Tag: old town

San Diego’s newest gateway sign debuts in Old Town!

The installation of San Diego’s newest neighborhood gateway sign was completed today. It welcomes visitors to Old Town San Diego!

Both sides of this new gateway arch (which straddles San Diego Avenue at Twiggs Street) contain the words: The Birthplace of California – Historic Old Town San Diego. The arch stands at the edge of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park and in front of the historic Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

Images incorporated in this new landmark arch, as I understand it, represent three different stages of San Diego history. Hawks represent the Native American Kumeyaay and the wild, unspoiled land they inhabited. Mission bells represent the Spanish and Mexican, or Californio, period. Wagon wheels represent the early American period.

Several days ago I noted how the two columns that support the sign had been erected. That blog post can be found here. Yes, the beautiful sign itself was installed quickly!

I’ve learned the arching gateway sign was designed by Robert Barros who works with the Old Town San Diego Chamber of Commerce. He is publisher of Old Town San Diego Guide and owner of Visual Media Group.

Check it out! A little more history has been made!

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Gateway sign rises in Old Town San Diego!

Old Town San Diego will soon have its own landmark gateway sign! Two high columns that will support the sign were recently erected, and, according to a shopkeeper I spoke to today, the sign itself will be soon installed–he said next week!

Those who drive through different parts of San Diego know many neighborhoods have their own distinctive gateway sign. Soon Old Town will join them!

This new landmark archway will be located over San Diego Avenue at Twiggs Street, at the southeast end of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, next to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

An article from earlier this year explains the project. It states: The sign’s design will reflect the unique architectural and cultural heritage of Old Town San Diego, incorporating elements that pay homage to its Kumeyaay, Mexican, and early American roots…

Very exciting! I’ll post an update when I finally photograph the new sign!

UPDATE!

The sign’s installation was completed four days later. I took photos. See them by clicking 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!

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Old Town’s last donkey passes away.

Very sad news.

I learned today that Dulce, the last donkey at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, died yesterday. Her companion, Don, passed away earlier this year. The corral next to Seeley Stable is now empty.

Dulce was in her mid to late 30s–she lived a long life and was well loved. She was a rescue donkey, saved from a cull.

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed visiting Dulce and talking to park rangers watching over her. Dulce was saddened by Don’s death, but had seemingly recovered, eating well and enjoying her role in short easy parades around the State Park’s plaza during occasional special events.

Yesterday she lay down and didn’t get up. A wonderful chapter in Old Town has come to a close.

Countless students, families and children met Don and Dulce over the years. I know that I’ll remember both donkeys fondly. I spoke to a couple of California State Park folks, and it sounds unlikely that new donkeys or other animals will replace Don and Dulce.

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

San Diego: Light the World with the Giving Machine!

Hey, San Diego, would you like to Light the World this holiday season? Head on down to Old Town San Diego this month and visit the Giving Machine!

The Giving Machine is located on Twiggs Street, near Old Town Trolley Tours, beside the parking lot opposite the Cygnet Theatre. The machine might be mistaken for a typical vending machine, but when you operate it, a charity of your choice benefits!

Charities that benefit when you use the Giving Machine include Save the Children, Catholic Charities, Corazon de Vida, Birthline of San Diego, Gently Hugged, and Mentors International. Struggling people, including the homeless, are helped locally and around the world.

Donations that you can make range from $5 to $120. I was told that donating $20 for a live chicken is a popular choice. There are places in this world where an egg-laying chicken would make a big difference to a seriously impoverished family.

I learned that the machine has been up for two days now, and has already had 209 transactions for a total of $16,000 in giving. The Giving Machine will be operating in Old Town through December, 2024.

I also learned that these Giving Machines can be found around the nation, including another in Irvine, California. It’s a project of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so it’s no surprise the machine is located a short distance from the Mormon Battalion Historic Site in Old Town.

Whatever you might believe, certainly compassion is very important. The Golden Rule is universal.

This is one fun and easy way to help others! Take a photo by the nearby Christmas tree, too!

By the way–San Diego Padres ace pitcher Joe Musgrove and ex-Chargers superstar Eric Weddle will be at a big ribbon cutting ceremony at the Giving Machine this coming Tuesday at noon! It’s rumored Santa Claus will be present, too!

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

Christmas at Fiesta de Reyes in Old Town.

Fiesta de Reyes in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park appears to be ready for Christmas!

The Mexican restaurant and its colorful shops have been decorated with bright wreaths, poinsettias, Christmas trees, a Nativity scene, and a larger-than-life display up on one stage depicting the three wise men.

As you can see from my photographs taken this morning, many of the holiday decorations have a festive Mexican flavor!

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

Old Town gets ready for Día de Los Muertos.

Día de Los Muertos is about a month away, but Old Town San Diego is already preparing for the big event!

