Check out this fun artwork on trashcans at the J Street Viewpoint in Encinitas!
I saw this public art during my last walk in Encinitas.
While enjoying the J Street Viewpoint park that overlooks the ocean, I also photographed a plaque remembering John Denver, which you can see here, and an extraordinary sculpture titled Humanity, which you can see here.
I don’t know anything about these trashcans. It appears the tiles were painted by community members, including lots of kids. If you know anything, please leave a comment!
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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!
It’s a brand new month! Time to look back five years!
In February 2017, Cool San Diego Sights featured a variety of interesting photographs. Looking back, I see that my first old (now retired) PowerShot camera was particularly busy at several sports related events.
There was the 2nd Annual Ocean Beach Pier Surf Classic, the big Celebrate San Diego event at Petco Park that promoted many of our city’s sports teams, and the Celebration of Champions at the Elite Athlete Training Center in Chula Vista.
I’ve assembled the following blog posts from February 2017. Some of my photography wasn’t the greatest years ago, but you still might enjoy traveling back in time!
To enjoy photographs from five years ago, click the following links…
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A very popular, family friendly Lunar New Year Festival is being held this weekend in City Heights!
I walked down to Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park today where the annual event, hosted by the Little Saigon Foundation of San Diego, is being held.
It’s 2022 . . . the Year of the Tiger. Look what I saw!
If you’re in San Diego and want to enjoy a free Tet festival that celebrates Vietnamese culture and features lots of yummy food, beautiful Lunar New Year displays, lion and dragon dances, games, folk dance, and much more, head over to City Heights on Sunday! See details here.
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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!
Want to make some music? Head to North Park’s newly opened mini park located south of University Avenue behind the Observatory Theater!
The North Park Mini Park had its grand opening last weekend. It was all over the San Diego news. I hadn’t walked around that neighborhood in a long while, so yesterday morning I decided to check things out.
Look what I found!
The North Park Mini Park is not only a fine new community gathering place, but it’s full of musical instruments that people can freely play!
I saw xylophones and chimes and drums and a sign explaining the many health benefits of playing percussion instruments. (Perhaps it’s just plain fun, too.)
Young and old alike can reach out their hands at any time to create music.
How cool is this?
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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!
For some reason, I’ve always paused when passing Studio 13 in Balboa Park’s Spanish Village Art Center.
Perhaps it’s the word Ebullience above the front door. More likely it was the organic, seemingly infinite art that blossomed all around the place.
Over the years, I had spoken a few times to ceramic artist Sylvia Mejia, who worked in Studio 13. The first time she showed me the labyrinth she’d painted on the patio in front. The next time she showed me inside. What I found was indescribably powerful. If you’d like to see those photographs, click here.
Well, lately I’d noticed the door is shut, nobody home. And today I saw Studio 13 had been vacated. She’s moved on, I was told.
But I got one more smile. Because in the parking lot to the side of her old studio, next the Balboa Park Miniature Railroad’s fence, like an ancient living guard, one of her wonderful, whimsical sculptures still stands.
UPDATE!
Days later, I noticed the sculpture had been moved to another spot across the parking lot. It fits right in with that tree and surrounding greenery!
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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!
Check out these photos of a crazy mural that was recently painted at Seaport Village in San Diego!
You can find this wacky “Horrible Monsters” artwork in a narrow passageway next to Tuk Tuk Eatery in the food court, not far from the carousel. It was created a couple months ago by @barfalamul and @_baby.brother.
The passageway is rather narrow, so it was difficult getting photos that show both colorful walls in their entirety.
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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!
Enjoy some photos of cool street art I spotted in Mission Beach along Mission Boulevard!
I captured these images that same day I observed a Christmas tree out at the end of Crystal Pier.
It had been over four years since I documented street art along Mission Boulevard in Mission Beach. I noticed much of that old artwork on electrical boxes is still around, but very weathered and faded. The fun art you see here, including murals painted on buildings, was all new to me!
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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 big Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade, billed as America’s Largest Balloon Parade, was held this morning along the Embarcadero.
My camera captured a few happy “early risers” before I jumped onto the trolley for work.
The annual parade features all sorts of popular characters, including Garfield, Mr. Potato Head and many, many others.
Several hours before the start of the parade, the balloons were being inflated one after another in a parking lot near the County Administration Building!
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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!
I’ve just been contacted by Santa Claus. He has an important message for all of San Diego!
Merry Christmas, San Diego.
I hope you have a safe and dry Christmas Day with family and loved ones. Omicron is worse than getting coal in your stocking. Get vaccinated and wear a mask.
Santa hopes the pandemic will end and we all can return to “December Nights in the Park” next year.
Santa held his COVID-19 Vaccination Card during 2021 “Taste of December Nights.” (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)After “Taste of December Nights,” Santa went to visit the Nativity scenes at the Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)A week later, a well-dressed Chihuahua sporting a stylish Mohawk posed with Santa at Harry’s Coffee Shop in La Jolla. (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)This cute little girl came to visit Santa while he was eating breakfast at Harry’s. (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)… and this little guy was impressed with Santa’s baseball card. We want the Padres to win the World Series in 2022. (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)
Be good to one another. Have fun. Laugh and be joyous, but also remember the meaning of the season.
Santa Claus parachutes from a helicopter onto the deck of the USS Midway!
Two days until Christmas!
Over the years, Santa Claus has been sighted countless times around San Diego. And I’ve captured (or received) some fun photographs of jolly old Saint Nick!
I’ve seen Santa jumping from a helicopter, flying above San Diego Bay using a water jetpack, in holiday parades, and, of course, magically granting Christmas wishes to good boys and girls.
Please enjoy this happy collection of Santa photos!
Santa and Mrs. Claus read a joyful story during Christmas on the Prado in Balboa Park.Santa and Mrs. Claus ride a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer, during the Mother Goose Parade in El Cajon.Jolly old Santa makes somebody laugh in front of Balboa Park’s Federal Building. Are those two guys naughty or nice?Surfing Santa arrives at Seaport Village by flying a water jetpack.Multiple bearded Santas at the Over-the-Line tournament on Fiesta Island. They encourage everyone to eat healthy! (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)Santa and Mrs. Claus smile for a photo during a Toys for Tots charity event on Navy Pier.There’s Santa once again at Seaport Village! Looks like I took this photo during the summer of the MLB All-Star Game in San Diego.Mrs. Claus poses with Santa during Christmas on the Prado. But he doesn’t appear like the real Santa to me.Santa Claus waves from a fire truck during the North Park Toyland Parade.Social Distance Santa waves at passing cars during Taste of December Nights in 2020. (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)Santa in Balboa Park once again. Like everyone else in San Diego, he must love the place.And there’s Santa again! He’s now at the International Cottages in Balboa Park.A smiling Santa Claus helps warm an elf nose during Christmas on the Prado. (Photo courtesy Bill Swank.)Santa Claus brings joy to the brightly lit Spreckels Organ Pavilion. Christmas magic during December Nights in Balboa Park!
I wish everyone Happy Holidays!
I plan to take a little time off from blogging this week and next, just to relax and enjoy the season. But I’ll continue to walk, weather permitting, and take photos!
When I return in the New Year, be ready for many more Cool San Diego Sights!
Cool San Diego Sights! 