Tag: san diego

Sacred Architecture photo exhibit in La Jolla.

Sacred Architecture of San Diego and Tijuana is a free exhibition now showing at the La Jolla Historical Society’s Wisteria Cottage. The exhibit features stunning architectural photographs in the cottage’s museum-like galleries.

You won’t see photos of “old” church architecture–with ordinary steeples, gothic decoration and the like. San Diego is a relatively young city. Many places of worship in our region were built in the 20th century, and consequently reflect a more modern, unadorned, experimental style.

I noticed that much of this “sacred architecture” makes use of simple geometric forms like triangles, circles and waves. The basic forms feel simple, elemental and universal, and yet the structures are often a bit strange: elongated as if striving heavenward, or modest and sheltering near the earth where we stand. Much of the architecture produces a sense of wonder–at least for me.

Notable architects highlighted in the exhibition include Irving Gill with his masterful protomodern designs, and midcentury modernists Richard Neutra, Albert Frey and Jaime Sandoval. Postmodern buildings include a church by Charles Moore. La Jolla’s own Sim Bruce Richards is also represented.

The exhibition is being presented in conjunction with San Diego/Tijuana’s selection as World Design Capital. These stunning architectural photographs will be on display through September 1, 2024.

In San Diego, I’ve enjoyed architectural tours of several prominent places of worship. You can read descriptions and see photographs by clicking the following links:

Colorful stained glass windows of The Abbey.

An architectural masterpiece in San Diego.

A quick peek inside St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Beautiful sanctuary of historic San Diego church.

Photos inside the historic Ohr Shalom building.

History and faith at St. Agnes Catholic Church.

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A new Tony Gwynn mural in La Jolla!

Tony Gwynn, one of the greatest players in Major League Baseball history, is quite possibly the most beloved person in all of San Diego. Even years after his passing, tributes continue to pop up in communities throughout the city and beyond. He was loved not only for his legendary on-the-field heroics, but for his always sunny personality.

A very cool mural depicting Mr. Padre was painted in La Jolla this summer. It decorates one side of the Mandarin House restaurant in La Jolla. It was created by Ground Floor Murals, who’ve already painted many outstanding Padres baseball player murals.

Taking photos around San Diego for the past 11 years, I’ve documented various artworks and events that honor Tony Gwynn. You can see many of them by clicking here.

And now a bonus photograph!

There’s a second cool mural on the opposite side of the Mandarin House’s building! It depicts an Asian dragon in a watery setting. When I walked by today, I didn’t notice an artist signature…

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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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Creating a giant 1980s sand sculpture in IB!

A gigantic sand sculpture now stands near the foot of the Imperial Beach Pier. The “Back 2 IB” retro sculpture, created using 80 cubic yards of sand, celebrates nostalgia from the 1980s. It’s the centerpiece of Imperial Beach’s family friendly 2024 Sun & Sea Festival!

Carved into the massive sculpture are images from the 1980s that many will recognize. Pac-Man. Ghostbusters. MTV. Rubik’s Cube. Cabbage Patch Kids. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Back to the Future. Nintendo Entertainment System. A video game arcade. A boom box. Music on cassette tapes…

Is this the coolest sand sculpture ever, or what? Why was it built? Each summer, during the annual Sun & Sea Festival, Imperial Beach is also known as Sandcastle City!

When I visited the festival late this morning, the local sand artists, including members of the Imperial Beach Posse Sand Carvers, appeared to be nearly finished. They’ve been working on their monumental work of art for several days.

I walked around the “Back 2 IB” sand sculpture and took these photographs of the sand sculptors hard at work…

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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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Photos of 2024 Sun & Sea Festival in Imperial Beach!

The Sun & Sea Festival returned to Imperial Beach for 2024, attracting a good crowd as usual. And, as always, the annual event beside the Imperial Beach Pier featured sand sculptures!

A monumental sand mega castle was being finished by a group of local artists late this morning when I walked through the festival.

The “Back 2 IB” sculpture celebrates nostalgia. Carved into the sand are fun retro images that bring back fond memories of the 1980s, from Back to the Future, to Ghostbusters, to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, to Cabbage Patch Kids, to Rubik’s Cube, to Pac-Man. (I’ll be sharing more photos of the amazing sand sculpture in my next blog post!)

The festival also featured a Kids-n-Kastles competition, with 15 team entries built on the beach north of the pier. There was no adult competition this year. Sadly, there weren’t enough sponsors.

The COVID pandemic and sewage coming from the Tijuana River polluting the ocean off Imperial Beach have visibly hurt this long-running event, not to mention the Imperial Beach community and local businesses. Nobody was out in the water, apart from several surfers who were seriously risking their health.

I spoke to people at a Surfrider Foundation tent. They said very slow progress is being made to solve the sewage problem. The ocean here has been off limits for about two years now. It’s a problem that seems to have no end.

In spite of this, however, there was plenty of fun to be had at the 2024 Sun & Sea Festival! Lots of food! Live music! A fantastic location and SoCal beach vibe!

Here are my 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.

World Design Capital pavilion in Balboa Park!

The fantastic Exchange Pavilion has been completed in Balboa Park, and it is fulfilling its purpose: bringing people (and hopefully their ideas) together!

This open, geometric structure was erected in the Plaza de Panama because San Diego/Tijuana has been designated World Design Capital 2024. Various activations have taken form in San Diego during the yearlong international event, including the Bay to Park Paseo, but the landmark Exchange Pavilion appears to be at center stage!

Sunlight makes its curving, translucent orange skin glow, and colorful seats (that remind me of building blocks) entice Balboa Park visitors to relax in the shade. Electronic messages in English and Spanish scroll along the edges of the structure, but the people I saw seemed more interested in talking to one another or peering at their phones.

