Tag: smile

Happiness in Dave’s Rock Garden in Encinitas!

Anyone having a bad day should step into Dave’s Rock Garden in Encinitas.

Thousands of colorfully painted stones in the garden radiate with happiness and positivity. For those with an open heart, it’s an awesome, uplifting experience.

Dave’s Rock Garden can be found at the corner of B Street and 2nd Street, a short distance from Moonlight State Beach. Paths into the garden invite people who might be walking down the nearby sidewalk.

“Bringing Unity to our Community” states the website that describes Dave’s Rock Garden. Bringing unbounded creativity and joy would also be appropriate!

The garden had a humble beginning. In 2015 David Dean picked up trash and pulled weeds on this sliver of abandoned public property. A painted stone that he discovered led to inspired efforts that have resulted in what visitors see today.

What did I see when I visited earlier this year? I took photos…

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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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Community celebrated at Santee Street Fair!

The big 2025 Santee Street Fair was held today! Thousands of happy people came together at Santee Town Center to celebrate the start of summer! It’s Memorial Day weekend!

From entertainment on the main stage . . . to plenty of food . . . to carnival rides for the kids . . . to community organizations and vendors . . . there was plenty to see and do!

I walked around taking in the atmosphere while meeting some friendly people.

As I arrived, cheerleaders from Santana High School were performing for the gathered crowd…

As the next photograph suggests, this is one of the most popular street festivals in San Diego County!

Some of the cool rides in the fun zone…

I learned about animal sanctuary Lions Tigers and Bears in Alpine. I often see them on the TV news. It’s a place I have yet to visit.

Viola makes yummy cookies and other treats. She once was interviewed on CBS News 8!

The City of Santee was well represented at the street fair.

Santee offers many public activities for residents, including families and seniors. The Santee Summer Concerts are coming up!

Learn more about what’s going on in Santee by checking out the Parks and Recreation website.

Somebody spun a prize wheel and won!

The San Diego County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) trains you to protect yourself, your family, your neighbors and neighborhood in an emergency situation.

I got an emergency kit that includes a Safety Lightstick, which I’ve placed within easy reach in case my power goes out.

These smiling folks were full of information about Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve. If you like freshwater fishing, that would be a great place!

Food galore at the Santee Street Fair!

Mr. Fun smiled for my camera, and probably wondered who the heck I was.

Grama Rose hosts a radio show, which always includes heart, wisdom and a recipe!

American Legion Riders had some wheels near their canopy.

I coaxed a smile out of this VFW gent!

An honest-to-goodness chimney sweep! Did he fly in to Santee from London?

A brilliant karate demonstration receives oohs and aahs from a large audience!

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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.

Feel free to share!

The Santee Food Bank needs your help!

Will you join these smiling young ladies and help the Santee Food Bank?

During my visit to the Santee Street Fair today, I learned that the Santee Food Bank could use your assistance fighting hunger. They’d love to welcome new volunteers, contributions of food, and reusable plastic bags that can be filled with food for distribution in the Santee community.

If you have it in your heart, please visit the Santee Food Bank website by clicking here.

Life is tough enough. Imagine going to bed hungry.

Your contributions–even modest ones–directly help people. Those people might be your neighbors.

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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.

Feel free to share!

Fun at San Diego FC home game FanFest!

San Diego FC is playing LA Galaxy at Snapdragon Stadium this afternoon. At half-time the score is tied 1-1.

Before the start of every home game, San Diego FC hosts a very popular FanFest on the grass east of the stadium. Today the festival was packed with soccer fans, families and fun!

I walked around FanFest for my first time just for the experience. There are loads of activities. It’s an absolute party! Here are some photos…

Heading toward Snapdragon Stadium from the nearby trolley station.
DIRECTV is a major partner of San Diego Football Club.
Kids kick a soccer ball around on the grass.
This smiling lady was creating soap bubbles earlier!
Fans were posing for photos all over the place.
Big crowd ahead!
Many fans were in line for the team Meet & Greet.
The FanFest includes food trucks and picnic tables.
I think this guy is supposed to be SDFC Forward Hirving “Chucky” Lozano!
Kids find out what it’s like to be a firefighter.
Many fans were getting SDFC haircuts!
These guys will look very stylish.
Dedicated SDFC fans could also have their hair colored.
Chrome and azul are San Diego FC’s team colors.
Just “kicking it” at the pre-game party!

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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.

Feel free to share!

Artist creates beautiful hats and poetry!

