Graphic on wall of Coronado Brewing Company San Diego Tasting Room. WISH YOU WERE beer.
Today I took a rambling walk along Morena Boulevard. These photos start around Knoxville Street in Bay Park and proceed south to the area where Morena and West Morena split.
You might notice few people in the photos. It’s Sunday and many businesses are closed. And of course there’s the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, keeping many at home.
If you ever drive through the Morena District, you’ll probably recognize some of these sights. Many of the old shops and small businesses along the street aren’t much to look at, but there are a few that stand out!
(I took this walk in order to photograph two really great murals in particular. I’ll post those pics shortly. I also wanted to check on the status of a mysterious, possibly historical wooden tombstone by a parking lot that I’d seen years ago. The mystery has deepened, as you’ll see in another upcoming blog post!)
Now let’s walk…
Sculpture of lady tending her garden in front of the Armstrong Garden Center.Another look at the gardening sculpture.Beautiful bloom between the Knoxville Street sidewalk and Armstrong Garden Center.The Cordova Bar. This must be the place!Mermaid door handles at the entrance to The Cordova Bar.Sign on fence near U.S. Karate Academy encourages people to Be Your Best!Banner on lamp post invites people to Shop for Home Decor in the Morena District.Cool motorcycle graphic on wall of Sidecar Bar.There’s a T. Rex on the roof of Avian and Exotic Animal Hospital! It must’ve escaped!This cool graphic of a van with a surfboard is on the side of Bird Rock Coffee Roasters.Clouds and palm trees reflected on angles of window glass.Now I’m walking along near the Valero gas station.A colorful mural near the front door of Nico’s Mexican Food.Super cool surfboards hang out beside the front door of Bird’s Surf Shed.Mural at Bird’s Surf Shed was painted by Skye Walker in 2014. Tubular, dude!Vintage automobile parked alone in corner of a parking lot.Looks like a ranch around the entrance to Bull’s Smokin’ BBQ. Fun animal sculptures greet passersby on West Morena Boulevard.Walking beside two bulls and one pig.
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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!
The Surfing Madonna in Encinitas, California. A mosaic by artist Mark Patterson.
Have you heard of the miracle of the Surfing Madonna? Many in San Diego have witnessed the miracle. Indeed, the miracle is known around the world.
Next to the Encinitas Boulevard sidewalk, just east of Coast Highway 101, there’s a tiny open courtyard with a beautiful ocean mural and a shrine-like mosaic titled Surfing Madonna. The 10 by 10 feet mosaic depicts the Virgin of Guadalupe on a white surfboard, praying.
When it was first installed anonymously in a public place the artwork was considered illegal. Permission had not been granted by the city of Encinitas. The artist, Mark Patterson, was discovered and fined and the mosaic removed.
But a miracle happened.
After much controversy and legal uncertainty, and after having been moved from place to place, the unusual but beautiful mosaic, beloved by many in the beach community, finally found a home in Surfing Madonna Park, which you can see in my photographs.
To learn more about the miracle of the Surfing Madonna, read the words on the plaque beneath it.
The small Surfing Madonna Park in a nook beside busy Encinitas Boulevard. The park is just a short walk east of Moonlight State Beach.A plaque details the history of the Surfing Madonna.
The plaque reads:
On Good Friday, April 22nd, 2011, the community of Encinitas was gifted with the Surfing Madonna mosaic, Our Lady, Star of the Sea.
Local artist, Mark Patterson and his good friend Bob Nichols, dressed up as constructions workers and hung the beautiful Surfing Madonna mosaic with its “Save the Ocean” theme. The mosaic was originally mounted underneath the train bridge, across the street from its current home.
The mosaic received international attention while the artist remained anonymous for months until discovered.
Although beloved by the community, she could not stay there and eventually found her way here, to her permanent home.
Mark Patterson sought to raise awareness of the value of the world’s Oceans. Through his vision he created the Surfing Madonna mosaic to spread a message of environmental awareness of Mother Ocean.