The Exchange Pavilion, as I understand it, officially opens tomorrow, so perhaps there will be more signage or elements added to inform the curious public. I’ve read that the pavilion will remain in San Diego until this fall, when it will be moved to neighboring Tijuana, Mexico.

UPDATE!

A few days later, I noticed this…

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Balboa Park plaque dedicated to Craftsmen of America.

Balboa Park in San Diego is full of surprising history.

Perhaps you’ve seen this plaque. It can be found in a modest brick plaza at the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages, beneath a rusty, flagless flagpole, a few steps from the entrance to the United Nations Building and Gift Shop.

The plaque proudly states:

DEDICATED TO THE CRAFTSMEN OF AMERICA BY THE FIRST NORTH AMERICAN CONFERENCE ON APPRENTICESHIP — AUGUST, 1953 — BUILT BY APPRENTICES OF SAN DIEGO SPONSORED BY JOINT APPRENTICESHIP COMMITTEE ON MASONRY

Internet searches provide very little about this history. Perhaps a knowledgeable reader out there can contribute a comment. The brick wall and circular patio must have been built by local masonry apprentices.

I did find an interesting old article in the August 26, 1953 edition of CONVAIRIETY, a newspaper for employees of the Convair Division of General Dynamics. It begins by explaining how Two Convair San Diego men who formerly were apprentices at SD were singled out for honors during the first North American Conference on Apprenticeship held in San Diego Aug. 2-9.

You can see the full CONVARIETY article by clicking here, or read the text more easily by clicking here and scrolling down.

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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.

The Art and Science of Indigo at Mingei Museum.

Next month, on September 14, 2024, a colorful new exhibition will debut at the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park. It’s titled Blue Gold: The Art and Science of Indigo.

As I walked through the Mingei last weekend, I came upon a display that previews the coming exhibit. Glass cases near the museum’s front desk contain exquisite crafts and works of art: blue glass, Shimaoka ceramics, and lapis lazuli colored objects and jewelry.

Blue Gold: The Art and Science of Indigo is one of many exhibitions and programs to be presented in Southern California as part of Getty’s 2024 PST ART initiative. Returning in September 2024 with its latest edition, PST ART: Art & Science Collide, this landmark regional event explores the intersections of art and science.

For me, the blue of sky and water and the indigo plant intersects with a feeling of wonder. So much beauty can be found in this world we live in. And much beauty can be created.

Learn more about the upcoming exhibition by clicking 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 X.

Painting a super cool mural in City Heights!

San Diego artist Hugo Fernando Fierro (@hoyote) was spray painting a wall in City Heights today. He’s finishing off a huge, super cool mural on the side of Inscriptu: Custom Printing and Laser Engraving Services, at the corner of University Boulevard the 42nd Street.

I learned about this project from Carlos Quezada of Love City Heights, who told me that hopefully more great murals will be appearing in this east San Diego community’s future.

When I arrived to check out the artwork this afternoon, Hugo was taking a break and we struck up a conversation. Not only is he a great muralist (see other City Heights murals painted by Hugo here and here), but he’s an illustrator, video producer and animator.

Check out the artwork’s neon colors, crazy characters and complex, dynamic composition! When I asked for the title of this mural, he said he hadn’t decided yet.

Hugo then stepped onto the lift and began adding black spray paint to the mural, to resemble dripping printer’s ink. The touches of black make the colorful graphics pop even more.

If you look closely at the mural, you’ll see elements that pertain to Inscriptu, a print shop that specializes in large format.

One day local firefighters driving down the street paused to admire the developing artwork. They suggested that a reference to San Diego Fire Station 17 be added. Do you see it?

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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!

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Three new murals on Garnet in Pacific Beach!

Check out three colorful murals that I discovered last weekend during a walk down Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach. All three were painted in the past year or so.

The bird mural at Pacific Beach Tattoo, above, is titled The California Least Tern Mural. It was created by artist Todd Murphy. According to a tiny sign that I spied while preparing these photographs, the beautiful mural is dedicated to the community of Pacific Beach on August 12, 2023 with the purpose of promoting conservation and awareness of this local endangered species.

The next photograph shows the latest Guru Tattoo mural. It’s by Bowen Bramwell (@illustrationbybo). Other spray painted Guru Tattoo murals have decorated this same wall in the past. You can see two of them (and other examples of street art in PB) here and here.

Finally, check out this beach scene mural beside the Broken Yolk parking lot. (Is that sandy Coronado Beach with the Old Point Loma Lighthouse in the distance?)

The mural was created by artist Emily Fallon in 2024, in collaboration with San Diego Paint and Stain.

If you’d like to see even more cool street art in Pacific Beach, I’ve photographed a lot of it over the years. Additional examples can be found here and here and 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 X.

The historic Starlight Bowl on road to recovery!

Big news in San Diego today! After 14 long years, the unused Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park appears to be on the road to recovery!

The City of San Diego has announced that it is looking for organizations or individuals interested in bringing the historic and famed Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park back to life. The city has issued a Request for Proposals for the lease and renovation of the open-air amphitheater. Interested to learn more? Visit the pertinent City of San Diego web page by clicking here.

When I heard this news today I cheered. I voiced my support for the restoration of the Starlight Bowl back in 2016. I, like many others in San Diego, have fond memories of the unique outdoor venue. You can read what I wrote by clicking here.

Over the years, many people have worked hard to pull weeds, paint and rehabilitate parts of the building, and advocate tirelessly for the historic Starlight Bowl’s survival. Congratulations to the organization Save Starlight and to all who have been involved in this effort.

That photograph above is of a performance in the Ford Bowl (now the Starlight Bowl) during the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition in Balboa Park. The photograph below was taken with my camera eight years ago…

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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.