For 2024, Día de Los Muertos will be as big as ever, spilling from Old Town San Diego State Historic Park down San Diego Avenue. For three days the public is invited to the free celebration!

On Friday, November 1, there will be a fun family screening of The Book of Life. The movie will be shown in the grassy plaza at the center of Old Town State Park.

That Saturday and Sunday, the Día de Los Muertos Festival will take over Old Town. In addition to entertainment, there will be tours of more than 40 unique Day of the Dead altars, and anyone can join the annual candlelit procession from Immaculate Conception Church down San Diego Avenue to El Campo Santo Cemetery.

Learn more about everything here.

During a morning walk today, I saw a beautiful altar set up already at Casa de Freds restaurant, and one being prepared in the park next to the Whaley House Museum. Many fancy Catrinas are already set up at Fiesta de Reyes. Calaveras, marigolds and sugar skulls are appearing all over!

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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.

How the Old Town blacksmiths make a leaf.

Those working inside Old Town San Diego State Historic Park’s blacksmith shop forge all sort of interesting objects: nails, knives, different decorative objects… The other day I and several other visitors learned how leaves like the ones you see above are made!

Old Town’s friendly blacksmiths are always happy to provide demonstrations of what they do. Hopefully my understanding and simplistic description is fairly accurate…

When heated iron turns orange yellow, the perfect temperature is achieved. The metal you are working becomes plastic and shapeable. Too hot, and you will “burn” the metal, making it useless for the purposes of forging.

The following photograph shows the progression of a new leaf.

You begin with the rod-like piece that you see on the right. Next, to its left, you can see how a mass was produced by the smith’s hammer at one end of the iron piece. Next, sharp edges are rounded and the mass is flattened and formed until it assumes the shape of a leaf.

Leaf veins are produced with a chisel-like instrument with a straight edge (see my first photo). A stroke or two with the blacksmith’s hammer and voila!

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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!

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Ballet folklórico, joy, and the Gift of Dance!

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!

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Photos of Fiestas Patrias in Old Town State Park!

A great event was held today in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Mexico’s Independence Day was celebrated with a fun, cultural Fiestas Patrias!

California State Park employees and volunteers teamed up with the Boosters of Old Town San Diego and the Old Town San Diego Chamber of Commerce to bring an assortment of free activities.

It all began with a late morning kick-off parade circling the historic park’s Plaza de las Armas. The very colorful Fiestas Patrias parade was led by Old Town’s beloved rescue donkey Dulce. Then there were two wonderful performances of ballet folklorico by beautifully costumed young people, representing Gift of Dance.

On the perimeter of the grassy plaza, living history activities could be freely enjoyed by anyone, young or old. There was a calligraphy learning table, tortilla making and traditional crafts. Kids were excited to make corn husk dolls and Mexican cascarones.

What’s more, there was a Guac’ Off Competition! For five bucks the public was invited to try samples of guacamole and judge which was best!

For those who wanted a good look at San Diego’s early history, Historic Adobe Tours were also available to the public, with groups setting off from the Robinson-Rose House Visitor Center.

I walked around the event late this morning and took some photos…

Everyone could get a small Mexican flag to wave during the fun, cultural event.

Here comes the Fiestas Patrias parade!

Dulce the Old Town donkey leads the Fiestas Patrias parade.

Smiles and period attire on parade!

The parade included volunteers of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.

Many traditional Mexican folk dances would follow the parade.

Young dancers from San Diego ballet folklorico school Gift of Dance.

Pure joy.

Fiestas Patrias activities for families in Old Town’s historic central plaza.

A smile from Strenger Studio, which provides calligraphy workshops and supplies in Old Town.

A young Fiestas Patrias visitor learns calligraphy.

Kids were learning how to make confetti-filled cascarones here.

Traditional tortilla-making demonstration.

Friendly Boosters of Old Town work the Guac’ Off Competition tent.

Which guacamole is best? Winner gets bragging rights for a year!

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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.

Fiestas Patrias parade in Old Town San Diego!

A colorful parade moved through Old Town San Diego State Historic Park late this morning. At eleven o’clock, to kick off a big, family-friendly Fiestas Patrias celebration, the parade gathered near the Cosmopolitan Hotel then proceeded around the State Park’s grassy plaza!

The parade, celebrating Mexico’s Independence Day, was led by Old Town’s rescue donkey Dulce. It was her first parade in years. Sadly, Dulce was not joined by her old companion donkey Don, who passed away earlier this year. (I’m told Dulce is now doing well.)

Included in the parade were Old Town San Diego State Historic Park volunteers in period attire and young ballet folklorico dancers from Gift of Dance. The procession moved past restored buildings from San Diego’s early history. The park interprets a fascinating period of time, back when the newborn city was a part of Spain, then Mexico, then the United States.

After circling the plaza, the costumed dancers filed onto the grass in front of the stage, where they would entertain the gathered crowd. (Later today I’ll post photographs of the dancing!)

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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.