A beautiful Dia de Los Muertos altar (ofrenda) was created today for the large display case outside the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park.
This particular altar, containing marigolds and other traditional spiritual symbols, is dedicated to beloved athletes who’ve passed away, including Tony Gwynn and Junior Seau.
The altar was created by members of the Sherman Heights Community Center, whose own displays at the community center will open to the public on October 15th.
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I hadn’t walked this way through Sherman Heights in a long while. Look what I found!
Another cool San Diego Padres mural painted on the side of Universal Radiator at 20th Street and Imperial Avenue!
This one features images of Padres legends Goose Gossage, Dave Winfield, Benito Santiago and Tony Gwynn.
I saw an older, equally cool mural years ago on the same wall. View those photos here. That artwork was painted by DYSE ONE AND HASLR. The one I spied today was created by the same artists, plus SHARK.
As I walked by, DYSE himself came out of the building. He informed me he’d be painting a new mural on this wall very soon!
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Before creating their pieces, these Atelier artists spent time walking around Imperial Avenue east of downtown San Diego. Their inspired interpretation of the historic neighborhood can be viewed in the TULAROSA gallery, which is appropriately located at 2602 Imperial Avenue.
The exhibition is titled One Day in the Life on Imperial.
I swung by after 11 am today, shortly after the gallery opened. And whom should I meet as I stepped through the door? Renowned muralist Mario Torero! He was just as friendly and gracious as ever.
I enjoyed looking at all the pieces. Some of the artwork includes buildings and murals one might see on the street nearby. It was fun trying to find them!
The exhibition will continue at TULAROSA through Sunday, March 29, 2026. The gallery is open 11 am to 7 pm.
What special events at the gallery are coming up?
Wednesday, March 25: Community & Artist Leaders Panel. 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
Thursday, March 26: San Diego Artists Guild Panel II. Continuation of artist discussions and exhibition programming. 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
Friday, March 27: Jazz, Soul & R&B Legacy Night, celebrating the musical history of Imperial Avenue, once one of San Diego’s most important music corridors.
Saturday, March 28: Community Mural Activation. Community painting of the 19th Street Mural Project. Artists participating include Mario Torero. 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
Sunday, March 29: Closing Day of the exhibition. Final mural painting session for the 19th Street Mural Project. 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
Here are some examples of the artwork on display…
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Día de los Muertos at the Sherman Heights Community Center has become one of the most anticipated Day of the Dead celebrations in San Diego. In 2024 the week-long event turned thirty years old.
The many traditional altars inside the community center, erected by local families and organizations, remember loved one who are deceased. All around the center a joyful festival is enjoyed by families who engage in activities that celebrate life, past and present.
Walking the short distance from downtown to Sherman Heights, I arrived at the event yesterday.
I was fortunate to join a group that was touring the Día de los Muertos altars (ofrendas in Spanish). Daniel was explaining to several people (including folks from Germany) how these altars originated in Pre-Columbian times and evolved to include Catholic elements when Spain entered the American continent. Most of the altars include symbols of the four elements defined in ancient times: earth, water, fire and air.
In Mexican ofrendas today, earth is still represented by marigolds and offerings of food, water by drink, fire by candles, and air by papel picado, which flutters in a breeze.
Daniel explained that because Day of the Dead has universal themes–family, human mortality, the circle of life and love–and because of commercialization and the influence of popular culture, the holiday is spreading worldwide. He noted that other cultures have inserted their own special symbolism into Day of the Dead celebrations.
I took photographs of the many altars. Most were extremely elaborate.
So many loved ones that have passed on–but who live still in memory…
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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 residents of Sherman Heights are very fortunate. They have a community center that radiates positive energy with loads of incredible art!
The Sherman Heights Community Center welcomes visitors with its many colorful outdoor murals and mosaics. Low walls, planters, columns . . . even an electrical box has been decorated! Yesterday, when I walked up Island Avenue and saw all the artwork, my camera became very busy!
The center’s website explains: The community we serve is predominantly Mexican- American with many families facing economic hardship. This community has preserved itself by using art as an avenue towards empowerment & collaboration. For many years the community has supported and participated in creating, preserving, and cultivating a culture of rich history through the arts here at our center.
Sherman Heights, just east of downtown San Diego, is famous for its Día de los Muertos celebrations. That’s reflected in some of the artwork.
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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.
If you walk along the beach in Coronado, you might notice a gorgeous old Victorian house that resembles a small version of the famous Hotel del Coronado. It stands near the corner of Isabella Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. The Livingston House, built in 1887, is appropriately known as the Baby Del!
The “Baby Del” was originally located in Sherman Heights at 24th and J Streets. It was the home of Mrs. Harriett Livingston. It is said many of the workers who built the house would also work building the fantastic Hotel del Coronado one year later.
In 1983 the Livingston House was moved by barge to Coronado by architect Christopher Mortenson, who was instrumental in the Gaslamp Quarter’s renewal. The property was sold not long ago for nearly 16 million dollars.
The amazing house is recognized as San Diego Historical Landmark No. 58. Read more about the Baby Del at this website.
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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!
I really like the art of Gerardo Meza (@mezarte). It contains a lot of humor and personality.
You can see many examples of his colorful street art down near the border in San Ysidro. But during my walk through Sherman Heights yesterday, just east of downtown San Diego, I discovered two electrical boxes that he’d painted!
Here they are!
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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!
The super colorful artwork is titled The Beacon. It was painted in 2022 by artist Paul Mericle. His astounding creation decorates a wall at Red Door Interactive, a marketing agency that recently moved to this location.
I took photographs of the mural from the Market Street sidewalk during a stroll through the neighborhood.
Enjoy!
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Thank you for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often, so you might want to bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and check back from time to time.
You can explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on this website’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There’s a lot of stuff to share and enjoy!
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Did you know there’s a bridge over a freeway in San Diego that is also a musical instrument?
Drivers passing over State Route 94 on the 25th Street bridge might not realize they are traveling beside an interactive chime rail that pedestrians with a good stick or (better yet) metal rod can play!
Called the Crab Carillon, this musical feature of a very unique bridge is part of the City of San Diego’s Civic Art Collection. The Crab Carillon, created by artist Roman de Salvo in 2003, features 488 individually tuned chimes spanning the full length of the bridge, which can be played by passersby.
De Salvo commissioned Joseph Waters to compose a short, sophisticated palindrome, which sounds the same played forward or backward. The title refers to the way that crabs scuttle from side to side, similar to the movement of those who interact with the artwork.
As I walked south down 25th Street from Golden Hill toward Sherman Heights, I happened to find a piece of broken wood on the sidewalk. Perfect! I thought. Up ahead is San Diego’s musical bridge! Now I’m ready to play the Crab Carillon!
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Thank you for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often, so you might want to bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and check back from time to time.
You can explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on this website’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There’s a lot of stuff to share and enjoy!
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!
I saw this colorful street art a couple days ago while walking up Market Street. It’s located at 25th Street, where Sherman Heights and Grant Hill meet.
I spotted artist signature @yvette_roman on the puppet electrical box. And @romasanchez.art on the giraffe box.
As I continued a short distance east on Market Street I saw this beautiful Guadalupe mural painted on what appears to be a residence. A happy family is depicted. The artist signature was too distant from the sidewalk to decipher.
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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!
