People begin to gather in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion well before the start of the Silent Movie Night concert.
This evening I headed into Balboa Park to enjoy Silent Movie Night at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. This special annual event, featuring a silent movie accompanied by the world’s largest outdoor pipe organ, is part of every International Summer Organ Festival.
The organist this evening–for the second year in a row–was Steven Ball, who plays the world’s largest indoor pipe organ at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Among his many accomplishments, he might be best known for being the organist at the Miss America beauty pageant!
The hilarious movie tonight was Safety Last (1923), starring physical comedy genius Harold Lloyd, who ranks with Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton as one of the most popular silent movie stars. I was interested to learn Harold Lloyd graduated from San Diego High School, which is located in Balboa Park, less than a mile from the Spreckels Organ Pavilion!
About an hour before the concert, I watched people arrive and claim their spots around the pavilion. Unable to sit still that long, I spent a few minutes wandering around nearby areas of Balboa Park, photographing the sun’s last rays in trees and on beautiful buildings.
The screen is set up. The concert will begin with selections by organist Steven Ball, including Hooray for Hollywood. Once darkness falls, the silent movie Safety Last will begin, accompanied by the Spreckels Organ.The 31st Annual International Summer Organ Festival in Balboa Park features many of the world’s top organists.Safety Last, 1923, is a hilarious, crazy, heartwarming comedy that features popular silent screen star Harold Lloyd, who graduated from nearby San Diego High School.Lots of people have already staked out their spots on benches and lawn chairs over an hour before the program begins.The Spreckels Organ Society Beer Fest inside the nearby Japanese Friendship Garden raised funds to help keep free organ concerts alive.I heard bagpipes at the nearby International Cottages. When I investigated, I discovered the House of Scotland Pipe Band was outside practicing.Meanwhile, more people were streaming into the Spreckels Organ Pavilion with about an hour still to go.Some folks are already getting some snacks to enjoy during the concert and silent movie.As late sunlight slanted onto the buildings of Balboa Park, I walked about taking a few photos. Here’s the House of Hospitality from the Plaza de Panama.Here’s the San Diego Natural History Museum.Here’s the Bea Evenson Fountain and Fleet Science Center.When I returned, the crowd had really grown! Every year Silent Movie Night draws somewhere around 3000 people.Ten minutes to go, and on come the magical lights of the Spreckels Organ Pavilion! As twilight arrived in Balboa Park, I put my camera away and enjoyed a great time.
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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!
Children gaze at the beautiful fountain and sculpture Woman of Tehuantepec by Donal Hord, in the courtyard of Balboa Park’s House of Hospitality.
It’s difficult to find words that adequately describe Balboa Park. Endless scenes of beauty open up everywhere. Every walk is a different voyage through wonder.
Many of these photos were taken recently. A few have been residing in my computer waiting for the perfect moment.
There Are Places I’ll Remember All My Life. A colorful banner near door to the Balboa Park Visitors Center.Gigantic bubbles form like magic in the Plaza de Balboa.The House of Charm’s tower rises above the Alcazar Garden.A twisted, wonderful Australian tea tree on Balboa Park’s West Mesa.Walking through the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages.Wedding photos are taken at one end of the beautiful Lily Pond, or reflecting pool.Sunlight reveals natural beauty at the House of Hospitality.People head up toward the Casa del Prado’s outdoor courtyard to enjoy another special event in Balboa Park.I took this striking photo yesterday at the San Diego Fern Society Show inside the Casa del Prado.People relax and picnic on the lawn near the Botanical Building.A scene of great natural beauty in the Japanese Friendship Garden.Visitors to Balboa Park head toward the Plaza de Panama.Walking along. More things to see.Gazing toward Balboa Park’s Pepper Grove from a pathway inside the Japanese Friendship Garden.Abundant beauty at the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden.Resting at tables in the Plaza de Panama near the front of the San Diego Museum of Art.San Diego sunshine highlights arches inside the Casa del Prado.Sitting along the colonnade at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion during an outdoor concert.Walking past the magnificent facade of the Casa del Prado Theater.Flowers brighten a window at the International Cottages.A leisurely stroll through Spanish Village.The amazing tile dome of the California Building, home of the Museum of Man.The Bea Evenson Fountain lit at night.Balboa Park contains endless scenes of amazing beauty.
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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!
Visitors to the Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park walk through a sunlit paradise of color and creativity.
