Passengers on buses and trolleys in San Diego have a lot to smile about today. Because it’s October 2, 2024, otherwise known as MTS Free Ride Day!
Those getting off the Green Line trolley at the Gaslamp Station before the Padres’ big Postseason Game had another reason to smile. Free bottled water for the game! A fun chance to take a photograph looking through the windows of a tiny trolley car . . . right next to a smiling Yu, Tatis and Manny!
Yeah!
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The excitement outside Petco Park just before Game 1 of the Major League Baseball Wild Card Series in San Diego was off the charts!
Smiles everywhere. As fans streamed toward the ballpark, I noted every sort of Padres jersey, hat, shirt. There were lots of excited kids about to make lifelong memories. (And the excitement is only growing! As I type this, the Padres lead Atlanta 3-0, and Tatis has hit a towering home run!)
Before the game began, I walked around Petco Park searching for fun photographs.
This is what I captured… (The next photo is actually from early this morning.)
Steven Woods and Ben Higgins smile for a photo during a break in their 97.3 FM morning show.Fans stream from a packed Green Line trolley at the Gaslamp station, an hour before the game.Many Friar Faithful have gathered at Bub’s.Keep Calm and Hate the Dodgers. (My supervisor at work might not like this!)Hand in hand, Padres fans walk down the sidewalk.Two cool Padres serapes!A big smile, ready to help fans as they arrive at Petco Park!Padres fans lean up against Padres players.Somebody had some extra tickets.Friendly reporters from FOX 5 and KUSI give me thumbs up!Check out this Dead Head Padres shirt!This guitarist had a very big audience!That is a super cool bike!And check out these shoes!San Diego Padres shoes!Heading toward Petco Park, anticipating a Padres victory against Atlanta!
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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.
A new line of the San Diego Trolley is set to open tomorrow–Sunday, September 29th!
The Copper Line will run from the El Cajon Transit Center to the Santee Town Center trolley station, taking over a short stretch of the present Green Line. The change is being made by MTS to provide better, more reliable service.
I happened to be walking through downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp trolley station this morning when I spied these workers replacing some signs. The old signs on this side of the tracks indicated To Santee. The new signs tell passengers the Green Line will now end at El Cajon!
A big smile appeared for my camera! The San Diego Trolley is number one!
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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.
This weekend, after a five year absence, Lemon Fest returned to the city of Lemon Grove!
The community festival, held at St. John of the Cross Catholic Church, featured tons of food, a cool car show, live music and entertainment, a baking contest, kids games, vendors, a huge rummage sale, a plant sale, an auction . . . and many people wearing yellow and big smiles!
I was told that St. John of the Cross has had a Fall Festival since 1940, the year its church building was dedicated. The festival was temporarily suspended during COVID, but is now coming back. Next year the plan is that the Lemon Fest is even bigger and better, as it was before the pandemic!
I walked around enjoying the smells of food and the sound of music. Lots of families were at the tables eating great food and enjoying company. What a fun time!
The team Steel Magnolias is Making Strides Against Breast Cancer! They’re walking on October 27th. You can support this team by clicking here!
The Old Memories Sur San Diego car club had some very cool cars on display at Lemon Fest.
Kathy Villalobos of Gift of Dance was selling a piano with an amazing history. She explained how this Miraculous Brewster Piano, once the property of an opera singer, has produced many unexpected blessings. Funds from its sale will go toward repairing flood damage in the church.
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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.
San Diego Yosakoi performed today in Balboa Park! They would dance at noon at the Exchange Pavilion in the Plaza de Panama, part of a fun Japanese cultural event.
I spied members of the group in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion earlier in the day. They were rehearsing for the big performance.
Then I and many others enjoyed their show at the World Design Capital Exchange Pavilion. Afterward, the dancers would teach those in the audience how to dance!
Being a bit ignorant, I asked Google what Yosakoi is, and I learned it’s a high-energy, energetic Japanese dance style that combines traditional Japanese dance with modern music and choreography. It’s often performed by large teams at festivals and events throughout Japan.
San Diego Yosakoi formed this year. Visit their Instagram page 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 Master Gardener Association of San Diego County had their very popular Fall Plant Sale today in Balboa Park!
A small army of smiling Master Gardeners took over the Casa del Prado, both Room 101 and the two courtyard patios. The public could check out thousands of plants for sale, plus an art and crafts marketplace, educational booths and several master gardener speakers.
Plant purchases today would help fund many worthy projects around San Diego, including community gardens, public education and school gardens. Very cool!
I took these photos and have included some captions with a little more information!
Plants and more plants, and beautiful pots, crafts and more!Kids could learn how to plant seeds.Educational displays concerning plants and gardens could be found at many tables.A smile!The Master Gardener Association of San Diego County has a program for public education with the University of California Cooperative Extension.A Guide for School Gardens.Two-time Paralympian Stephen Cantu teaches Friendly Inclusive Gardening. He designs wheelchair accessible gardens. Watch his video here.Visitors to the Master Gardener Plant Show could check out this Compost Demo.Rita Perwich presents KISS In Your Rose Garden–Keep It Simple and Sane.Some bugs are nasty, some are helpful!Mother Earth among many colorful butterflies!So many plants for sale in Room 101.A long line of happy customers!
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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.
