Weather and the elements are damaging to any ship. That’s especially true when the ship is made of wood.
If you’ve been by the Maritime Museum of San Diego lately, you’ve probably seen how one side of their tall ship HMS Surprise is being repaired. The starboard side, which for many years faced south toward the harsh sun, had seriously deteriorated.
Fortunately, the world-famous Maritime Museum of San Diego has the expertise required to undertake complicated projects such as this, as shown by the beautiful deck restoration of HMS Surprise. But funds are also required, which can be a challenge for any nonprofit organization.
Would you like to help?
Perhaps you love the film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, which starred Russell Crowe and beautiful HMS Surprise. As I did a little research this morning, I noticed that author Michael Eging, who also loves the critically acclaimed movie and the Patrick O’Brian novels it’s based on, has created a GoFundMe fundraiser for the restoration of HMS Surprise. A fair amount of money has already been raised, but there’s more to go.
To learn about this effort, and perhaps make a contribution, click here!
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You can win a valuable and historic handmade quilt in Old Town San Diego this coming Fourth of July!
The beautiful quilt has an antique Churn Dash top that was probably made in the 1890s or early 20th century. It was purchased in 2015 and finished by volunteers at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, while sitting on the front porch of the Threads of the Past building. Perhaps you saw these ladies dressed in old fashioned garb during a visit. While talking to passersby and explaining their stitching, they carefully applied cotton batting and a reproduction blue cotton backing.
The quilt’s mostly red, white and blue pattern has other fun names: Monkey Wrench, Hole in the Barn Door, and Hens and Chickens! The quilt can presently be seen inside the State Park’s Robinson-Rose House Visitor Center. That’s where you can purchase your opportunity drawing tickets, too!
One dollar purchases one ticket for the Fourth of July quilt raffle; five dollars will get you six tickets. The big jar containing tickets wasn’t terribly full when I saw it today, so your chances might be fairly good at winning!
The proceeds from the raffle will help fund Living History programs at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. You need not be present to win!
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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 X.
An inspirational event is coming up this Sunday, May 21st!
TEAM Survivor San Diego is a dynamic, positive group of women who are cancer survivors. They have a dragon boat team called the Sea Dragons. In the past I’ve seen the team racing out on Mission Bay.
I’ve learned the TEAM Survivor San Diego Sea Dragons will be celebrating their 15th anniversary by paddling a marathon circumnavigation of the entire Mission Bay! People are invited to come on out Sunday to cheer them on!
The epic paddle will begin and finish at the youth aquatic facility on Fiesta Island with seven stops along the way. The event starts at 8:00 a.m. and finishes around 4:00 p.m.
If you’re curious to learn more about this great event or would like to support women cancer survivors, check out the Sea Dragons’ Facebook page 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!
Hundreds of runners and walkers headed along San Diego’s Embarcadero this morning during the Padres Pedal the Cause fundraiser. They were participating in the 5K Walk/Run!
Lots of thumbs up and smiles spontaneously appeared as a stream of humanity flowed down the boardwalk.
Funds were being raised for Curebound, an organization that helps to further cancer research. Local institutions they help include the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, Salk Institute, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, Rady Children’s Hospital, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, and Scripps Research.
The House of Turkey in Balboa Park is now raising earthquake relief funds. I learned this today as I walked through the International Cottages.
According to a House of Turkey flyer, one hundred percent of the money donated will go toward the earthquake relief effort, which includes providing life saving supplies.
Do you love Cabrillo National Monument? Would you like to help build a spectacular hiking trail that will connect the whale watching overlook to the tide pools 400 feet below?
You can become a trailblazer!
The trail’s construction has begun, but there’s more to do. And additional donations are necessary. As you can see from an information sign inside the Visitor Center, quite a lot of money had been raised by the Cabrillo National Monument Foundation already.
I asked a park ranger about this project. Several phases are completed, including archaeological surveys and removal of vegetation that will be replanted elsewhere in the park.
The next photo shows where the new trail will begin, just beyond the whale watching overlook. It will branch off from the short existing trail that leads down to a pair of World War II bunkers.
And my final photo shows the new trail’s destination: the Cabrillo National Monument tide pools!
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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!
Plans are underway to create a landmark sign in La Mesa’s downtown Village!
La Mesa families are preparing painted tiles that will decorate the columns of the archway sign!
