Tag: food

Panama’s colorful culture celebrated in San Diego!

A big celebration of Panama and its culture was held today in San Diego. The House of Panama brought food, dance, folk costume and family fun to the International Cottages in Balboa Park!

Before the speeches and entertainment commenced, I visited the House of Panama cottage, then walked about the International Cottages lawn. Lots of people were lined up for traditional Panamanian treats like empanadas and arroz con pollo. There were also many flavors of piraguas.

At one table, author Tamika Burgess told me about her new novel, Sincerely Sicily. It’s about a young Black Latina who learns about her Panamanian heritage. Check out her book here.

Another table celebrated the relationship between San Diego and Panama City. The two are Sister Cities. A cool LEGO model demonstrated how the Panama Canal works!

What is Panama City’s connection to San Diego? San Diego is the first American port-of-call after ships pass into the Pacific Ocean and head north. Balboa Park during its 1915 Panama-California Exposition promoted this fortuitous geographical fact.

At another table a raffle was being held to support the House of Panama. If you want to offer your support, or simply are curious, visit their website here.

Then speeches . . . and dancing! Several cultural groups participated in the lively folkloric dancing. Performers came to San Diego from as far away as San Francisco and Los Angeles! Everyone watching applauded loudly. Smiles were in the dancers’ eyes.

Between dances there was a fashion show. We were shown different types of beautiful pollera dresses, and quickly could see why some of the elaborate polleras could cost several thousand dollars. So many different colors whirled on the stage!

As you can see from my photographs, the annual House of Panama lawn program in Balboa Park is an exceptionally festive and colorful event!

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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 Twitter!

Sweet times at Lemon Festival in Chula Vista!

The annual Lemon Festival in Chula Vista is one of the most popular street festivals in San Diego County. A huge crowd turned out today in Chula Vista’s historic downtown for lots of sweet family fun!

I walked down Third Avenue taking in the sights. Yes, there were lemons everywhere I turned: lemonade, lemon treats, lemony gifts, lemon-themed chalk art, and lots of people wearing yellow–some dancing to live music! Shame on me. I missed a lemon costume contest, a lemon cook-off, and a lemon squeezing contest!

Why is there a Lemon Festival each summer? As various displays at the South Bay Historical Society’s table explained, Chula Vista was once considered the Lemon Capital of the World!

Enjoy 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 Twitter!

Donut Bar in San Diego wins A&E Best in Chow!

A big victory for donut lovers in San Diego! Downtown San Diego’s world-famous Donut Bar is the big winner of A&E food program Best in Chow!

Chef Santiago and his smiling crew conquered all opponents using a sweet Big Poppa Tart donut. My friends at the Donut Bar survived three rounds of culinary competition to claim the top prize!

You can watch the tasty episode, which first aired August 5th on the A&E cable network, by clicking here!

UPDATE!

When their trophy finally arrived, I took 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 Twitter!

Charles Lindbergh liked sandwiches in OB?

Did Charles Lindbergh, first aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, devour sandwiches in Ocean Beach? Historical information posted on the Kraft Building at Newport Avenue and Bacon Street suggests that!

A sign explains that the 1927 Kraft Building had a drug store and soda fountain downstairs, and that “local legend states Charles Lindbergh ate sandwiches at Kraft while waiting for his plane the Spirit of St. Louis to be finished at nearby Ryan Aviation (near the site later dedicated as Lindbergh Field).”

On May 10, 1927, after a series of test flights, Lindbergh took off from San Diego in the The Spirit of St. Louis.

On May 20, 1927, Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field on Long Island and began the daring solo transatlantic flight that would make world history.

Public domain image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

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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 Twitter!

Roseanne scenes reenacted, and free lunch!

Yesterday I had so much fun at the Lanford Days activation at Comic-Con 2023 that I think I might swing by again today! If you’re a fan of the Roseanne TV show, you should check this out!

