In Encinitas, incredibly beautiful public art decorates the underpass of Interstate 5 at Santa Fe Drive. The project is called Encinitas Up Close. Fifty three colorful mosaics, created by local students and professional artists, greet those who pass under the freeway.
I photographed these 3′ by 5′ mosaic panels the other day during my walk in Encinitas. The joyful images reflect themes that are popular in this beach community. The ocean, nature, sunsets, people, surfing, pets, skateboarding, sunshine, history, places…
In this blog post I’ll share photos of the 27 mosaics that line the sidewalk and bike lane on the south side of Santa Fe Drive. I’ll share the north side mosaics in a second, upcoming post.
My photographs are raw and unedited–many taken in the dim light of an underpass shadow.
Koi With Lotus, by Lucy Stefanko.Nautilus, by Joyce Schleiniger.Woody At The Beach, by Kathryn Weiss.Unleashed, by KAROB, Katherine and Robert Bender.Swami’s Sunrise, by Liz and Luke Hoffmann.Bird Of Paradise, by Gary Timinsky, Debe Hersey.7 Day Weekend 1, by Tyler Adams Hawkins.Asintmah, Native American Earth And Nature Goddess, by Silvia Wiedmann.Face Of Existence, by Joyce Schleiniger.Spiny Lobster In Tide Pool At Swami’s, by Timothy J Lueker.Sea Lavender Above The Tracks, by Layla M Gunn, Deana Coveney.Koi In Shimmering Waters, by Jessica Imaz Horton.Bullet In The Back Country, by Timothy J Lueker.Memorial, by Mike Upton, Jerm Wright, Erin Grady, Karl Ensberg.Ruby The Shark, by Pietro Martinez.Skateboarding Into The Sunset, by Lynn Adams.Blooming Encounter, by Macall Deaver, Papa Faj.Sun, Sea And Lotus, by Bereket Denslow, Isabella Parrales.Carla The Poinsettia Calavera, by Morgaine McGrath, Julia Miller, Ariella Pacheco, Daniel McGrath.Seagull And Moonlight Palm, by Todd Anderson.Daisy The Whale, by Pietro Martinez.Oceanna, by Cheryl Tall, Anila Saier, Elizabeth Joy Mueller, Mary F McCarthy.Aquascape, by KAROB, Katherine and Robert Bender.Golden Hour, by Liz and Luke Hoffmann.Octopus, by Crystal and Evan Sandoval.A Shard Of Whimsical Music, by Gillian Shaver.Hummingbird With Hibiscus, by Lucy Stefanko.
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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!
Before heading up to Southern California Comics in Kearny Mesa for their big event, I enjoyed a random walk around Pacific Beach, my eyes searching for street art I haven’t photographed before.
Street art–any art that is seen while heading down the street (as I define it)–is often very similar to art you’ll find in a comic book. It’s usually bold, colorful, impactful and memorable. Whether it’s on a wall, sidewalk utility box, above a door or in a window, it’s art that quickly grabs and engages attention!
These images represent my walk a short distance north on Ingraham Street, then west along Garnet Avenue nearly to Mission Boulevard. Some of the art is faded and obviously years old. Some appears to be more recent.
Art on the street is ever changing, with a life of its own…
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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!
Take a walk along Third Avenue in Chula Vista’s historic downtown.
When I passed down the sidewalk on the east side of the street recently, I was pleased to see many shops with terrazzo entries that recall the names of past businesses.
I’ve paired photographs. The current building occupant is followed by old words spelled out in terrazzo at the front entrance.
Anyone more knowledgeable about the history of Chula Vista is invited to leave a comment!
Factory of Dreams Hall.Sprouse Reitz.Roy’s Jewelry & LoanJewelers.Hidden Beauty Salon.Karl’s.Onstage Playhouse.Bakery.Maile’s Nail Spa.Ferrantelli.
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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 first three murals decorate fences in San Ysidro’s Cultural Corridor, which is located on Cypress Drive, north of San Ysidro Boulevard and south of the trolley tracks.
First up is one I really like.
If you’re curious about the image, CBX is the Cross Border Xpress pedestrian bridge that connects Tijuana International Airport with a terminal in San Diego…
Next up is a mural with many diverse characters that was painted this year by Yvette Roman (@yvette_roman).
Right beside it is another mural by Yvette Roman…
Finally, here’s a super colorful street mural spray painted on a building’s side and adjacent construction wall. I spotted the artwork on San Ysidro Boulevard a bit west of Cypress Drive…
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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!
