Tag: point loma

A bright, musical mural at Liberty Station!

Look what I spied the other day! A bright, super fun mural was painted a couple months ago at Liberty Station in Point Loma!

The mural can be found along the arched walkway between THE LOT movie theater and Building 176, where a number of music and arts studios are located.

The very colorful artwork was painted by Paola Villaseñor, who goes by the artist name PANCA. Here’s her Instagram page.

The title of the mural is Yo No Soy Marinero, Soy Capitan. That means, in English: I’m not a sailor, I’m the captain.

As a nearby sign explains, this mural showcases the beauty of life and culture in San Diego, with a particular emphasis on the ocean... The artist states: “…the mural…reflects the history of Liberty Station and my role as captain and artist. My hope is that visitors will find joy…”

How could anyone walk through all this found joy without smiling?

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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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The transformation of Building 178 at Liberty Station.

Building 178 at Liberty Station in Point Loma was once a popular destination for Navy recruits. As recreation center for the old Naval Training Center San Diego, it provided a variety of activities for sailors. The sizable building contained a bowling alley and a disco!

Today Building 178 is a bit torn up. I noticed this while wandering around Liberty Station, waiting for a San Diego Bird Alliance event to begin on Sunday.

As I circled the former Navy recreation center, which was built in 1942, I took photos of informative banners attached to the construction fence. They indicate Building 178 is to become the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center, new home of the Cygnet Theatre.

The Cygnet Theatre is presently located in Old Town. They’ll be moving to much larger digs as soon at this major renovation is completed!

Here’s a detailed article if you’d like to learn more.

Historic Preservation Fund…Save America’s Treasures Grants…Renovation of Naval Building 178 into a world-class performing arts venue…This project is being supported in part by a grant awarded by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

A bright new future for Building 178…The Joan & Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center…Future home of Cygnet Theatre…In partnership with NTC Foundation

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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.

San Diego Bird Alliance celebrates 75 years!

A great event was held today at Liberty Station in San Diego. The San Diego Bird Alliance (formerly the San Diego Audubon Society) celebrated their 75th Anniversary! For 75 years they’ve been working to educate the public, protect birds and restore natural habitat!

The event brought in many community organizations that have worked with the San Diego Bird Alliance to make a brighter and birdier future!

The program began with Kumeyaay traditional Bird Songs performed by youth from the Barona Band of Mission Indians. Their songs were of birds and journeying, and respect for all Creation.

A presentation was then made by San Diego City Council President Pro Tem Joe LaCava.

Young kids in the audience would then became excited as they took center stage. Ms. Smarty Plants had them excitedly learning about the critically endangered California condor, protecting our environment, and singing!

A little later the Accipiter Dance Company performed. I posted photos of their beautiful dance here.

I left before the program was completed, so I missed more dancing and what promised to be a colorful Parade of the Species. But I did walk around, checking out the many participating organizations and learning more about this precious world we all live in.

Enjoy some random photos!

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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.

Accipiter Dance creates beauty at Liberty Station.

Accipiter Dance brought beauty to San Diego’s Liberty Station today. Their dance performance was a part of the San Diego Bird Alliance’s 75th anniversary celebration!

Accipiter Dance is a group led by Brianna Pilkinton. The performance I viewed today seemed a mixture of ballet and a more contemporary freestyle. The dancers moved almost as one, but each individual expressed unique freedom and energy. Their birdlike gracefulness defied often very strenuous movement.

As the group’s website explains, Accipiter Dance’s work communicates the complexity of nature and human connection. They’ve danced at previous San Diego Audubon Society (now called San Diego Bird Alliance) events. If you’d like to support the group’s mostly self-funded projects, check out their website here.

The dance this sunny afternoon was so wonderful I thought I’d share some photographs.

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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.

Treasure Hunt mural at Kobey’s Swap Meet!

Have you seen the Treasure Hunt mural just outside the main entrance of Kobey’s Swap Meet? Not only is the fun artwork full of life, but it operates as a visual puzzle!

Monte Kobey started Kobey’s Swap Meet way back in 1976. Who in San Diego hasn’t swung by the old sports arena parking lot on a weekend looking for treasures and bargains? Next time you go, take a close look at this mural and you might find various objects of interest!

Clever eyes might detect a corn dog; toy car, boom box, treasure chest, roller skate, Kobey’s Hummer, five Kobey’s K’s; a pig; paint brush; six cats; a surfer; and . . . Waldo! My photographs don’t cover the entire mural, so you’ll have to swing by the swap meet for a thorough look.

Searching these photos right now, I see a small image of Jim Coffee and his street organ Misty! Are there any people in the mural that you recognize? Leave a comment!

