Cool new optical public art in San Diego. The temporary outdoor installation can be found on Broadway Pier through next weekend.
You’ve got another week to head down to the Broadway Pier to experience some very cool public art!
Sojourner, created by San Diego artist Adam Belt, seems to bend reality as you walk around it and step inside. Mirrors cause the viewer see our city’s beautiful blue bay in a whole new way!
Sojourner was commissioned by the Port of San Diego as part of their Port Spaces public art initiative. The installation will be removed after April 29, 2018.
Sojourner is temporary public artwork near the end of San Diego’s Broadway Pier, by local artist Adam Belt.Sojourner invites people on the pier to walk up a ramp and enter its mirror interior. Once inside, the mind and spirit are stimulated by optical effects.San Diego artist Adam Belt created the structure. Once inside, the viewer seems surrounded by a universe of blue water. Odd reflections are produced by infinity mirrors.A mirror in the world, and a world in the mirror.On this Sunday afternoon two visiting cruise ships were docked near the Broadway Pier.A harbor tour boat heading out onto the bay is transformed into strange, dreamlike fragments.A bicyclist journeys through some magical public art in San Diego!
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A performance by Japanese drummers at the 2018 Pacific Rim Festival in Chula Vista.
Yesterday I headed down to the South Bay to check out the 2nd Annual Pacific Rim Festival in Chula Vista. The fun event, sponsored by the Port of San Diego, featured food and entertainment representing many nations that share the Pacific Ocean.
I lingered for over an hour and watched a rousing performance by the Naruwan Taiko Drummers, lion dancing by the Southern Sea Kung Seng Keng Lion and Dragon Dance Association, and Philippine martial art demonstrations by the Cardenas School of Modern Arnis.
Please enjoy a few photos from my walk through Bayside Park, and many more after I arrived at the colorful event!
A family enjoys the small beach near the fishing pier at the south end of Bayside Park.A father plays super hopscotch in the park!Walking slowly through sunshine, on the way to a cool festival in San Diego’s South Bay.Downtown San Diego and the Coronado Bay Bridge are in the hazy distance.I’ve arrived at the 2nd Annual Pacific Rim Festival.The first thing I saw was lots of yummy food from many countries around the Pacific Rim.Beautiful crafts were also on display and available for purchase. A nice lady made this amazing glass artwork by hand.Continuing through the festival. One vendor had unique clothing for sale. Kids had a bounce house. Another perfect San Diego day.An audience has gathered at the stage to watch energetic drumming by Naruwan Taiko.Meanwhile, some lion dancers are waiting to one side for their turn to perform.People have gathered to celebrate many cultures around the Pacific Ocean.The lion dancing has begun. This local group is the Southern Sea Kung Seng Keng Lion and Dragon Dance Association.Music accompanies the traditional lion dance.Banners unfurl, wishing everyone a happy and prosperous year.The two lions come down onto the grass to the delight of everybody.A young girl offers the red lion a dollar bill for good luck.After this performance, I stretched my legs with a short walk along the nearby water of San Diego Bay. Others were enjoying the day, too.I stumbled upon some wild California poppies. They are the official flower of the state of California.As I returned to the stage area, students from the Cardenas School of Modern Arnis had assembled.People get ready to view a Philippine martial arts demonstration.The exciting demonstration begins.Celebrating the cultures of many Pacific Rim nations at a very fun event!
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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!
An old pile once used to support Anthony’s Fish Grotto on San Diego’s Embarcadero is removed with a large crane.
Here’s a quick, fun post . . . about posts!
I got off work early this afternoon, so I took a slow walk along the Embarcadero. By sheer chance, today happened to be the day that old piles from the now demolished Anthony’s Fish Grotto were being extracted.
After watching a large crane on a barge lift one pile skyward, I asked a nearby worker to describe what I was seeing. He explained that the long concrete piles had been installed in 1964, and had supported the old Anthony’s Fish Grotto structure for half a century. I stood for a while and watched the crane do some more heavy lifting.
My friend Carlos, who shows his cool artistic creations near the water, had watched this activity for much of the day. He told me that in the morning some powerful machinery had gripped and violently vibrated each pile for 30 seconds or so, in order to loosen them prior to extraction. I wish I had seen that!
