A friendly hello at the 2017 San Diego Brazilian Day Festival!
My walking adventure today included a stop at the San Diego Brazilian Day Festival in Mission Beach. Lots of people were arriving late in the morning, and banners were being raised, and parade floats were being prepared for later in the afternoon, and a band had begun playing Latin beats, and dancers were dancing, and people were joining in with smiles and uninhibited energy.
And so I took some photos!
People hang a banner as the San Diego Brazilian Day Festival gets started late Sunday morning.Nearby, on the Mission Beach boardwalk, people are walking, biking and skating by the beautiful blue ocean.Brazilian culture was celebrated today, so naturally some vendors were selling crispy pastel.The music was playing as soon as the festival got started. The Brazilian Institute for Arts and Culture was bringing the spirit of Brazil to San Diego!Lots of Brazilian flags at this t-shirt booth.Later in the afternoon there would be a carnival-like parade around Belmont Park, and some people were decorating a colorful float.A group promoting Latin American and Latino art had a cool truck plastered with word magnets. Visitors were creating poems. There will be a thousand LATIN rainbows…There will also be stacks of cool hats!It didn’t take long before festival visitors were dancing in front of the main stage.More people join in, and now they’re really kicking it up!Smiling ladies commenced an energetic dance routine on the stage to the delight of the growing crowd.A funny photo of two people in the crowd. Can you spot them?Brazilian culture was celebrated today in San Diego’s sunny Mission Beach!
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A batter gets ready to swing during the Labor Day Stickball Tournament in San Diego. Sixteen teams, including five from the East Coast, played over two days.
I watched some of the action today at the 2017 Labor Day Stickball Tournament in Little Italy. This annual San Diego tradition–which has been going on for 19 years now–includes West and East Coast stickball teams competing for glory. Even a slight drizzle couldn’t stop the intense street action!
I took some photos while enjoying a few of the games. A good crowd lined the sidewalks to watch play on three different street blocks in Little Italy. Stickball in San Diego seems to be growing in popularity–at least it appears that way to me!
Every year the event seems to grow. Many people were lining the sidewalks watching action-packed stickball games. The dog barked excitedly with every great play.Banner for the Nineteenth Annual Labor Day Stickball Tournament in Little Italy, sponsored by Mission Federal Credit Union.Cars head down the nearby street as a game is in progress. It rained a little bit today, as you can see.Running for home in front of the San Diego Firehouse Museum during the 2017 Labor Day Stickball Tournament.Playing hard with a smile. Good times, good people.A big grid of 16 teams this year for the stickball tournament. Just from personal observation, the event seems to grow every Labor Day weekend.A player stretches as a team huddles. The play on hard asphalt is blazing fast and fierce.Getting ready to be a stickball hero!
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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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
The Spirit of Dana Point leaves the dock for a cannon battle at the 2017 Festival of Sail in San Diego.
I believe this is the fourth year I’ve blogged about San Diego’s annual Festival of Sail. As always, the event is wonderful beyond description.
It seems every day at the festival is the perfect blend of sunshine, beautiful tall ships, friendly people and sparkling blue water. There’s so much to see, so much to learn. I’m just going to post a few photos to provide a taste.
If you want to see my many descriptive blogs about this event over the years, and learn more about some of the ships, click the Festival of Sail tag below. Better yet, if you’re in San Diego, head on down to the Embarcadero by the Maritime Museum and experience it all for yourself. The festival runs through Labor Day.
The Spirit of Dana Point, a replica of an American Revolution privateer ship, heads out into San Diego Bay.People on kayaks enjoy the seafaring festival. Many visiting tall ships have converged in San Diego for the Labor Day weekend.Someone walks along near the Norwegian double ended ketch Cloudia.People at the Festival of Sail check out America, a somewhat enlarged replica of the victorious 1850 schooner for which America’s Cup was named.Beautiful tall ships everywhere one looks!Kayakers head toward the Exy and Irving Johnson at the end of another floating dock.Many people were boarding the San Salvador, one of the many amazing vessels belonging to the Maritime Museum of San Diego.A museum employee talks about how the Spanish galleon replica was built at Spanish Landing. You might recall I blogged about its construction.Oh, noooo! Here comes Mister Mac! That despicable pirate seems to be unstoppable!Some music could be enjoyed on the Berkeley’s beautiful passenger deck.People watch as the Irving Johnson heads out to face the Spirit of Dana Point in a cannon battle on San Diego Bay.Friendly crew member of the Exy Johnson of the Los Angeles Maritime Institute was greeting those passing by.A photo on the deck of Exy Johnson, a beautiful brigantine used in the Los Angeles Maritime Institute’s TopSail Youth Program.Another perfect day at the Festival of Sail. I could linger all day.Like a vision from the past, two glorious tall ships maneuver on blue San Diego Bay.
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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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
Live free like a butterfly. Street art in La Mesa.
