More cool street art in Normal Heights!

Alice gazes out at Adams Avenue from a fence behind White Rabbit Day Spa.
Alice gazes out at Adams Avenue from a fence behind White Rabbit Day Spa.

This morning I took a long walk down Adams Avenue in Normal Heights. I was pleased to discover all sorts of new murals and street art since the last time my camera passed this way, about a year and a half ago.

Check out all these photos of the cool artwork!

A beautiful new face has replaced a similar mural between Adams Avenue Tattoo and the El Zarape restaurant.
A beautiful new face has replaced a similar mural between Adams Avenue Tattoo and the El Zarape restaurant.
The #SPACECLONES have invaded Normal Heights!
The #SPACECLONES have invaded Normal Heights!
An abstract bear mural by @SKYEWALKER_ART appears to contain lots of nature symbolism.
An abstract bear mural by @SKYEWALKER_ART appears to contain lots of nature symbolism.
A rainbow and fierce pink unicorn painted on a utility box. BE THE MAGIC
A rainbow and fierce pink unicorn painted on a utility box. BE THE MAGIC
YOU ARE POWER FULL by Janine Wareham.
YOU ARE POWER FULL by Janine Wareham.
MEOWER TO THE PEOPLE.
MEOWER TO THE PEOPLE.
THISSSS IS AWESOME
THISSSS IS AWESOME
A colorful mural on the side of Konrad+King always attracts my attention when I'm driving down Adams Avenue.
A colorful mural on the side of Konrad+King always attracts my attention when I’m driving down Adams Avenue.
A very cool face in Normal Heights.
A very cool face in Normal Heights.
Be uniquely you! #CreatesWithPaints
Be uniquely you! #CreatesWithPaints
The fingers painted on this electrical box transform into palm trees and telephone poles!
The fingers painted on this electrical box transform into palm trees and telephone poles!
Beautiful flowers and birds.
Beautiful flowers and birds.
Looks like a crown of prickly pears atop this beautiful female face. @ASHLEYLGNAR
Looks like a crown of prickly pears atop this female face. @ASHLEYLGNAR
An ice cream cone cat drips on a tie-wearing dog! @MAW_CZ
An ice cream cone cat drips on a silly dog! @MAW_CZ
More cool street art along Adams Avenue in Normal Heights.
More cool street art along Adams Avenue in Normal Heights.
A cuddly cat.
A cuddly cat.

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!

Fun art on Grand Avenue in Pacific Beach.

A guy inline skates down the Pacific Beach boardwalk. Live Life SLOW.
A guy inline skates down the Pacific Beach boardwalk. Live Life SLOW.

Here come some fun photos! I took them during a short walk along Grand Avenue in Pacific Beach.

These various works of art, including the funny sign and mosaic sculpture, can be found between Mission Boulevard and Fanuel Street.

Enjoy!

A cool surf monkey in front of a Pacific Beach shop.
A cool surf monkey in front of a Pacific Beach bike shop.
Interwoven geometric design on an electrical box.
Interwoven geometric design on an electrical box.
A painted PB sunset.
A painted PB sunset.
One of three mosaic sculptures on the Grand Avenue median by Kim Emerson, which together are Oceanlife, Sun and Waves.
One of three mosaic sculptures on the Grand Avenue median by Kim Emerson, which together are Oceanlife, Sun and Waves. (The two others are east of Fanuel Street.)
Closer photo of the beautiful mosaic sculpture titled Waves, created by artist Kim Emerson in 2002.
Closer photo of the beautiful mosaic sculpture titled Waves, created by artist Kim Emerson in 2002.
A couple of electrical boxes at Grand and Fanuel feature lots of fun images.
A couple of electrical boxes at Grand and Fanuel feature lots of fun images.
A funny green seahorse and pink clam.
A funny green seahorse and pink clam.
Sea creatures hang out near a sunken treasure chest.
Sea creatures hang out near a sunken treasure chest.
Fun street art on two sides of one box.
Colorful street art on two sides of one box.
An octopus at the bottom of the sea near a wrecked tall ship.
A purple octopus at the bottom of the sea near a wrecked tall ship.
A grinning crab. Love the life! P.B.
A grinning crab! Love the life! P.B.

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!

Another downtown walk with cool discoveries!

Sunrise seen from atop Cortez Hill.
Sunrise seen from atop Cortez Hill.

My walk through downtown this morning yielded several cool discoveries, including a fantastic mural that I hadn’t noticed before!

