Tag: gaslamp

Fun photos of Comic-Con preparation in San Diego!

With one week to go in San Diego until the start of Comic-Con 2023, preparations around downtown are accelerating!

More building wraps are appearing in the Gaslamp Quarter and near the San Diego Convention Center. Glimpses of outside pop ups and other fun stuff can now be observed, such as the above smiling chicken . . . or is that someone trying out a Cluckin’ Bell costume?

You might remember Cluckin’ Bell from the Grand Theft Auto video games. You’ll be able to visit a living replica of the fast food joint during Comic-Con. Cluckin’ Bell will be taking over Smokin J’s barbeque restaurant at 751 Fourth Avenue.

Please enjoy photographs I took today during a very long walk around Comic-Con’s outdoor “campus” in San Diego.

First up, I learned that internationally renowned graffiti artist RISK will be showing his artwork at Exclusive Collections Gallery in the Gaslamp at 621 Fifth Avenue. You can meet the artist the Friday and Saturday of Comic-Con week, from 5-9 pm. Here’s a photo of RISK’s Taz…

Posters advertising Twisted Metal on peacock are now all over the Gaslamp Quarter…

The Super Mario Bros. Movie art on the windows of Sweet Things Frozen Yogurt becomes ever more colorful…

Workers getting ready for Comic-Con 2023 clean up trash near the trolley tracks along Harbor Drive…

So many San Diego Trolley cars now have Comic-Con wraps that entire 3-car trains often display the same fun graphics…

Multiple building wraps can now be viewed in the Gaslamp…

The stylish Interview With The Vampire building wrap on the Hilton Gaslamp is pretty awesome…

A big wrap promoting Paramount+ show Yellowjackets is being applied to one side of the Hard Rock Hotel…

Look what has appeared on the Omni Hotel! That looks like Stewie of Family Guy!

And on another side of the Omni, I see Lisa of The Simpsons playing sax!

The Good Omens 2 building wrap I blogged about yesterday appears about done…

Right next to it another wrap is going up. Probably another Amazon Prime Video show…

Finally, here’s a new building wrap being applied to the Pendry San Diego hotel…

What show is this?

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I’m 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!

Vampire theatre and early Comic-Con omens!

Will Comic-Con 2023 goers be able to enjoy the entertainment provided by Vampire Theatre? If the early appearance of graphics applied to the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter hotel are any indication, perhaps!

I walked around this evening and captured more photographs of pre-Comic-Con activity. Perhaps you saw my previous blog post where I shared photos of building wraps that are materializing all over!

Here come a few more photos from my latest walk.

Interview With The Vampire is being applied to one window of the Hilton Gaslamp.

That Amazon Prime Video building wrap at Fifth Avenue and K Street has expanded during the afternoon. Friendly workers putting up the graphics told me the entire Hilton Gaslamp and this building adjoining it on Fifth Avenue will be completely wrapped on every side.

That wrap above when competed will advertise Good Omens 2. I got the following picture of a sample showing how it will appear. You can see where building windows will be in relation to the graphics…

And on the San Diego Convention Center side of the Hard Rock Hotel, a wrap is going up that promotes Yellowjackets on Paramount+ . . .

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I’m 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!

Building wraps appear for Comic-Con 2023!

The first building wraps are being put up in downtown San Diego for Comic-Con 2023!

I noticed several promotional wraps this afternoon during a walk around the Gaslamp Quarter and San Diego Convention Center.

I’ll probably head out this evening to see what progress has been made. I’ll provide an update!

First, check out this huge wrap on the Park 12 high-rise. It promotes Special Ops: Lioness on Paramount+ . . .

Next, I noticed the Hilton Gaslamp will apparently be the site of an Interview With The Vampire on AMC activation. Vampire theatre, anyone?

Across Fifth Avenue, I saw a building wrap near the top of the Hard Rock Hotel. It promotes Yellowjackets on Paramount+ . . .

Another wrap is beginning to appear on the convention center side of the Hard Rock Hotel . . .

Lastly, looks like Amazon Prime Video will have a promotional building wrap at Fifth Avenue and K Street . . .

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I’m 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!

The gas lamps of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.

Have you noticed those four working gas lamps in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter? The ones that help light the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Market Street?

Walk beneath the lamps and you might notice bronze plaques embedded in the sidewalk. They indicate these working gas lamps were installed in 2002. You’ll also learn the idea to have real gas lamps in the Gaslamp Quarter was originated by the Coss family.

The Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego got its name because once upon a time, back when today’s downtown was called New Town, there were fifty gas lamps lighting the young city. Fifth Avenue was one of the principal streets, leading south to a wharf in San Diego Bay.

