Tag: san diego

San Diego: Light the World with the Giving Machine!

Hey, San Diego, would you like to Light the World this holiday season? Head on down to Old Town San Diego this month and visit the Giving Machine!

The Giving Machine is located on Twiggs Street, near Old Town Trolley Tours, beside the parking lot opposite the Cygnet Theatre. The machine might be mistaken for a typical vending machine, but when you operate it, a charity of your choice benefits!

Charities that benefit when you use the Giving Machine include Save the Children, Catholic Charities, Corazon de Vida, Birthline of San Diego, Gently Hugged, and Mentors International. Struggling people, including the homeless, are helped locally and around the world.

Donations that you can make range from $5 to $120. I was told that donating $20 for a live chicken is a popular choice. There are places in this world where an egg-laying chicken would make a big difference to a seriously impoverished family.

I learned that the machine has been up for two days now, and has already had 209 transactions for a total of $16,000 in giving. The Giving Machine will be operating in Old Town through December, 2024.

I also learned that these Giving Machines can be found around the nation, including another in Irvine, California. It’s a project of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so it’s no surprise the machine is located a short distance from the Mormon Battalion Historic Site in Old Town.

Whatever you might believe, certainly compassion is very important. The Golden Rule is universal.

This is one fun and easy way to help others! Take a photo by the nearby Christmas tree, too!

By the way–San Diego Padres ace pitcher Joe Musgrove and ex-Chargers superstar Eric Weddle will be at a big ribbon cutting ceremony at the Giving Machine this coming Tuesday at noon! It’s rumored Santa Claus will be present, too!

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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.

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Inside the Navy’s landlocked USS Recruit training ship!

The USS Recruit has been humorously called the USS Neversail. Embedded in concrete at the old Naval Training Center San Diego, the landlocked dummy training ship was an official U.S. Navy vessel commissioned in 1949 (and re-commissioned in 1982) that never set sail!

After Naval Training Center San Diego finally closed in 1997 and Liberty Station was developed on the Navy’s old property, the USS Recruit remained in place, slowly deteriorating. Then about ten years ago, the sheet-metal-over-wood-framing mock destroyer received a new paint job.

Last year the USS Recruit finally opened as a ship museum, allowing visitors to enter a large ground-level room inside the training ship. The walls of the museum are filled with historical photographs and video of past service members recalling their unique experiences aboard ship.

I ventured into the free ship museum a couple weekends ago for my first time. I was told that the one room open to the public used to be filled with telephones. Young sailors could use the phones to call home.

Here are a few photos…

Sailors standing on the deck of the USS Recruit circa 1995.

Old photos show construction of the largely wooden USS Recruit in 1949.

USS Recruit commissioning day, July 27, 1949.

One open door allows visitors to peer into an adjacent room.

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

Exhibition by San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild.

An excellent exhibition by members of the San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild is now showing inside Gallery 21 at Balboa Park’s Spanish Village Art Center.

The exhibition, curated by Alex DeCosta of the Hyde Art Gallery, features fine works by some of our city’s most outstanding artists. These eclectic pieces, all of which are for sale, would be valuable additions to any art collection.

I wandered into Gallery 21 late this afternoon and enjoyed viewing all the artwork. I took a few photographs so you get an idea of what you’ll find when you visit.

Make sure to swing by in the next few days. The 2024 SMMAAG Membership Exhibition will be on view in person through December 2, 2024. If you can’t make it by then, view the exhibition online here until the end of the year.

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

Spanish Village in Balboa Park readies for holidays!

Many of the studios in Spanish Village Art Center in San Diego’s Balboa Park are ready for the holiday season! Other artist studios will be getting ready soon!

I walked through Spanish Village late this afternoon and found wreaths, ornaments, and other fun decorations inside studios, on doors and in windows!

Need a unique Christmas gift for a special person? This is the perfect destination!

Peeking into Studio 41 the day before Thanksgiving.

Come on into Studio 34.

Wreath near art outside Studio 23, Southwestern Artists Association.

Santa says Believe when you step into Glass Blowing Studio 19.

Holiday wreath on yellow door of Studio 18, the Spanish Village office.

Wreath and silver stockings hang on door of Studio 10.

Welcome to a snowy forest scene.

At Studio 6, which jolly old elf is the REAL Santa Claus?

A beautiful little Christmas tree in Studio 2.

Studio 2 has several white snowy wreaths with red cardinals!

Come visit colorful Spanish Village Art Center during the holidays. Make sure to drop by during December Nights!

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

San Diego Padres: LFGSD in North Park!

