Today I headed up to Old Poway Park to enjoy a very cool event. Scenes from the 19th century were being reenacted at the annual Rendezvous in Poway!
History enthusiasts had set up tents and tipis under large beautiful sycamore trees in the park’s grassy area. I learned that the rendezvous participants had been camping in Old Poway Park for several days already, and that local school students came by during the week to learn about life in the Old West during the 1800’s.
The Rendezvous in Poway, which continues this Sunday, features people in costume representing vaqueros, mountain men, cowboys, pioneers, and even members of the cavalry during the Civil War. For a few bucks kids can pan for real gold and families can ride the park’s fun Poway-Midland Railroad loop and watch a mock train robbery! Many of the attractions are free to the public, including a realistic cannon firing demonstration and Professor Tru Lee Bogus’ Traveling Medicine Show.
I also discovered that the Heritage Museum in Old Poway Park is open on weekends. There are many fascinating exhibits inside, and visitors can learn a good deal about the early history of Poway, back when people reached the once-tiny town by stagecoach.
On a pleasant early October afternoon I walked about the Rendezvous in Poway, enjoying many unique sights–and of course I took photos!
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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!
Last weekend I walked up Coast Highway 101 through a good slice of Leucadia. The following photos are of various cool sights I spotted. I saw lots of great murals, too, but those I’ll feature in an upcoming blog post.
Come along and join me on a very misty, occasionally drizzly morning! We start a bit south of Marcheta Street in Encinitas and work our way north up the west sidewalk of Coast Highway 101 to a place around Avocado Street.
A cool old door.A giant yeti holds some Mobil oil.Stickers at Juanitas Taco Shop.A smile in a doorway!A cool design stamped in the sidewalk. Leucadia established 1875.Butterflies on a blue fence.Lou’s Records. New releases every Friday.A fish in a hammock stretched between metal trees by a parking lot.Eating breakfast on a misty morning at Pannikin Coffee and Tea.Pannikin is located in an historic 1888 Santa Fe Railroad Station, which was moved to this site on Coast Highway 101 west of the train tracks.An El Camino Real bell above the sidewalk along Coast Highway 101 in Leucadia.Rotary International plaque near the base of the El Camino Real bell.Joggers heading down the damp sidewalk near some art on electrical boxes.A cool little mural with a tropical ocean scene.An anticuados smile on a fence.Some outdoor decor at a Mexican restaurant.A large flower on The Cali Life Gallery.Another cool mural above a window with a colorful beach scene.A surfboard in front of Progression Surf.Cool art at a small shopping center on Coast Highway 101.The small, green Leucadia Roadside Park.A trashcan in the park features fun tile art.Colorful sailboats by an outdoor table.Getting ready for another day at Solterra Winery and Kitchen.Walking along.Live. Love.Fanciful design on a wall.Bicyclists head south on old Coast Highway 101.Leucadia Coast Hwy 101. The art and soul of Encinitas.Signs point to distant cities and to Seaweed and Gravel.A happy mailman by a bike rack at the Leucadia post office.More cool Leucadia street art on an electrical box.A Kiss for You.Welcome to Leucadia in a window.A very tall carved mermaid by the sidewalk.This fierce tiki likes to gnaw on rope, it seems.Two dolphins leap by the sidewalk.The beach must be up these stairs at Bamboo 2 U and Beach House Too.There’s a huge seahorse just outside that Beach House.Organic tacos and a whale sighting.Furniture and Curiosities.An elaborate design on an electrical box by the sidewalk.There are so many stickers on the Leucadia Donut Shoppe windows, I won’t be tempted by what can’t be seen inside.
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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!
Sculpted clay tiles form beautiful mosaics that were created by artist Betsy Schulz. This is a red-tailed hawk.
On Sunday I walked the length of Solana Beach’s Coastal Rail Trail, which runs along the east side of Highway 101.
I was delighted to observe all sorts of colorful public art, beautiful flowers and trees, and even some unexpected poetry!
My walk was from south to north: from Via de la Valle up to a spot just beyond Ocean Street, where the trail through Solana Beach ends.
The pathway is extremely easy and flat. I saw many families riding bikes along it, and walkers and joggers, too.