Many extracted piles were already stacked on the barge beside the crane when I walked by.Several construction workers were making ready for a new project. The Portside Pier will include a Brigantine restaurant, several smaller eateries and a public observation deck. I believe the supporting structures you see in the water will remain.My friend Carlos points toward some fascinating activity on the bayfront. I see the Star of India and the Maritime Museum of San Diego in the distance.A gull circles overhead as a long, dripping wet pile is carefully hoisted skyward!
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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!
A juggler belonging to the Fern Street Circus practices his balancing skills before a special performance.
My walk today included a short visit to the Carnival in the Park event hosted by the Port of San Diego. Lots of families came down to Cesar Chavez Park in Barrio Logan to enjoy a free performance by San Diego’s much-loved Fern Street Circus!
I arrived a few minutes early, stayed for a bit, got a yummy free hot dog and enjoyed watching several performers. I didn’t hang around to see the main act, but I bet it was terrific! As I departed, a whole bunch of people were still arriving!
This fun, kid-friendly event was put together by the Port of San Diego’s Tidelands Activation Program. The program celebrates all sorts of cool artwork around San Diego Bay and encourages creativity in the South Bay and other bayside communities.
Here are a few photos!
Cesar Chavez Park in Barrio Logan was the venue today for a show by the Fern Street Circus, hosted by the Port of San Diego.Friendly people from the Port of San Diego’s Public Art Program look on as the crowd slowly grows at Cesar Chavez Park.This smiling lady was handing out free jars of Kinetic Sand to youth at the event. Young artists can easily mold it to express their creativity.Members of the Fern Street Circus ready props on the main stage as the kid-friendly community event gets underway.An aerial silk performer takes to the air above the grassy park.A smile in the San Diego sky!The circus juggler and some kids play with colorful hula hoops.A small circus school at the event showed people how to walk a tightrope!Lots of smiles and fun were enjoyed today at Cesar Chavez Park, courtesy of the Port of San Diego and the Fern Street Circus!
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There’s an author in San Diego by the name of Jack Tyler. He has published all sorts of steampunk fiction and offers great advice about how to write effectively. If this interests you, please follow his blog by clicking here!
You might recall Jack has written an exciting tale of adventure that takes place in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. To learn more about his novel Stingaree, click here!
A mysterious, glittering reflection of the Port Pavilion on San Diego Bay.
So many new buildings are rising around downtown my head spins whenever I’m out for a walk.
In the past few years a host of gleaming high-rises has materialized near the water, and the Embarcadero has been so dramatically improved I can barely recall the way our waterfront once appeared.
This morning during a walk I captured some dreamlike visions with my camera. And my mind began to ponder the stealthy passage of time. The past can be so difficult to remember…the future can be so difficult to envision…
Another morning. A gull glides over smooth San Diego Bay. A short distance north of downtown, the Coast Guard station shines in the early sunlight.Reflections of buildings along San Diego’s waterfront. Like dancing fragments of light, these visions change as the years pass quickly by.The InterContinental Hotel, under construction at the location of old Lane Field, is beginning to appear complete.Near the Broadway Pier, morning light invites people into the brand new day. Remnants of past days are quietly swept up.A crane on a barge. The demolition of Anthony’s Fish Grotto on the Embarcadero has begun.A peek into the past, and into the future.
If you’d like to time travel on this blog, here are some links concerning past construction along the Embarcadero, in chronological order.
I myself hadn’t visited some of these old posts for years. Memories were rekindled…
San Diego’s historic Navy Bicentennial Commemorative Plaque has been cleaned!
Look what I spotted recently during a walk along the Embarcadero. The historic Navy Bicentennial Commemorative Plaque, part of the Greatest Generation Walk near the USS Midway Museum, has been beautifully cleaned. The corrosion is gone!
Whoever is responsible–it looks great!
The fascinating origin of this once mysterious Navy plaque, forged in 1975 on fleet repair ship USS Ajax, was revealed here.
In that blog post you can see a photo of the old corrosion, which has now been removed!
These friendly people with Sea Grant California showed me all sorts of fascinating creatures that thrive off our coast! They encourage using locally sourced food.
During a walk last weekend, I headed out onto the pier just north of Seaport Village where the ever-growing Tuna Harbor Dockside Market is held on Saturday mornings. In addition to the local fishermen selling a wide variety of freshly caught seafood, I noticed one table with an interesting exhibit. Folks were demonstrating a few of the many different sea creatures that can be caught off San Diego’s coast.