After stepping out into the chilly air and zipping up my jacket, I headed south from the top of Cortez Hill. The clouds were still fringed with gleaming gold.

I walked straight down Ninth Avenue and ended up near Petco Park. I then walked around the ballpark to catch a trolley for work.

Enjoy some photos!

Birds over "head".
Birds over “head”.
I spotted some sort of artwork high up near the roof of the building at the corner of Ninth and Broadway.
I spotted some sort of artwork high up near the roof of the building at the corner of Ninth and Broadway.
It's a cool mural! It appears to have been painted in 2015 by Christopher Konecki.
It’s a cool mural! It appears to have been painted in 2015 by Christopher Konecki.
This cool face on a window is by artist Almighty Savo.
This cool face on a window is by artist Almighty Savo.
Light above, shadow below. It's early morning in East Village.
Light above, shadow below. It’s early morning in East Village.
A city bus on the move.
A city bus on the move.
A new graphic at Petco Park! 2019 is the 50th Anniversary of the San Diego Padres!
I spotted a new graphic at Petco Park! It celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the San Diego Padres!
Green leaves and shining windows in new sunlight.
Green leaves and shining windows in new sunshine.
The sun will soon appear above the MTS building at 12th and Imperial.
The sun will soon appear above the MTS building at 12th and Imperial. It’s already peeking through up near the roof.
Gleaming light on bridge and train.
Gleaming morning light on pedestrian bridge and freight train.

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!

A cool reporter hangs loose!

Dan Plante of KUSI News hangs loose!
Dan Plante of KUSI News gives the surfing hang loose sign!

I was heading to the Hazard Center trolley station after work when I noticed traffic had been diverted due to the flooding of Mission Center Road by the rain-swollen San Diego River.

I headed down to check things out . . . and here comes smiling KUSI News television reporter, Dan Plante.

Hang loose, dude!

A short story about travelling hearts.

I was startled this morning during my walk through the Gaslamp Quarter.

Something peculiar was moving directly toward me along the sidewalk. For a split second I thought it was a person.

Then I did a double take.

A bundle of heart-shaped balloons was heading my way!

The cluster of balloons moved slowly down the sidewalk, propelled by a gentle breeze. Occasionally they’d float upward a foot or two, then quietly float back to Earth.

The travelling hearts came to a street corner. They seemed to hesitate. They turned decisively and began steadily down another sidewalk!

After venturing into a patio space in front of one building, they lifted with apparent delight and settled down. They leaned against the rail.

Perhaps they wanted to watch people–other travelling hearts–go by.

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!

To read a few honest-to-goodness short stories that I’ve written, click Short Stories by Richard.

Somebody lost their heads by the sidewalk!

A couple of heads are missing! I’ve discovered two strange, disembodied heads sitting on the ground by the sidewalk!

I observed that first rather fierce-looking head early this afternoon as I rode on a bus down Pacific Highway, just north of the Old Town Transit Center. (Why was I on the bus? I had several adventures this morning in North County! Stay tuned for more cool blog posts!)

The second head, which looks kind of like a painted Dia de los Muertos skull, was discovered beside a sidewalk about a week ago as I walked through Mission Valley on my way to work!

Has anyone out there lost their head? Or heads?

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights (and have more fun) via Facebook or Twitter!

Cool street art memories for a rainy day.

Cool mechanical shark on parking lot wall behind Undisputed Fitness Center in East Village.
Cool mechanical shark on parking lot wall behind Undisputed Fitness Center in East Village.

It’s going to be a rainy day in San Diego . . . with even more heavy rain coming later in the week.

Instead of walking about in the cold, I plan to stay warm and dry under a roof!

Meanwhile, for your viewing pleasure, I’ve assembled the following links. They will take you to photos of awesome street art that I’ve spotted over the years! Unfortunately, some of these works, including truly amazing murals, have been damaged, defaced or no longer exist. Time marches on…

Cool San Diego Sights is now over five years old, so these links represent just a fraction of all the street art I’ve photographed. But I think you might like these!

Click away!

Imperial Beach

Welcome to Earth and Imperial Beach!

Chula Vista

Cool art along Third Avenue in Chula Vista!

National City

Cool–and funny–Star Wars street art!

Japanese video game characters in fun street art!

Downtown San Diego

Cool mechanical shark street mural in East Village!

Weird, bizarre animal discovered at old warehouse!

Bart Club street art on a San Diego corner.

More cool murals in San Diego’s Little Italy!