Come along with me and read the photo captions.
Two arches by artist Betsy Schulz welcome walkers and riders to Solana Beach’s Coastal Rail Trail at Highway 101 and Via de la Valle.Wild nature on one amazing arch.Local history depicted on both arches includes the native Kumeyaay, who have lived in the region for thousands of years.The arrival of Spanish missionaries is depicted.The history of Solana Beach includes great upheavals and transformations, including the coming of the railroad.Scenes of Solana Beach in the early 20th century.More scenes of Solana Beach in the early 20th century.The City of Solana Beach was incorporated in 1986.Surfing on the timeless Pacific Ocean.
You can see more public art by Betsy Schulz by clicking here and here.
As I continued north on the Coastal Rail Trail, I noticed what appeared to be a crescent moon on the pathway, with a moon poem by Walter de la Mare.A bit farther on I found another glistening moon. This one includes a poem by Emily Dickinson.I then came upon this colorful stained glass sunburst, standing between the pathway and nearby Highway 101!Sunburst of Color, by artist Amber Irwin, 2005. Amber Irwin is a founding member of the Solana Beach Art Association.A small garden beside the Coastal Rail Trail was bright on a late summer day with flowers.An electrical box with painted artwork.Looking over a fence, I saw a Coaster rumbling up the train tracks that run parallel to the trail.Then I stumbled upon a third crescent moon, and a mysterious hat! This poem is also by Emily Dickinson.A water fountain near steps to the Dahlia Drive pedestrian bridge that spans the train tracks. The fountain stands above colorful mosaics.This mosaic is a love gift from the Solana Beach Presbyterian Church.A local youth group made these many cheerful ceramic leaves and flowers.Across the train track I spotted the huge, eye-catching mural by artist Lindu Prasekti. It’s titled Myths at Play.
You can learn more about this very cool mural by clicking here.
I’m passed by bicyclists who are also heading north.Sea life mosaics decorate concrete benches at the bus stop across from the Solana Beach train station. By artist Michelle Griffoul.
You can learn more about these eleven benches and see up close images of the sea life tiles by clicking here.
I’ve come to some steps leading down to the Solana Beach train station platform. Lots of passengers are waiting below.The visually interesting Solana Beach train station was designed by architect Rob Wellington Quigley, and was built in 1994.Another photo of people on a train platform below the Coastal Rail Trail in Solana Beach.Some more colorful art on another electrical box beside the pathway.Red bougainvillea and the Cliff Street bridge over train tracks.A City of Solana Beach plaque on the CLIFF STREET BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.As I approached the northern end of Solana Beach, I saw a sign that reads RAIL TRAIL ENDS 500 FT. (At this time the trail doesn’t continue into Cardiff-by-the-Sea.)In addition to the distant ocean, I see something interesting ahead.A monument with a plaque stands near an observation platform beside a small grove of Torrey Pine trees.Some sculptural Torrey Pine artwork on the side of the monument.The plaque explains the history of these few transplanted Torrey Pine trees. Figuring in that complicated history are billboards along the highway and the installation of train tracks.More beautiful artwork, at the north end of Solana Beach’s Coastal Rail Trail.
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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!
Over the years I’ve taken photos “behind the scenes” at various interesting and historic places in San Diego. I thought it would be fun to revisit some of those blog posts, in case you’ve missed them.
Here are ten guided tours and curious walks that provided fascinating views of San Diego that many do not see.
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!
Representatives of many communities come together during Old Town San Diego’s Founders Day to celebrate our city’s diverse history.
Founders Day is being celebrated in Old Town this weekend. The unique Old Town San Diego Chamber of Commerce event, which is inspired by our city’s 250th anniversary, is being held along San Diego Avenue, just south of the State Park.
I walked around at noontime today and took photos!
The colorful Founders Day festival will continue tomorrow. There will be street vendors and music and dancing and a whole lot of history to experience. If you can, head to Old Town San Diego and check it out!