Over the past five years, I’ve blogged about Spanish Village Art Center many times, on Cool San Diego Sights and on my other website Beautiful Balboa Park. Spanish Village is one of my go-to places when I need to feel optimistic, free and alive.
Whenever I stroll around the many art studios, I feel like I’ve entered a kaleidoscope of living color and creativity. It’s a wonderful place to visit if you want to be inspired.
Lovers of art in San Diego need to swing on by. You’ll find yourself lingering. And smiling.
Sign lists 2018 events, including special shows and sales, in Spanish Village Art Studios in Balboa Park.Patio tiles leading visitors to the front door of Studio 26 seem like a Yellow Brick Road of many colors.Surprising colors grow in four pots.The rear of the Uni-two-corn by sculptor Kim Ogburn, which functions as a seat for two.A dreamlike canvas in front of Studio 31 in Spanish Village.Someone admires a glass vase created by the friendly glassblowers in Studio 19.Beautiful cacti in a planter near the front door of Studio 18.An amazing flower outside the San Diego Mineral and Gem Society building in Spanish Village.Colorful cats have gathered on the patio in front of Studio 16 in Spanish Village.The local artists in Studio 14 specialize in Kaleidoscopes, Egg Art and Handmade Art.A painter creates new artwork outside the window of the Southwestern Artists’ Association Gallery in Studio 23.Mary-Ella Bowles in Studio 6 created this fun Fairy House out of a gigantic hollow gourd!A colorful frog is standing on a big leaf outside Studio 10.
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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!
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!
I enjoyed another special event today during my visit to Balboa Park. As I walked past the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, I was surprised and happy to learn there would be a Navy Band Southwest Alumni Concert in the afternoon.
When I returned to the pavilion to listen to the concert, many present and past members of Navy Band Southwest were posing for a group photo by the colonnade. The concert soon began, and I snapped a few photos as I listened to the often rousing music, played with perfect precision.
All stood for the National Anthem. A few minutes later those braving the hot sun directly in front of the stage were privileged to hear an extremely talented duet sing a superb rendition of The Prayer by David Foster. What amazing voices. Personally, I got goosebumps. Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli have nothing on those two!
I’m sorry to say Cool San Diego Sights does not feature sound. But here are a few 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!
Part of a cool mural on a building behind the Park ‘N Fly Lot 1 on Pacific Highway.
Today I got off from work a little early, so I decided to use my extra time for a walk from the Middletown trolley station down to the Embarcadero.
My main intention was to get photographs of a long mural I’ve glimpsed while driving along Pacific Highway near San Diego International Airport. The mural is a fair distance from the street, on the back of an old building behind the Park ‘N Fly Lot 1.
I snapped some photos of the cool mural, but as you can see, the results were not all that great. After doing some internet searching, I still know nothing about this artwork.
My walk turned west on Laurel Street as a series of airplanes came in for landings overhead. My eyes moved right and left searching for interesting sights, but nothing struck my fancy until I came to the big white anchor in the grassy median at the intersection of Harbor Drive and Laurel Street.
I vaguely recall learning something about this historical anchor–where it came from–but now when I do some searching I come up with nothing. The big anchor has been a landmark occupying that spot for as long as I can remember.
My leisurely walk south along the Embarcadero stalled when I came to the Maritime Museum of San Diego. I’m a member, so naturally I had to enjoy the elegant passenger deck of the steam ferry Berkeley to do some quiet reading. When I noticed through a window that the sun was about to slip behind clouds, I ventured outside and took more photos.
The photograph of Sea Shepherd’s vessel Farley Mowat reminds me that I blogged about their mission to protect the critically endangered vaquita porpoise a couple years ago.
My walk then resumed, and I proceeded along the water to Broadway Pier.
The long mural near Pacific Highway is blocked by parked cars and too distant from the sidewalk for a good photograph.An airplane comes in for a landing at San Diego International Airport near the intersection of Pacific Highway and Laurel Street.Here comes another plane for a late afternoon arrival.A plane lands at San Diego International Airport, just beyond the large white anchor at Harbor Drive and Laurel Street.A close photo of the anchor. If I obtain more information about its history, I’ll post an update.After I circled the big anchor, my camera captured the skyline of downtown San Diego.Now I’m on the Embarcadero by the water, in the Crescent Area that I visited in my last blog post.Photo from the steam ferry Berkeley of the Farley Mowat, which is presently docked in San Diego. Sea Shepherd’s vessel will soon return to the Sea of Cortez to resume its urgent mission protecting the critically endangered vaquita.The sun is still shining on the floating barge behind the Berkeley.People enjoy exploring the Spanish galleon replica San Salvador.The sun shines out from behind clouds . . . and the masts of America, Californian and San Salvador.People relax on one of the benches along the edge of Broadway Pier. The fog-like marine layer is coming in over Point Loma as nightfall approaches.Spirit of San Diego is coming in from a harbor cruise.Piloting the incoming ship, with the USS Midway Museum in the background.Downtown buildings reflected in windows of the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier.Late sunlight shines from high-rise buildings in beautiful downtown San Diego.
