Tag: photography

Memorial for those who donated their bodies to science.

This unique memorial was created several years ago in La Jolla, on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus. Words on a circular plaque read: IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO DONATED THEIR BODIES TO SCIENCE – UC SAN DIEGO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

Walk down the Coastal Meander Trail, look for two benches above the beautiful Pacific Ocean, and then look for this memorial.

The memorial plaque points to where the sun sets during the Winter Solstice, Spring/Autumn Equinox and Summer Solstice. A quote on the plaque, by Carl Sagan, reads: We began as wanderers, and we are wanderers still. We have lingered long enough on the shores of the cosmic ocean. We are ready at last to set sail for the stars.

Families remembering loved ones who gave their bodies to further scientific knowledge can sit on the benches and enjoy a sunny day, and watch a beautiful sunset over the wide ocean.

You can read more about the UC San Diego School of Medicine Body Donation Program Memorial Site by clicking here.

UPDATE!

I took the next photo during a later walk…

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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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Little Girl with Fishes at Scripps Memorial Hospital.

A little girl plays among fishes in front of Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. A book lies by the fountain in which she plays. The pages are open to a poem titled The Secret. It begins:

The fish had a secret he wanted to share with the girl on the beach who had nary a care to catch her attention and beckon her out he leapt from the water and twirled about.

His scales were golden his fins were like wings when the little girl saw him, she started to sing “Oh fishy, my fishy, come play with me!” and into the water she ran with great glee…

To learn all about The Secret, visit the happy child and the fishes, and read the long poem in the open book.

This wonderful bronze sculpture and its fountain are part of the Wolfstein Sculpture Park, which is located all around Scripps Memorial Hospital and its nearby medical buildings. The art is titled Little Girl with Fishes.

This public art was created by T.J. Dixon and James Nelson, whose incredible sculptures can be found all over San Diego.

I plan to blog more about the amazing Wolfstein Sculpture Park in a few days.

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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)!

Old art on the new Bay to Park Paseo!

The epic Bay to Park Paseo is a 1.7 mile long, art-filled walking experience that is now being created in downtown San Diego!

Many creators and designers will soon be installing unique artwork along the Bay to Park Paseo, which celebrates the designation of San Diego/Tijuana as World Design Capital 2024!

Most of the new art will be installed along Park Boulevard, up a corridor that connects San Diego Bay to Balboa Park. The Bay to Park Paseo will start at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, cross the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge, and run up the east side of Petco Park, continuing north up Park Boulevard.

Many of you know a lot of old art can already be found along this long corridor!

I’ve photographed most of it over the years.

Here are a few photos of preexisting art on the Bay to Park Paseo…

To enjoy blog posts that feature preexisting art along the Bay to Park Paseo, click the following links. I’ve arranged these links from south to north. (Check the bottom of each blog post for the approximate date I took the photos.)

Living metal palm trees rise into San Diego sky.

Giant seashell sculpture is a Growing Home!

Cool new mural in East Village crushes it!

Tony Gwynn street art in East Village!

Street art celebrates legendary musicians!

Art and science in two amazing East Village murals!

Young Art: Outside the Frame in East Village!

Super colorful street art in San Diego.

Discovering more Young Art: Outside the Frame!

Flowers, patterns, and a tangle of emotions.

The Strength of the Women mural by Rafael Lopez.

Colorful new murals on Park Boulevard!

More Young Art: Outside the Frame!

A shining mystery at San Diego City College.

Four more Museum of Art utility boxes!

Old sculptural figures at San Diego High School.

Young Art: Outside the Frame at Balboa Park!

Some of the painted artwork you see in these old blog posts has since faded, been replaced or badly marred by graffiti.

An idea! Before the Bay to Park Paseo officially opens, perhaps original artists could be contacted in order to restore some of this great old art!

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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)!

Port of San Diego’s new environmental signs.

The Port of San Diego has installed two brand new information signs on the Embarcadero next to the Maritime Museum. They concern Port and U.S. Navy efforts to protect the environment in San Diego Bay.

I took these photos yesterday…

The U.S. Navy and the Port of San Diego – A collaborative partnership to manage and protect natural resources in San Diego Bay… The Navy and the Port work collaboratively with the goal to ensure the long-term health, restoration, and protection of San Diego Bay’s ecosystem along with the bay’s economic, naval, navigational, recreational, and fisheries needs.
Navy ships based in San Diego – San Diego is home to roughly one quarter of all U.S. Navy vessels. There are more than 50 Navy ships stationed at Naval Base San Diego alone. Across San Diego Bay, aircraft carriers are stationed at Naval Air Station North Island and submarines are stationed a Naval Base Point Loma.
Hospital Ship, USNS Mercy, docked at North Island across San Diego Bay.
Visible behind a new Port of San Diego information sign are HMS Surprise and Berkeley of the Maritime Museum.
Expanding Eelgrass – Eelgrass provides important ecosystem functions, including shelter for fish, food for sea turtles, and foraging areas for invertebrates… The Port and Navy seek to expand the acreage of eelgrass…
Studying Fish and Protecting Birds, including the endangered California least tern. Fish health can be affected by water quality conditions, such as urban runoff and warming temperatures… To protect sensitive bird species, the Navy and the Port have several measures in place, including maintaining nesting sites, relocating nests, managing predators, marking and avoiding areas where nests may be present, and monitoring least terns and snowy plovers during breeding season.
Monitoring Sea Turtles – The Port and the Navy monitor federally listed endangered Pacific green sea turtles by affixing satellite tags to the top of their shells and track their movements through San Diego Bay…

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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)!

Petrichor rises in downtown Children’s Park!

Cool public art rises in downtown San Diego’s newly reopened Children’s Park. I walked through the park today and took photographs of this fascinating sculpture, which is titled Petrichor.

