Cool photo memories from July 2018.

Another page of the calendar has turned. It’s July–time to relive fun memories from five years ago!

Back in July 2018 the big event, of course, was San Diego Comic-Con. As usual I posted many blogs with lots of photos. Today I’ll link to a few of my more memorable blog posts from Comic-Con 2018.

Five years ago I also took photos of Coronado’s big Fourth of July Parade, visited the Marine aviation museum at Miramar (that has since closed), saw superhero sand sculptures down by the Imperial Beach Pier, and took a look inside the Centro Cultural de la Raza and the WorldBeat Cultural Center in Balboa Park.

If you’re a Padres fan, you’ll like reliving happy memories at Petco Park the day Trevor Hoffman entered baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Check out the upcoming links!

Click the following links for lots of photos…

Colors of patriotism at big Fourth of July parade!

A visit to the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum.

Photos of tour inside LAIKA LIVE San Diego!

Superhero sand sculptures in Imperial Beach!

Star Trek: Discovery Mirror Universe exhibit at Comic-Con!

The Syfy fan awards, cosplay, and craziness!

Lovely cultists, Sharkzilla feedings at Comic-Con!

Powerful mural inside Centro Cultural de la Raza.

Afrofuture Art Exhibit at Worldbeat Cultural Center.

Trevor Time returns to Petco Park!

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

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!

Artist creates unique playing cards, games!

Brilliant! That’s what I thought when I met artist Jeff Daymont and observed his uniquely designed playing cards and original games!

I was walking through the Seaside Pavilion at the San Diego County Fair–you know, where vendors sell unique wares, demonstrating salad choppers and knives that will cut through a brick–when my eyes fell upon an unusual table. That’s a lot of playing cards, I thought. Then I looked more closely…

Jeff has created playing cards that are truly unique. The Kings and Queens illustrated on cards depict actual monarchs, rulers and royalty from world history. Many of the playing cards are also designed to support all sorts of original games, such as Rock, Paper, Scissors, Water and Lizard!

You can see a bunch of games invented so far for the versatile King’s Keys deck by clicking here. If you think up a new game, submit it!

Not only are these playing cards works of art, but I absolutely love the concept that inspired players can dream up new games!

Do you want to check out Jeff Daymont’s very cool playing cards?

Click here for his website!

Speaking of inventing games, have I ever mentioned that I wrote interactive game software in the early 1980s?

As a young man in high school and college, I created computer games that were published by Softsync and packaged as Double Feature Adventure: Quest for the Holy Grail & The Elusive Mr. Big. The two text adventure games were coded in BASIC for the ZX-81 and TS-1000. My creations were very early versions of open-world role-playing games!

You can read a review of one of my games here!

A similar game I wrote for the Commodore 64 was titled Super Clue. It can be played freely on your computer right now by visiting the Internet Archive here!

Here’s a screenshot of a new game beginning:

Hints: the characters in Super Clue move about randomly, randomly drop and pick up objects, and can randomly leave clues at each location. There are several possible murder weapons. You can search characters and locations and interrogate the roaming characters. Use objects that you pick up like a magnifier, rope and flashlight. The initial character positions are randomly generated. To make a new move, type in a simple two or three word command. Enter “help” to see which words are recognized. One character is initially designated the murderer. Deduce who it is and make an arrest before midnight, or before there are more victims! I’m very proud of the sound effects I created. Be patient! As the ancient program runs on a computer emulator, every move’s resulting text can be a bit slow to appear, so wait a few seconds. Map out the mansion as you move about. Have fun!

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!

The new Futurama on a Comic-Con trolley!

A cool new San Diego Trolley wrap has debuted for Comic-Con 2023! This one promotes new episodes of Futurama that are coming soon to Hulu!

It has been announced that Season 11 of the animated sci-fi comedy series will begin on July 24, 2023. Looks like Leela, Philip J. Fry, Bender and Zoidberg will be back for more “ani-mayhem” and futuristic fun!

I’ll be 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!

A second Paramount trolley for Comic-Con!

A second San Diego Trolley wrap that promotes entertainment available on Paramount+ has appeared for Comic-Con 2023!

I photographed one side of a trolley car with the first Paramount design yesterday. You can see those photos here.

The new trolley wrap that I discovered today features many more shows available on Paramount+. Graphics on one side promote iCarly, Yellowjackets, School Spirits, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and 1923. The other side includes Star Trek: Lower Decks, Bumblebee, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Evil, and Tulsa King.

I added a little contrast to some of these photos.

I’ll be 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!

Preparing to reopen the 1910 Balboa Park Carousel!

The restoration of the 1910 Balboa Park Carousel is now in high gear! I saw workers refurbishing the old building’s exterior today during a walk through Balboa Park. The historic carousel is scheduled to reopen next month!

Over the past several years, there have been various efforts to help preserve the beloved merry-go-round. I’ve posted several blogs concerning it. Carousel animals have been newly painted. LED lighting has been installed. The roof has been altered, removing the triangular overhangs at each corner.

