A Rabbitville bunny on display at the 2018 Padres Opening Weekend Block Party is painted with images of Tony Gwynn and Randy Jones!
Here’s a bunch of photos I took this evening during the first day of the 2018 Padres Opening Weekend Block Party!
The family-friendly event stretches from the Gaslamp Quarter into East Village, along J Street between Sixth and Tenth Avenue. You’ll find it just north of Petco Park, adjacent to the Park at the Park. As you can see from these photographs, there’s tons of food and entertainment, plus one large section devoted to adult beverages. And sprinkled throughout there’s some very cool artwork! Every year this block party seems to get larger and more popular.
The Padres Opening Weekend Block Party continues tomorrow so head on down if you’re in San Diego!
GO PADS!
Padres fans enjoy walking along four blocks of J Street near Petco Park. It’s the Opening Weekend Block Party in San Diego!Lots of people were lined up to spin a California Millions prize wheel.It appeared to me that all of the Gaslamp Quarter Association’s Rabbitville sculptures were out on display. This cool one pays homage to CW superheroes and Comic-Con.Some folks were singing their hearts out doing Street Karaoke.Kid throws a perfect strike!More fun rabbit sculptures in front of Bub’s.Ladies at one table were showing off the East Village-opoly board game!These guys were playing table soccer at a local TV station’s booth.A Padres fan wearing a Garry Templeton jersey is interviewed live on a Mighty 1090 sports radio program.I was seriously tempted to grab a Dunkin’ Donut!Nobody was playing giant Jenga when I happened to pass by.Cheerforce San Diego is trying to get to the World Series of Cheerleading. Read their sign if you’d like to help!A family of Padres fans is interviewed at the Opening Weekend Block Party.Another side of that first Rabbitville bunny! I believe that’s Dave Winfield and Trevor Hoffman. Padres and San Diego are celebrated with a super fun event as baseball season gets underway!
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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!
This morning thousands of generous, compassionate people are walking and running to support local autism programs! The Race For Autism is taking place in Balboa Park as I post this blog!
I wanted to get a taste of the event so I walked up Sixth Avenue from Cortez Hill. I saw so many smiling superheroes I knew at once that those who experience autism are in powerful caring hands.
You can support the National Foundation for Autism Research’s work, particular people, or Race For Autism teams by checking out the donation page here!
Sam Malcolm, a juggling comedian from Denver, Colorado, performs high atop a ladder during the Seaport Village Spring Busker Festival!
Today I enjoyed an hour or so at the 2018 Seaport Village Spring Busker Festival. It’s hard to believe, but this is the fourth time I’ve blogged the annual event. Considering how quickly the years have flown by, I must be having fun!
This year’s busker festival is just as colorful and entertaining as ever. It continues tomorrow, so make sure you head down to Seaport Village for lots of fun, laughs and thrills!
Here are photos from a few of today’s performances…
The 2018 Seaport Village Spring Busker Festival is taking place this weekend!Dango (Derrick Gilday of San Diego) climbs a stack of chairs in Embarcadero Marina Park North, right next to Seaport Village.Dango juggles flaming torches to the delight of the gathered crowd!I was laughing out loud at the screwball antics and absurd comedy of Wacky Chad.Wacky Chad jumps rope every which way. An exhibition of amazing physical dexterity.More juggling. This time atop a super tall unicycle.Some crazy, super high pogo sticking was the highlight of Wacky Chad’s routine. He has appeared on America’s Got Talent twice!The Lynx Variety Show, coming from San Francisco, included a feat of amazing sword swallowing.Mitchell Walker is a regular at Seaport Village, and so is his cool didgeridoo!Greg Frisbee prepares to begin his funny Rubber Chicken Show.Extreme Rahim prepares to wow his audience with magic and positive clean humor. I often see him performing at Seaport Village.Extreme Rahim provides a smile and many good memories in 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!
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!
Plaque on a bench. In loving memory of Linda Sanford Fleming our Coronado Queen. July 4, 1938 – May 6, 2005. From her devoted family and friends.
During my walk last Saturday I rested for a bit on a bench near Coronado’s City Hall. After looking about the beautiful place, I noticed most of the nearby benches featured memorial plaques. I read a few and was touched by words of love and optimism.