Last year, while the reimagined, redesigned Children’s Park was still closed to the public behind a construction fence, I had called this mysterious white structure a “tower of fun” in my ignorance. I thought it might be part of the nearby playground. I’ve since learned the steel and cement sculpture was created by San Diego artist Miki Iwasaki. (You might recall a different sculpture she created for Liberty Station in Point Loma.)

The odd lattice-like geometric shape of Petrichor in the sky makes an interesting contrast against nearby trees and more distant downtown high-rises!

Petrichor was added to the City of San Diego Civic Art Collection in 2023.

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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 very unusual vessels visit San Diego!

Two unusual ocean-going vessels are now visiting San Diego. Both are large and amazing!

The first, which you see above, is the Island Pride, a state of the art construction and support vessel. It features a large helicopter landing pad and an impressive crane. It’s docked at the B Street Pier. I don’t know why it’s in San Diego–I saw it this morning during a walk along the Embarcadero. If you’re curious, you can read about this impressive ship on its website here.

That helicopter pad in front makes Island Pride appear as if it’s wearing a hat!

The second ship, moored a short distance north of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, is the superyacht Aquijo.

According to this Wikipedia article, Aquijo is (or recently was) the largest ketch in the entire world! A ketch is a two-masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast. Aquijo was built in the Netherlands.

Take a look at the final photo. Impressive!

You never know what sort of cool sight you might encounter during a walk along San Diego’s Embarcadero!

UPDATE!

Here’s a pic of Island Pride taken several days later. It had turned around…

ANOTHER UPDATE!

About a month later, I spotted Aquijo docked behind the San Diego Convention Center…

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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)!

Dragons and lions invade San Diego’s Gaslamp!

Dragons and lions have invaded San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter this weekend!

The colorful “Chinese New Year Faire San Diego” is being held downtown, on 3rd Avenue and J Street near the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum. The annual festival is hosted by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. The event seems to grow larger every year!

It’s the Year of the Dragon, and there’s one enormous dragon moving sinuously through the crowd. And lucky, happy lion dancers parading down the street, too!

Up on the stage there are school kids in costume dancing and ladies smiling during a Chinese fashion show. Thao French, whose amazing Year of the Dragon art you’ve seen in Little Saigon recently, is spray painting another dragon mural. There are vendors everywhere, activities for young people, and no shortage of yummy food. Kung Fu Panda is greeting one and all, too!

(I won a beach ball spinning a prize wheel! Can you beat that?)

You can view the program schedule for this weekend by clicking here. The Chinese New Year Faire San Diego continues tomorrow–Sunday, February 25, 2024.

Enjoy these photographs from Saturday morning!

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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)!

Save the Turtles mural in Pacific Beach.

Last June this beautiful environmental mural was painted in Pacific Beach. You can find it on the west side of Mission Boulevard, a block south of Grand Avenue. (It’s on a wall next to the anti-cigarette butt “Bunny Kitty” mural by Persue that you can see here.)

I took these photos into the afternoon sun, but with a little contrast tweaking they appear pretty good. The watery mural features a mermaid, sea turtle, tropical fish, and the two messages: DON’T USE PLASTIC STRAWS and SAVE THE TURTLES.

The artist is Aqua One (@aquaoneart), who describes himself as a Modern Chicano Graffiti Artist. If you check out his Instagram page, you’ll notice his other artwork has a very different look!

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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)!

Protecting birds in the San Diego River Estuary.

Several signs posted along the edge of the San Diego River Estuary indicate: Endangered Species Predator Control in Progress. These signs were placed by the City of San Diego Public Works Department. I saw them today for the first time.

The Light-Footed Ridgway’s Rail uses the San Diego River Estuary as natural habitat, and efforts to protect this endangered subspecies involve trapping predators like raccoons, feral cats, and rats. The sign asks people to not feed feral cats, which are being trapped and relocated to the nearest Humane Society.

As I walked along the river on a beautiful late February day, I saw many birds in the water, among vegetation and on distant mudflats. I don’t believe I spotted any Light-Footed Ridgway’s Rails, but I can’t say for sure.

When I walked into the nearby Marina Village Conference Center, where Audubon’s San Diego Bird Festival is taking place all weekend, I asked an expert how the Light-Footed Ridgway’s Rail is doing. Hanging on, was the gist of the reply.

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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)!

Watch art conservators work at the Timken!

Visitors to the Timken Museum of Art in San Diego have the rare opportunity to observe conservators working to restore and preserve a fine art masterpiece!

Two expert conservators have been working on François Boucher’s gorgeous Lovers in a Park (1758) in one of the museum galleries, and the public is invited to watch and ask questions on Fridays from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

When I swung by the Timken during my Balboa Park walk last weekend, I noted the conservation effort was in Week 18–nearing its end. So you might want to drop by very soon.

Visitors stand at a safe distance from the nearly 8 foot tall French Rococo painting. For almost seven decades Lovers in a Park has been displayed, and with time it has become somewhat discolored.

A sign explains how surface grime has been removed, old varnish has been removed, and there has been a deep grime removal. All the old overpaint has been removed, and a synthetic resin protective varnish has been applied. The current phase of work is inpainting–where colors are matched and areas of paint loss are filled with conservation pigments.

Read more about the Timken Museum of Art’s conservation program here.

On the opposite wall, a large graphic divides the painting into quarters, demonstrating how the canvas was carefully examined before conservation efforts using visible light, ultraviolet light, infrared reflectography, and X-radiography.

Anyone interested in art really should check out this special “interactive” exhibition. You’ll probably learn a lot!

You can read about the Timken’s current exhibitions 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 (formerly known as Twitter)!