Tag: photography

Views from UC San Diego sunset overlook.

The UC San Diego Brian & Nancy Malk Sunset Overlook opened last summer. Situated high above Scripps Institution of Oceanography, an elevated platform offers wide views of the Pacific Ocean and parts of coastal La Jolla.

If you’d like to enjoy amazing panoramic views, head down La Jolla Shores Drive to Midpac Lane and look for the small parking lot.

The new overlook includes picnic tables and a bench where you can sit, relax and gaze out over the ocean. Native plants flourish around the platform and pathway.

Nearby, an informative sign tells how the Kumeyaay people lived in La Jolla (Matlahual) for thousands of years and have acted as stewards of the land. This area was part of a lagoon. It was an important natural resource that provided useful materials–for basket making, medicines, fishing, hunting, gathering and more. The sign at the overlook was developed in partnership with Jamul Indian Village and Mary Munk.

I visited recently on a sunny day…

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Vintage cars gather for San Diego Excursion!

Over a hundred fantastic cars gathered in Balboa Park this morning before the start of the 2nd Annual San Diego Excursion vintage car parade!

Cars of every type dating from 1906 to 1941 parked in the lot near the San Diego Automotive Museum, and drivers and passengers dressed in period attire enjoyed looking at each other’s machines.

At nine in the morning the cars would depart Balboa Park and begin the Vintage Car Parade, travelling through Mission Hills, then in a loop through Point Loma. The parade would conclude at Liberty Station, where a Car Show would be enjoyed by the public in the early afternoon. (If you read this blog post in time, perhaps you can see these cars for yourself.)

Today’s looping course through Point Loma would roughly follow the route of a historic car race held back in 1915 to promote the Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park. Perhaps you remember how back in 2015 the Point Loma race was “recreated” for the Balboa Park centennial. I posted many photos of those amazing cars here.

The cars participating today in the 2026 San Diego Excursion are listed and can be seen on this webpage.

First, a couple photos of vintage cars arriving in Balboa Park…

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Pruning demonstration at Balboa Park rose garden.

Every year, in Balboa Park, around the middle of January, the public can learn to prune back roses. Today the San Diego Rose Society, Balboa Park Garden Stewards, Rose Garden Corps, and the UCCE Master Gardener Program of San Diego County were educating would-be green thumbs at the award-winning Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden.

I blogged about this free educational event three years ago. I noticed that this year a number of friendly folks were also on hand to sharpen garden tools! Very handy!

Why not click the above links and consider becoming a member of one or more local gardening groups. If you’d like, you can even volunteer to help maintain Balboa Park’s very beautiful rose garden!

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Horseshoes tournament in Balboa Park!

A big horseshoes tournament was held today in Balboa Park. The Scott Love Memorial Open, an official event of the Southern California Horseshoe Pitchers Association (SCHPA), took place at the pits that are home to the Balboa Park Horseshoe Club.

I walked past this morning and took a couple photos of the action!

I’m always surprised more people don’t take advantage of Balboa Park’s horseshoes facility. It was good to see players having fun, socializing, competing in a regional tournament.

Would you be interested in joining them? Many more competitions are coming up this year. Or simply pitch horseshoes for fun.

Want to learn more?

Click here for Balboa Park Horseshoe Club San Diego. Click here for the Southern California Horseshoe Pitchers Association!

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Whale Watch Festival at Cabrillo National Monument!

Whale Watch Festival 2026 will be held tomorrow at Cabrillo National Monument, Saturday, January 10th, 9 am to 4 pm.

Visitors to the National Park will have panoramic views of passing whales from the high Kelp Forest and Whale Overlook. During the day there will be exhibitors, speakers and activities, and people with good eyes pointing out distant spouts and flukes.

It’s now the peak of the winter migration of gray whales from Alaska to Baja California. I’ve heard reports of many sightings off our coast.

I’ll be busy elsewhere tomorrow, so I headed to Cabrillo National Monument today to see what I might see.

I noticed the tall ship America out on the wide Pacific Ocean. Assuming it was on a whale watching excursion, I watched the water in its vicinity for a while. I think I glimpsed a spout. An expert at my elbow would’ve helped me with sightings!

It was a beautiful sunny day and the weather should be the same for the festival. If you go, have fun!

