Tomorrow evening’s San Diego International Organ Festival’s concert is going to be awesome. I heard part of the rehearsal today.
The majestic Spreckels Organ accompanied by beautifully played string instruments is too emotionally powerful for words.
Starting at 7:30 pm on Monday, August 26, at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez will be joined by four accomplished chamber musicians, including members of the San Diego Symphony.
You can sense the musical power a little bit in a few of these photos.
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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!
The Balboa Park Club was the perfect place to write this afternoon: the soft folk music, gentle dancing across the spacious ballroom floor, graceful forms in splashes of sunlight, a comfortable, peaceful place.
I sat quietly on the other side of the ballroom and glanced up occasionally.
Cool sand artists rest for a bit near the foot of Broadway Pier as they create a welcoming sculpture for the 2019 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge! A couple faces look familiar from past competitions!
Some of the world’s greatest sand artists smiled for my camera late this afternoon! They’re now carving sand sculptures on Broadway Pier that will greet people as they arrive for the 2019 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge.
During Labor Day weekend, these extraordinary artists will be working hard inside the Port Pavilion, where the public can watch them create spectacular pieces of fine art out of compacted sand!
If you’re in San Diego, it’s the big Labor Day weekend event you shouldn’t miss!
On the other side of the welcoming sand sculpture, a design is being carved that celebrates the 250th Anniversary of the City of San Diego!One of the outdoor sand sculptures near the Port Pavilion is sponsored by San Diego’s public transit system, MTS. It’s a work still in progress.Sand master and TV star Chris Guinto smiles for my camera! I met him briefly five years ago during the annual competition. This sculpture he’s working on for an event sponsor will promote Natural Light Seltzer.
UPDATE!
Here are some photos taken the following day…
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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!
Late yesterday I entered Balboa Park to enjoy a summer organ concert. I arrived well before the music began, so I took a leisurely walk along El Prado.
I was touched by the final rays of sunlight and a smile…
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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!
During my Sunday walk along the Embarcadero today, I paused at the Maritime Museum of San Diego to watch some fascinating activity. Crew members and museum volunteers were carefully raising one of HMS Surprise’s very heavy mizzenmast yards. They hauled ropes, checked critical knots, hauled some more, swung the yard up and across the quarterdeck, then lifted it straight into the sky.
The strenuous, methodical work aboard a tall ship is a complex dance.
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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!
Ranches, hot air balloons, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
There’s a very cool mural inside a pedestrian tunnel at the Civita development in Mission Valley. I recently learned about this public art because it was nominated for a 2019 Orchid Award by the San Diego Architectural Foundation.
The 72-foot-long mural, which can be found under Via Alta next to the Civita Dog Park, was painted in 2018 by local artist and muralist Kevin Anderson. It depicts well-known and beloved places in the city of San Diego and the surrounding county.
San Diego County is so enormous, it’s geographic area is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware put together! Looking at this beautiful mural, you can see the county’s fantastic natural diversity, from the oceans to the mountains and deserts, not to mention San Diego’s rich history and culture.
Because this mural isn’t far from my work, I couldn’t resist walking over today to check it out!
Here are photos that you might enjoy!
Outside view of the pedestrian tunnel that passes under Via Alta in Civita Park. The mural inside depicts many wonderful places around San Diego.The Blue Angels, citrus and agriculture, the mountains of San Diego County, golf.Potato Chip Rock, mountain biking, rural living.Julian apple pie, wildlife and wildflowers, the Palomar Observatory.Mountains overlooking Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, cacti, bighorn sheep.Beneath San Diego State University and Balboa Park, Civita Park has been painted in Mission Valley, along with the names of Civita Kids Art.Junior Seau, Tony Gwynn, Petco Park, downtown and San Diego Bay.Little Italy, USS Midway, Coronado Bay Bridge, Star of India, Hotel del Coronado.Mariachis of Old Town beneath the Serra Museum, SeaWorld, Mission Bay.La Jolla Cove and Pacific Ocean aquatic life.Surfing and paragliding along the cliffs of Torrey Pines.
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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!
I know, Cool San Diego Sights is supposedly dormant now. But today I enjoyed a very pleasant evening beside San Diego Bay, and by habit I pulled out my camera.
I photographed some strangely beautiful rusted chains (and other odd bits of iron) at the end of the Maritime Museum’s barge!
Balboa Park to me is a place like heaven. A place overflowing with joy and sunshine and smiles and wonder. A carefree place that is full of surprises.
Today I enjoyed a few delightful surprises during my walk–as you’ll see.
A huge crowd had gathered at the International Cottages. The House of Peru hosted a colorful lawn program today.
Peruvian born Mario Torero, internationally famous muralist and activist, greets the audience before receiving an honor.The brass ring might appear at any moment.
Balboa Park is one of the most wonderful places on Earth.
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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!
The largest women’s surfing competition in the world is taking place this weekend by the Oceanside Pier. It’s the 2019 Supergirl Surf Pro!
Over 100 amazing athletes from around the world are vying for glory in this very cool international surfing event. The competition is among the very best female surfers on the planet. Some of the participants will compete in the next Olympic Games!
Not only does the Supergirl Surf Pro provide great entertainment in its huge, bustling Festival Village and along the beach, but the event’s positive message of female empowerment is broadcast around the globe!
I spent a couple hours today watching the incredible surfing action from the Oceanside Pier.
My modest camera managed to get a few exciting photos!
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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!
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This evening the San Diego Museum of Art held a free public event titled On the Steps At SDMA: The Golden Age Of Spain. The small outdoor festival, which was held in Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama, celebrated the museum’s current exhibition, which features fine art produced in the Spanish Empire from about 1600 to 1750.
Local artists had booths near the museum’s front steps, as did Balboa Park’s House of Spain, but my favorite part of the event was the fantastic flamenco dancing.
I lingered for a good while and enjoyed performances by Flamenco Sur (Carlos Hernandez and Students), Olé Flamenco, and Luna Flamenca Dance Company.
Each dancer possessed fire, intensity, passion.
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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! 