Distinctive dome of the restored Balboa Theatre seen from Broadway.
It’s going to be chilly and drizzly today, so I might not be going out for my customary walk. Instead, I thought I’d share a few photos of downtown’s beautiful Balboa Theatre that I took at various times last summer.
The Balboa Theatre has a long and interesting history. Built in 1924 as a vaudeville and movie palace, the large multi-story building containing offices overlooking Fourth Avenue has undergone a complex series of transformations. During World War II, it was used to house sailors waiting to ship out from San Diego. At one point the aging building was saved from demolition; finally it was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, the Balboa Theatre reopened after a thorough remodel, and it is now considered one of the foremost performance venues in the world. It was recently named by CNN Travel as one of the world’s 15 most spectacular theatres! Not bad!
Here are a few more pics of the exterior. I often steer my feet so that I walk past this beautiful building!
Balboa Theatre sign is a landmark in San Diego’s Gaslamp.People walk past box office of the historic Balboa Theatre.Close look at artwork on Balboa Theatre’s cool marquee.The Balboa Theatre is on the National Register of Historic Places.The Balboa Theatre stands next to downtown’s equally cool Horton Plaza.
One more pic I added on a later date:
Window display of old photograph and letter B from Balboa Theatre sign. These can be seen a short distance down the sidewalk.
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Sculpture of Bum, San Diego’s town dog, in a grassy Gaslamp pocket park.
One of San Diego’s most famous celebrities had four legs and a tail. His name was Bum.
Bum the dog made San Diego his home in the late 19th century. He arrived in town in 1886 by stowing away on the Santa Rosa, a steamship from San Francisco. Soon thereafter, he became the well known town mascot.
Everyone was proud to be Bum’s pal. San Diegans young and old gladly provided food, friendship and their front porches for his sleeping place. Bum helped firemen hurry to fires, led parades, and protected the town’s children. We know this today because James Edward Friend, a journalist, wrote about Bum’s life and famous exploits.
Bum was so popular that one local restaurant put up a sign that read Bum Eats Here. When the city of San Diego passed a law requiring dog licenses, Bum’s picture was featured on the license.
Bum was a free spirit. Nobody owned him. But he had a claim on everybody’s heart. He was given free fare on trains, whenever he decided to come or go. He was given special medical attention when one foreleg became badly mangled in a train accident. He was even given a home at the County Hospital by the Board of Supervisors when his arthritis made it hard to get around. Bum was buried on the hospital grounds after his death in 1898.
Bum’s life has come to represent a small chapter of San Diego’s history, back when today’s downtown competed with Old Town and was called New Town. A bronze sculpture of the famous town dog now occupies a shady pocket park in downtown’s Gaslamp District. You can find the exact likeness of the St. Bernard-Spaniel mix lying on the grass not far from the William Heath Davis House, which is a small museum and the oldest wooden structure in the Gaslamp.
Plaque remembers history of Bum in early San Diego and his legendary exploits.
The nearby plaque reads:
Bum
San Diego’s Official Town Dog
Died November 10, 1898 – Aged 12 Years
Loved by everyone – owned by no one. His name suited him because he arrived as a town stowaway, befriended everyone and “bummed” quality food from the local eateries. As a young dog he survived a scuffle with another dog on the Santa Fe train tracks. Though he lost a foreleg and part of his tail, his spirit was unbroken. He guarded the children, led the parades and fire trucks, and had many adventures. So admired was Bum that the City Council awarded him a lifetime dog license. When he died, children collected pennies for a proper burial.
Bum waits faithfully downtown next to the William Heath Davis House museum.Historical photograph shows Bum among his many San Diegan human friends.Greyfriars Bobby, town dog of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Another dog sculpture perched on a nearby bench is of Greyfriars Bobby, the official town dog of Edinburgh, Scotland. The love and loyalty of both legendary dogs is the reason San Diego and Edinburgh are sister cities.
Bum sculpture recalls another rich chapter of San Diego’s history.
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LEGENDS mural in downtown San Diego. Don’t kill Sean Bean!