Perhaps you’d enjoy seeing a few of these plaques…
A few tranquil paths near Coronado’s City Hall feature benches where one can rest and enjoy the day’s sunshine.A plaque on another bench. In loving memory – Clarence and Mary Muirhead – 65 year Coronado residents fondly remembered by their family.Bicyclist rides past City of Coronado City Hall, next to San Diego Bay. Coronado Shores buildings, near the Pacific Ocean, rise in the background.In memory of June Lenz, founder of Crown Garden Club, whose legacy was to encourage the love of flowers and the beautification of Coronado.In honor of Sue and Bill Williams. Look at the sunny side and make your optimism come true.More benches offer a view of boats in the nearby Glorietta Bay Marina.In memory of Kathy Griffin, beloved daughter and sister. July 25, 1959 – July 28, 2006. What we have lost Heaven has gained. Love family and friends.In loving memory of Lloyd McKinley Harmon. August 1, 1891 – September 16, 1968. Mayor of Coronado in 1952 and 1953 … and Olive Genevieve Harmon. July 4, 1907 – April 3, 2005. Absent but Dear.A sailboat out on the wide blue water.Ensign Van Andrew Wilson, U.S. Navy SEAL. September 3, 1982 – January 26, 2006. His training was finished here. He achieved his goal. The greatest mission lies ahead.
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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!
A juggler belonging to the Fern Street Circus practices his balancing skills before a special performance.
My walk today included a short visit to the Carnival in the Park event hosted by the Port of San Diego. Lots of families came down to Cesar Chavez Park in Barrio Logan to enjoy a free performance by San Diego’s much-loved Fern Street Circus!
I arrived a few minutes early, stayed for a bit, got a yummy free hot dog and enjoyed watching several performers. I didn’t hang around to see the main act, but I bet it was terrific! As I departed, a whole bunch of people were still arriving!
This fun, kid-friendly event was put together by the Port of San Diego’s Tidelands Activation Program. The program celebrates all sorts of cool artwork around San Diego Bay and encourages creativity in the South Bay and other bayside communities.
Here are a few photos!
Cesar Chavez Park in Barrio Logan was the venue today for a show by the Fern Street Circus, hosted by the Port of San Diego.Friendly people from the Port of San Diego’s Public Art Program look on as the crowd slowly grows at Cesar Chavez Park.This smiling lady was handing out free jars of Kinetic Sand to youth at the event. Young artists can easily mold it to express their creativity.Members of the Fern Street Circus ready props on the main stage as the kid-friendly community event gets underway.An aerial silk performer takes to the air above the grassy park.A smile in the San Diego sky!The circus juggler and some kids play with colorful hula hoops.A small circus school at the event showed people how to walk a tightrope!Lots of smiles and fun were enjoyed today at Cesar Chavez Park, courtesy of the Port of San Diego and the Fern Street Circus!
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There’s an author in San Diego by the name of Jack Tyler. He has published all sorts of steampunk fiction and offers great advice about how to write effectively. If this interests you, please follow his blog by clicking here!
You might recall Jack has written an exciting tale of adventure that takes place in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. To learn more about his novel Stingaree, click here!
An example of an elaborate paper toy theater, a source of family entertainment in the 19th century.
Today, just for fun, I headed up to the Paper Theatre Festival, which is held every year at UC San Diego.
Upon entering the Seuss Room at the Geisel Library, I couldn’t help smiling. Scattered about the room was a large collection of Victorian stage dioramas, character cut-outs, books and ephemera from the 19th century when paper toy theatre was a popular family entertainment.
All of the colorful artwork exhibited at the festival is part of an immense paper theatre collection assembled over the course of eighteen years by Scott Paulson. I listened to him talk to visitors young and old about his collection, and tried to absorb a bit of this unique art form’s history. I learned how in that bygone age, families would construct these paper theaters from kits, then act out plays with the included scripts and paper doll actors. The entertaining hobby encouraged people to learn about the operation of a real theater, including set design and stage lighting effects.
Walking about the Seuss Room, I bent over to peer into many highly ornate 3-dimensional dioramas. Slots at intervals on the stages allow different paper backdrops–scenery sheets–to be inserted, as you can see from my photos. Paper characters, which are often mounted at the ends of sticks, can be moved about on a stage as a dramatic performance demands.
The festival is geared toward kids, who are encouraged to handle these fun paper playhouses, learn about their history and create their own small dramas. The event continues Sunday and Monday. Click here to learn more!
Paper Theater – It’s the smallest show on Earth! Historical amusements are on display at the Paper Theatre Festival at the UC San Diego Library.Objects on display include books, posters and materials to create paper theaters.A mirthful dance of magical characters!A variety of paper toy theaters and related items are on display at the annual festival.A scenery sheet depicting a London street to be used in a play of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations.Detail from one ornate paper stage.These cut-out paper actors include dragons, knights and other fantastic characters.Mr. Jackson’s Elizabethan Theatre includes the characters and text for Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.An example of a French paper theatre kit.The exhibition includes a crazy MOV-I-GRAFF card. The outline of the face is a fine chain. The face’s shape can be altered with a jiggle.This stage features a troupe of dancers!Edward Gorey’s Dracula. Classic horror and toy theatre!Teatro de Mexico. A folk art toy theater.Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop. Hansel and Gretel. A model to cut out and make.A fun, very colorful Hansel and Gretel scene made of paper!
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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!
