Tag: mexican food

Big crowds and smiles at Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo is being celebrated all this weekend in Old Town San Diego!

I walked around Old Town today to experience the energy. I observed a big crowd wandering through the State Park, navigating San Diego Avenue’s sidewalks, and dining in festive Mexican restaurants. Many people were smiling!

This year Cinco de Mayo is scaled down. I was told it’s for financial reasons. San Diego Avenue is not closed to traffic as it usually is, and there are no stages on the street with live performances. But that hasn’t stopped this fun annual fiesta!

As I meandered about, I took some photographs that you might enjoy…

…

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!

Photos of Viva La Frida in Barrio Logan!

A lively, very colorful event is going on this weekend in Barrio Logan!

Along Logan Avenue, southeast of Chicano Park, the neighborhood and local businesses are celebrating the iconic, enormously popular Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The festive celebration is called Viva La Frida!

Early this afternoon, after enjoying the nearby Chicano Park Vive! lowrider event, I continued walking along Logan Avenue to check out Viva La Frida!

The sidewalks were full of people experiencing the colors, tastes, sounds and smells of the several blocks long festival. There was music, and lowriders, and families, and friendship, and plenty of tasty Mexican food, and lots of art on display, and vendors whose tables overflowed with Frida-themed wares. A traditional Día de los Muertos altar for Frida Kahlo honored the artist’s life.

I can only wonder what Frida would think if her spirit did indeed approach the altar and she was able to view this largely commercial event, and the endless variations of her self portraits everywhere people turn.

As I ambled along I noticed some new street murals on Logan Avenue that appear fairly new, and other street art that I’ve apparently missed during past walks. I’ll have to return in the near future, perhaps when the crowds enjoying the Viva La Frida celebration have departed and my camera has a better look.

…

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!

Dogs eat tacos in North Park!

A pack of hungry dogs on a North Park sidewalk have been observed eating tacos!

The multi-colored, taco-eating dogs always gather at the front door of City Tacos. Because that’s where the yummy tacos originate.

One notorious dog, believed to be the leader of the pack, wears a top hat!

The following photographs were taken at the entrance of City Tacos. They show pooch pandemonium!

…

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!

Art at and near Hernandez Hideaway.

It seems Hernandez Hideaway has been serving Mexican food by the west shore of Lake Hodges forever. I know I went there as a child, even if I really don’t remember the experience. I do remember helping to inflate a small boat in the parking lot across the street back in middle school. My friend was really into bass fishing. (I even managed to catch a fish or two. When my red plastic worm didn’t snag.)

Before walking along the San Dieguito River Trail on Saturday, I checked out some colorful old artwork painted on the side of Hernandez Hideaway. Then I noticed a really cool “Del Dios” tile mosaic bench across Lake Drive at the North Shore Lake Hodges Trailhead.

I took photos…

…

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!

El Rincon’s very colorful mural expands!

El Rincon Restaurant in San Ysidro already had an amazing mural on one side of their building. I posted photos of it here when I blogged last September about a international cross-border exhibition of urban art in both San Diego and Tijuana.

Today I noticed the mural has expanded and now covers three sides of the building!

As I took photos, a friendly young man came out and told me the same artist who painted the original artwork, Michelle Ruby, also known as Mrbbaby, returned about a month ago and added to it!

The side facing San Ysidro Boulevard now features bright, happy suns. The northwest side has a moon theme, and what appears to be the Tree of Life growing between night and day.

…

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!

A tasty celebration of National Guacamole Day!

What's this?
What’s this?

Hip-hip-hooray! The big day has arrived!

Today, September 16, is officially National Guacamole Day! That means you can consume huge quantities of the yummy green ambrosia with pride and unabashed guilt-free enthusiasm!

Besides, it’s probably a good thing to shovel gallons of guac into one’s gullet. At least, that’s what I tell myself! Avocados are a superfood, right?

Let the tasty celebration begin!

Oh, wow! It's chips and guacamole from Roberto's!
Oh, wow! It’s chips and guacamole from Roberto’s!

Open wide!
Open wide!

…

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!

How to celebrate National Fish Taco Day.

Tomorrow, January 25, is National Fish Taco Day. And everyone knows San Diego has the very best fish tacos!

So, how exactly does one celebrate?

This is how:

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!

Yes, I celebrated one day early. I might celebrate tomorrow, too.

…

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!

A small walking adventure on an ordinary day.

Every day in any life promises adventure. Even ordinary days.

Today, before and after work, I walked semi-randomly around downtown San Diego. New sights awaited around each corner.

I took a few photos of my small walking adventure.

…

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!

Fun photos of Cinco de Mayo in Old Town!

This afternoon I strolled through Old Town and captured photos of the big 10th Annual Cinco de Mayo celebration. I began in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, headed south along San Diego Avenue, then turned to make my way back to the State Park.

According to a Park Ranger, Cinco de Mayo is by far the most popular event in Old Town San Diego. I saw many families strolling about enjoying the colorful sights, Mexican food and cultural entertainment.

There was a folklorico competition and lucha libre demonstrations (which I missed), giant puppets, Aztec dancers, kids’ crafts, mariachi music, and authentic Mexican food at every turn. There were many people in traditional Mexican dress and others in period costume from the early days of San Diego. I enjoyed checking out a bunch of sweet lowrider cars and a row of shiny, customized kids’ bikes that were definitely super cool. I paused to visit the donkeys near Seeley Stable, guys hammering red hot iron in the blacksmith shop, a silly street performer with a plunger on his head, and a gentleman in La Casa de Estudillo who was playing frontier games of chance against all comers. As I walked about I even spotted some chalk art.

There was so much to see, I didn’t know where to turn next!

…

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!

Super yummy Mexican food downtown!

I’ve come to rely on The Taco Stand for a quick and super tasty dinner when my evening walks draw to a close in downtown San Diego. This popular eatery on B Street has some of the yummiest Mexican food to be found anywhere. And all the people there are super nice!

Even though I’m not a culinary expert, nor a food blogger, nor someone who even dines out much, I’d like to thank the folks at The Taco Stand.

When I walked past this evening, I noticed they had a table out on the sidewalk. I learned this was because they are a participating restaurant in the 26th Annual Taste of Downtown event.

I was drawn inside and found myself once again ordering a pescado burrito. The cool thing about ordering a fish burrito is that it takes longer to grill than most other items. So I can sit and watch all the mesmerizing action as the agile chefs prepare orders.

It’s a rapid paced, coordinated dance by the grill with arms flying every which way. They’re conductors of an orchestra. They’re magicians casting spells. It’s one of the many things that make living downtown so uniquely special!

…

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!