San Diego’s downtown Little Italy neighborhood is ready to welcome Santa Claus this evening!
The Christmas tree lighting will take place after dark at 6:30 pm. The holiday festival on India Street begins at 4 pm. Nearly everything is ready!
I walked up India Street in the mid-afternoon and enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of a community soon to celebrate Christmas.
Little Italy’s familiar Christmas trees are up. The big nutcrackers are standing. Shop and restaurant window graphics have been painted, attracting the attention of diners and those heading up the sidewalk.
I noticed that a stage was being set up in Piazza della Famiglia near the fountain and outdoor tables. And, of course, a special outdoor “room” for Santa was being prepared!
Santa’s Rules:
You better not pout. You better not cry…
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A brilliant performance by San Diego Ballet was enjoyed this afternoon at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. Two selections from The Nutcracker–Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Waltz of the Flowers–were the highlight of the two o’clock Sunday organ concert! The outstanding guest organist was Mark Herman.
The company dancers of the San Diego Ballet soared powerfully above the outdoor stage with ease and grace. I don’t know how they defied gravity, dancing on air, moving lightly through space as if by magic.
For a moment, to my mind, they became flowers swaying in a light summer breeze.
I hope these images convey that grace. That feeling of exuberant joy.
The holiday season is a few days away! San Diego Ballet will be presenting The Nutcracker on December 21st at 1 pm and 5 pm, at the Magnolia in El Cajon. Learn more at their website here.
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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.
Look what I spied the other day! A bright, super fun mural was painted a couple months ago at Liberty Station in Point Loma!
The mural can be found along the arched walkway between THE LOT movie theater and Building 176, where a number of music and arts studios are located.
The very colorful artwork was painted by Paola Villaseñor, who goes by the artist name PANCA. Here’s her Instagram page.
The title of the mural is Yo No Soy Marinero, Soy Capitan. That means, in English: I’m not a sailor, I’m the captain.
As a nearby sign explains, this mural showcases the beauty of life and culture in San Diego, with a particular emphasis on the ocean... The artist states: “…the mural…reflects the history of Liberty Station and my role as captain and artist. My hope is that visitors will find joy…”
How could anyone walk through all this found joy without smiling?
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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.
Enjoy a collection of colorful photographs. I took them today during the Fiestas Patrias event in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
These young ballet folklórico dancers are from Gift of Dance, a school Where Love, Technique, Joy and Tradition brings Communities and Families Together!
I’ve seen this group at other San Diego events. When they perform, I feel that life is indeed good. All the troubles of this world melt away, and one can see how the human race might be. Simply joyful.
After a fun Fiestas Patrias parade around Old Town’s central plaza (in which the costumed dancers participated), two separate dance performances were staged on the grass. Onlookers enjoyed a variety of traditional Mexican baile folklórico folk dances, including La Raspa, Los Machetes, and even a Mexican Waltz. Beginning dancers included a two-year-old!
At the end of each performance, the audience was invited to come up and dance on the grass, too!
I hope these photos convey the joy…
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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.
Some trolley riders smiled. Others slept. Some unabashedly sang along. Others stared at the unexpected spectacle with suspicion or disbelief. We all were riding a San Diego trolley to Destination JOY!
A special event was held today in San Diego. Trolley passengers could experience bright smiles and joy at certain stations and, perhaps unexpectedly, while riding the Blue or Orange lines! Destination JOY was the name of this first time event, and I experienced a bit of it myself!
Sustainable transportation, climate change mitigation, health and well-being, and civic engagement were the central themes of the event, which was presented by Way Outside the Lines in partnership with many community organizations and the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS). The mood of the event was happy and optimistic–full of good vibes!
At the Iris Avenue Transit Center, both registered participants and ordinary transit users could listen to poetry readings about human love in a sometimes difficult world, see colorful artwork, listen to live music, and even learn how to beat the summer heat. The theme at this station was the Sound of Joy…
Anyone could walk up and try their hand at painting. This is local artist David Gomez, who also had a small gallery of his artwork on display.
Institute for Public Strategies was at the Iris Avenue Transit Center educating people about how to beat the summer heat.
These musicians weren’t playing when I happened by, but they gave me the thumbs up!
A group that signed up for the full 4 hour Destination JOY experience prepare to board a random Blue Line trolley. They and surprised passengers would be entertained by a musical trolley show!
At the E Street Transit Center in Chula Vista, the roving group would enjoy more outdoor activations. The theme here was Art of Motion. Anyone who happened to come by the trolley station could participate in yoga and other healthy activities.
Smiles from the Yoga Lab!
I then headed off on my own to check out the activations at the 24th Avenue Transit Center in National City. Expression of Color was the theme at this station, and much of what I saw, including more colorful artwork, concerned protecting our natural environment.
