This morning I was going through hundreds of unused photographs filed on my computer when I was struck with another fun idea!
Why not use a few of my old photos to create more oil paintings?
These digitally created “oil paintings” are of people in San Diego!
Can you recognize some of the locations?
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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!
One could make a convincing argument that the Hotel del Coronado is the second or third most iconic building in all of San Diego, after the California Tower in Balboa Park and perhaps the historic Mission San Diego de Alcalá.
The image of the uniquely grand and beautiful “Hotel Del” has been made famous in movies, on television, and through countless postcards sent around the world by enthralled tourists. Most people who think of Coronado immediately picture this impressive Victorian beach resort, the second largest wooden structure in the United States.
It’s said that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum used the fanciful architecture of the Hotel del Coronado as his inspiration for the Emerald City. (He wrote several Oz books at a house he rented in winter a few blocks away. To see photos of that house, click here!)
A month ago I used graphic software to change some of my photos of the California Tower into digital oil paintings. Yesterday, as I walked around Coronado, it suddenly occurred to me that I might do the same with the picturesque Hotel del Coronado!
I’ve altered some old photographs and a couple of new ones to make them appear like oil paintings! Just for fun!
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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 went on a little mini-vacation. I walked from Cortez Hill where I live in downtown San Diego to Broadway Pier, boarded the Coronado Ferry and headed across the bay to one of my favorite places!
Today’s “trip” to Coronado was a bit different than usual, however. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic necessitated social distancing and frequent use of my face mask.
A crew member of the Silvergate ferry told me their ridership has begun to increase significantly now that San Diego has entered Phase 1 of the Reopening. Several weeks ago the ferry would carry perhaps 20 passengers for an entire day. Now there are easily 20 riders per trip.
As I walked through Coronado I saw people with and without face coverings, in groups, individually, in parks, on sidewalks. But most seemed to be conducting themselves in a considerate and measured way.
It appeared people were indeed very eager to be outside again after over a month of remaining mostly indoors. It was sunny and felt like summer. Restaurants were offering takeout service along the sidewalk. But many touristy shops were still closed.
Come along and read the photo captions…
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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!
Have you wondered about the large new colorful mural that was painted last year at San Diego International Airport? You know, that mural showing a guy in an old-fashioned hat holding a steering wheel, which is visible as you head up Harbor Drive?
The title of this impressive public art is On The Map, and it’s a tribute to the rich aviation history of San Diego. The design was created by Jari “WERC” Alvarez, the same artist who created the SAN mural at the same location in 2014. You can see a photo of that previous mural in one of my old blog posts here.
On The Map is the second of a three mural commission, and will be on display through 2022. The map-like artwork of Jari Alvarez incorporates images that pay tribute to San Diego aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss and early stunt pilot Lincoln Beachey. It also honors female flyers and engineers during the course of aviation history.
Early in the 20th century, before World War I, Glenn Curtiss operated a flying school on Coronado across San Diego Bay. His groundbreaking school was instrumental in making North Island the Birthplace of Naval Aviation.
Lincoln Beachey was a pioneer aviator and barnstormer, who broke world flying records and invented many daring aerial maneuvers. He was called by many The World’s Greatest Aviator.
You might remember that years ago the same building (now the administrative offices of the San Diego Airport Authority, once the commuter terminal) was home to a mural showing Charles Lindbergh holding a small model of his famous airplane Spirit of St. Louis. Before its historic 1927 transatlantic flight, the Spirit of St. Louis was built in San Diego by Ryan Airlines, near where the airport stands today.
San Diego’s deep links to aviation history are just another fascinating aspect of America’s Finest City!
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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 enjoyed a long walk from downtown San Diego to Liberty Station then back again. It felt so good to be near the water that I even took a short detour to visit Harbor Island.
Given the current coronavirus pandemic, I noticed an unusual number of people out on San Diego Bay, on paddle boards, in kayaks, breathing in the healthy fresh air. There’s a new local regulation that recently went into effect during the COVID-19 crisis. People are now allowed to recreate on the water. And those engaged in safe social distancing aren’t required to wear face coverings. They can fully enjoy San Diego’s watery paradise.