The “La Mesa Village District Sign” will span La Mesa Boulevard at Palm Avenue. It will resemble the distinctive gateway signs in other San Diego neighborhoods and cities in the county.
I knew nothing about this project until I walked past a banner and posters in windows at the intersection where the sign will be erected.
The ongoing “Leave a Legacy Tile” fundraiser will eventually produce a “Community Quilt” installed on the base of each column!
A multi-band rock concert and fun mini-festival was held at the historic Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park this afternoon!
The objective of the event was to raise money, public awareness, and help the organization Save Starlight in their effort to receive a long-term operating lease from the City of San Diego.
There was wine tasting, an opportunity drawing, clothes for sale, and even some cool artwork! When I came by, I was glad to see a fair number of people had turned out.
I learned how major renovations to the 1935 Starlight Bowl have recently been completed, including sewer repair and the installation of a new hot water heater. Before too long, hopefully, the 4000-seat amphitheater’s Beyond Starlight healthy foods café, operating out of the old box office, should be up and running!
The cool artwork is by @holdenfrey.And here’s some cool art by @ilovegaba.
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You can explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on this website’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There’s a lot of stuff to share and enjoy!
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Want to do something tangible to help the environment? Here’s an idea!
UC San Diego is working to fund a new Kendall-Frost Field Station on the north side of Mission Bay. They are raising funds for a much improved education, research and outreach center at the edge of the Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve.
I passed their old trailer today during my long walk through Pacific Beach, and I happened to see the following information on the fence. It includes a rendering of the proposed field station…
Join our fundraising campaign to build a new field research and education building to replace the 55-year-old trailer. The new building will feature a large multi-purpose classroom and community room, roll-up windows and a large deck, bird-watching overlook, and reception area.
Five years ago I visited the old trailer and the working area adjacent to it during Love Your Wetlands Day.
If you want to see the wetland restoration that is done here, and fun photos of that educational event, check out my past blog post.
If you want to help build the new field station, or learn more about this project, visit the UC San Diego web page here!
The trailer is covered with colorful art, but is getting very old.The environmentally important Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve in Mission 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!
View of the House of Charm in Balboa Park, home of the Mingei International Museum.
I made a very cool discovery today during the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s 2018 OPEN HOUSE event!
After an amazing tour of the Timken Museum in Balboa Park, which I will be blogging about shortly, I crossed the Plaza de Panama to catch the final part of a special talk at the Mingei International Museum. I was astonished to learn the museum is about to undergo a complete transformation!
What I learned about the upcoming changes is really exciting! In order to make the museum more dynamic and accessible to the San Diego community, the first floor Plaza Level will become a free space where ordinary people can mingle and openly enjoy culture and expression with friends and other visitors. New additions will include a cool sculpture garden, a small sit-down restaurant, and a new theater space. A balcony overlooking the Plaza de Panama will provide amazing views of Balboa Park, and stairs to the second floor art gallery will ascend through the House of Charm’s iconic tower, with views of the beautiful Alcazar Garden below, where there will be a new west entrance!
I didn’t catch all the details, so I hope that what I’ve just told you is correct. You can see some of the plans on the Mingei’s website here. I did learn that this amazing transformation will begin later this year–I believe I was told around September–and the museum will close during construction. During the House of Charm’s renovation the museum will have surprise pop-up exhibitions around San Diego and other fun events to fill in the void.
I also learned the total cost of the project is $40 million, and more money needs to be raised. Can you help? If you’d like to help shape Balboa Park’s brilliant future, check out this page!
Visitor to the Mingei learns about the museum’s upcoming transformation during the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s 2018 OPEN HOUSE event.
Images were displayed after a talk by celebrated architect Jennifer Luce. This one shows a theater space to be added to the building’s expanded southeast corner.
Rendering of the theater that will add even more life to the Mingei International Museum.
Stairs to the second floor Gallery Level will ascend through the House of Charm’s iconic tower. A new entrance to the museum will be added at the east end of the Alcazar Garden.
Rendering of daytime activity on a new second floor balcony overlooking the Plaza de Panama.
Rendering shows diners at night on the balcony. Illumination along the balcony will add a signature touch to the museum’s appearance.
People freely enjoy a new pocket park-like sculpture courtyard at the Mingei.
Photo taken today of the House of Charm and its iconic tower from the Alcazar Garden. Big changes are coming!
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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!
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