I learned that a new project called Mundo Gardens is planned for National City. The Interstate 805 ramps for 43rd Street will be coming down creating an open space for the community.
From the 24th Street Transit Center I rode a Blue Line trolley back into downtown San Diego, missing the final Orange Line activations at the Euclid Avenue Station & Jacobs Center.
I did find friendly folks from the Urban Collaborative Project inside UC San Diego Park & Market near the trolley station of the same name. They aim to make Southeast San Diego a more vibrant, informed, connected, and empowered community!
The following stone was painted by Elie Kennedy, who had a table nearby. Visit my blog post concerning her work spreading love in San Diego 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 X.
Today was Africa Day at the International Cottages in Balboa Park! The event was presented by the House of USA.
The joyful program celebrated African culture with storytelling, drumming, song, dance and more. The nations of Ghana, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Liberia, Uganda and Kenya were represented, with the 48th anniversary of San Diego’s sister city relationship with Tema, Ghana a special highlight.
When I arrived in the early afternoon the event was already underway. I was privileged to listen to a tale about the “upside-down” baobab tree from Linda Brown of the Black Storytellers of San Diego, then watch youthful dancers from the House of Somalia. Somalia is the first African nation with an official membership in Balboa Park’s International Cottages. Other nations are taking steps to join, as well!
The lawn at the International Cottages featured a table concerning San Diego sister city Tema, Ghana. It was filled with crafts and beautiful cultural artifacts.
Another table showed how the Rotary Club of El Cajon Sunset has worked to improve the life of villagers in Kenya by planting gardens and trees and training farmers, by building a community center with the help of paid youth, and by supplying wheel chairs, water tanks and other useful items.
I also learned how the organization My Chosen Vessels is uplifting Maasai communities in Kenya by delivering clean water through an indigenous women-led water bottling enterprise. Sales of jewelry hand made by Maasai women would benefit those communities, as well.
What I loved most was dancing that was joined by many in the audience. I believe it was an energetic dance that is popular in Ghana. Without hesitation, many joyfully dancing people came up onto the stage!
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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.
It was a bit damp on the morning of New Year’s Eve in Balboa Park. It had rained overnight.
Big weekend crowds wouldn’t turn out until the afternoon, which made my early walk quiet and easy.
I wandered about randomly, turning right or left with no clear destination. The sky was overcast and the air was chilly.
Kids splashed in puddles. Artists were setting up along El Prado. Street musicians were already filling the air with music. Ambitious tourists pointed at new sights, as they explored San Diego’s crown jewel. The faces of friends were already smiling.
Even on a gray, damp, chilly morning, Balboa Park is very alive.
I’m sure in the coming year this special place will bring more joy to you and me.
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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!
The La Mesa Holiday in the Village event is being held today. I swung by as it opened at noon. The free community festival goes until 9 pm.
I found singing groups, dancers, carolers, Christmas trees, holiday crafts, lots of food, elf hats, and many smiles!
Enjoy these photos…
Young members of Greene Tree Theatre sing together on stage during La Mesa Holiday in the Village.Greene Tree Theatre youth wow the audience with an energetic dance routine!Christmas trees and decorations can be found throughout La Mesa’s holiday festival.Holiday smiles!Plenty of popcorn!The Salvation Army Kroc Center had a booth.The King’s Carolers perform beloved Christmas carols during the holiday event.Snowmen inside wreaths.Beautiful winter scene at a vendor’s table.Caroling on Mt. Helix will take place next Saturday, December 9, beginning at 4 pm.Is that the Polar Express?Sentimental Journey performs on a second stage.Let’s get this party started!The holiday season is about joy!
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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!
I hope this series of photographs conveys the pure joy transmitted by a group of dancers at today’s Fall Back Festival in San Diego.
The group is called Ballet Folklorico – GIFT of DANCE. Their gift imparted to the audience was a love of life.
I’ve seen these same beaming smiles at other San Diego events. GIFT of DANCE teaches young people Mexican folklorico dancing. Check out their Facebook page 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 X (formerly known as Twitter)!
Two dozen Christmas carols were sung early this afternoon near The Old Globe, accompanied by Balboa Park’s carillon!
The Ramona Community Singers and the Tremble Clefs joined with members of the public singing beloved carols like Deck the Halls, The First Noel, Silver Bells and Silent Night.
The “Carol-along With the Carillon” was a unique opportunity to sing Christmas favorites while accompanied by the Ona Mae Lowe Carillon, whose bright notes descended from the California Tower. The carillon was played by Gina Seashore, who has programmed the noontime Balboa Park concerts since 2009.
An audience collected near The Old Globe’s Grinch tree. Young and old listened or sang as they chose. It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas!
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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!
Cool San Diego Sights! 