As I arrived at Liberty Station, I noticed many stand up paddleboarders embarking on a journey from the boat channel. They headed under the Nimitz and Harbor Drive bridges and into the sunlit marina behind Harbor Island.
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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!
Have you ever wondered about those Victorian houses that stand together behind a fence near the corner of 2nd Avenue and Ash Street in downtown San Diego?
I walk by these colorful old houses frequently, but apart from seeing “Victoria Square” on a sign in front of one, for years I’ve known absolutely nothing about them. So I finally did a little research on the internet.
Victoria Square Vacation Homes is what they’re called now, but originally the houses together were known as Kiessig Corner. The handsome blue corner house, in the Italian Renaissance style, was built by Charles Keissig in 1894. Keissig was a Gold Rush-era immigrant from Germany who supposedly buried $20 gold pieces under the house in glass jars. The house directly adjacent to it on Ash Street was built in 1904-1906. A third, one-story house on Second Avenue (the yellow one you can see on the left in the next photo) was moved to the site from another location at about the same time. A fourth smaller building, which is difficult to see from the street, was originally a carriage house.
In 1976, the site was declared an historic property by the San Diego Historic Site Board, and the run-down romantic turn-of-the-century buildings were purchased by real estate development attorney Sandor Shapery. The houses were rehabilitated by Del Mar architect Paul Thoryk to be used commercially. Apparently years ago there was a restaurant in addition to offices, but my poor old brain cannot remember it. After 2008 the buildings were converted back to residential use.
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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!
Museums around San Diego are currently closed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. So I thought you might enjoy exploring a collection of cool photographs from a wide variety of local museums!
Following are 41 links to blogs documenting past visits to museums, exhibitions and museum-like places that I found particularly interesting.
Hopefully you’ll be inspired to check out many of San Diego’s unique and amazing cultural attractions once the pandemic subsides and our world returns to normal!
Click the following links to see lots of cool photographs!
Visit a world-class map museum in La Jolla!
Art from the Mingei at Central Library gallery!
Photos of San Diego and Arizona Railway centennial!
History of IDW at San Diego Comic Art Gallery.
Joan Embery’s My Animal World at Bonita Museum.
Creativity at a museum helps to mend lives.
History of firefighting at San Diego Firehouse Museum.
San Diego’s early history at the Serra Museum.
Freedom Bell at Balboa Park’s Veterans Museum.
Little Italy’s history, culture at Amici House.
Quilters look to the stars for inspiration!
Threads of the Past: Living history in Old Town.
Amazing animal bronzes at San Diego Museum of Art!
A look inside the Portuguese Historical Center.
Art and architecture at La Jolla’s Athenaeum.
History at the Los Peñasquitos adobe ranch house.
Photos aboard historic steam ferryboat Berkeley.
Photos of National City Depot museum and streetcars!
Starfleet Museum’s future Picard exhibit in San Diego!
Fun art outside The New Children’s Museum!
A visit to the Air and Space Museum Annex!
Photos inside America’s most haunted Whaley House!
Steampunk vehicles exhibited in Balboa Park!
Photos of National City’s Heritage Square and Brick Row.
San Diego history at Old Town’s Wells Fargo museum.
The Art of Shag at the Comic-Con Museum!
Cold War history: How one man stopped World War III.
Planes and people on USS Midway’s flight deck.
Photos inside a World War II bunker on Point Loma.
Historical exhibit at Women’s Museum of California.
Historical exhibit features archives at City Hall.
Baseball history at San Diego Padres Hall of Fame.
Museum celebrates diversity in American baseball.
Paintings by Kadir Nelson exhibited in San Diego.
Rare cars, antiques at a surprising museum!
A visit to the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum.
History inside the William Heath Davis House.
Cool poster designs at SDSU Downtown Gallery!
Photos inside the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.
Architecture and light at Timken Museum of Art.
Rare exhibition of Modern Masters from Latin America.
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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.