I’ve learned that today–Friday, July 21–many favorite Roseanne scenes will be acted out all day, from 10 am to 6 pm. You’ll be able to enjoy a new live performance about every 15 minutes. You can watch Dan get a job, watch him sell a hot tub, relive Dan’s rough day at work and more.

At noon, free “loose meat” sandwiches–made famous on the TV show–can be enjoyed while supplies last! Lunch, anyone?

The Lanford Days Festival also features carnival games where you can win great prizes. It’s all located in the Gaslamp Quarter at Sixth Avenue and E Street.

Lovers of the classic Roseanne sitcom absolutely should not miss this!

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I’m covering Comic-Con again this year. To see all my current and past blog posts concerning Comic-Con, click here and scroll down!

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 stuff inside the Comic-Con Interactive Zone!

The Comic-Con Interactive Zone is worth checking out this year!

The lines this morning weren’t too horribly long to get into what is officially called the Interactive Zone at Petco Park. It’s called that because a variety of activations are set up in one of the ballpark’s nearby parking lots. I waited maybe 15 minutes to get in.

Once inside the Interactive Zone, fans will be met with three huge, completely awesome sculptures based on characters in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. On the other side of the entrance is another super cool sculpture, called Attack of the Metallic Menace, that was created to raise awareness about the harm of vaping.

That guy vying with Captain America for weightlifting prowess was posing inside a GNC activation, where I got a sample of a scrumptious muscle-building milk shake. (Watch out Captain America! I’m feeling stronger already!)

What else did I find? A fun activation that celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the coming-of-age movie Dazed and Confused. There’s pinball game and a pool table where you can play. Of course, there’s a photo opportunity, with the expected reference to rockers KISS!

And, as you might hope and expect, there’s plenty to eat from several food trucks and stands, and shady picnic benches galore. It’s a fine place to rest and get a bite while exploring all the cool stuff outside Comic-Con!

You might spot some cosplay, too!

The Interactive Zone at Petco Park, located near the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge, will be open right through Sunday.

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I’m covering Comic-Con again this year. To see all my current and past blog posts concerning Comic-Con, click here and scroll down!

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!

Sonic the Hedgehog serves fun “fast” food!

The pop-up Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe has been open several days in San Diego’s East Village! You can find it at 910 J Street.

The soft opening of the Speed Cafe is already attracting many local families and lovers of the Sonic video games, cartoons and movies. The one-of-a-kind fast food restaurant will have its official Grand Opening at the start of Comic-Con 2023 next week. I suspect the lines will be very long, so if you’re hungry speed your way into downtown San Diego in the next few days! My wait today was perhaps 5 minutes. The restaurant will remain open until mid-August.

What fun! I saw lots of kids enjoying the cool atmosphere and playing several free video games that were scattered about.

The menu includes fast food with names such as Sonic’s Classic Chilidog, The Perfect Eggdog, Knuckles Sandwich, Piko Piko Tenders and The Evil Genius. Drinks include Sonic Heroes Slush, Blue Blur, Flying Fox, Sweet Amy and Team Dark.

I learned the Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe is a project of video game maker SEGA. A new restaurant concept is being tested!

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I’m covering Comic-Con again this year. To see all my current and past blog posts concerning Comic-Con, click here and scroll down!

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!

Tasty sights in San Diego before Comic-Con!

All sorts of tasty sights are popping up around downtown San Diego before the start of Comic-Con 2023!

Today is Saturday. Check out some of the fun stuff I came across while walking around the San Diego Convention Center, through the Gaslamp and into East Village!

A funny hamburger with eyeballs promotes Good Burger 2 from Nickelodeon.

The anime film Sand Land will have its world premiere screening at Comic-Con on July 21, 2023.

This cool structure will be part of Hulu’s Animayhem activation behind the San Diego Convention Center.

And beyond it, you can see the big Star Trek wrap on a Marriot Marquis tower.

Archer prop probably needs to be transported over to the FX area.

