A very cool mural spray painted on the wall of The Land Barbershop on Adams Avenue.
During a recent walk along a stretch of Adams Avenue, I was excited to discover some very cool sights!
I photographed several great examples of street art, plus a tranquil park with a beautiful bronze sculpture.
My journey started in North Park, near the intersection of Adams Avenue and 30th Street. I proceeded west along Adams Avenue until I reached the Texas Street bridge, then I continued a couple blocks farther into University Heights.
More colorful artwork on the front of The Land Barbershop in North Park.A bold, contented face painted by the entrance to Dia Del Cafe.Faded mural depicting two classic cars, next to a repair bay at Advantec Auto Repair.It’s HYPNOSIS CAKE TIME at Twiggs Bakery and Coffeehouse!Fun art on the exterior of Mona Lizzy’s.More fun artwork at Mona Lizzy’s.Meditation is invited on Adams Avenue at the Sri Chinmoy Peace Garden, maintained by the San Diego Sri Chinmoy Centre.Plaque in a small park dedicated to Sri Chinmoy. STUDENT OF PEACE–CHAMPION OF THE INDOMITABLE SPIRIT OF MANKINDA fine bronze statue of Sri Chinmoy.Sign on Adams Avenue marks the west end of Historic Antique Row.Looking north into Mission Valley on a spring day. Photo taken from the Adams Avenue bridge over Texas Street, as I walked west from North Park into University Heights.Some stylish artwork painted on the wall of Grains vegetarian restaurant.
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Sunday afternoon I took the trolley to East County to enjoy a quiet walk near Gillespie Field. I knew that along Marshall Avenue there’d be no traffic.
As I walked down the long, empty sidewalk I turned my eyes toward sleepy hangars across the street, burgeoning spring flowers at my feet and a large construction site abandoned for the day. All I heard was the whisper of the breeze, birds flitting here or there and small planes rising into the sky.
The time and place was perfect for a stretch of thinking. I’m struggling with a short story that is particularly difficult. It’s a story about the complexity of people and the small actions that help to define a life. I keep changing the words.
As I walked along in a state of abstraction I slowly became aware of surprising shapes and contrasts in the world all around me. Exactly like the complexity we find in ourselves.
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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!
I enjoyed a small photographic adventure yesterday evening.
Walking along the Embarcadero, camera in hand, I gazed out toward San Diego Bay and the descending sun. Occasionally I paused to frame long shadows, glowing clouds, silhouettes and bright reflections on the water.
These photographs represent a segment of my walk from Broadway Pier to the Greatest Generation Walk, just south of the USS Midway.
The exaggerated contrasts in these photos were produced by my camera’s automatic mode. When I shoot into the sun, many of the resulting images can appear very dramatic. And darkly mysterious!
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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!
Starting across Cabrillo Bridge, looking south toward downtown San Diego.
On Sunday I walked slowly through Balboa Park. I began at the Cabrillo Bridge and headed east along El Prado. My wandering feet finally took me down into Florida Canyon.
I discovered many scenes of natural beauty: green canyons, bright trees, yellow hillsides, spring flowers, newly opened roses and even cacti.
Come along…
Near the center of the bridge. Sunlit trees line the median of scenic State Route 163, also known as the Cabrillo Freeway.Looking back along historic Cabrillo Bridge toward the West Mesa of Balboa Park.Near the east end of the bridge, gazing down at the Rube Powell Archery Range.Passing through the California Quadrangle. Palm trees cast shadows on the California Tower.Turning back to photograph the California Tower from the Alcazar Garden.Twisty trunks and shadows near the Timken Museum of Art.Staghorn ferns on one wall of Balboa Park’s Botanical Building.Orchids inside the Botanical Building.More natural beauty inside the Botanical Building.A small yellow flower greets me inside the Casa del Prado. I stumbled upon a sale by the Southern California Plumeria Society.A bloom along El Prado near the Casa de Balboa.Walking along El Prado, just above the Zoro Garden.Like orange flames.Looking backward as I finally approach the east end of El Prado.About to cross over Park Boulevard on the pedestrian bridge, pausing for a moment to look south toward the Fleet Science Center.Strolling among early spring blooms in the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden.In the rose garden, aiming my camera toward the fountain.Another rose.Another.Gazing east across Florida Canyon. A rainy winter has brought forth lush spring greenery.Now I am moving north, into the Desert Garden.Strange cactus beauty.More beauty.About to head down a winding path into Florida Canyon.A hillside bright with cacti and spring flowers.Nature has painted the hillside.Slanting cacti.The natural beauty in Balboa Park never ends.