Should you walk through La Mesa Village, look for informative plaques with old photographs near the front entrances of buildings along La Mesa Boulevard. The plaques are a community project of the La Mesa Historical Society and the Rotary Club of La Mesa.
I found it interesting to learn about the history of the yellow building with stained glass windows that now houses the Por Favor Mexican Restaurant and Cantina.
Bank of Southern California Building, 1927
The local Bank of Southern California constructed this sturdy Mediterranean Revival style building on the site of the La Mesa Opera House (1908-1926). This now landmark building housed Mt. Helix developer Fred J. Hansen’s offices. The La Mesa Garage reminds us of this route’s former days as part of U.S. Highway 80.
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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!
Enjoy a dozen photographs I took late this afternoon, about an hour before sunset.
I started at Broadway Pier and walked east into the heart of downtown San Diego.
I always enjoy this time of day. Light is reflected from many windows, creating a magical effect.
Tall ship Exy Johnson, docked at the Broadway Pier, is visiting San Diego.The buildings of the Research And Development District (RADD) are under construction where much of the old Navy Broadway Complex used to be.Looking north along the Embarcadero. Those clouds are left over from our most recent storm.Walking east down Broadway. Sunlight shines from the silvery Pacific Gate high-rise.More late sunshine on the tops of downtown skyscrapers.West Downtown San Diego is under construction in . . . west downtown San Diego!I love reflections like these.The late afternoon light is beautiful on the Balboa Theatre.The watery dome of the Broadway Fountain shines with different colors like the scales of a fish.A corridor of waning light downtown.Another fine downtown walk.
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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!
San Diego firefighters are out at busy intersections today collecting donations for the Burn Institute. Drivers roll down windows and place a bill or two into a firefighter’s boot! The annual event is called Fill the Boot!
The Burn Institute, serving San Diego and Imperial County, provides important services for those who’ve suffered from burns, and they provide fire safety education in the community.
Would you like to make a donation? Haven’t passed through an intersection with friendly firefighters this morning? Then donate online!
Make your online donation at the Burn Institute website 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 Twitter!
In 2021, the Maine Avenue Revitalization Association in Lakeside provided notable buildings with informative plaques. The plaques explain the history of each building, from the time they were built to the present.
During my recent walk down Maine Avenue in Lakeside, I photographed four of these buildings.
Please enjoy the following windows into the past of a rural town in San Diego’s East County…
PARK MARKET/PAYTON’S HARDWARE STORE
This was the site of Ferguson’s Park Store in 1923. It contained a soda fountain, picnic supplies, and a few groceries… …The Depression caused the store to close in 1931… The building burned to the ground in 1997. The store was rebuilt and reopened in 1999.
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LEO’S PHARMACY
Built in 1923 by Lakeside Development Company. This building was home to Otto Marack’s Grocery Store… …in 1960 it became Leo’s Pharmacy…
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BARKER & SONS
…in 1929…Heller started building this large, one story Spanish styled stucco commercial structure and the house behind it (now the Chamber of Commerce) for the store’s family… …it evolved into one of the first Safeway stores in the county…
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9825 MAINE AVENUE
Formally known as the Tumbleweed Cafe in the 1950’s and then later as a bar…As the Tumbleweed Bar, the Rattlesnake Round-up was held…Later it was Payton’s Lawnmower Shop.
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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!
Yesterday I rode the Orange Line trolley into the Logan Heights neighborhood on a mission. I wanted to photograph more murals on Commercial Street between the 25th Street and 32nd Street trolley stations.
The first mural, which you can see below, depicts famous jazz singer Billie Holiday. This artwork was painted a couple years ago by the Southeast Art Team (@southeastartteam) on their Oya Art Gallery and Boutique building, a bit west of 28th Street.
The next series of murals can be found between 31st and 32nd Street. Read the photo captions…
This cool shoe mural was painted very recently at SD Custom Footwear by @colorsoner713Colorful bird mural painted in late 2022 by @espy_dpt_zncMural painted late 2022 depicting piñata character Chucho and roses by SoCal artist Michelle Ruby (@MrBBaby).
Finally, at the intersection of Commercial Street and 32nd Street, a mural is now being painted on what appears to be a new home for San Diego beer company Little Miss Brewing…
(Spider-Man, Cyclops, Wolverine and other Marvel comic book characters were on this building a few years back.)
UPDATE!
A new mural was painted at a later time to the immediate right of the Michelle Ruby artwork (visible on the far right in the next photo). The new mural is by (@misterhir).
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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!
Cool San Diego Sights! 