Even more cool street art at SILO in East Village!

Golden Hill

A walk up Broadway, from downtown to Golden Hill.

Sherman Heights

Bold, colorful street art in Sherman Heights.

Barrio Logan

Mind-blowing Ancestors mural near Chicano Park.

Cool street art: The Nest Murals near Chicano Park.

Logan Heights

Cool comic book and superhero street art!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles street art!

City Heights

Super cool street art in City Heights!

San Diego’s outdoor, drive-through art gallery!

El Cerrito/College Area

Cool street mural celebrates human imagination.

Ocean Beach

Cool faces encountered on the streets of Ocean Beach.

History of Electricity on a cool OB mural!

Pacific Beach

Colorful (and funny) street art in Pacific Beach!

Mission Beach

Lots of cool street art in Mission Beach!

Mission Valley

San Diego River wildlife in a Mission Valley mural.

Fun street art along Fenton Parkway!

Lemon Grove

Art and history at Lemon Grove Trolley Depot!

La Mesa

Fun street art found around La Mesa.

University Heights

Art along Park Boulevard in University Heights.

Normal Heights

Street art along Adams Avenue in Normal Heights.

North Park

Sexy space warriors and aliens in North Park!

Cool mural in North Park remembers good old days!

More fun photos of street murals in North Park.

Hillcrest

Photos of street art on University Avenue in Hillcrest.

Creative trashcan art adds fun to Hillcrest streets.

Point Loma

Carefree street art on Shelter Island Drive!

La Jolla

Photos of cool urban art in the Village of La Jolla.

Street art on Torrey Pines Road near UCSD.

Mira Mesa

Happy street art in Mira Mesa!

This blog now features tens of thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!

Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts.  If you’re using a phone or small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!

To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.

San Diego’s drive-through art gallery expands!

The right half of one wall at University Avenue and Laverne Place has been painted by artist Matthew Perdoni.
The right half of one wall at University Avenue and Laverne Place has been painted by artist Matthew Perdoni.

On Sunday I enjoyed another walk through San Diego’s expanding “drive-through” art gallery in City Heights. And I spotted more murals!

The first time I checked out the murals of #theavenuemuralproject was four months ago. I was given a tour by members of Love City Heights, and learned about their ambitious plan to create an outdoor, drive-through art gallery along University Avenue from I-805 to I-15. To see those first murals and learn much more, you can read my original blog post here.

These murals provide proof that good people can make a huge positive difference in their community. Many wonderful artists, students and neighbors are coming together to make this amazing vision a reality!

The left half of the wall was painted by San Diego muralist Gloria Muriel.
The left half of the wall was painted by San Diego muralist Gloria Muriel.
Students from an Experimental Processes in Art class at SDSU painted a mural on the wall of 7-Eleven. The design was inspired by the nonprofit United Women of East Africa Support Team.
Students from an Experimental Processes in Art class at SDSU painted a mural on the wall of 7-Eleven. The design was inspired by the nonprofit United Women of East Africa Support Team.
Left half of the colorful mural depicts female members of the East African community in San Diego.
Left half of the colorful mural. which depicts female members of the East African community in San Diego.
The right half of the mural. Joyful art created by students at San Diego State University adds life to City Heights.
The right half of the mural. Joyful art created by students at San Diego State University adds life to City Heights.
Fun artwork on the wall of Fruteria Disfrutalas at University Avenue and Cherokee Street.
Fun artwork on the wall of Fruteria Disfrutalas at University Avenue and Cherokee Street.
More fun artwork on another side of Fruteria Disfrutalas.
More fun artwork on another side of Fruteria Disfrutalas.
All these happy images were created by Isaias Crow and his 14 year old apprentice Andrew, who designed the fun artwork.
All these happy images were created by Isaias Crow and his 14 year old apprentice Andrew Greyeyes, who designed the fun artwork.
This Andrew! I met him during a later Love City Heights event.
UPDATE! Here’s Andrew, the mural’s designer! (I met him and took this photo during a Love City Heights event almost a year later.)
Silly, creative public art produces smiles in City Heights!
Silly, creative public art produces smiles in City Heights!
A beautiful new graphic on the wall of Sunset Kava in City Heights.
A beautiful graphic on the wall of Sunset Kava in City Heights, by artist Zuzana Vass.
On the same Sunset Kava wall a very cool abstract design was painted by artist Mary Jhun.
On the same Sunset Kava wall a very cool abstract design was recently painted by artist Mary Jhun.