LFGSD!

The San Diego Padres almost won it all last Major League Baseball season. They nearly took down the Dodgers. The Padres should remain awesome for many seasons to come. A new mural in North Park roots on the team. Let’s F-ing Go San Diego!

The spray painted artwork, which appears like neon at the corner of University Avenue and 30th Street, takes its inspiration from an exclamation made by Padres player Jorge Alfaro back in 2022. The impassioned expression has taken on a life of its own. LFGSD!

This cool art was created a couple months ago by muralists Carly Ealey (@carlyealey) and Christopher Konecki (@konecki_art).

Check it out!

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

San Diego Ballet performs in Balboa Park!

A brilliant performance by San Diego Ballet was enjoyed this afternoon at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. Two selections from The Nutcracker–Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Waltz of the Flowers–were the highlight of the two o’clock Sunday organ concert! The outstanding guest organist was Mark Herman.

The company dancers of the San Diego Ballet soared powerfully above the outdoor stage with ease and grace. I don’t know how they defied gravity, dancing on air, moving lightly through space as if by magic.

For a moment, to my mind, they became flowers swaying in a light summer breeze.

I hope these images convey that grace. That feeling of exuberant joy.

The holiday season is a few days away! San Diego Ballet will be presenting The Nutcracker on December 21st at 1 pm and 5 pm, at the Magnolia in El Cajon. Learn more at their website here.

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

Fun holiday decorations inside House of USA!

Check out all these fun holiday decorations! They fill the House of USA cottage in San Diego’s Balboa Park!

The cottage is typically full of artifacts and images that celebrate American history and culture. When you place Santa Claus in the company of George Washington, visitors to the cottage might blink with surprise!

Are you ready for December Nights in 2024? San Diego’s epic holiday event in Balboa Park is coming up in less than two weeks–on December 6 and 7!

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

Winter Extravaganza coming to City Heights!

A free holiday event is coming soon to San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood! A big Winter Extravaganza will be held at Teralta Park from 12 noon to 5 pm on Saturday, December 14, 2024!

Teralta Park is the public park above Interstate 15, between El Cajon Boulevard and University Avenue.

According to a poster I noticed today, the community event will feature Winter fun, vendors, entertainment, activities & games, snow, and more!

During the Winter Extravaganza, families can also receive free toys for kids, age 0-14, but you must register first by November 8 at the City Heights Recreation Center or the Mid-City Gymnasium.

Wow! This looks pretty cool! I wonder if Santa will be there?

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

Christmas at Fiesta de Reyes in Old Town.

Fiesta de Reyes in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park appears to be ready for Christmas!

The Mexican restaurant and its colorful shops have been decorated with bright wreaths, poinsettias, Christmas trees, a Nativity scene, and a larger-than-life display up on one stage depicting the three wise men.

As you can see from my photographs taken this morning, many of the holiday decorations have a festive Mexican flavor!

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

Holiday season appears in downtown San Diego!

With less than a week to go until Thanksgiving, signs of the Holiday Season have begun to appear around downtown San Diego!

Several hotels and destinations have already put up Christmas trees. Banners and other fun, festive decorations are springing up on street lamps and inside windows. I took these photographs this morning during a long meandering walk through the city.

I was told by downtown workers that the decorating should begin in earnest on Monday. I have no doubt I’ll be seeing many more Christmas trees, Santas, reindeer and winter wonderlands in the next few days!

Season’s Greetings on B Street.

The Westgate Hotel has a Christmas tree in their elegant lobby. Giant nutcrackers and more should be going up early this week.

The Westin San Diego Bayview has a couple of beautiful Christmas trees up, including this one.

Poinsettias have been planted in front of The Guild Hotel on Broadway.

You can watch the annual Parade of Lights on San Diego Bay on both December 8th and 15th. Why not do it from the Maritime Museum of San Diego?

Seaport Village is ready for the holidays!

Frosty the Snowman on a window of the Seaport Village Carousel.

Surfin’ Santa will visit Seaport Village next Saturday!

Seaport Village boasts the biggest Christmas tree ornaments I’ve ever seen!

A very large Christmas tree in the courtyard at The Headquarters!

Twenty tons of snow will be arriving at The Headquarters on Saturday, December 14th. Santa will be available, too!

Kansas City Barbeque (of Top Gun movie fame) is once again providing a free Thanksgiving dinner to Active Duty Military! They’ve been doing it for over 40 years!

The Grinch welcomes customers to Cali Cream Homemade Ice Cream in the Gaslamp Quarter! (I see Santa, too!)

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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.

Thank you for sharing!