San Diego artist James E. Watts will be hosting an art show inside his downtown studio this coming Sunday, September 22, 2024. Visitors will have the opportunity to be transported by his wonderful Portal to Heaven!
I swung by his studio this morning and was able to sneak a look at his completed Portal to Heaven project myself.
An astonishing wall appears like a puzzle piece sky full of clouds. Each of the 105 hand sewn clouds, he explains, gather and radiate orgone life energy like a battery! Stand at the heavenly portal and feel its energy!
I blogged about this ambitious project last December. You can read more about it here.
After James showed me the amazing Portal to Heaven, I turned about and saw how he’s creating bunches of apples. They’re in groups of five. He calls them all together the Gates of Hell!
The apples are of different sizes, just as sins are. Would you take a bite of these apples? Perhaps a little one?
James Watts’ studio never ceases to amaze me. Creativity fills it wall to wall, and every time I visit it seems there’s a new, fantastic project.
James loves ideas, theories, philosophy, literature . . . different ways of seeing this world. With his art he inspires, teaches. He explained during our talk today that he’s a teacher without a classroom.
You’ll note he also has a big smile.
Next he showed me what he called a sense board. This particular work of art, which is titled Six Senses, actively interacts with a person using sound, smell, touch, taste, sight and intuition! Should you attend his art show next Sunday, perhaps you can try it out!
Interested, yet?
James E. Watts will host the 100 Clouds 100 Apples art show this coming Sunday, from 12 to 8 pm. His studio is located in the heart of downtown at 1046 Seventh Avenue.
Lovers of art just might find heaven!
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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.
A very cool street festival was held today in Rancho Bernardo. Several blocks of Bernardo Center Drive filled with vendors, artists, food, entertainment and fun for the North San Diego Business Chamber’s 36th Annual RB Alive!
I walked through the festival around noontime as it got underway. A good crowd appeared quickly, attesting to the popularity of this community gathering. (Unfortunately, RB Alive! was put on hold the past few years due to COVID.)
It was interesting to learn about many of the organizations on hand. Civic groups, politicians, churches, clubs, schools, you name it–everyone was smiling and ready to greet passersby.
This was my first time experiencing the event. I took some photographs as I walked about.
The RB Karate Center was providing martial arts demonstrations on one stage.
RB Alive! is organized by the North San Diego Business Chamber. They have numerous educational programs and events that support local business.
The Ed Brown Center for Active Adults is working to convert an old lawn bowling area in Rancho Bernardo Community Park into 16 pickleball courts.
The Rancho Bernardo Historical Society has a museum at the Bernardo Winery. The museum’s exhibits include a replica mud wagon stagecoach.
The Historical Society’s table had a detailed timeline of Rancho Bernardo’s history. Thank you for all the informative brochures. I need to visit their museum some day!
If history is your thing, why not join their efforts as a volunteer?
The Rancho Bernardo Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol acts as eyes and ears for the San Diego Police Department.
Are you 50 years or older? They’re always looking for volunteers!
More smiles!
I learned the Rancho Bernardo Public Library is just down the street. So after the festival I went there. Blog posts are coming up concerning my visit!
Creative vendors had all sorts of cool crafts and art out on display…
There would be entertainment throughout the day, including live music.
Loads of food everywhere you look!
I learned the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary is engaged in many charitable projects in Mexico and developing countries. They’re fighting childhood disease, providing clean water, building houses and hospitals…
The Rancho Bernardo Community Council is Your Voice in the Community. They are an all-volunteer organization acting as an advisory board to the City of San Diego on a range of public issues.
They also organize many fun community events! They’re glad to welcome volunteers!
Even the dogs were having a great time at RB Alive!
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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.
Sunflowers are smiling on the windows of the Hamilton Building at 640 C Street in downtown San Diego. The painted windows encourage passersby to Smile like a Sunflower!
I don’t know why these happy flowers recently appeared. The building has been vacant for years now. Back in 2019 images of musicians were mysteriously painted on these same windows!
When I first moved to downtown San Diego over 20 years ago, the Hamilton Building was home to the San Diego Computer Museum. All sorts of cool old computers were displayed in a gallery. The museum continues to have an online presence here.
The one time I visited the San Diego Computer Museum I was excited to find a few of the machines I had programmed in my youth, such as the ZX-80, ZX-81, TS-1000 and Commodore 64. A pair of interactive text adventure games that I created in the very early 1980s were published by the now defunct software company Softsync.
You can still play one of my old Commodore 64 games, which is titled Super Clue! Simply click 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.
Did you know that San Diego Padres star pitcher Joe Musgrove has a family connection to Little Italy?
His grandmother, Lucy Papitto, resided in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood for 30 years!
I didn’t know this until I saw a relatively new mural and plaque today. The beautiful mural can be found on India Street a little south of Grape Street. I’ve read that it was unveiled several months ago during Mother’s Day weekend.
When I walked by this morning, the San Diego sunshine was shining through nearby tree branches, perfectly framing Lucy Papitto’s smile.
IN HONOR OF PADRES PITCHER JOE MUSGROVE’S GRANDMOTHER LUCY PAPITTO, 1ST GENERATION SAN DIEGO NATIVE OF ITALIAN DESCENT WHO CALLED LITTLE ITALY HOME FROM 1928 TO 1958 RESIDING AT 1936 STATE STREET.
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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.
Cool San Diego Sights! 