A bit of wisdom by poet Sunny Rey painted on a utility box in City Heights. True Love is a returning…A homecoming…Love awakes the child in you…And walks you through your final door…
I read touching words this morning during a short walk down University Avenue in City Heights. A poem was painted on one side of a utility box; images of a father and son’s love decorated other sides.
The beautiful street art and its poem were about growing older, and wiser, and coming home.
Street art in City Heights on University Avenue shows a father and son holding hands, walking down the sidewalk.
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I’ve finished writing another short story. A Steep Hill is about an old man who undertakes very difficult journeys near his home. If you like, you can read it here.
Members of the Imahen Taotao Tano-Micronesia Dance Group provide entertainment at the 2018 San Diego Multicultural Festival.
Late this afternoon I ventured down to Ruocco Park to get a taste of the 20th Annual San Diego Multi-Cultural Festival.
Every year the fun, family-oriented event showcases diverse cultures from around the world, and how they uniquely contribute to life in our city.
Many organizations were present that work to improve the community, plus all sort of vendors and great entertainment. Please read the photo captions to learn more about a few of the festival participants! You might feel inspired!
The 2017 Multicultural Festival in Ruocco Park had many diverse activities and interesting things for visitors to experience.Some of the vendors had colorful artwork for sale.Entertainment on the main stage included the Micronesia dance group, Taico Japanese Drums and Soaring Eagles Native American Pow Wow.These nice ladies with EF Education First are looking for local families to host international students. Interested?The San Diego International Sister Cities Association had a couple of cool displays showing our 16 sister cities around the world. Participant cities often engage in cultural exchanges, including sporting events.The Japanese Friendship Garden of Balboa Park had something super fun at the festival. Kamizumo!Kamizumo–paper wrestler–is a Japanese game in which folded paper sumo wrestlers are placed in an arena and controlled by vibrating the platform with finger taps. (Click this image and the next to enlarge for easy reading.)If you make these moves you lose: You accidentally step out of the ring while pushing your opponent! You fall over! You step backward out of the ring!Another exciting kamizumo match is almost ready to begin!Cool guys with the Pazzaz Educational Enrichment Center had some Soap Box Derby gravity cars on display. Kids from the community are encouraged to participate in local races! I blogged about one such race in Sherman Heights a couple years ago!A friendly face painter! Some things never change! I captured this same enormous smile a year or two ago!
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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!
I spent another New Year’s Day by sparkling San Diego Bay. My feet seemed drawn to the water, as predictably as the Earth orbits the Sun. The rippling water and sea breeze always makes me feel reborn.
Today I walked from the Hilton San Diego Bayfront to a spot north of the Grape Street Pier, not quite as far as the Coast Guard Station.
Come along and we will relive the journey. Even on a relatively quiet New Year’s Day, we’ll observe fishermen, boaters, bicyclists, musicians, artists, friends and families. We will move through life.
One forward step leads to another.
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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!
The Dickens Carolers sing during the annual Las Posadas event in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
This afternoon I headed to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park to experience the annual Las Posadas Celebration. There were many families in the park enjoying all sorts of holiday activities, gazing at beautiful decorations, and preparing to witness the reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter before the birth of Jesus.
Las Posadas is a Christmas tradition cherished by many Latinos and Spaniards. A candlelight procession after nightfall by members of the community symbolizes the Nativity. Angels and shepherds join along the way. Mary rides a live donkey. There is much joyful singing.
My camera is inadequate after dark. To see (and hear) tonight’s procession in Old Town, you’ll have to use your imagination.
The 67th Annual Las Posadas Celebration in Old Town celebrated a rich holiday tradition. A candlelight procession after dark reenacted the journey of Mary and Joseph in search of shelter before the birth of Jesus.As evening approaches, paper bag luminaries containing candles are placed around the central Plaza de las Armas.A big festive Christmas tree stands near the plaza’s center, beside the tall flagpole.Looking out the front door of the Casa de Estudillo at Old Town San Diego’s big Christmas tree.A shiny star-like pinata hangs in front of the Colorado House. This is where the holiday celebration would reach its joyful climax.Santa wishes everyone a Merry little Christmas inside Toby’s Candle and Soap Shop.A colorful holiday wagon containing red poinsettias is parked outside Toby’s Candle and Soap Shop.Kids activities during Las Posadas included making Christmas tree ornaments.This holiday wreath is decorated with spools of thread! It hangs on a door at Threads of the Past.A big wreath adds holiday cheer to the sunlit Seeley Stable Museum barn.As daylight wanes, families congregate around a campfire and roast marshmallows for s’mores.A special display inside the Robinson-Rose Visitor Center describes the life of Louis Rose, the first Jewish person to settle in San Diego.Reenacting a Hanukkah Candle Lighting Blessing inside the historic Robinson-Rose Visitor Center.
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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!
Cool San Diego Sights! 