Tag: family

Fun photos at Chula Vista Lemon Festival!

Huge crowds converged today in downtown Chula Vista for the big 25th Annual Lemon Festival!

Families were walking along Third Avenue enjoying the lemony sights and tasty smells.

Musicians performed on the Zesty Stage. Kids played and made crafts in the Lil’ Lemons zone. Vendors had all sorts of lemon-themed goodies on display, and it seemed that fresh lemonade could be found every few steps! Many neighbors were wearing bright yellow!

Why a big Lemon Festival in Chula Vista?

Once upon a time, before asphalt streets crisscrossed the sunny landscape, agriculture in San Diego’s South Bay was famous for its abundant lemon production. Our climate is perfect to grow citrus.

In the early 20th century there were almost two thousand acres of lemon groves around Chula Vista, which called itself the Lemon Capital of the World.

Enjoy the following fun photos! I walked up and down Third Avenue a couple times, taking in the festive scene, before I headed off to another cool Chula Vista location, as you will see in an upcoming blog post!

This super nice lady handed me some literature concerning the Arts in the Park festival, which is coming up in Chula Vista on August 27th from 10-5 in Memorial Park.

Mark it on your calendar!

If you’d like to see a few more photographs these great chalk art murals, click here!

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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!

An ordinary guy in San Diego thanks Peter Seidler.

All of San Diego is buzzing with excitement. Something truly extraordinary is now happening in our city. Millions of ordinary people–like me–are feeling the electricity.

San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler is someone I’ll probably never meet. He’s someone millions who live in San Diego will never personally meet.

Thank you Peter Seidler for making the Padres instant World Series contenders.

Thank you for millions of sudden cheers, smiles, high fives, great days. Thank you for all the precious lifelong memories that are surely coming. Thank you for fresh feelings of hope–a sustained anticipation for tomorrow . . . the next game . . . the next series . . . the next October.

Thank you for strengthening a diverse city’s sense of unity. Thank you for reinforcing a feeling of pride enjoyed by millions who live in San Diego.

Thank you for all the lives that will be enriched and brightened.

Parents, their children, their grandchildren and countless generations will remember. And celebrate.

Lastly, thank you from a blogger who loves the Padres. Yesterday, as I listened to the game, I experienced goosebumps.

I’ll probably have more goosebumps this afternoon.

Time to shine!

GO PADS!

Cool cars on a Thursday in La Mesa!

It’s summer. It’s a Thursday.

That, of course, means the weekly La Mesa Classic Car Show was held this evening in the Village of La Mesa!

A large crowd was sitting along La Mesa Boulevard east of Spring Street, on sidewalk benches, on lawn chairs, or at tables outside restaurants, looking at cars as families passed by.

There were classic cars, lowriders, hot rods . . . cars that were perfectly restored or partially restored–it didn’t matter. And there were trucks, and vans, and uniquely modified vehicles that were one-of-a-kind. All were admired as works of art.

What an awesome event!

A community drawn together. Generations sharing one passion.

Voices sharing stories. . . the smell of food . . . the sound of a band playing nearby . . .

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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!

Sunday morning walk around Comic-Con!

It’s Sunday, the last day of Comic-Con 2022. Things are beginning to wind down a little bit, but thousands are still enjoying the annual pop culture convention.

In the morning fans were heading to the San Diego Convention Center, and many families had driven in from around the city on what is typically a more family-oriented day.

The offsite lines aren’t as bad as Saturday, but they’re still fairly long. I’m afraid I didn’t have the patience to wait. I like to keep moving. Perhaps I’ll go on one more walk around Comic-Con this afternoon and analyze the situation again.

This is what I saw…

People head in toward the San Diego Convention Center on Sunday, the last day of Comic-Con.

Congratulations Rachel Smythe! Eisner Award winner for best webcomic.

Cool cosplay!

The IMDboat has already wrapped up. Or, I should say, is unwrapping.

These friendly folks are launching JAM. It’s a spoken word app for your phone. You can record or listen to mini-podcasts about a minute long! “Your story. Your voice.” Brilliant idea!

Check out the JAM homepage if you’d like to join!

Here comes Batman. He forgot to use a grappling wire.

Creative steampunk and flames cosplay!

UH OH! Looks like the dragon escaped from the House of the Dragon’s castle.

No, it’s just friendly T. rex and his buddy.

As the morning progressed, the crowd heading toward the convention center grew.

Walking during Comic-Con, a few minutes before some of the outdoor activations open.