San Diego Avenue was full of color and activity during my walk on the Saturday of Founders Day weekend.A banner on an Old Town lamp post remembers the year 1769, when Junípero Serra founded a Spanish mission in San Diego.This musician smiled for a blogger who happened to walk by.The San Diego Model A Ford Club had lots of vintage cars on display during the event.Root beer floats could be enjoyed at this outdoor Western saloon!The San Diego History Center had a display detailing important moments in San Diego’s 250 year history.Early people, events and developments in San Diego’s history include the native Kumeyaay, the Spanish arrival, and the establishment of Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769.Frontier musicians play banjo, guitar and washboard.Historical reenactors from Old Town’s African Latin Museum participated in Founders Day.SDSU Archaeology had a table near the Whaley House Museum.San Diego State University Archaeology students once excavated behind the Whaley House, and found many interesting artifacts.Uncovered artifacts included bottles and various household items common in early San Diego.Write Out Loud had their Poe and Twain puppets roaming about during the cool event!Diverse people come together during Founders Day to celebrate our city’s complex and uniquely fascinating 250 years of history. During the opening ceremony, words of optimism were expressed for the future!
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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!
The Old Town San Diego Foundation is raising funds so that Fourth Grade students across San Diego County can continue taking educational field trips to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. The San Diego History Program helps kids learn about San Diego’s unique, culturally diverse early history. But financial assistance is urgently needed!
I found out about this program today while walking about Old Town’s Founders Day event. I learned thousands of students have been fortunate to enjoy these field trips in past years. Fourth graders visit Old Town’s interactive museums and enjoy special docent led tours.
The nice folks of the Old Town San Diego Foundation explained that without this program, many young people would probably never visit the birthplace of San Diego and California.
Often kids who participate are so amazed by what they discover, they bring their families back to Old Town! How cool is that?
But funds are now needed to continue this program.
Please visit the Old Town San Diego Foundation website here to learn more.
And please visit the “4th Graders Need Your Help” GoFundMe page here to make your contribution! Donations are 100% tax deductible.
(I know that some educators follow this blog. Spread the word!)
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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!
Barbershop, Los Angeles, 1956, Harry Adams. Photographer Harry Adams stands with a young woman in front of his barbershop.
A powerful exhibition recently opened at the San Diego Museum of Art. Black Life: Images of Resistance and Resilience in Southern California features photographs of politicians, activists, athletes and entertainers from the African American community during the second half of the 20th century, a period of struggle to advance civil rights.
Photographers Harry Adams, Guy Crowder and Charles Williams, who worked primarily as freelancers for publications like the Los Angeles Sentinel, California Eagle and Los Angeles Times, recorded people and moments in a community that was rarely covered by the American media. Their photography is natural, emotional and absolutely authentic. As you will see, many of their images are iconic.
Black Life: Images of Resistance and Resilience in Southern California documents important history in the life of our region. The exhibition can be viewed in the San Diego Museum of Art’s free Gallery 14/15, which is located through an unlocked door beside the outdoor sculpture court and Panama 66.
What you see here is just a small fraction of the many photographs on display.
Child Holding Book, Los Angeles, 1983, Guy Crowder.Muhammad Ali and Stokely Carmichael, Los Angeles, 1974, Guy Crowder. Carmichael is known for coining the term Black Power in 1966.Marrie Burnett, Los Angeles, 1982, Guy Crowder.Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at Second Baptist Church, Los Angeles, 1958, Harry Adams.Baldwin School Integration, Los Angeles, 1962, Charles Williams. The NAACP campaigned to promote school integration.Protest Car, Los Angeles, 1962, Harry Adams.Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge, stars of Carmen Jones, 1954, Charles Williams.Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, Los Angeles, 1969, Guy Crowder.Dream Girls Cast, Los Angeles, 1983, Guy Crowder.
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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!
It’s hard to believe 18 years has gone by. To me, the morning of September 11, 2001 doesn’t seem that long ago. Even though I observed the horror of 9/11 on television from the other side of the country, it’s one of those life changing memories that will never fade.
I realize the human world is full of tumult and antagonism, but I pray we all might finally learn to live in peace. Life is short enough as it is. Even though our many different ambitions and beliefs might come into conflict, why can’t we simply be kind to one another?
