game, the USC Trojan Marching Band performed in Gaslamp Square.

An excited crowd gathered to listen to horns, drums, and the rattle, crash, boom hurrah of familiar fight songs, as smiling band members swayed in unison, danced, and gave each other and people watching high fives!

The Trojan mascot mounted the ladder, raised his bright sword in the San Diego sunshine and all those rooting for the University of Southern California cheered!

After their extended, very exciting performance, the band marched with a rattle and boom toward Petco Park, scene of this year’s big Holiday Bowl!

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!