A somewhat longish line at the Abbott Elementary offsite.

Minimalist cosplay. Nezuko’s box.

Another smaller box, with a head poking out of it.

The Dragon Ball offsite gave away lots of great swag!

Hela and her small red sidekick.

I was tossed a tiny rubber ducky that squeaks!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

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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!

Pacific Beach’s faithful pier dog.

Walk down the boardwalk in Pacific Beach and you might notice a corroded plaque mounted near the office door of the Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages.

The plaque remembers Sinjin, the pier dog.

On the ground beside the door, water and dog treats are offered In Memory Of Sinjin, Bonita, and Mr. Blue.

Sinjin

07/01/91 – 01/10/06

LOYAL COMPANION, KNOWN BY MANY, FRIEND TO ALL, FAITHFUL PIER DOG, A TRUE BEST FRIEND YOU ARE FAMILY AND WILL BE MISSED AND LOVED ALWAYS.

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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!

La Mesa celebrates freedom at inaugural Juneteenth event!

Today was the start of something big in La Mesa. This afternoon the inaugural La Mesa Juneteenth celebration kicked off in MacArthur Park!

I arrived shortly after the free public event opened at noon. Lots of people were already walking about, exploring the many canopies dotting the grass. I saw artists with crafts, vendors, community organizations . . . and lots of smiles!

There were families everywhere enjoying the sunshine. Kids were playing in a fun zone and learning about the history of the very first Juneteenth, June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Texas finally heard of their freedom.

I missed some of the later entertainment. I’ll try to catch it next year.

Because I have no doubt next year’s La Mesa Juneteenth celebration will be even bigger and better!

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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!

Fun events during California State Parks Week!

It’s California State Parks Week!

At Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, some fun, free activities are planned.

Tomorrow, June 14, visitors will be invited to explore the park’s beautiful new outdoor Land of the First People with park interpreters.

On June 16, in Old Town’s grass plaza, families will enjoy engaging in historical pastimes including the Kumeyaay game ‘p’shok,’ as well as lawn games such as ‘hoop and stick,’ egg races, and tug of war from the Californio period.

Up the coast at Cardiff State Beach, on June 15, kids can participate in My Fun Future in the Outdoors, when California State Park employees share their favorite reasons to work in Parks. Kids can speak to heroes and become inspired!

Click the above links to learn more!

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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!

La Mesa gathers for big Flag Day Parade!

A good crowd gathered late this morning in the Village of La Mesa for the big 23rd Annual Flag Day Parade!

Excited people–young and old, kids and parents, friends and neighbors–lined the sidewalks on either side of La Mesa Boulevard to watch heroes and active members of the community pass by in a sea of American flags.

Flags waved for marching bands, veterans, beauty queens, scout troops, youthful dancers, politicians–everything you’d expect from this red, white and blue slice of Americana!

The patriotic spectacle is a popular La Mesa tradition that I personally hadn’t seen until today.

I took lots of colorful photographs that you, too, might enjoy…

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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 photos for you to enjoy!

You missed Red Shoe Day? Donate online!

It’s Red Shoe Day in San Diego!

Volunteers hanging out at busy intersections this morning were collecting donations for the Ronald McDonald House, which helps sick kids who are being treated at local hospitals, providing a nearby place for their families to stay!

Did you miss an opportunity to place some money in a red shoe this morning? Well, you can donate online. Do it here!

Thank you!

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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!

Cool photo memories from June 2017.

A cattle drive through downtown San Diego!

That was probably the strangest event Cool San Diego Sights recorded during the month of June in 2017.

Five years ago there were other fascinating events, too, like the Wooden Boat Festival on Shelter Island, and the Ocean Beach Street Fair, and Flag Day in Old Town, and Family Day at Tecolote Canyon Natural Park.

Plus, I saw indications that another San Diego Comic-Con was fast approaching!

I’ve selected nine very different blog posts from June 2017 that you might enjoy checking out…

Click the following links to see lots of photos!

Photos of cattle drive through downtown San Diego!

Photos of Family Day at Tecolote Canyon Natural Park.

A glimpse of history at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Mormon Battalion celebrates Flag Day in Old Town.

Photos from Port of San Diego’s harbor tour.

First 2017 San Diego Comic-Con trolley: The Orville!

Photos of the San Diego Wooden Boat Festival!

Artists add life to the Ocean Beach Street Fair!

A walk through history in The Village of La Mesa.

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