I found a lot of fun street art during a random walk around La Mesa. I bounced from color to color like a butterfly, my feet pointed in every direction. I wandered down University Avenue, up La Mesa Boulevard, along Spring Street. Most of the artwork was discovered on sidewalk electrical boxes. These photos are in no particular order.
Butterfly painted on an electrical box.Street art shows colorful cars.A lot of mostly happy faces.Two giraffes.A panda bear.A high voltage heart and two red roses.The fish tank. Perhaps it contains an electric eel.Three fish.A white goose.Two owls.A blue bird.Graffiti child on a wall ready to play hopscotch at Coin Haus.Exotic mural up high in the alley behind Amethyst Moon.Koi.An abstract design.More butterflies and flowers brighten a La Mesa sidewalk.
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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!
People at the foot of Broadway Pier pause to watch three sand sculptures being created for the 2017 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge this Labor Day weekend.
Three cool sand sculptures are being created this very moment at the foot of the Broadway Pier. They will welcome visitors to the 2017 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge this Labor Day weekend! Master sand artists from around the world will participate, as well as many talented local sand sculptors.
The three sand sculptures I photographed this morning promote the upcoming LEGO Ninjago movie, the San Diego public transit system, and welcome visitors to the annual competition, which is sponsored by the Port of San Diego. The large central sculpture will include images of the USS Midway and the Star of India!
Check it out!
These local sand artists belong to the I.B. Posse. They’re working on a sculpture for MTS that will include San Diego’s skyline.I see some buildings taking form.You can see the three sand sculptures in this photo and a bit of the Broadway Pier.The big sand sculpture in the middle by the Port of San Diego will feature images of the USS Midway and tall ship Star of India, which I see taking form in this photo.Master sand artists are at work in San Diego, getting ready for the upcoming international sand sculpture competition!Melineige Beauregard, a champion sand sculptor from Quebec, is working on this super cool LEGO Ninjago piece!Several cool works of sand art are being created at this very moment on San Diego’s Embarcadero!
UPDATE!
I got photos late Monday of the three sand sculptures. The finishing touches were being carefully applied!
The Port of San Diego is presenting Labor Day on the Bay! I love the central sculpture, complete with the USS Midway!All that’s left is to carve in several sponsors beneath the Star of India!Melineige Beauregard finished the Ninjago sculpture. Now she’s putting the finishing touches on the MTS sculpture!And here’s the super cool LEGO Ninjago Movie sand sculpture–all done!
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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!
Yesterday I spotted some fun new murals in the process of being painted at Sheldon’s Service Station, a popular La Mesa breakfast and lunch spot. Many years ago this coffee shop’s building was a La Mesa gas station.
A friendly guy at Sheldon’s Service Station said an artist named Kara has been working on the two murals for a couple of weeks. Take a look!
One of two fun new murals being painted on outdoor walls at Sheldon’s Service Station in La Mesa.Funny animals in the imaginative mural include Droopy and tea-drinking pelicans!
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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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
Anyone could add their own creative touch to this cool Imperial Street Festival spray paint mural!
This afternoon I checked out a cool neighborhood event. I headed into Logan Heights to experience the Third Annual Imperial Avenue Street Festival!
I had never been to this festival before. What did I discover? Lots of culture, live music, tasty food, dance, art . . . and smiles!
Here are some photos!
Live music could be enjoyed at multiple stages.Cool graffiti art at the Logan Heights neighborhood festival by Dehvzer Artworks.The VivaLife Health Hub had energetic dancers and upbeat music!
The VivaLife Health Hub at 2754 Imperial Avenue is a project of BAME Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization that strengthens the residents and businesses in Greater Logan Heights.
BAME puts on this awesome festival. And they are looking for neighborhood volunteers! Click the above link to learn more!
Here are two of many smiles that I saw!Guys eating at Dulceria Coty on Imperial Avenue had good seats to watch the event.Now that looks yummy.Calamity!Lots of vendors and some prize wheels.Poster shows student achievers from the local King-Chavez Primary Academy sports and athletics programs!The local Turf Klub had some custom cars out for the public to admire.At the East Stage a San Diego youth band called the Main Stage Maniacs rocked the house!
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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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
Putting sand into wooden forms, preparing to make sand sculptures that will welcome visitors to the Broadway Pier!
Look what I spotted during my walk along the Embarcadero after work today! Preparations are underway for the big 2017 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge which takes place this coming Labor Day Weekend!
As you can see, sand is being put into large wooden forms at the base of the Broadway Pier. I learned from a friendly guy scooping sand that the competing sculptures will actually be created inside the Broadway Pier’s Port Pavilion! (In past years they were outside, along the south edge of the nearby B Street Pier.)
I also see that this year, outside on the Broadway Pier, there will be all sorts of food, cool “dimensional art” and live music, much like the past events.
Finally, I learned that the three sand sculptures just getting started today will welcome visitors to the Broadway Pier. One sculpture will depict the USS Midway and Star of India. Another has something to do with LEGOs. A third will promote MTS, San Diego’s public transit system.
I’m getting excited! The best sand artists in the world will be here next weekend! I’m going! It will be cool to see their masterpieces!
