Tag: food

Comic-Con fun in the Petco Park Interactive Zone!

Every year at San Diego Comic-Con the Petco Park Interactive Zone offers lots of free family fun. In 2024, if you like being creative, playing games, winning prizes, getting free stuff, and chowing down on tasty food, there’s a lot of fun!

On Thursday I entered the zone to see what I might see. And it was hard to miss the 21 foot tall Exploding Kittens statue of Devilcat. From its feline derriere I extracted a super cool Exploding Kittens Good vs Evil party card game!

Then I checked out the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree photo op. Something weird was hatching from an enormous egg…

Then came perhaps my favorite activation. The Sharpie Creation Station! Visitors could check out a new line of Sharpie Creative Markers by making art by the Sharpie bus. Cool!

Then I entered the Attack of the Metallic Menace, which informs people about the dangers of smoking. Check out the creature inside! I believe I remember it from last year…

The ever popular Hello Kitty Café truck is here…

And other food trucks are present, including “We Slaughter Barbecue” with its The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 50th Anniversary graphics!

There are plenty of picnic benches to sit at while eating and people/cosplay watching…

Finally, I enjoyed walking by the Game of Thrones Legends activation where there are several cool and spooky sculptures! I heard an announcement that someone playing the game was winning a prize, too!

The Petco Park Interactive Zone is located in the Lexus Premier Parking Lot adjacent to the Padres ballpark. It’s right next to the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge.

The fun opens at 10 am each day of San Diego Comic-Con!

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

A visit to Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Café!

The Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Café pop-up fast food restaurant has returned to San Diego for Comic-Con 2024. And they’ve opened before the convention begins!

I swung by 910 J Street today shortly after the the Speed Café opened at 11 am. Not many people were about. In a few days, during Comic-Con starting Wednesday, there will probably be a line halfway down the block–like last year!

I took these photos of the fun Sonic the Hedgehog themed interior, then ordered a milkshake and chicken sandwich (that I consumed a moment ago) from the super friendly people behind the counter.

I must admit the mocha shake and spicy fried chicken sandwich were actually really good! Better then some other fast food joints! The chicken was tasty, crispy and moist inside–yum!

When the Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Café pop-up officially opens on Wednesday, I’m told Sonic himself will be present for the kids. And, of course, there will be Sonic video games that can be freely played, too!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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

Signs that San Diego Comic-Con is coming!

Comic-Con 2024 is less than three weeks away. Around San Diego there are more and more signs that the epic international event is fast approaching!

It seems that dozens of San Diego trolleys are now wrapped for Comic-Con–you can spot them all over the city. The fifth, latest Comic-Con related design I photographed this morning. It’s from Jack in the Box, and features Deadpool & Wolverine and new Mini Chimi Bang Bangs!

A couple days ago I saw Scarlett Johansson in a graphic on the big new video screen in Gaslamp Square. The video board will probably be busy during Comic-Con promoting upcoming movies and other popular entertainment. As I’ve walked around, I haven’t seen any offsite construction . . . yet. But I did see a guy with a cool shirt!

The Fantastic Four street lamp banners have expanded beyond the Gaslamp Quarter and can now be seen throughout downtown San Diego. Marvel appears to be going all out promoting the highly anticipated movie!

As usual, clever shops along Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp have displays in their windows that might appeal to pop culture fans.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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

San Diego’s world-famous Donut Bar expands!

San Diego’s world-famous Donut Bar has moved its downtown location and greatly expanded! Their fresh new location at 1 Columbia Place opened yesterday, and early this morning I swung by to see my friends in action! Chef Santiago and staff were smiling and ready for another busy day!

All the usual great donuts were on display at the front counter, and a new section up front will soon be featuring cakes and other sweet bakery items! I saw that every sort of coffee awaits those who need a morning injection of caffeine, and the fun vibes are stronger than ever!

One super fun feature of Donut Bar’s new location is . . . the walls. That’s right!

The walls are covered with black-and-white graphics depicting San Diego. The cartoony graphics turn into a dynamic, colorful, augmented reality experience when you aim your phone at them! Donuts fly through the sky! A boat crosses San Diego Bay! Jets fly off the USS Midway! A baseball flies out of Petco Park!

The new Donut Bar location is 401 West A Street on the ground floor of 1 Columbia Place, a block west and north of the San Diego Central Courthouse. They’ve got outdoor seating perfect for sunny San Diego, too!

Now which yummy donut to choose…

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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)!

Murals at world’s first vegan drive-thru!

Evolution Fast Food, located in San Diego’s Bankers Hill neighborhood, bills itself as the world’s first fully vegan drive-thru restaurant.