The mosaic gave birth to the Surfing Madonna Oceans Project which has continued to serve the Ocean and community through funding of local arts, environmental awareness, and by introducing special needs youth and their families to the joy of surfing and living with the Ocean.
Join us in celebrating the beauty of our world’s Oceans.
A beautiful environmental mural shows Garibaldi fish and other local sea life, by Encinitas artist Kevin Anderson.Brick pavers, some with religious themes, in the small courtyard. The pavers have raised money for programs that help the Earth’s oceans.The unique Surfing Madonna and a prayerful message: Save the Ocean.
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If you live in San Diego, it’s likely you’ve seen these three cool surfing murals. You can glimpse them beside Interstate 8 as you drive west toward Mission Valley through Grantville. They are painted on the A-1 Self Storage building.
This classic surf artwork has been greeting drivers for many years. I personally can’t remember when the murals first appeared.
I walked down a sidewalk past the three murals recently and took close-up photos that you might enjoy. I saw some faded writing at the corner of one, but I’m afraid I can’t say for certain who the artist is or how long ago these were painted. I probably should’ve visited the self storage office and asked whether they know. If someone out there has any information, feel free to leave a comment!
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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!
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!
Today I took two short walks in the South Bay. One of my modest adventures was near the Imperial Beach Pier.
I noticed that on Seacoast Drive, across from the pier, Bibbey’s gift shop now has two very cool murals, one painted on the south wall and one on the north. Both are super creative and contain all sorts of abstract characters, including kooky surfers, a mermaid, and what appear to be faceless underwater ball players!
That mural with elements from pop culture that I blogged about almost six years ago here seems to be long gone. Only the shark remains at the building’s southwest corner–an updated and rather fierce version!
UPDATE!
About a year later I walked past Bibbey’s again and took more photos…
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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!
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!
I was pulling into the parking lot at Fenton Marketplace in Mission Valley when I spied two large electrical boxes painted by local artist Brise Birdsong!
In the past I’ve photographed other examples of Brise’s fun street art. You can recognize her work on a couple of boxes along nearby Fenton Parkway. See those here!
About a year ago I briefly met the artist in City Heights. She helped to mentor new muralist Mimi Gonzalez Martinez. Read about that here!
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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!
This weekend I took a long random walk through Carlsbad Village to see what I might see. And I discovered lots of super cool street art!
Carlsbad Village is the downtown part of Carlsbad, situated right near the Pacific Ocean. As you might imagine, many of the images depicted in the street art are of surfing, the beach, sea life, and the laid-back Southern California lifestyle.
My feet turned corners randomly, so these photos aren’t in any particular order. Because my thoughts were far away at the time, I’m afraid I didn’t gather a whole lot of information concerning all this artwork. But you can see artist signatures on a few of the murals.
Which do you like? I think my favorites are the surfing Mario and the two tigers under colorful dripping paint!
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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!
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!
During my misty morning walk in Leucadia a couple weekends ago, I discovered many awesome street murals! I took photos when I came upon them, but I was in more of a walking and thinking mood than a blogging mood, so I didn’t gather a whole lot of information.
These photographs provide an idea of what you might see should you walk or drive north up Coast Highway 101. Lots of color and lots of cool beach and surf scenes.
Enjoy!
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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!
Yesterday, before heading to Escondido where I enjoyed watching the magical Zoppè Family Circus, I walked in the gray morning mist along the coast. I started in Encinitas and headed north up Coast Highway 101 through Leucadia, where I photographed many murals and other fun stuff. Finally I reached my destination: Ponto State Beach and the entrance to Batiquitos Lagoon.
I walked to the end of the two rock jetties that stretch a short distance into the Pacific Ocean on either side of the lagoon’s channel.
Some surfers were out, and a few people strolled slowly across the beach. Incoming surf splashed up near where I stood. Gulls wheeled in the overcast sky.
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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!
Surfer crossing sign near a golden dome of the Self-Realization Fellowship ashram in Encinitas.
Today I went for a long walk beside the Pacific Ocean. I began along old Coast Highway 101 from the Coaster’s Encinitas Station, headed south through Cardiff-by-the-Sea, and walked all the way through Solana Beach to Via de la Valle.