The U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge is coming to San Diego’s Broadway Pier during Labor Day Weekend!Meanwhile, this afternoon during my walk, I saw some folks enjoying the pier, watching two harbor cruise ships coming in from the bay.This friendly guy told me there will be three sand sculptures here at the base of the pier. The competing sand sculptures will actually be created inside the Port Pavilion this year!Quarry sand mixed with water will be compacted, and then carved here into three cool sculptures during the coming week! Stay tuned!
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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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
People stroll down El Prado, checking out a huge variety of gourmet food trucks on a late Friday afternoon.
If you haven’t been to Food Truck Friday in Balboa Park, you’re missing out!
Not only is there all sorts of yummy food, but there is grass to picnic on and live music and juggling and hula hoops and checkers and crafts for the kids and colorful flowers and splashing fountains and amazing architecture and smiles and . . . I could go on and on! And the museums are open late, too!
Balboa Park’s special magic adds spice to an already tasty meal!
Balboa Park’s Food Truck Friday promises yummy eats and fun through September in the Plaza de Panama and along the length of El Prado.Feasting on the grass in sunny Balboa Park. Food Truck Fridays is the place to be for a festive family-friendly dinner.Kenny Shelton the awesome juggler was getting warmed up. He and other entertainers can be found throughout the park.A beautiful photo of the Plaza de Panama, its fountain, flowers, and the sunlit House of Hospitality during Food Truck Friday.If you live in San Diego, this giant checkerboard and these hula hoops are waiting for you!Musicians were playing under the Balboa Park Conservancy canopy near the Plaza de Panama fountain.The San Diego Model Railroad Museum had a table in the plaza where young kids could apply dots of paint to fun trains!And nearby, Spanish Village Art Center had their own cool table where kids could be creative!I spotted a Puppet Shows sign traveling through the plaza. So naturally I had to investigate…The Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre in Balboa Park is now presenting The Little Mermaid! A pelican puppet says hello and invites you all to the show!A truly Happy Friday in San Diego’s always amazing Balboa Park.
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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 never seen San Diego Comic-Con so crowded. Saturday is usually the busiest day of Comic-Con, but this year it was plain crazy. So crowded in places you almost couldn’t move!
I somehow managed to walk all over the place. Too much fun!
I started off my walk by getting a free Nickelodeon ice cream sandwich at Horton Plaza Park!It seems the Borg and the Federation have joined forces.That crazy, super energetic Syfy drum line is in the Gaslamp again!Must get the hair just right before taking a nice picture with a shark.It’s Jason! Run!Very cool.The latest Mummy is getting all wrapped up at Comic-Con.So much humanity, one can barely move.Profile of a Ferengi.Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman has a buddy.Lego Ninjago characters welcome a Comic-Con fan!People everywhere.Cosplay in the Petco Interactive Zone.Some laser tag action.A party inside the Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie truck.Making friends with Godzilla.More crowds.More cosplay.Don’t ask.Heading down to the area near the Hilton behind the convention center.I guess those Star Wars lasers do manage to hit something from time to time.Salsa picante!Big video screen at the FXhibition.Bolivar Master, from Season 3 of The Strain.A creepy Strigoi Stinger from The Strain.Free water at Archer, but bring your own cup.Cool Snowfall graphic.A pleasant Legion swing.A convenient Snowfall shoe lacing station.Looking cool!Yodeling.People are eager to be screened for the X-Gene.Here comes a couple now.They are placed in a transparent tube by Sentinel Services.An alarm goes off! X-Gene detected! Mutants! The tube fills with some sort of gas!The Orville Space Training Station readies astronauts to be spun like crazy out of control.A shark fin swimming past Adult Swim.Thor and others walking near the entrance to Adult Swim.Thousands of nerds. I feel right at home.Yes, a perfect day for ice cream.Yikes. I surrender.At first I thought he was a castle. He informed me, however, that his cosplay is silverware.An original cosplay inspired by H.P Lovecraft, I was told.Conival was being held on the terrace near the Marriott Marina.Folks chill at Conival.Kylo Ren uses the Force to extract cold mist from a fan.Posing as astronauts amid flying saucers.Looks like some ordinary person is just walking along heading to the hotel.These guys started with established characters then added their own original stuff.These sinister villains are in pink and black uniforms.The Cartoon Network balloons seen from Children’s Park. One of the balloons burst I was told. A bird hit it.A caricature artist at work on MLK Promenade.Superboy transforms into The Tick.Someone had a transplant. They now have a monitor instead of a head.Cleaning up means finding cool swag!Batman’s Rogue Gallery has the Caped Crusader and Robin surrounded.The DC superheroes and supervillains seem to be getting along better than usual.An awesome Transformer stands high above the Comic-Con crowd in the Gaslamp.I don’t know this cosplay. Pretty cool, though. UPDATE! Sam commented that this is likely Azrael Batman.I’m pretty sure that’s Cable of the X-Men.Yes. It must be another San Diego Comic-Con!
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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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
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