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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!
During a recent morning walk through downtown San Diego and the Gaslamp Quarter, my curious eyes kept turning upward.
What’s that up there?
Fresh paint.The sun about to rise.A baseball cap.Machu Picchu.Construction at the 1887 Grand Pacific Hotel.A guy hanging from the roof of a downtown hostel!
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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!
Yellow mustard is blooming across San Diego’s hillsides, and other early spring flowers are thriving, too! The rainy winter has produced a cheerful show of bright color all around the city.
I walked near the San Diego River by Fashion Valley this morning and found many patches of sunflowers.
UPDATE!
I goofed! Most of these flowers are actually garland chrysanthemums (also called crown daisies), which aren’t native to our region. But these invasive plants do flourish in San Diego now.
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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!
As I walked through downtown San Diego early this morning, my eyes climbed up the sides of walls and buildings. They found unexpected splashes of light.
Another adventure in the 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!
Shark street art on a utility box at the corner of Shelter Island Drive and Rosecrans Street.
This morning I headed to Point Loma to visit three sites participating in the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s 2019 OPEN HOUSE SAN DIEGO. All three are located in a neighborhood at the foot of Shelter Island–an area once populated by many Portuguese fishermen. I think you might enjoy a look at Little Portugal’s history and some of its landmarks.
Before I sort through all those photographs, however, please enjoy others photos I took during a fun walk down Shelter Island Drive, from Rosecrans Streets to the recently improved Shelter Island boat ramp.
(To see additional street art I photographed along Shelter Island Drive a couple years ago, click here!)
The Union Bank on the corner of Shelter Island Drive and Rosecrans Street has a colorful mural near its entrance. Tuna fishermen with poles out on the Pacific Ocean.Plaque describes the above artwork. Sean Wells – Art Teacher. Mural completed Spring 2010 depicting historic scenes of the Point Loma region.As I began walking along Shelter Island Drive, a gigantic yacht passed down the street!A few benches overlook a corner of the Shelter Island Yacht Basin. It’s a nice place to sit in the sun and relax.I spotted this cool stained glass panel in a window of The Marlin Club.I remember seeing several huge fish suspended here years ago, before I began taking photos for this blog.Someone bikes past a huge boat lift at the Shelter Island Boatyard.Those yachts being repaired seem to be up in the sky!People bicycle near the Ocean Song sculpture in front of Humphreys Half Moon Inn. This cool public art was created by Alber De Matteis.As I approach San Diego Bay, I see the Pacific Portal sculpture by local artist James T. Hubbell.I’ve arrived at the recently improved and enlarged Shelter Island Launch Ramp. Many recreational watercraft enter San Diego Bay here.Looks like these guys backing their boat into the water intend to spend the day fishing.Someone hangs out nearby, sitting among beached dinghies.Looking across the boat launch basin, the San Diego downtown skyline in the distance.I see some sailboats racing in the distance, between here and Harbor Island.Here comes an amphibious SEAL tour boat. Tourists float out toward the entrance of San Diego Bay, then turn around near the submarines at Naval Base Point Loma.These cool vessels drive right out of the water and up onto the boat ramp!After walking a bit, I’m nearer those small sailboats that were racing in the distance.Some people by the rocky shore watch even more distant sailboats with binoculars.My small camera zooms and just manages to capture a nice image.Look! Here comes San Salvador, the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s amazing Spanish galleon replica!Now that is one very cool sight!
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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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