Tag: food

A colorful Chinese New Year Fair at Balboa Park!

If you love color, culture, food and fun, you should head over to Balboa Park tomorrow, Sunday, February 16, 2025. The second day of the Chinese New Year Fair, hosted by the House of China, will be taking place at the International Cottages!

I walked through the free festival today and photographed a wide variety of cool sights. In addition to the vendors of ethnic food and unique gifts, and the colorful cultural entertainment, the Hall of Nations features artists who are showcasing traditional Chinese art, including calligraphy, brush painting and gourd decoration. I found plenty of references to the Year of the Snake!

There’s something new and exciting to see everywhere visitors turn.

Sunday the entertainment lineup runs from 11 am to 4 pm, with lion and dragon dances and dancing by various groups, plus fashion models, music and more!

These three young journalists were at the event. Write, write, write! Start a blog! Be curious! Be persistent! Be passionate! You never know where your efforts might lead!

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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.

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A unique Valentine’s Tree decorated with Love!

Have you ever heard of a Valentine’s Tree?

A unique Valentine’s Tree greets customers inside Valentine’s Mexican Food in downtown San Diego!

At first glance one might assume it’s a Christmas Tree, but decorated entirely with red tinsel, ribbons, crafted roses and glittering ornaments. With a closer look the truth is revealed. The tree is wrapped with Love!

Valentine’s Day is next Friday. It appears that Valentine’s Mexican Food is ready!

(Their Enchiladas Rancheras are super yummy. Now I’m hungry!)

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

Tour the MAKE Farm at SDSU Mission Valley!

The public is invited to tour a working farm in Mission Valley. I did that today!

MAKE Farm at SDSU Mission Valley is located a short distance from Snapdragon Stadium. Perhaps you’ve seen the farm from the elevated Stadium trolley station, or the parking lot east of the stadium.

I first noticed the new half-acre urban farm early this year and posted this blog. Today, as I walked through the SDSU Mission Valley river park, I saw a sign indicating there was a tour today. It turned out today was the farm’s very first “trial” tour–the official tours will begin next January on Saturday mornings.

The MAKE farm is flourishing! Adam and a farming trainee (a friendly refugee) showed me rows upon rows of organically grown vegetables. They pointed out beets, radishes, peas, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, bok choy, kale, parsley, carrots, strawberries, onions . . . and more! During the summer they also grew corn, beans and other warm weather crops.

After taking a look at the growing food, I learned how the farm has a special CSA Program. For a monthly subscription, you can receive a weekly bag full of farm-fresh healthy vegetables! You also receive an invitation to a fun seasonal gathering on the farm! Cool! Learn about the program by clicking here!

As I explained previously, the farm gives refugees job training, and some of the produce that is harvested goes to the MAKE Cafe restaurant in North Park.

Students from San Diego State University are also visiting the farm to learn about sustainability. Once SDSU Mission Valley is fully developed, the farm will be ideally located!

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

Start your own holiday food drive in San Diego!

Would you like to help people in your community who are hungry this holiday season? It’s easy for you, your organization or business to start a holiday food drive! The San Diego Food Bank makes it super simple!

A box or tub placed where people congregate can be filled with items like canned foods, peanut butter, pasta, rice, cereal and oatmeal. It’s easy to print out a poster like the one you see above, downloadable from the San Diego Food Bank website here.

Once filled, the container can be picked up for free by the food bank. Or you can drop it off anytime Monday through Friday, 8 am – 12 pm or 1 pm – 4 pm at the San Diego Food Bank address, which is 9850 Distribution Ave., Dock 0, San Diego, CA 92121

If you anticipate a large amount of donated food, the food bank will happily lend you a big collection barrel. Barrel delivery and pickup by the food bank is free! Can you fill multiple barrels? That would be awesome!

Don’t have a good place for a container or barrel? You can also host a virtual food drive!

Find detailed information about hosting your own special food drive by visiting the San Diego Food Bank website here.

Why not make this holiday season extra meaningful? It’s so easy!

Look! We started a food drive today where I work!

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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.

House of Turkey’s colorful celebration in Balboa Park!

San Diego saw a huge celebration of Turkey’s unique history and culture on Sunday. The House of Turkey brought a festive parade and lawn program to Balboa Park!

I spied the flag-waving procession heading down El Prado around noontime. The smiling group was led by the House of Turkey royalty. Those participating gathered beside the Bea Evenson Fountain, danced and clapped their hands in rhythm!