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!

More visual complexity downtown.

My camera was busy yesterday.

Not only did I take some magical photos of Balboa Park after work, but before work I snapped cool, complex images of downtown San Diego.

My eyes were searching everywhere as I walked from Eighth Avenue on Cortez Hill west down Ash and Beech Street.

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!

A short, easy walk along Paradise Creek Trail.

Paradise Trail marker PT10 rises near the National City Depot museum.
Paradise Trail marker PT10 rises near the National City Depot museum.

This morning I enjoyed an easy walk down a segment of the Paradise Creek Trail in National City.

I believe this urban trail is brand new. I find almost nothing about it on the internet. Several people I spoke to who work right next to the trail never heard of it. I had never seen the Paradise Trail markers during walks in past years.

The trail, from what I can gather, roughly follows Paradise Creek. My walk started just west of Interstate 5, on Bay Marina Drive, where I spotted markers for the Paradise Trail by the National City Depot museum and the National City Historic Railcar Plaza. I saw more markers as I walked south down Marina Way, just west of Paradise Marsh.

Paradise Creek eventually empties into the Sweetwater River. I believe the sidewalk trail ends at Pepper Park, but I spotted no markers after I passed the Pier 32 Marina and the nearby entrance to the Bayshore Bikeway. Perhaps I wasn’t looking carefully enough.

Want to see more? Years ago I visited an overlook of Paradise Marsh and photographed some informative signs. I also got a little closer to nature by walking down a short dirt trail. You can revisit that old blog post by clicking here.

In the past I also blogged about the National City Depot museum and its cool old streetcars here, the National City Historic Railcar Plaza here, and the Le Bateau Ivre sculpture here.

After I crossed Bay Marina Drive, I spotted an iconic El Camino Real bell near the National City Historic Railcar Plaza.
After I crossed Bay Marina Drive, I spotted an iconic El Camino Real bell near the National City Historic Railcar Plaza.
I'm now walking south down Marina Way, looking back at the National City Historic Railcar Plaza.
I’m now walking south down Marina Way, looking back at the National City Historic Railcar Plaza.
Old railroad tracks run along the west edge of Paradise Marsh.
Old railroad tracks run along the west edge of Paradise Marsh.
Sunlight illuminates some natural beauty beside the sidewalk trail.
Sunlight illuminates some natural beauty beside the sidewalk trail.
Looking back north along the Paradise Creek Trail, between Paradise Marsh and the National City Cement Terminal.
Looking back north along the Paradise Creek Trail, between Paradise Marsh and the National City Cement Terminal.
Here's another marker for the Paradise Trail, which I spotted as I headed down Marina Way.
Here’s another marker for the Paradise Trail, which I spotted as I headed down Marina Way.
A banner on a street lamp says that in National City, Together We Can!
A banner on a street lamp says that in National City, Together We Can!
As I turned onto West 32nd Street, a big group of bicyclists rode onto the Bayshore Bikeway.
As I turned onto West 32nd Street, a big group of bicyclists rode onto the Bayshore Bikeway.
Le Bateau Ivre, by artist Alber De Matteis, at the Pier 32 Marina in National City.
Le Bateau Ivre, by artist Alber De Matteis, at the Pier 32 Marina in National City.
I spotted this high osprey nesting platform as I walked down Goesno Place, approaching Pepper Park. The National City Marine Terminal has many such platforms.
I spotted this high osprey nesting platform as I walked down Goesno Place, approaching Pepper Park.

Immediately to the west, right on San Diego Bay, the enormous imported car parking lot at the National City Marine Terminal has many of these platforms. I learned during a Port of San Diego harbor tour that ospreys provide effective pigeon control!

A sign describe ospreys, which can often be seen around San Diego Bay and our coastal estuaries.
A sign describes ospreys, which can often be seen flying above San Diego Bay and our coastal estuaries.
Looks like an osprey has collected all sort of odd materials for its nest!
Looks like an osprey has collected all sort of odd materials for its huge nest!

And now I’ve turned around, and I’m heading back north along the trail on Marina Way, just west of the marsh… Guess what I saw?

An osprey flies high above Paradise Marsh on a beautiful late December day.
An osprey flies high above Paradise Marsh on a beautiful late December day.
Looking past prickly pear at Paradise Marsh from the Paradise Creek Trail in National City.
Looking past prickly pear at Paradise Marsh from the Paradise Creek Trail in National City.

This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!

Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts.  If you’re using a phone or small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!

To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.