A couple blocks from downtown’s Gaslamp Quarter, a huge painted mural on the side of a building depicts actor Sean Bean holding a gun and the Twitter hashtag #DontKillSeanBean. This eye-catching public artwork was created during the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con to promote the upcoming TNT television spy thriller LEGENDS.
Poor Sean Bean never seems to survive his roles. Many of his fans are hoping he makes it through this series. He has died over twenty times onscreen.
Some of his more notable deaths?
Shot through with Uruk-hai orc arrows as Boromir in Lord of the Rings.
Falling from and then crushed by a huge antenna structure as Agent 006 in Goldeneye.
Impaled by an anchor and then blown up during a boat chase in Patriot Games.
Chased off a cliff by a rampaging herd of cows in The Field.
Shot through the neck by a grappling hook and then hung in The Island.
Beheaded as Eddard Stark in the first season of Game of Thrones.
Better luck this time around, Mr. Bean!
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Gentleman heads toward downtown’s Gaslamp with a Spiderman tie.
Except for the very last photo, I snapped these pics today in the early evening as I walked around downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. 2014 San Diego Comic-Con is in full swing!
Cool Adult Swim car seems to offer free rides around San Diego.Mad Hatter guys heading down toward the center of cosplay action.It’s Spidey driving a pedicab and giving me a thumbs up!Lifetime Channel is to hold a Witches event tonight in San Diego.Mobile advertisement for the Sin City sequel, A Dame to Kill For.This colorful shop is appealing to the huge Comic-Con crowd.Gaslamp Reading Cinemas has showings, including Star Wars Rebels.Flash sign is a window wrap near Petco Park.Two hostesses at a local restaurant are dressed for Comic-Con.Lady with gigantic identification card is promoting Community.Lady swings in middle of the cool Assassin’s Creed obstacle course.This happy family belongs to the Justice League.Oh my goodness! That might be the real Dark Knight facing me!Witches were chanting in a circle by the Gaslamp trolley station.One witch hexes me with her spooky red eyes.Superman is down but not out.Is that an angry bird or a happy bird, I wonder.That arm looks downright formidable.Giant Creature catches the attention of Comic-Con fans near the Tin Fish.
This fantastic beast is called the Giant Creature. It’s piloted by a small alien on top. No, actually it contains four people who move the huge limbs from inside. The creature was slowly moving about for the nearby crowd.
Giant Creature is promoting a new fun phone app called Blippar.Pedicabs become pirate ships and carriages for Once Upon a Time.This tough vehicle is from the upcoming Brad Pitt movie Fury.Dead Island 2 ad on back of enterprising pedicab.Here comes Wonder Woman from the convention center across street.This guy is Green Goblin of Mordor.Crazy people wearing shark heads were promoting Sharknado 2.Young Princess Leia has a Sharknado 2 chainsaw.Just a whole bunch of fun cosplay up and down the crowded streets!Boy shows cool costume as I cross street in Mission Valley this morning.
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Workers put up special venue for 2014 San Diego Comic-Con.
This afternoon, four days before the start of 2014 San Diego Comic-Con, I went for a walk around the Gaslamp and convention center and took a bunch of very unique pictures!
Check out some photos of construction workers assembling cool event venues, hanging banners, applying gigantic building wraps, and painting colorful advertising murals for the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con!
Enjoy!
This structure will promote the new Constantine television show.Blacklist site is by the convention center and Omni Hotel.Gaslamp’s Tin Fish restaurant to be taken over by the Blacklist.Hannibal poster with Comic-Con construction in background.Grimm ad by the Gaslamp trolley station.Emerald City will be a brand new NBC TV series.Brad Pitt’s Fury splashed on side of the Hard Rock Hotel.Workers take break while hanging big 2014 San Diego Comic-Con banner!Several Comic-Con banners already on San Diego Convention Center.Huge Legends building wrap on Marriott Hotel features Sean Bean.Workers on platform apply Legends graphic on building for Comic-Con!Magic 2015 table top gaming poster on Marriott Hotel parking wall.True Blood banners have been hung from San Diego trolley posts.Huge Simpsons wrap rises colorfully on the Marriott!