More recently, according to the Forever Balboa Park website, the restoration project has proceeded with structure stabilization and the installation of a fire-safety sprinkler system.

The comprehensive restoration should be completed in July in time for National Carousel Day!

There will be a big celebration that day! There will be free carousel rides and family entertainment! When? July 25th, from 11 AM – 5:30 PM.

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!

Cool photo memories from June 2018.

I photographed lots of cool San Diego sights five years ago, in June 2018. Come jump into my monthly time machine!

I visited a big Greek Festival and the San Diego Scottish Highland Games. My jaw dropped upon seeing crazy silvery steampunk vehicles. I enjoyed several very unique art exhibitions, including one concerning UFOs. And, of course, there were early preparations for Comic-Con, including lots of fun trolley wraps!

Are you curious?

Coming up are links to blog posts containing those photos, and more!

CLICK THE LINKS FOR MANY PHOTOS!

A favorite garden, so close to perfection.

A (strange) Method for Reaching Extreme Altitudes!

Dancing with joy at a big Greek Festival!

Steampunk vehicles exhibited in Balboa Park!

The Simpsons trolley wrap for 2018 Comic-Con!

Bob’s Burgers served on a Comic-Con trolley!

Medieval knights mock fight in Balboa Park!

Photos of fun street art at Rio Vista!

Photos of San Diego Scottish Highland Games.

Art exhibit paints colors of Southern California!

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!

Fun photos at Encinitas Community Park!

I walked though Encinitas Community Park today. It was my first ever visit.

I was surprised at how large and how wonderful this park is! There’s a big skatepark (called Poods Park), a big, colorful children’s playground, multiple sports fields (that can be seen from Interstate 5 just south of Santa Fe Drive), long meandering pathways, and flowers and picnic benches shaded by trees.

Lots of people were out this morning walking dogs.

Enjoy my photos…

Beautiful sign welcomes the public to Encinitas Community Park.

A big, wonderful, shaded playground.

Put your head in the lion’s mouth to get a drink of water.

More fun tomorrow!

Flowers by a soccer field.

Heading down landscaped paths feels like a nature walk.

Dogs like walking here, too!

A fun smiley on a gate.

Your laugh will forever be in our hearts.

Guys fly radio controlled airplanes at a ballfield.

Performing a trick at the Encinitas skate park.

Best friends.

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!

A caffeinated San Diego Fringe Festival!

The multi-day 2023 San Diego Fringe Festival is now underway! Most of the very inventive Fringe performances can be enjoyed in Balboa Park, at either the Centro Cultural de la Raza or the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater. For a list of the festival’s complete lineup, click here!

This afternoon I sat in the audience at a very unique performance. The Coffee Plays, in five theatrical acts (each concerning types of coffee from around the world) was a fun mixture of storytelling, music, singing, coffee history, and love for the drink.

At certain points during the performance, members of the audience got to sample each type of coffee, courtesy of Mr. Green’s Coffee Beans. The Dalgona, The Bunn, The Kona, The Sumatra, The Jamoke. Those watching, as they ingested caffeine, enjoyed additional stimulation provided by the talented actors!

Fringe performances are usually unusual and typically untypical. Small, intimate audiences enjoy the efforts of often little-known artists. The audience determines whether a production is successful or less-than-successful. (Fortunately, I didn’t see any bags of rotten tomatoes.) Those who buy a ticket can’t really go wrong, because each performance is less than an hour and only ten dollars.

The Coffee Plays was amusing, inventive, and brimming with delicious humor. It did seem to drag and ramble in a few places, as an amateur production might, but overall it was an enjoyable experience. The audience really drank it up!

The Coffee Plays was co-produced by San Diego Black Ensemble Theatre and Asian Story Theater.

Check out the San Diego Fringe Festival website here and see what creative craziness awaits!

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!

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration!

Look what’s going on today in Balboa Park!

This year’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration is bringing dance, music, art and lots of cultural fun to the International Cottages! Until about 4 pm, that is. If you read this in time, you might go check it out!

Today’s event includes participants from the Houses of USA, Chamorros, China, India, Korea and Philippines.

Special festivals and lawn programs are held nearly every weekend at Balboa Park’s International Cottages. You’ve never been? You’re missing out! Here’s the webpage that lists all the upcoming events!

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!

Let’s Get Strainge on a San Diego sidewalk!

Carnivorous plants drooling on a San Diego sidewalk? I suppose that’s what happens when we heed the words: Let’s Get Strainge!

I saw this fun street art today on the side of San Diego Made Factory – Creative Event Space, which is located on Commercial Street east of downtown San Diego.

I was about to enter the building for an Our Walls Speak event (celebrating outdoor murals!) when my attention was grabbed by this spray painted artwork. It’s by Encinitas artist Skye Walker. Apparently the mural, filled with ocean surf and images from nature, promotes Strainge Beast Hard Kombucha. It was painted in 2022.

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!