A sign near Evolution’s drive-thru window invites hungry customers to enjoy their 100% plant-based “housemade sauces, softserve, burger patties, cashew cheese, bacon, and soft drinks.”

Sadly, I must admit I haven’t eaten there yet. But when I walk or drive down Fifth Avenue, I always find myself gazing at their very colorful murals!

Enjoy these photographs, which I took yesterday.

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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)!

History inside old San Diego bread factory!

Industrial baking equipment can be viewed inside the building in Logan Heights that once housed a San Diego bread factory. The old building, at 1955 Julian Avenue, is now home to Bread & Salt, a cultural hub that features multiple art galleries, plus a brewery and coffee shop.

Today’s coffee shop–which occupies the oldest part of the building–is where Cramer’s Bakery operated a century ago. Read its history here.

The bakery expanded over time and eventually produced Weber’s bread, as you can see in my photograph of the building’s front entrance.

I stepped into Bread & Salt today because the public was invited to tour the historic building during this weekend’s San Diego Architectural Foundation Open House event. While I enjoyed viewing artwork in the various galleries, I was most intrigued by the remaining old baking equipment.

I’m no expert, so I can’t explain all that I saw. No information was available. Perhaps knowledgeable readers can leave a comment.

I did observe how bread dough would be sent from large steel “funnels” hanging from the ceiling into large bread-making ovens (one oven remains behind the coffee shop counter). A machine against a nearby wall appears to have been used for making or mixing dough. I also recognized an old-fashioned printing press. I don’t know if it was utilized in the factory–perhaps for advertising.

Step through the following door to make your own discoveries:

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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)!

Farm coming to SDSU Mission Valley!

Believe it or not, a farm is being created at SDSU Mission Valley!

The future farm is located between the parking lot of Snapdragon Stadium and the SDSU Mission Valley river park. The above photo shows how produce is now growing a short distance east of the Stadium trolley station, where I made the unexpected discovery this afternoon.

Refugee and immigrant women and youth will be working the farm. They will gain work experience, and the produce they grow will be used at a restaurant in North Park, at 2920 University Avenue.

The undertaking is called Community Supported Agriculture. This farm is the creation of Make Project. As their website explains: The 30th Street farm has moved to a bigger, longer-term location at SDSU Mission Valley.

In 2017 I blogged about the previous farm in North Park here.

(It’s interesting to recall that before Mission Valley was developed–before shopping malls and freeways–this land along the San Diego River supported many farms–primarily dairy farms.)

A huge flock of crows was hovering around the new SDSU Mission Valley farm late this afternoon. Hopefully the coming crops are safe!

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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 mural at Fish Pit on College Avenue!

If you driven up College Avenue a block north of El Cajon Boulevard you’ve possibly seen this cool mural. It’s painted on the south side of a sushi restaurant called Fish Pit (I don’t know if they are still operating–their website no longer exists.)

The art is by graffiti artist Unity. It appears that a toothy octopus is enjoying a bowl of rice!

Unity is San Diego artist Jonathan Wenner. You can check out another mural that he painted here. He has a very distinctive style.

The Fish Pit mural was painted in 2021. I really like it!

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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)!

Chinese New Year Festival in Balboa Park!

A big Chinese New Year event is taking place this weekend in San Diego!

The Year of the Dragon, 2024, is being celebrated at the Chinese New Year Festival in Balboa Park. Hosted by the House of China, plenty of fun, cultural entertainment and ethnic food awaits families at the International Cottages!

I visited today and took a bunch of colorful photos that you might like.

The annual Chinese New Year event in Balboa Park always attracts a huge crowd. The list of performers is long–there is music, fan dancing, theater, and a traditional, crowd-pleasing Chinese New Year’s lion dance, of course!

Unique gifts, crafts and Chinese calligraphy lessons can be found among the many booths. There’s enough going on to keep the family occupied for much of the afternoon. Grab a dumpling, a boba tea, a good seat on the lawn, and enjoy!

The event continues tomorrow, Sunday, February 18, from 11 am to 5 pm.

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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)!

Lobsterfest attracts hungry crowd in San Diego!

A large crowd has gathered on San Diego Bay today for Lobsterfest!

The big extravaganza for lobster lovers is taking place this morning on the pier between Seaport Village and Tuna Harbor–the same pier where the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market is held every Saturday.

Spiny lobsters on ice, freshly caught by local fishermen, are for sale to the public under a row of canopies.

Lobsters are also being prepared for eaters sitting at shady tables. The smell of lobsters on the grill is mouth-watering!

There’s even a band playing live music!

I walked along the pier this morning as Lobsterfest got underway and captured these photos…

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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)!