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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!
Today, after I checked out the San Diego Cup racing at Mission Bay, I headed to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park to see if anything interesting was going on. Somehow I’d forgotten that Stagecoach Days are celebrated in Old Town on summer Saturdays, and so I was surprised and happy to stumble upon Days of the Vaqueros!
I blogged about this exact same event last year, and took lots of photos and provided a fair amount of description and background. I saw many of the same participants again this year, and debated whether I should take more photos.
I love Old Town so much I couldn’t resist. If you want to learn more about life in San Diego when Southern California was a part of Spain, then Mexico, and large ranches employed the original cowboys, or vaqueros, then visit my blog from last summer’s event here.
You might also enjoy reading my blog post about Old Town’s McCoy House Museum, which includes many displays that concern San Diego’s fascinating early history.
Meanwhile, here are a few uncaptioned photographs of what I experienced today…
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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!
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!
Today I headed over to Mission Bay’s large model yacht pond, located near the center of Vacation Isle Park, to watch gasoline-powered high speed RC boats race for the San Diego Cup!
The exciting annual event is hosted by the San Diego Argonauts, who sail and race a variety of model boats on the saltwater pond. I blogged about the San Diego Argonauts and hobbyists maneuvering remote control sailboats out on the pond here.
San Diego Cup weekend features over 160 RC powerboats in dozens of classes, brought in by groups from all over Southern California and Arizona. The local group is called SD Gassers.
I spoke to a few people and watched several races. I learned that the model speedboats are built from kits, and that the different classes are determined by the size of the boat. I observed that after contestants are told to start their engines (which at times is problematic) there is a countdown to the beginning of the race. After tossing their boats into the water, it appeared that getting in optimal position for the start was an important aspect of the strategy.
These amazing little powerboats can go over 60 miles per hour! Boats are readied and repaired on the shore and good times are had by all contestants.
It definitely appears to be a fun hobby!
The racing continues through Sunday and anybody can watch from the grassy shore. If you’re in San Diego, head over to the model yacht pond in Mission Bay and check it out!
I took some photos of the action…
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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!
Early morning in Balboa Park is a time of quiet and new light. Golden beams from the rising sun crown each beautiful tower and building. The park appears freshly created, bright, magical.
These photographs are from a walk through Balboa Park that I took today around sunrise.
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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!
People walk past mural in Chula Vista titled Lemon Capitol of the World, 1900-1945. By local artist Bob Teague, 2003.
As I walked about Chula Vista’s Lemon Festival yesterday, I was excited to discover some cool public art!
There are probably more examples of art to be found along the Third Avenue business district between E Street and G Street, but I photographed what I happened to stumble upon.
(Note: you will see two different sculptures. One represents sunrise, the other sunset.)
Enjoy!
Plaque by mural explains the role of lemons in the history of Chula Vista. Many grand old orchard houses can still be seen around the city.Section of Lemon Capitol of the World mural that shows the historic orchard house that still stands at 210 Davidson Street.ChromaSol (sunrise), an impressionistic interpretation of the sun’s colors and intensities. Public art in Chula Vista by artist D. Alan Gjerston, 2006.A photo of the translucent “sunrise” sculpture from a different angle.ChromaSol (sunset), an impressionistic interpretation of the sun’s colors and intensities. Public art in Chula Vista by artist D. Alan Gjerston, 2006.Sunlight shines through the “sunset” sculpture. I see the green flash!Mural on wall of Mangia Italiano on Third, by Danos Designs.Lovers embrace on a balcony by the ocean; another couple holds hands over Italian food.The Vogue Theater, an historic 1945 Chula Vista movie theater designed by architect Frank Hope Jr., awaits renovation.Artwork on the front of The Vogue Theater in Chula Vista appears to depict a night out at the movies.
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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!
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!
Cool San Diego Sights! 