More structures being set up for Hulu’s Animayhem.

I can’t wait to check it out during Comic-Con!

Adult Swim on the Green hasn’t made much construction progress, seemingly.

The FX offsite this year is under construction. It appears to be less elaborate than usual.

FX will promote its shows here.

Alice in Wonderland and the mad tea party have been painted on the windows of Starbucks at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront.

Looking across Harbor Drive toward the huge Special Ops: Lioness building wrap.

I love the FOX animation wrap on the Omni so much I took another pic today of one section!

Looking toward the Gaslamp Quarter Archway from Gaslamp Square.

Looking at Hard Rock Hotel from Gaslamp Square.

Worker setting up the NBC offsite at Gaslamp Square.

The NBC activation appears to have several structures.

A big Yellowjackets wrap being applied to the front of the Hard Rock Hotel.

This should look pretty cool when finished!

Here’s one of the nearby Amazon Prime Video wraps: Invincible.

Happy Does will be the site of Paramount’s “The Lodge” offsite.

Workers busy getting The Lodge ready for Comic-Con.

Part of the big Daryl Dixon wrap on the Pendry hotel. The dead are still walking on AMC.

Dead City on a Pendry window.

Fear the Walking Dead. I don’t want to become food, so I’ll keep my head on a swivel!

A super cool activation at Ninth Avenue and J Street. It’s the Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe!

Sonic runs across an East Village window.

A few would-be-Sonics were waiting in line for the unique culinary experience. Hungry fans weren’t moving too quickly, but quite excited!

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I’m covering Comic-Con again this year. To see all my current and past blog posts concerning Comic-Con, click here and scroll down!

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!

Superhero, Star Wars, Mario donuts for Comic-Con!

A super cool San Diego Comic-Con tradition will continue in 2023! San Diego’s world-famous Donut Bar will be offering unique (and tasty) donuts that have to be seen to be believed!

The collection of donuts to be offered this year was previewed today. Joining Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman donuts are new edible creations that represent Captain America and Spider-Man. And there are Yoda and R2-D2 donuts to represent Star Wars. And, given the popularity of the recent Super Mario Bros. Movie, there are donuts for fans of Mario, too!

There are gold token donuts that work kind of like Willy Wonka’s Golden Tickets. Turn a token over, discover an image of Mario, and you win a trip to Universal Studios! There’s also a cool donut that features a replica of the most valuable Pokémon collectible card! And many more!

You’ll be able to grab some of these awesome donuts during Comic-Con, from Thursday to Sunday, at the Donut Bar downtown location (631 B Street), and in the heart of the Gaslamp at a pop-up shop inside the Pendry Hotel (550 J Street)!

Chef Santiago of the Donut Bar is smiling as usual.

Spidey is clinging to a yummy donut!

8-bit Mario for fans of old school video games.

Wonder Woman.

Yoda.

Look who welcomed yours truly to the Donut Bar. Princess Peach!

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I’m covering Comic-Con again this year. To see all my current and past blog posts concerning Comic-Con, click here and scroll down!

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!

Help end hunger: plant a vegetable garden!

Would you like to begin a project at home that is fun and beneficial to others in need? Why not plant a vegetable garden, grow healthy produce and donate your harvest to a local food bank?

I was walking through the Garden Show at the San Diego County Fair when I came upon a “Homegrown Hunger Relief” display. I stopped to read what that meant.

The organization Healthy Day Partners works to feed the hungry with healthy food, and encourages the creation of home and school gardens. They offer gardening workshops, and support a number of different hunger relief programs.

Healthy Day Partners has collaborated with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) to plant fruit trees in many communities throughout San Diego County.

They also offer Grab & Grow Gardens to aid people grow their own food. A small selection of vegetable and/or herb seedlings are handed out in an easy to carry bag, along with instructions in English and Spanish.

Sounds like a good thing? Check out the Healthy Day Partners website and perhaps become involved by clicking here!

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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 Twitter!