Artist signatures indicate this very fun mural was created by Mackie Mason (@aquaboogieart) and Jasmin Marlene Mendoza (@jasmin_seeks).

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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.

Wooden Boat Festival this Father’s Day weekend!

Looking for something great to do this coming Father’s Day weekend? The 33rd Annual Wooden Boat Festival is taking place next Saturday and Sunday on Shelter Island!

Sons, daughters and fathers will enjoy exploring dozens of beautiful wooden vessels, large and small, docked at the Koehler Kraft boat building company. There will be a wide array of incredible vintage wooden boats that have been beautifully maintained and restored.

It’s the premier event of its kind in Southern California. Visitors will be able to board many of the wooden craft and be awed by the fine craftsmanship.

I enjoyed the festival seven years ago and took these photographs.

Tickets are very affordable and kids are about half price, so you can bring the whole family. There will be artists, live music, food and raffles, and all proceeds from the event go to benefit the Sea Scouts.

Visit the Wooden Boat Festival website here to learn more!

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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.

Nautical rope, sea bags, and a sailor’s life.

For much of the 20th century, Naval Training Center San Diego was the place where Navy recruits learned what their new life at sea would be like.

Today, NTC Liberty Station occupies those old Navy buildings and barracks. The popular San Diego destination contains museums, artist studios, shops, offices, restaurants . . . and thought-provoking installations of public art.

A Dime to Call Home is sculptural art that I photographed during my last visit. The unusual art, made of cement, soft clothing and nautical rope, is located near some archways along Liberty Station’s North Promenade. It was created by artist Michele Montjoy of Oceanside, California, and installed in 2019.

A nearby sign explains:

Using sculptural forms reminiscent of sea bags and nautical rope, A Dime to Call Home is a conversation about the shifts of identity, location and routine that recruits encounter when they enter the military, as well as the connection they have to their family, home and previous life.

I took several photographs.

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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)!

San Diego kids paint Little Portugal street art!

At the corner of Shafter Street and Avenida de Portugal, in San Diego’s historic Little Portugal neighborhood, you’ll find this delightful street art. Four electrical boxes were painted last year by students attending Warren-Walker Middle School.

Colorful images on the boxes include dancers in traditional Portuguese folk costume and the Portuguese Rooster of Barcelos, symbol of Portugal.

A few steps from this street art (and visible in the next photo) is the S.E.S. Portuguese Hall of San Diego. Every year Festa do Espírito Santo is celebrated at the hall.

Just up the street one can visit the Portuguese Historical Center. I took a peek inside the small museum four years ago. See those photos and learn more 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 Twitter!

Volunteers make Shelter Island more beautiful!

Shelter Island is one of the most beautiful spots in sunny San Diego.

Today, as I walked along Shelter Island’s linear Shoreline Park, I noticed two volunteers working around colorful blooms in a flower bed. They were making the bayside park even more beautiful!

Theresa and Steve are both members of the Point Loma Association’s volunteer Mean Green Team. When they saw me taking photographs of the flowers, they immediately greeted me with big smiles.

I learned that they and other Mean Green Team members maintain about ten garden spaces along Shelter Island. They not only work to make this part of Point Loma more beautiful, but they brighten the world that we all live in.

I learned Theresa was born in China, grew up in Taiwan, and is very grateful to live in the United States. She’s an author! One of her books, titled Americans the Beautiful, provides portraits of many wonderful friends. In her book’s Acknowledgments, she writes: Thank you for showing and sharing how you applied yourself to achieve wonderful dreams for humanity, creativity, entrepreneurship, independence and inspiration.

As a cooking teacher, she has also has written a book titled Fairy Tale Soup: Traditional Chinese Recipes with Related Stories. It’s loaded with authentic recipes. By just reading a few pages, I’ve already learned a lot about Chinese culture and cooking!

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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 Twitter!

Gray Whale at Cabrillo by Carl Glowienke.

A beautiful sculpture of a female gray whale and her calf stands near the whale-watching overlook at Cabrillo National Monument. The graceful work of art was created by local sculptor Carl Glowienke in 1992.

Over the years I’ve shared different photos of Gray Whale. But I never gave credit to the artist. I figured it’s time to rectify this oversight.

Here are some of those images again, but now I’ve added a photo of the plaque.

Carl Glowienke, who works in Lakeside, has created numerous amazing sculptures. Many depict whales, dolphins and other sea life. Check out his website here.

This morning, as I surfed Carl Glowienke’s website, I was excited to learn he created Grand Canyons of La Jolla–a 3,000 pound bronze topographic map of underwater La Jolla Canyon, installed in Kellogg Park at La Jolla Shores.

I happened to blog about that project’s progress during a walk in early 2022. To see what I discovered, click here. I need to go back and experience the finished work!

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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 Twitter!