The dancing flames of today’s four active gas lamps are like spirits from the past. They add atmosphere to a historic district that features many old Victorian buildings, particularly at night.

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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!

NBCUniversal returning for Comic-Con 2023!

I’ve learned NBCUniversal will be returning to San Diego next month for Comic-Con 2023!

During my walk through Gaslamp Square this morning, I observed some guys measuring off an area where NBC has traditionally held their Comic-Con offsites. I spoke with one gentleman, and he told me the entertainment powerhouse is indeed returning. He mentioned the pop-up will include Syfy and Chucky, and will be more elaborate than the NBCUniversal photo-op walk-through that was built here in 2022.

I’m excited to see what this will be! There have been some really creative and engaging NBC Comic-Con offsites in past years.

Yes, I intend to cover Comic-Con again in 2023. I live downtown and I’m taking several days off from work. The San Diego Trolley wraps should be debuting soon. Stay tuned for lots of pop culture fun!

To enjoy all of my Comic-Con related photos over the course of many years (including hundreds of cosplay pics), click here and scroll down!

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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!

The iconic Gaslamp Quarter Archway refurbished!

When many think of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, the iconic Gaslamp Quarter Archway at the south end of Fifth Avenue comes to mind. The landmark sign welcomes one and all to downtown’s popular historic district.

This morning I noticed the old archway is being refurbished! Workers on two cherry pickers had finished painting the structure and were beginning to apply new graphics.

According to this web page, the last time the Gaslamp Quarter Archway was refurbished was 2012. The arch was originally installed back in 1990.

Here’s a pic I took a few years ago…

And here’s what I saw this morning…

I’ll head back to the Gaslamp this afternoon and see what progress has been made. I’ll post an update with more photos!

UPDATE!

This is what I saw mid-afternoon…

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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!

Scarlet Witch materializes in the Gaslamp!

The powerful Scarlet Witch has begun to materialize in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter! Is it the heroic Scarlet Witch, member of the Avengers, or the terrifying one who wants to dominate the multiverse?

Well, to find out, one must step inside the Bards and Cards game store on Fifth Avenue. A cool mural is now being created behind the front counter!

I learned there will be three parts to the mural, including imagery that pertains to Dungeons & Dragons.

The artist is Robert Turner (@thewaterthief).

I’ll drop by again on a future walk to photograph the artwork’s progress!

UPDATE!

A couple weeks later I saw a Dungeons & Dragons creature appearing. It’s a beholder…

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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!

Parrots appear in San Diego for Margaritaville Hotel!

Two enormous parrots are now being painted outside downtown’s Solamar hotel. Why? The property will soon become Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter!

I spotted the new artwork this morning, then returned in the afternoon for more photographs. Several painters were on two suspended platforms creating the huge, colorful murals.

The new Margaritaville Hotel will have a Jimmy Buffett theme. Sunny and laid back. Just like San Diego.

According to its website, the converted hotel will debut this July.

Parrotheads rejoice!

UPDATE!

A week and a half later, this is what I saw…

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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!

Old Spaghetti Factory and a famous architect.

Over the decades, countless diners have enjoyed meals at downtown San Diego’s beloved Old Spaghetti Factory. I remember eating here back in the 1980s!

Did you know the Old Spaghetti Factory’s beautiful brick building was designed by a world-famous architect?

The Buel-Town Building dates from the late 19th century. Its principal designer was internationally renowned architect Irving Gill, considered a pioneer of the modern movement in architecture. It’s one of his earliest projects.

To see a list of Irving Gill’s other works in San Diego and Southern California, visit his Wikipedia page here.

The Buel-Town Building, 1898.

With its arched corner entrance, bay window, and corbelled brick cornice, this building reflects the originality of the architects Hebbard and Gill. Gill, the principal designer, had a preference for natural forms, over the highly ornate European styles common of his era. This is evident in this structure, which was one of his earliest works. After serving tenants such as the Western Metal Company and Buel-Town Chemicals, the building was converted for use as The Old Spaghetti Factory Restaurant in 1974.

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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!

City life on a wet, very windy morning.

San Diego is experiencing very high winds today. Combined with morning showers, including a sudden bout of hail, the icy wind made walking downtown a bit of an adventure.

I ventured outside after the hail. Nevertheless, my usual San Diego jacket felt far too thin. And crazy wind gusts almost knocked me over several times!

Flags were whipping around, most people were bundled up and my hat flew off twice. As you can see in the next photo, it’s Ash Wednesday.

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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!