Freakishly gigantic flowers in San Diego!

freakishly gigantic flowers in city

Flowers that are several feet across are growing in downtown San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood. They’ve grown out of an artist’s paintbrush and onto a wall!

Check out another photo from the amazing, colorful mural I recently walked past and enjoyed. It’s a shame this public art is set back a bit from First Avenue and not immediately obvious to those driving past. To experience it best, you have to pull into a gas station’s parking lot.

This dolphin is swimming right next to those flowers!
This dolphin is swimming right next to those flowers!

Colorful fish survive out of water!

colorful fish survive out of water

Here are more photographs of that cool mural from the previous blog post. There’s a whole school of colorful fish in full view beside that gas station!

More exotic fish on a parking lot wall.
More brightly painted fish on a parking lot wall.
The nearby gas station must be underwater.
The nearby gas station must be underwater!
A bright orange fish swims through the city.
A bright orange fish swims through downtown San Diego.

Shark spotted at local gas station!

A shark has been spotted next to a gas station's parking lot!
A shark has been spotted next to a gas station’s parking lot!

A gigantic shark was recently spotted swimming in the blue water next to a San Diego gas station’s parking lot! Here’s the photographic proof!

Okay, what you see is actually a very cool mural. And the shark is just a small portion of it. This awesome mural on a long wall by the gas station contains a bunch of surprising, colorful images! Check out the blue gravel path at the foot of the wall, enhancing the underwater effect!

Wondering where this public art can be found? In Little Italy, just north of downtown. Head up First Avenue and look to the left just before Elm Street. You can’t miss it!

This dolphin was also seen next to the gas station.
This dolphin was also spotted next to the gas station!
This seal doesn't mind the nearby shark.
This seal doesn’t seem to mind the nearby shark.

Mission Valley mural of kids at play.

mission valley mural of kids at play

This is a part of a very long mural decorating the north side of Interstate 8 in Mission Valley. It’s called Kids being Kids.

I took this photograph from across Camino de la Reina, not far from the Union Tribune building. I got a bunch of pics, but this is the only one that captures the artwork’s color and energy. Perhaps I’ll try again some other day.

UPDATE!

I took some more pics…

Beach balls bounce beside a busy San Diego freeway.
Beach balls bounce beside a busy San Diego freeway.
Flying with arms wide across a lively public mural.
Flying with arms wide across a lively public mural.
Girl jumps on beloved mural beside Interstate 8.
Girl jumps on beloved mural beside Interstate 8.
It seems that kids will simply be kids.
It seems that kids will simply be kids.
Little girl is a delightful image in public art.
Little girl is a delightful image in public art.
Two young friends are one element in a fun mural.
Two young friends are one element in a fun mural.

Stairs up and down: Horton Plaza, Lyceum Theater.

Stairs head up into Horton Plaza. Lyceum entrance is below.
Stairs head up into Horton Plaza.  Lyceum entrance is below.

Just a few quick pics.  In the above one you can get a glimpse of the underground entrance to the Lyceum Theater, home of the San Diego Repertory Theatre. In the photograph’s center are the main stairs that sweep upward into the Horton Plaza shopping center. The red building to the left has walkways on each level that provide fantastic views of the mall’s colorful, surprising interior.

During my walks I’ve taken many pics inside Horton Plaza. I’ll blog about that one day!

Near the north entrance of Horton Plaza.
Near the colorful main entrance of Horton Plaza.
Broad stairs ascend into San Diego's Horton Plaza.
Broad stairs ascend into San Diego’s unique Horton Plaza shopping mall.
Gazing down at unique entrance of the Lyceum Theatres.
Gazing down into the unique underground entrance of the Lyceum Theater.

Here’s a bonus pic I happened to take many months later…

Musician heads down stairs toward entrance of the Lyceum Theater.
Musician heads down stairs for a rehearsal.

Colorful animal obelisk in front of Horton Plaza!

colorful obelisk by horton plaza

Here’s a much better look at the obelisk in question. (See my last blog post.) It thrusts out of the ground right in front of Horton Plaza, marking the underground entrance to the Lyceum Theater. Animals of the water, land and air, fashioned out of colorful tiles, frolic together in a mosaic beneath a smiling crescent moon!

This playful work of art and the beautiful architecture of the building behind it is just a small hint of the fun that awaits visitors inside the Horton Plaza shopping mall!

Looking down at the obelisk and Lyceum Theatre.
Looking down at the obelisk and underground entrance to Lyceum Theater.
A closer view of colorful tile fish on the Horton Plaza obelisk.
A closer view of artistic fish on the Horton Plaza obelisk.

Funky, folksy Studio 13 in Spanish Village.

funky art studio in spanish village

Take a look at the deliciously, crazily, wonderfully picturesque Studio 13 in Balboa Park’s always surprising and colorful Spanish Village! This quaint little studio is both funky and folksy, a wild mixture of creative artistry!

You know, I wouldn’t mind living in such a happy place. Perhaps in the middle of a green meadow with unicorns grazing nearby…

A peek inside Studio 13 in Spanish Village.
A peek inside Studio 13 in Spanish Village.
Looking around the side of Studio 13.
Looking around the side of Studio 13.
Looking behind funky Studio 13 in Spanish Village.
Looking behind funky Studio 13 in Spanish Village.