Over the past six years while blogging, I’ve experienced a few respectful moments in San Diego that remember the September 11 attacks. Each was deeply moving. If you want to revisit some of those images, here are the links:
Mural by artist Jonny Alexander at El Cajon Boulevard and Winona Avenue remembers old U.S. Highway 80.
A cool mural in San Diego celebrates old U.S. Highway 80. The street art reads “Cruise Historic Highway 80” and features an image of a motorcyclist crossing desert and mountains to reach the Pacific Ocean. The mural was painted near the intersection of El Cajon Boulevard and Winona Avenue in 2015 by Jonny Alexander.
U.S. Highway 80 was a legendary cross-country route that at one time ran 2671 miles from U.S. Route 101 in San Diego, California east all the way to Georgia. The segment through San Diego was eventually decommissioned in favor of a newly built Interstate 8.
Much of old U.S. Route 80 ran through San Diego where El Cajon Boulevard is today.
A motorcyclist riding west has reached the Pacific Ocean after crossing desert and mountains.Much of Historic Route US 80 ran where El Cajon Boulevard is today.Cruise Historic Highway 80. A celebration of the old days depicted in a cool mural in San Diego.
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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!
Giant puppets representing Emily Dickinson and Edgar Allan Poe roam Old Town San Diego State Historic Park during 2019 TwainFest!
Today I enjoyed one of my very favorite San Diego events. I headed to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park for a celebration of great writing and reading at 2019 TwainFest!
Literature is the focus of this annual festival–the most famous 19th century literature and writers in particular. Produced by Write Out Loud, TwainFest features live readings, performances, period music and costumes, games, and a variety of fun activities for the entire family.
Kids not only develop an appreciation for classic books, but they experience the joy of creativity!
Here comes a tall Mark Twain puppet walking through Old Town San Diego!A noon parade circles the Old Town plaza during 2019 TwainFest, where great writers and reading are celebrated!Many characters in 19th century period costume could be spotted at the annual event.Musical entertainment on the main stage. Fiesta de Reyes presents TwainFest by Write Out Loud. Laughter, Levity and Literature.This salty Captain Swordfish might have been an acquaintance of Moby Dick author Herman Melville. He has been joined by Lewis Carroll’s Red Queen.I met poet Walt Whitman, who told me this is his first time at TwainFest.One of many fun games at TwainFest. Spinning the Wheel of Fiction, in order to solve a literary clue.Characters and scenes from Mark Twain’s stories could be colored, like The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.Anyone could walk up, grab a marker, and help write several Never Ending Stories.A performance of a magical folk tale in the Japanese Kamishibai tradition.Lively music from 19th century San Diego adds life to the cultural event.Some fun musical accompaniment nearby.Kids were learning how to play drums and the fife.The young and the young at heart could play Victorian era games on the grass, including wheelbarrow races, sack races, egg races and the game of graces.A crazy wheelbarrow race is underway. It’s hard not to fall out when your driver abruptly turns!Visitors to TwainFest could learn how to make simple books by folding paper and applying fancy cover designs with a glue stick.Of course, a literature themed event must include lots of classic books.Shelves full of books!Some history reenactors had set up a Civil War era field encampment.Union soldiers in uniform appear at attention.The nearby Headquarters Post Office contained more costumed participants.A working telegraph was on display.While walking about, I noticed many smiling people handing out TwainFest programs. (I’m sure Write Out Loud always welcomes new volunteers.)Stories were being told at the Casa de Estudillo about immigrants, the descendants of early California, and the road to women’s suffrage.At the Old Town Courthouse Museum, people could take a literacy test to see whether they could vote in the election of 1872.Political illustrations and cartoons from print over a century ago.Young people were enjoying a Mad Hatter tea party, with Alice and other Wonderland characters!It appeared that some people had already painted Tom Sawyer’s fence with whitewash!Is that the Red Queen or the Queen of Hearts? I get them confused.Don’t be an idiom. (You probably don’t want to be an oxymoron either.)More dramatic words were being read inside Old Town’s one room Mason Street Schoolhouse. I recognized those funny wart-cure passages from Tom Sawyer.A puppet show delights kids in Old Town’s plaza.The smiles and good times live on and on during TwainFest……thanks in part to this amiable if somewhat satirical fellow.
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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!
Cool San Diego Sights! 