The following photographs are from one very cool stretch of my walk.
Come along! We begin at Swami’s in Encinitas and proceed south down Coast Highway 101 to the Cardiff Kook sculpture.
As you will see, this is quite an amazing walk.
Please read the captions!
A woody with surfboard heads along old Coast Highway 101, past one of the Self-Realization Fellowship’s iconic Golden Lotus Towers.As I walked south by the exotic ashram, a surfer passed me on the sidewalk going the opposite way. I turned to take a photo.A few steps farther and here comes another surfer, heading through the park by the Swami’s Beach parking lot. It appears he just finished surfing at Swami’s Reef.I’ve arrived at the entrance to Swami’s Beach, which was mentioned in the Beach Boys’ song Surfin’ U.S.A.Two huge Easter Island Heads carved from dead tree stumps tilt in the grassy park at Swami’s.Both Easter Island Heads were created by Tim Richards and are in the Encinitas Public Art Collection.Cool art on a park planter.People walk past another planter with cool tile art depicting a palm tree and Pacific Ocean sunset.A blue wave seems to be splashing up from the walkway ahead.This public artwork is the Swamis Surfing Memorial.Dedicated with appreciation to Gary Taylor and the others whose efforts of the past and future make Encinitas a better place to live and surf.One guy stretches while a couple gets ready to head down to Swami’s Beach.Descending steps to the public beach far below.Benches above the bluffs allow people to watch the surfing action at Swami’s internationally famous point break.My small camera catches some distant surfing action.Many surfers were out on a sunny September day, enjoying good conditions.Engraved on a rock by the benches are the words: Waves on the Point are dedicated to Syrus King.Looking south along the beautiful shoreline as I get ready to resume my walk along Coast Highway 101, sometimes referred to as Pacific Coast Highway.Bicyclists head down South Coast Highway 101, leaving Encinitas.I turn for a moment to glance back north at Swami’s.The surging Pacific Ocean and the narrow beach below.A cool pink residence near the highway with a great view of the ocean.As I continue south I see a lifeguard tower coming up.People gaze at the foaming water from a rocky beach.I couldn’t help looking back north one more time.Lifeguard tower 19 near the north end of San Elijo State Beach in Cardiff rises above wet sand.I saw hundreds of surfers out in the water during my walk. Looks like fun!Walking down a path that enters the campground area at San Elijo State Beach.A smiley for a laid-back, sunny day in Southern California.Entrance sign at San Elijo State Beach in Cardiff-by-the Sea.Continuing south along Coast Highway 101, approaching Chesterfield Drive.Up ahead at the intersection I see the Cardiff Kook. The bronze sculpture is officially called Magic Carpet Ride, but to most people the youthful figure on a surfboard appears awkward and silly.Someone looks up at the Cardiff Kook, which is often dressed up by pranksters in odd clothing and costumes.Magic Carpet Ride, 2007, bronze, Matthew Antichevich.If the balloon is any indication, the Cardiff Kook must be celebrating a birthday.A poem for the Cardiff Kook.
Magic Carpet Ride
Grommit of bronze
On an ocean of stone
Frozen in time
In Cardiff, at home
Action in art
Still life by the sea
Community pride
Goofy footed and free
Exuberant youth
Arms open and wide
A cultural ambassador
Takes his first ride
His story is our story
Personified Grace
Both the past and the future
See yourself in his face
Grommit of bronze
On an ocean of stone
Surfs by the sea
In Cardiff, at home.
A wonderfully kooky conclusion to this amazing stretch of my walk!
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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!
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!
It’s Labor Day. The unofficial last day of summer.
Early this morning I headed to Ocean Beach. There’s no better place in San Diego to people watch.
As the warm sun climbed higher and broke through the morning haze, humanity trickled down Newport Avenue to find breakfast, to surf, or to stake out a spot on the beach or OB pier.
Many shops were closed. Nobody I saw seemed to be in a very big hurry. Even in laid-back Ocean Beach, the day had an easy holiday vibe.
As I walked I took these photos…
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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!
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