I met an artist in Balboa Park today who creates beautiful crocheted hats and heartfelt poetry. Her name is Espi Love.

Espi had many different colored hats that she has crocheted, and with her typewriter she was composing poems for passersby. She wrote a poem for me about her hat.

It’s about whimsy, silliness and being unafraid. It concludes: we should all be brave as a playful child

I can definitely identify with silliness!

I hope you might see her next time you’re in Balboa Park. Look for her smile, and expect words of wisdom tapped out from her fingers. You might like one of her whimsical hats, too!

And yes! She has a website with lots of cool stuff! You can order one of her fun “Minky” hats online! Go to her website by clicking 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.

Feel free to share!

Do or donut. There is no try!

A little Star Wars wisdom on this May the Fourth: Do or donut. There is no try!

I was loathe to attack Yoda with my teeth, but–ah–how sweet! Perhaps I’m on the Dark Side.

My friends at the Donut Bar in downtown San Diego made these fun edible creations for May the Fourth!

Yum. Darth Vader isn’t so bad after all!

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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.

Feel free to share!

Cool murals near Encinitas train station!

These two cool murals can be found close to the train station in Encinitas.

One mural, in my first two photographs, is painted on a wall at the Moonlight Marketplace flea market venue, which, when not in use, appears like a dirt lot west of the station platform. The butterfly and face artwork was created by Chloe Becky (@elsiethecowww).

The second mural is in the alley one block directly south of the Encinitas train station. It’s on the back of a building near the corner of Founders Drive and E Street. The smiley face in swirled colors was spray painted by DJ NEFF (@djn3ff) in 2024.

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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.

Feel free to share!

Photos of Lakeside’s Western Days Parade!

The rodeo has returned to Lakeside, and this morning the community celebrated their signature event with the 60th Annual Western Days Parade!

It was my very first time watching this parade. I was excited to see how it compared to other parades around San Diego County. And it was really great! The Western Days Parade provides a taste of both the Old West and contemporary life in rural America.

I saw local schools with their marching bands and cheer teams. I saw smiling queens, not only from Lakeside, but from Ramona and Julian, too! I saw floats with happy participants waving to everyone along the sidewalk. There were local community organizations, the usual politicians, law enforcement and young Scouts. And there were vintage cars, firetrucks, gigantic cranes, tractors…

Needless to say, horses and riders, and the nostalgic old-fashioned wagons and carriages were a highlight. It’s Lakeside! A true slice of Americana!

Enjoy these photographs…

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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.

Feel free to share!

Taiko community comes together in Balboa Park!

Taiko groups from all around San Diego (and beyond!) came together in Balboa Park today for an epic taiko community performance and jam session! It was incredible!

Taiko is high-energy drumming, Japanese style, where drummers together shake the world all around with booming uninhibited joy!

The event was called Taiko 4.0. It celebrated the 40th birthday of Diana, founder of Naruwan Taiko.

Over the years I’ve been fortunate to experience a number of Naruwan Taiko performances, but today was something extraordinary. Dozens of members were joined by taiko drummers from groups (I hope I’m not missing anyone) San Diego Taiko, Buddhist Temple of San Diego Taiko, Asayake Taiko (UC San Diego students), Makoto Taiko from Pasadena, and even Rocky Mountain Taiko from Utah!

I counted about 50 taiko drums, many of them quite large. Now imagine the thunder!

The House of China of Balboa Park’s International Cottages helped to make this epic event possible. As the joyful, rhythmic drumming began, people from around the park heard and converged. By the time I departed mid-afternoon, a good crowd had gathered.

I hope my still photographs of this amazing event transmit the absolute joy. Taiko, like nothing else, can make one feel fully alive.

Before the start, getting ready…

Here’s Diana!

A group photo!

An introduction…

Drummers take their places…

Here we go!

Between pieces of music, the drums would be carefully lifted and reconfigured…

Here we go again!

A dancing percussive procession surprise!

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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.

Feel free to share!

Photos around Petco Park on 2025 Opening Day!

The San Diego Padres are playing the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park this 2025 Opening Day. As I type these words, the score is 4-3.

Before the game, I walked around Petco Park and through East Village and the Gaslamp Quarter breathing in the exciting atmosphere.

Padres baseball jerseys, shirts and hats everywhere. The media on the scene. A huge crowd entering the ballpark. Many smiles and thumbs up. Just before the start of the big game, a flyover of military helicopters…

Enjoy a variety of photographs!

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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.

Feel free to share!