Tag: streets

Painting murals on Imperial Avenue under Interstate 15.

Colorful new murals are now being painted on either side of Imperial Avenue beneath Interstate 15.

This public art beautifying the freeway underpass is the first part of a larger multi-location project, organized by Logan Heights CDC, Caltrans, SANDAG, Team Lewis, the Urban Collaborative Project, and local artists. This first group of murals is scheduled to be completed next month.

I swung by today to check out the progress!

One of the artists, Romeo, was up on the scaffolding spray painting his beautiful creation. His mural, like others being painted nearby, has a universally loved theme: music.

Some of the columns supporting Interstate 15 will have several sides painted. Those riding the Orange Line of the San Diego Trolley will be able to view a portion of the art.

You might enjoy seeing what I discovered.

Once the murals are completed and the scaffolding is removed, I hope to return for another batch of photographs…

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San Diego stickball team scores 4 in first inning!

San Diego stickball team Always on Deck scored 4 big runs in their first inning against New York team Cielo Azul.

This morning I caught the beginning of an early Labor Day stickball game, being played on Columbia Street in front of the San Diego Firehouse Museum in Little Italy.

Ten teams of the initial thirteen were still playing for the tournament championship. I learned Always on Deck was the seven seed.

Fans were lined up on the sidewalk watching and cheering their favorite team on. The action on the asphalt was fast and furious!

Which team would go on to win it all? Sadly, I couldn’t hang around to see the final results.

A few photos of the initial action…

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Stickball in San Diego this Labor Day weekend!

Stickball is returning to San Diego this coming Labor Day weekend!

The unique San Diego tradition will return to the streets of Little Italy in 2026, on Saturday, September 5 through Labor Day on Monday. Come down to Little Italy any weekend day. You can’t miss the action!

Three different blocks on the streets of Little Italy will become fields of play. Thirteen teams from New York, New Jersey, Florida, and California will be competing for the prestigious Jillie Championship Trophy!

In the world of stickball, this tournament is a big deal!

I remember first taking photos of stickball in Little Italy back in 2013, when my blog was new. Over the years I’ve captured moments from many tournaments. Here are some photographs from the past, just to whet your appetite…

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Mysterious plaque marks old Del Mar bike lane.

So far I can find nothing about this mysterious, corroded plaque marking an old bike lane in Del Mar.

The marker is easy to miss. I happened to see it earlier this summer while walking from the Solana Beach train station to the San Diego County Fair. The almost half-century-old plaque, mounted on a boulder, stands in some shrubbery near the intersection of Via de la Valle and Camino del Mar, north of the Brigantine restaurant parking lot. Considering its position, my impression is the bike lane in question ran east down Via de la Valle.

The plaque reads:

THE RITA DAVÉ MEMORIAL BIKE LANE

MAY 6, 1955 – MAY 9, 1979

Who was Rita Davé?

The plaque was placed here well before the advent of the internet and isn’t readily observed. I can’t find anything about it.

Does anyone out there know the history of The Rita Davé Memorial Bike Lane?

If you do, please leave a comment!

In the next photo, I’m beginning east down the Via de la Valle sidewalk. The marked bike lane on the street is clearly more recent.

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Gaslamp Urban Pickleball returns to San Diego!

It’s back! Gaslamp Urban Pickleball has returned to downtown San Diego for another summer of fun!

I saw the courts set up on Fifth Avenue as I walked along this afternoon, an hour before the event would begin. A couple guys were already practicing.

There are vendors to check out, too. Thank you Monster for the free drink!

If you’d like to play pickleball on summer Thursdays on the streets of downtown San Diego, go check out the event website here.

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Two more public art sculptures in Del Mar.

Five years ago I posted photos of public art in the heart of Del Mar Village, all part of a City of Del Mar Temporary Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit. Today, during a walk down Camino Del Mar, I noticed those older sculptures are gone–but I happened upon two newer ones! Here they are!

The first is optically fascinating. Its geometry seems to change depending on the angle of view. It’s titled Cloud 7, and was created by Peter Mitten. I walked a little around it taking several photographs…

The second sculpture I discovered is titled Planar Head. It’s by artist Ron Tatro. This one is fun to walk around, too. Check it out!

More information concerning the 2025-2027 Temporary Outdoor Sculpture Program can be found at this Del Mar Foundation webpage. It includes a downloadable art map, just in case you want to walk about and make your own cool discoveries!

On that webpage you’ll also learn these sculptures are for sale.

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Sunshine and flowers in Solana Beach!

Here’s a bit of colorful art you might spy while walking down a sidewalk in Solana Beach. You can find it at 129 North Highway 101.

Solana Beach’s coastal sunshine brightens a landscape filled with many different flowers native to California. Flowers include Sea Dahlia, Leafy Daisy, Morning Glory, Fiesta Flower, Prickly Pear, Padre’s Shooting Star, Fiddleneck, Frankenia, Southern Pink, Fuchsia-Flowered Gooseberry, Matilija Poppy, California Rose and California Poppy.

The artist signature indicates this beautifully painted scene was created by Bailey Valdivieso.

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Let Love Grow street art in Hillcrest!

This very colorful street art was painted on two electrical boxes on University Avenue in Hillcrest. It’s signed by artist Liz Lancaster (@lizmurals) and dated 2024.

Different heads appear to be growing atop multi-colored stalks. On the street-facing side of one box there are flowers and the words: Let Love Grow.

You can find this street art a bit west of Park Boulevard. It is so very unique that it’s hard to miss!

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Raging bear on a City Heights tire shop!

Driving down University Avenue through City Heights, you might have seen this great mural depicting a raging bear in a snowy forest.

The artwork was painted in 2024 on the side of Nan’s Tires & Wheels at 4884 University Avenue. The artist is @rudyardandreid.

I took a couple of photos as I walked down the sidewalk last week.

Cool!

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Clean and Safe program beautifies San Diego!

This morning I noticed somebody freshening one of the hanging planters in downtown San Diego’s Cortez Hill neighborhood. On a ladder above the sidewalk, he was adding geraniums and other flowering plants!

It was a friendly worker from Downtown San Diego Partnership’s Clean & Safe program!

Thank you!