I just made the above photograph the wallpaper background on my desktop home computer. It’s one of seven stunning images that were made available today by the San Diego Tourism Authority. I learned about it because I subscribe to their email list.
The amazing photos were sized to be used as Zoom video communication virtual backgrounds, but the high quality .jpg images also work perfectly as wallpaper on a computer.
Anyone can freely download beautiful images of Balboa Park, Torrey Pines, Cabrillo National Monument and Windansea.
To download these wallpapers, visit the San Diego Tourism blog by clicking here!
Another recent post links to amazing virtual experiences from around San Diego, including many of the city’s most popular attractions. You can access live webcams at the San Diego Zoo and the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, go on a virtual tour of the USS Midway aircraft carrier and the San Diego Museum of Art, listen to world-class music by the San Diego Symphony, view clips from some of the Old Globe’s famous productions, and much more.
To check out these virtual San Diego experiences, click here!
Very cool, indeed!
San Diego is full of life!
Every year, dozens of colorful festivals around the city and county celebrate diverse cultures, themes, communities and historical moments. Those who participate enjoy great music, art, food and all sorts of unique entertainment, not to mention the cool vibe of America’s Finest City!
Over the past six and a half years, I’ve attended many of these festivals. I’ve met lots of amazing people and have taken hundreds of photographs.
Unfortunately, with the current coronavirus pandemic, nearly all public events scheduled for the first half of 2020 have been cancelled or postponed. So, as we wait for life to return to “normal,” wouldn’t it be fun to have another look at some past festivals?
I’ve selected 35 festivals that have been featured on Cool San Diego Sights!
To see lots of colorful photographs, click the following links:
A taste of the Lemon Festival in Chula Vista!
Photos of Vista’s Annual Viking Festival!
Photos of 2018 Cherry Blossom Festival!
Photos of good times at Chula Vista’s HarborFest!
Fun photos of Chula Vista’s Pacific Rim Festival!
Colorful photos of Escondido Tamale Festival!
Photos of cool sand sculptures at Sun and Sea Festival!
Scenes from Without Walls Festival 2019!
Colorful photos of Founders Day in Old Town.
Readers, writers gather for Festival of Books!
Great writing, reading celebrated at TwainFest!
Dancing with joy at a big Greek Festival!
Photos at kite festival in Ocean Beach!
Photos of North Park’s Day of the Dead festival!
Photos of San Diego Scottish Highland Games.
Memorial Day weekend at Festival of the Sea!
Street art painted live at North Park festival!
Cool discoveries at the Encinitas Street Fair!
Fun photos of Cinco de Mayo in Old Town!
Colorful photos of San Diego Tet Festival.
Photos of the colorful 2019 Mariachi Festival!
Fun stage dioramas at Paper Theatre Festival!
Smiles and culture at San Diego Multicultural Festival!
Photos of the San Diego Brazilian Day Festival!
Festival celebrates Wizard of Oz in Coronado!
Cool photos of the Imperial Avenue Street Festival!
Photos of the San Diego Wooden Boat Festival!
Festival recreates landing of explorer Cabrillo.
San Diego history comes alive at Fall Back Festival!
Photos of art come to life at CityFest in Hillcrest.
Photos of Fiesta del Sol in Solana Beach!
Smiles, life and culture at Pacific Islander Festival!
Celebrating San Diego history at Festival of the Bells.
Cool photos of fun, funky Ocean Beach Street Fair!
Culture and history celebrated at Festa in San Diego!
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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.
The California Tower in Balboa Park is probably the most iconic sight in all of San Diego. I’ve photographed it many, many times.
Built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, the 198 feet tall bell tower, a combination of various architectural styles, rises from the similarly ornate California Building, which is presently home to the Museum of Man. The California Tower invites those who love beauty to come visit one of the most amazing public parks in the entire world.
I’ve taken so many photos of the California Tower over the years, from different angles and during different occasions, that I thought I might have a little fun. Using the GIMP graphic software’s Oilify filter, I’ve transformed some of my images into digital oil paintings!
Here they are!
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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!
Cool San Diego Sights! 