Tag: inspiration

How kids in hospitals become superheroes!

Young patients in the hospital or an outpatient setting have the opportunity to become superheroes!

Kids can gain amazing superpowers (and smiles) with the help of the Healing Little Heroes Foundation!

The HLH Foundation brings encouragement, happiness and hope to sick and disabled children, especially those with cancer. How? By helping kids play the role of superhero!

I met Dr. Justin Wu today. He’s co-founder of the HLH Foundation. We met at the Fandom Invasion event today in Escondido. He brought three cool cars along which kids love, including Lightning McQueen from the animated movie Cars!

Justin is an unselfish, enthusiastic guy who is changing people’s lives–and the world–for the better.

Want to learn more? Click here!

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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!

Variations on a Gold Theme installed in Mingei courtyard!

A couple weeks ago I noticed a large mural was being installed on a wall of the courtyard at the newly transformed Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park.

Today I saw the work has been completed!

For many years, Variations on a Gold Theme, created by artists Ellamarie and Jackson Woolley in 1966, could be viewed in Escondido outside the museum’s satellite branch on Maple Street.

Originally this fantastic 12-by-36-foot enamel-on-copper mural made its home in downtown San Diego, at the First National Bank Building.

Now, as you can see in my photographs, the radiant, quite beautiful Variations on a Gold Theme inspires those who sit outside in the sunshine at the Mingei Museum’s new Lucille and Ron Neeley Courtyard!

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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!

Murals at Archie Moore’s Any Body Can Youth Foundation.

Archie Moore will forever be a boxing legend. He is considered one of the top boxers of all time. After his retirement he helped to train Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and James Tillis. Perhaps more importantly, he helped youth in San Diego overcome difficult circumstances and lead positive lives. He showed young people how to become champions in life.

In his adopted hometown of San Diego, Archie Moore established the ABC (Any Body Can) Youth Foundation. He used boxing to “instill discipline, respect and other positive values into the lives of youth to prevent them from falling into dangerous lifestyles.”

The ABC Youth Foundation today is led by his son, Billy Moore. It’s located in San Diego’s Stockton neighborhood, at 3131 Market Street. Peer through the front door and you’ll see young people training, preparing for life.

I walked past the building several days ago and took these quick photos. (I didn’t linger or venture inside because I was in a hurry to attend a nearby event where I would preview amazing new public art that is being created for Balboa Park.)

You know what? Those faded murals look like they could use a touch up. I know there are good people reading this who could help!

I saw roses on the sidewalk nearby…

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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!

Take care of each other in East Village!

I spotted this mural for the first time this morning as I headed down Ninth Avenue, through downtown’s East Village neighborhood. I hadn’t walked that way in a long while.

The fun, very colorful mural has a positive message: take care of each other. It was painted by Hanna Gundrum (@littlehouseink).

The mural is located on G Street, on the east side of Bear Republic Crossfit.

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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!

Food, fun and smiles at La Mesa Oktoberfest!

Today’s the final day of 2021 La Mesa Oktoberfest. I rode the trolley to the Village of La Mesa as the free street festival opened and quickly found lots of food, smiles and fun!

The Bratwurst was delectable. The garlic fries were yummy. The German oompah music was infectious. Vendors had all sorts of artsy and inventive wares. The Weiner Dog Races were hilarious. (So much fun, in fact, that a separate blog post concerning the races is coming up!) The three beer gardens and big Ferris wheel were attracting huge crowds. There was fun stuff to do and see in every direction.

My favorite part of Oktoberfest, however, is the smiles.

Of course I’m going to promote a fellow writer. Particularly one who has written an inspirational book full of daily positive messages that are like poetry, and who opened the pages to share words with me concerning October 3. John L. Wagner is the author of Daily Ripples and you can find his book here!

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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!

Inspiring murals celebrate human resilience.

Resilience, by Lydia Puentes Phillips.

A couple of murals that celebrate human resilience are presently on display at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park.

The two murals are an offshoot of the 1000 Cranes Project, that sought to bring strength and comfort to those isolated during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This modest exhibition concerning one very important topic was originally part of a pop up museum at the Beardsley Event Center in Barrio Logan. Now those who visit the Japanese Friendship Garden can enjoy the inspiring artwork.

Resilience, by David Lee.

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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!

Faces of Excellence appear at City College.

A new mural has been painted downtown at San Diego City College. The artwork celebrates Excellence at Dr. Constance M. Carroll Plaza.

Dr. Constance M. Carroll has served as San Diego Community College District’s chancellor from 2004 to 2021.

Photographs from stages of the inspirational mural’s creation show how faces of excellence emerged after careful design.

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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!

More colorful art in downtown Chula Vista!

Last Saturday, as I headed to the Lemon Festival, I walked along downtown Chula Vista’s principal street, Third Avenue. And I spotted all sorts of colorful art that is either fairly new, or that I had missed on previous walks!

The above shark swims directly opposite a cool Manny Machado mural, which has been painted on the north wall of the historic Vogue Theater. For photos of the Manny Machado mural, click here!

The hungry shark and the school of minnows forming the City of Chula Vista logo were painted by Ground Floor Murals.
Colorful graffiti creatures. I believe this is an example of the Horrible Monster Scenes that are painted around San Diego by @barfalamul.
Beer, a hot dog and pretzel painted in front of Tavern at the Vogue by artist Nicholas Danger.
Cheerful bands of color painted at entrance to the ThirdandF building in Chula Vista.
Cool graffiti art near a rooftop includes a walking skull with mohawk!
Person with megaphone announces Upright Citizen Vintage.
Heart Open to the Potential that Exists when I strive to survive. Inspiring words by the door of Rico’s On 3rd, The Salon.

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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!

Scenes from La Jolla Playhouse’s POP-UP WOW!

This evening I watched a stirring performance. I and many others enjoyed the La Jolla Playhouse’s POP-UP WOW event at Liberty Station.

What did I see?

I saw soulful singing and dancing that stems from a shared history of suffering and endurance.

I saw joy that rises from the heart–a triumph of the spirit.

I saw how bubbles are like aspects of life–and like life itself. Mysterious, beautiful, soaring . . . short-lived. A beginning and an ending. Like memories.

I, too, wondered why we have an impulse to chase bubbles.

I saw a fable about a giant who wanted power over everything.

Until he saw the beauty of bubbles and learned wisdom.

I saw individuals repeatedly asking “Can I?”

They make one clumsy attempt after another, slowly gaining ability, gaining confidence, until they venture out into this sometimes scary world.

Meeting others, overcoming their fear, the question becomes “Can WE?”

What I observed was life.

You can watch it tomorrow if you’d like, too. Click here to learn about the Sunday performances. It’s free!

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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!

Wings of Inspiration at the Ramona Library.

A very beautiful metal sculpture stands in front of the Ramona Library on Main Street. It’s called Wings of Inspiration.

The sculpture is dedicated to M. Elyse Kuhn, President of the Friends of Ramona Library, who passed away in 2015.

Literacy gives everyone the means to soar. That was the idea expressed by the local artist, Leslie Souza. You can read more about Wings of Inspiration, and the efforts of Marion Elyse Kuhn to see the Ramona Library built here.

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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!