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Pop-up Winona welcomes neighbors in City Heights!

Several months ago a new community gathering place opened up in San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood. Pop-up Winona is a cozy spot where anyone can sit down, relax, enjoy good company and a coffee or snack, and possibly attend an entertaining event! Here’s their Instagram page.

Pop-up Winona is located near the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and Winona Avenue. If parts of it look familiar, it replaces the old gathering place that was situated on El Cajon Boulevard at Fairmount Avenue.

When I swung by the other day I was welcomed with a friendly smile. I skipped coffee, but I did find a fresh, tasty pastry to enjoy during my walk.

I was told Pop-up Winona will be relocated across El Cajon Boulevard this summer, so keep that in the back of your mind if you go looking for it. As I learn of upcoming events at the pop-up, I’ll post the news.

One more thing–check out my final photo. These good people accept donations for the homeless.

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Changes coming to downtown’s Wells Fargo Plaza!

Today during a walk through downtown San Diego I noticed workers removing the individual letters spelling WELLS FARGO from the front of Wells Fargo Plaza! It was down to WE. That piqued my curiosity!

Security guards behind the front counter told me the building is undergoing a renovation. On display inside the Wells Fargo building’s lobby, several renderings visualize proposed changes coming to the 24-story office tower. Each shows an outdoor restaurant concept at the main entrance.

I was asked not to photograph the renderings. They do look interesting.

I found this article. It explains that the Conrad Prebys Foundation purchased the building in 2025 as the cornerstone of the foundation’s efforts to reimagine and enliven the city’s downtown business corridor as a vibrant civic and cultural center.

As a downtown resident, I’ll have to keep my eyes wide open during walks to see exactly what the future brings! If I happen to note anything interesting, I’ll post an update.

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Beautiful historical mosaic at Chula Vista bank.

Perhaps you’ve seen this beautiful mosaic while driving through downtown Chula Vista. It decorates the California Bank and Trust building at 444 Third Avenue.

The mosaic mural was the creation of internationally renowned artist and architectural designer Millard Owen Sheets. He with the help of other Sheets Studio artists produced many such mosaics for Home Savings Bank branches around Southern California. Perhaps you’ve seen his work in Pacific Beach and Coronado.

This particular mosaic in Chula Vista was created in 1987. It depicts ocean waves and seagulls. According to this website, it was worked on by Denis O’Connor, Monika Scharff; Studio MosaicArt Colledani Milan/NOVA Designs; Kathryn Yelsa.

The mosaic mural stretches horizontally just below the bank’s rooftop. Situated high up, partially obscured by nearby trees, it can be easy to miss. Pause on the sidewalk below to enjoy this very beautiful, historical public art!

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Reinforcing Navy Pier for Freedom Park.

If you’ve walked past the USS Midway Museum lately, you might wonder about that construction activity on Navy Pier. What you’ve observed are workers reinforcing the old pier, site of future Freedom Park, which is scheduled to open in 2028.

The Navy Pier Freedom Park Structural Pier Reinforcement–as a nearby sign proclaims–is being undertaken by the Port of San Diego and the USS Midway Museum.

The old Navy headhouse on the pier’s east end was demolished about a year ago. Now the work is to reinforce the pier with concrete by jet grouting along approximately 380 linear feet of retaining wall. What, you ask, is jet grouting? Here’s the Wikipedia page that explains.

According to a press release from last summer, this reinforcement phase is scheduled to be completed by February 2026.

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Mural celebrates Manny Machado’s 2000th hit!

This mural was painted in National City last year after Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres recorded his 2000th Major League Baseball hit!

It reads: El Ministro 2000! Manny got the name “El Ministro de la Defensa” (Minister of Defense) for his defensive prowess when he played for the Dominican Republic in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

His absolutely amazing plays at third base are so smooth and routine they appear almost effortless. If you’re an opposing hitter running to first base, you’d better hurry, because Manny’s laser throw will probably arrive before you do!

The artwork was spray painted in 2025 by the Padres-loving artists of Ground Floor Murals (@groundfloormurals).

If you’d like to see this cool mural firsthand, head over the intersection of 8th Street and B Avenue in downtown National City. It decorates the east side of the Andrade’s Thrift Store building.

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