Looks like the left half of the Simpsons graphic is up so far.
Simpsons TV marathon to launch in August on FXX.Assassin’s Creed obstacle course being installed across Harbor Drive.Obstacle course includes lots of jumping and climbing.Ubisoft’s video game Assassin’s Creed Unity to debut at 2014 Comic-Con.New television show The Strain has mural painted on Gaslamp building.Worker paints worm dangling from a huge bulging eyeball!
Stay tuned! Many more pics are coming!
UPDATE!!!
Here come more pics that I took early Tuesday morning, with about 48 hours to go before 2014 Comic-Con officially opens…
The Strain building mural is finally completed.The Assassin’s Creed obstacle course looks half finished on Tuesday.The Interview on Hard Rock Hotel with James Franco and Seth Rogen.Large blue Constantine dome appears to be covered with strange runes.Constantine banners hang by the Gaslamp trolley station.The Tin Fish restaurant now completely covered with Blacklist graphics!History Channel mural on Petco Park advertises Vikings.Ascension building wrap being applied early Tuesday morning.Closer look at Ascension graphics on Gaslamp building.Goosebumps green face peers from Hard Rock Hotel.
Here’s one last cool pic which I altered a bit by increasing the contrast:
View from San Diego Convention Center as Gotham trolley passes.
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Gaslamp trolley station has superhero sign about a ticket app.
Here are a few pics of new Comic-Con related things I’ve spotted around the Gaslamp in the past two days. The 2014 San Diego Comic-Con is now just one week away! It seems that most of the important preparation will take place early next week, and perhaps over this weekend. I’ll post new stuff as I discover it!
Several long banners with faces advertise The Leftovers on HBO.
Several of these banners run along the trolley tracks opposite the convention center. I saw one being put up yesterday morning.
Jay and Silent Bob will eat Comic-Con!
Looks like The American Comedy Co. has a bunch of hilarious Comic-Con entertainment ready to go!
This unusual Hulk is on one window of Rockin’ Baja.Lobster with pointed ears. Steam me up, Scotty!
I wonder if Spock would ever put on a sombrero. He probably would if it were logical.
Electric Dreams Factory sign applied to Hard Rock Hotel window.
Huge signs concerning an upcoming Adam Sandler movie called Pixels were going up all over the Hard Rock Hotel as I walked by early this morning. Sony will host a special event during Comic-Con called the Pixels Electric Dreams Factory Arcade, where gamers will be able to play classic arcade games from the 80’s!
San Diego Comic-Con logo being painted on a taco shop window.
Okay, I added the above photo from Little Italy on Friday afternoon. I was walking home from work. So now, technically, all these pics aren’t from the Gaslamp.
UPDATE!
I just learned I’ll probably be attending Preview Night this coming Wednesday, so stay tuned for (hopefully) a whole bunch of awesome stuff!
ANOTHER UPDATE!
Here come more pics… I snapped these in the days leading up to Comic-Con!
Poster by trolley station promotes another season of Blacklist.Alex Ross cool Justice League graphic above a Gaslamp door.The Haunted Hotel has two scary Comic-Con dates.The Strain television show advertisement on Old Town Trolley Tours bus.
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Horton Plaza has display cases welcoming Comic-Con.
Two weeks to go until this year’s San Diego Comic-Con! During my walk downtown today I saw that a few shops, bars and restaurants in the Gaslamp Quarter have begun to get ready. A couple signs are up and a few windows are painted. Horton Plaza shops have many wares ready to sell. I suspect in the coming week, major preparations will seriously get underway. I’m looking forward to see what surprises pop up!
Batman and Star Wars showcased for coming shoppers.Bookstore in Horton Plaza has cool stickers and posters in their window.Justice League appears ready to fly off a shirt!
I altered the above photo a bit to make the superheroes really jump out!