I learned this display was created by Sea Grant California, an organization that connects government agencies, California universities, nonprofit organizations, local businesses and residents in our coastal community. Their mission is to conduct impartial research, disseminate knowledge, encourage best practices for environmental stewardship and optimize sustainable economic development.
Lots of people on the pier were checking out the live marine creatures on display, and learning which species are most common in the Pacific Ocean off our coast. I was told that most of San Diego’s commercial fishermen are conscientious and highly responsible. There are about 131 commercial fishing vessels licensed in the county. Many are based in Tuna Harbor, which occupies a picturesque stretch of San Diego’s Embarcadero.
In addition, I learned that the Port of San Diego is testing an aquaculture project at the end of one of Tuna Harbor’s docks. The port’s Oyster Nursery Research Project is part of an expanding effort to try out new Blue Economy technologies in San Diego Bay. The concept of a Blue Economy is to use innovative methods to maximize resources that are locally available in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.
Very cool!
Fresh locally caught fish on ice for sale at San Diego’s Tuna Harbor Dockside Market.The Port of San Diego’s Oyster Nursery Research Project at the end of a dock inside Tuna Harbor.What’s for dinner?
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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!
Sculpted face of a crew member of the U.S.S. San Diego, representing all United States sailors who served their country during World War II.
Yesterday evening, after dark, I walked along the Embarcadero. When I arrived at the Greatest Generation Walk, I paused to gaze at the various illuminated memorials and monuments. I was struck at how light reflected from the bronze figures of military heroes, highlighting their expressive faces.
I took many photos of those faces. I kept my flash off. Some of the faces were insufficiently lit for my camera, but the photographs you see here, of mostly ordinary people courageously serving our country–primarily in World War II–came out quite well. I sharpened the images a bit, but that’s all.
The first photo was taken at the U.S.S. San Diego (CL-53) Memorial, created by artists Eugene Daub and Louis Quaintance.
The next seven photographs were taken at the National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military, created by artists Eugene Daub and Steven Whyte.
The next three photographs were taken at the Homecoming sculpture, created by artist Stanley Bleifeld.
The final two photographs were taken at the Aircraft Carrier Memorial, which was created by artists T.J. Dixon and James Nelson.
Bob Hope as he appeared in the 1940s, entertaining the troops on a USO tour.A World War II Marine Corps Sergeant depicted as a patient from the 44th Field Hospital.A World War II naval aviator.A Korean War sailor.World War II Navy Machinist Mate John Ibe, who survived the loss of the USS St. Lo during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.Korean War Private from the 45th Infantry Division.A World War II fighter pilot. One of the Tuskegee Airmen.A sailor embraces his wife upon his return from a deployment far from home.A supportive wife hugs her sailor husband.Love endures.A sailor who serves aboard an aircraft carrier.A naval aviator who flies from an aircraft carrier.
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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 share and enjoy!
A sailboat glides between beautiful yacht America docked at the Maritime Museum of San Diego and the shining downtown skyline.
Ships are like small islands of human activity. So it’s interesting when different ships, each serving a unique function, converge and dock in one place.
Yesterday evening many fascinating ships were huddled together on the Embarcadero. There were the usual museum ships and harbor tour ships that call San Diego their home. I also saw: the enormous Disney Wonder cruise ship; The World, which is the largest residential yacht on the planet, containing 165 apartments; the Coast Guard cutter Stratton, which recently offloaded around 50,000 pounds of cocaine and heroin intercepted at sea; and the Maersk Launcher, which assisted in the drug operation.
I walked to the end of Navy Pier and watched different vessels come and go, as the sun set.
The sails of Star of India rise beyond one cathead of HMS Surprise.Late sun through the colored glass at Carnitas’ Snack Shack on the very busy Embarcadero.The World and the Disney Wonder at dock in San Diego.The illegal drug intercepting Coast Guard cutter Stratton is docked at the Broadway Pier next to the San Diego Festival of Beer.A bustle of activity seen from Navy Pier. The Spirit of San Diego harbor tour ship and a bus converge near parked cars.The Maersk Launcher at anchor in San Diego Bay.A photo of The World and Disney Wonder beyond the Port Pavilion as sunset approaches in San Diego.Late sunlight on shining downtown buildings.The Disney Wonder backs away from the B Street Pier as it departs on another cruise. Many ships and boats cross paths on San Diego Bay.
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 share and enjoy!
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