At the International Cottages, a huge crowd enjoyed traditional food, including Gözleme, Börek and Turkish Tea.

There were crafts, kids activities, cultural displays, and after opening remarks, the happy music of the ATASC-SD Turkish Music Chorus. Then at two o’clock colorfully costumed Turkish folk dancing by the performing group Grup Anadolu began!

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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.

Food, cars and fun at Lemon Fest in Lemon Grove!

This weekend, after a five year absence, Lemon Fest returned to the city of Lemon Grove!

The community festival, held at St. John of the Cross Catholic Church, featured tons of food, a cool car show, live music and entertainment, a baking contest, kids games, vendors, a huge rummage sale, a plant sale, an auction . . . and many people wearing yellow and big smiles!

I was told that St. John of the Cross has had a Fall Festival since 1940, the year its church building was dedicated. The festival was temporarily suspended during COVID, but is now coming back. Next year the plan is that the Lemon Fest is even bigger and better, as it was before the pandemic!

I walked around enjoying the smells of food and the sound of music. Lots of families were at the tables eating great food and enjoying company. What a fun time!

The team Steel Magnolias is Making Strides Against Breast Cancer! They’re walking on October 27th. You can support this team by clicking here!

The Old Memories Sur San Diego car club had some very cool cars on display at Lemon Fest.

Kathy Villalobos of Gift of Dance was selling a piano with an amazing history. She explained how this Miraculous Brewster Piano, once the property of an opera singer, has produced many unexpected blessings. Funds from its sale will go toward repairing flood damage in the church.

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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.

Crackers, candy and San Diego history!

Many ordinary appearing buildings in downtown San Diego have surprising histories. That is certainly the case for the Olde Cracker Factory Building at 448 West Market Street.

The 1913 brick building might now contain retail, office and residential spaces, but would you believe it was once a cracker and candy factory?

According to its website, the building was home to the Bishop and Company Cracker and Candy Factory from 1913-1931, and then Nabisco Biscuit Company until 1941. In 1930, the Bishop Cracker and Candy Factory employed 100 men and women who produced cookies, crackers and peanut butter. Over ten tons of products were produced here annually…

Check out the above website for more detailed history and intriguing old photographs. You’ll see antique delivery trucks parked in front of the Bishop & Company building, and busy factory workers and machinery inside.

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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.

Hungarian dance and culture in Balboa Park!

The House of Hungary presented a wonderful lawn program today in Balboa Park.

Those who came by the International Cottages could feast on Hungarian food, including Potato Paprikash and Crepes, and enjoy an introduction to Hungary’s history and culture. At the House of Hungary cottage, used books in Hungarian were for sale. Out on the lawn, dancers and musicians took the stage.

I arrived just before 2 o’clock and watched a performance by two professional ballet dancers: Hungarian born Reka Gyulai (principal dancer, California Ballet) and Lester Gonzalez. Their dance, as you might expect, was extraordinary.

Then came a performance by the Hungarian Children’s School. The symbolic dance was about creating New Bread. It was full of fun, family happiness and joy for life.

Later performances, which I missed, included jazz and folk music by The Hunglish Project, the Karpatok Hungarian Dance Ensemble, and a Rubik’s Cube demonstration and quiz show!

Another great time on another Sunday in sunny San Diego!

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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.

Lids of Encouragement provides hope in San Diego.

Can you imagine being homeless or very poor and hungry? How difficult your day-to-day life would be. How depressed you might feel. How hopeless and inescapable the situation might seem?

I was walking home from San Diego Comic-Con a couple days ago when I met a couple of smiling guys selling water by the sidewalk. They had this sign:

What would you say to make someone’s day?

When I stopped to learn what those words meant, I discovered these guys are working to help the homeless and hungry in San Diego with Lids of Encouragement.

On their table I saw container lids with positive messages written on them. Lids of Encouragement uses these lids to seal care and food packages for those in need downtown. I told them I’d write a blog to help their effort.

I found this article written a couple months ago. It explains how the founder himself was homeless for a while. He must certainly understand what it’s like. The organization has been around for many years now. Lids of Encouragement might be small but it’s still going strong!

I also see students in downtown San Diego are writing encouraging messages on many of the lids.

You can check out the Lids of Encouragement website by clicking here. Perhaps you can help them in their very important mission to make lives better.

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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.