Superman in Gaslamp window with Doctor Who salt and pepper set.The Dark Knight silently watches from a historic Gaslamp building.Gaslamp bar window painted with Superman and POW word balloon.The Chuck Jones Gallery really doesn’t need anything more.These San Diego Comic-Con signs will soon be everywhere!
UPDATE!
Here come more pics taken in the days leading up to Comic-Con! You’ll notice the Chuck Jones Gallery finally got a funny sign up!
Boom Shop seems to be created for San Diego Comic-Con.Even ACE Hardware is feeling heroic!Wile E. Coyote holds Chuck Jones Gallery sign!Batgirl costume on mannequin in a typical local shop.Yogurt sign with Hulk, Supergirl, Spidey and Batman!Wolverine comic book on a very cool t-shirt.
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San Diego recently made the news as America’s most patriotic city, according to a popular social media network. It doesn’t surprise me. San Diego has more military installations and a higher concentration of veterans than any other city in the United States.
So on the Fourth of July you might expect to see a whole lot of patriotism. You’re right!
Tonight one of the biggest firework displays in the country will take place on San Diego Bay. Right now, people are filtering into the area around the bay to claim viewing spots, have barbeques and picnics, and get themselves ready for the Big Bay Boom, until the number will reach hundreds of thousands.
This afternoon I walked around the Gaslamp and the Embarcadero. Here come some pics!
The streets of San Diego’s Gaslamp District filled with patriotic sights.Shop window in the Gaslamp filled with American flags.Friendship and brotherhood on the Embarcadero Marina Park South pier.One of many boats decked with Fourth of July bunting.The bayfront parks are crowded with tents and celebrating Americans.Thousands along San Diego Bay enjoy barbeque and play.People have claimed spots to watch tonight’s fireworks on the bay.Street performer poses with red, white and blue.Many in the crowd are wearing patriotic clothing.USS Carl Vinson, an active aircraft carrier, strung with festive colors.A display on the Embarcadero of historic diving equipment.Young man near USS Midway speaks to retired Navy diver.Just kicking back on a sunny San Diego Independence Day.The Patriot speed boat is fit for the occasion.Cool pedicab driver gives a peace sign on Fourth of July.
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Gamora of Guardians of the Galaxy on a cool banner!
I took these quick photos this morning during a meandering walk through downtown. 2014 San Diego Comic-Con is only three weeks away!
A couple days ago I saw a San Diego trolley with an awesome Gotham television show wrap. I didn’t whip out my camera fast enough, unfortunately. Next time I have a chance, I’ll snap a pic and post it!
I started this blog last year, just a few weeks after Comic-Con had ended, so this year I plan to get a load of interesting images! Stay tuned!
Star-Lord in action on a San Diego Gaslamp street lamp!Groot and Rocket are ready to fight cosmic evil.Drax on Comic-Con banner near San Diego Convention Center.Big Hero 6 banners line Broadway in downtown San Diego.
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Here’s another batch of photos from yesterday evening’s cool Zombie Walk. The downtown San Diego event began at Childrens Park and proceeded down Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade. As it grew dark, the hungry creatures swarmed up Fifth Avenue through the Gaslamp, where the spectacle entertained Saturday night revelers.
Oh my goodness, here they come now! Teletubby zombies lead the frightening assault!
Yikes! There are hundreds of hungry zombies shuffling along! They’re unstoppable! Seeping blood and torn clothing seem to be the main theme.
I hope the humans over in the Gaslamp are ready to take on more than zombies. I see a werewolf!
Dilbert thought his coworkers were mindless zombies. Then one day Dilbert became one.
The walking dead include a bloody Superman. If the Man of Steel couldn’t stop the zombie plague, then I guess there’s no hope.
Another zombie with an axe searching for a victim…
Hoardes of walking dead are now very close to San Diego’s Gaslamp. It’s not going to be pretty.
Well, I guess the zombies aren’t hungry for the red sauce served at the Spaghetti Factory. They’re after something else! Bye–gotta run!
Cool San Diego Sights! 