Lots of fun at County Administration Center Waterfront Park.
The brand new, very awesome County Administration Center Waterfront Park opened today! This spectacular city park stretches several blocks both north and south of the historic County Administration Building, replacing two ugly parking lots. It’s impossible to miss this expansive 12-acre park, located just across Harbor Drive from beautiful San Diego Bay.
You might have read my recent blog post about waterfront improvements, and seen some photos of this new park under construction. It’s now finished and it’s really fantastic!
I attended the grand opening this morning and got tons of cool pics!
Here we go…
Someone arrives from parking structure beneath new park.Opening ceremony in front of County Administration Building.County Supervisor inaugurates new waterfront park.VIPs and the public listen to many speeches.The Padres’ friar mascot circulates in the crowd.Mary Roosevelt, daughter-in-law of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the County Administration Building in 1938.
Everyone waves to photographer atop Star of India.Unrolling the 1600 foot long grand opening ribbon!Everyone positions to cut the park-length ribbon!Boys and Girls Clubs of East County helps to cut the ribbon.The fountains are turned on and wet fun begins!Looking through fountains on north side of park.Street performer in front of County Administration Building.Kid carries footfall through Play60 obstacle course.Kids play miniature golf on the grassy lawn.Trying to score against San Diego Sockers goalie!Star of India and waterfront behind opening day crowd.Cool hill with slides is part of the huge playground.Kids have loads of fun on the big playground.An awesome playground in downtown San Diego!Who wouldn’t love climbing in this net-filled sphere!The shallow fountain on the park’s south side is busy.Parks and Recreation had wildlife displays!Kid checks out a fire engine.A gigantic car show was held on Harbor Drive.San Diego Maritime Museum behind classic cars.A cool woodie with surfboard!
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Front of Casa de Estudillo seen during Cinco de Mayo.
Ramona, written by Helen Hunt Jackson in 1884, is one of the most popular American novels in history. The book has had more than 300 printings. It’s been made into a movie four times. Today, few remember it.
Those who walk through La Casa de Estudillo in San Diego’s historic Old Town, however, are seeing with their own eyes a remnant of Ramona’s fame. Without that novel, and past generations’ fondness for its main character, this handsome old building and possibly others around it would have been torn down and utterly obliterated.
The Casa de Estudillo was built in 1827. It was the property of José María Estudillo, an early settler of San Diego. Captain Estudillo was twice Commandant of the Presidio of San Diego. This large, many-roomed adobe was one of finest houses in all of Mexican California, and remains one of the oldest surviving examples of Spanish Colonial architecture in California.
Shortly after the publication of Ramona, the house, in the hands of a caretaker, enjoyed a burst of popularity with tourists when San Diego’s newspaper, the San Diego Union, declared that the Estudillo house was the title character’s wedding place. Helen Hunt Jackson never stated this was so; the novel described a similar location, but was fictional.
As decades went by the old adobe fell into disrepair and might have been razed. In 1906, John D. Spreckels, owner of the San Diego Electric Railway Company and the Union newspaper, purchased the house and preserved it, transforming it into a true tourist attraction. He altered the building to make it seem more compatible with the description of Ramona’s marriage place, while adding electricity and other conveniences.
The building eventually was given National Historic Landmark status. It’s exaggerated association with the novel caused it to be officially described as “Casa Estudillo/Ramona’s Marriage Place.”
Just inside the courtyard looking up at bell tower.Courtyard fountain of historic Casa de Estudillo.Outdoor oven and one end of old U-shaped adobe house.The house was heavily promoted as the wedding place of Ramona.Walking along the outdoor corridor of old Spanish Colonial home.Camera’s flash illuminates one interior room.Trees and flowers in the beautiful courtyard.Ramona, a famous novel, saved history in Old Town.
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Everywhere you go in San Diego’s Old Town there are touristy shops selling Mexican curios. As I walked along one typical street last Sunday, I was struck by the dazzling array of patio ornaments on display outside a place called Miranda’s Courtyard.
I took several photos from the sidewalk. According to reviews on Yelp, Miranda’s Courtyard sells Mexican religious art, terra cotta suns, Talavera clay pottery, and just a huge bunch of colorful knick knacks.
Photo of suns and moons taken from sidewalk.Lots of colorful trinkets and home decorations.Seems you could spend a whole day at this place!Lady checks out Mexican curios at Miranda’s Courtyard.
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A very cool building is located in San Diego’s Middletown neighborhood, near the intersection of Washington Street and Interstate 5. Here are a few photos I took the other morning!
The historic building, dating from 1912, was the first brewery in the United States to be built in the Mission Revival Style. Today it remains the only Mission Revival industrial building in San Diego.
Briefly, prior to Prohibition, a non-alcoholic drink called Hopski was produced here. The large building then served as an isolation hospital during the 1918 flu pandemic. Later it was converted into an agar plant. Today the historic landmark is a part of Mission Brewery Plaza, whose buildings contains professional offices and a new craft brewery called Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment.
The building has served many purposes over the years.Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment now occupies this area.Where beer is made today.Old production vat now is an outside fountain.A very cool building!
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Life on the water near San Diego Coast Guard Station.
Most people walking along San Diego’s Embarcadero never venture north of the Hornblower boats docked at the Grape Street pier. They’re missing a lively, less-touristy area of San Diego Bay known as the Crescent. Many residents live on small boats moored in this corner of the bay, just west of Little Italy and south of the Coast Guard Station.
Take a walk along the sidewalk and you’ll see folks sitting on benches looking out at the bay, or bicycling along, or out on the water rowing to their floating homes. You’ll see Coast Guard boats and helicopters, folks pumping out their boats, kayaks, fishermen, sea lions and lots of different birds. Turn around and you’ll see planes landing at Lindbergh Field.
Rowing to a boat moored in San Diego Bay’s Crescent area.Many people live in small boats on San Diego Bay.This old sign describes the Crescent Area just south of the Coast Guard Station.People love to bicycle along the edge of picturesque San Diego Bay.Photo taken behind Coast Guard Auxiliary station on North Embarcadero.Sprinkles of light dance on the small waves of San Diego Bay.One boat moored in the Crescent with downtown skyline in the background.Boater walks along the Embarcadero with some drums.Wildlife sign and boats on the North Embarcadero.Vessel Assist boat just brought in a disabled jet ski.Living on the water near downtown San Diego.This boat has a nice potted garden for a backyard.Biking and reading a newspaper along Harbor Drive.
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Dedicated members of San Diego’s Maritime Museum were hard at work yesterday, working in the Star of India’s rigging like busy spiders on a web.
The rigging of the historic three-masted bark is undergoing an overhaul, a project that is expected to take a full year. That’s according to the person selling tickets. The large yards of the foremast have already been removed and are lying on the sidewalk awaiting inspection and a new coat of paint. I was told the ship’s trees (platforms on the masts) are infested with termites. They’ll have to be repaired. To maintain the 150 year old Star of India, the oldest active sailing ship in the world, requires a lot of work!
People tangled in picturesque ship’s rigging.Like highwire artists on the slender ropes.Looks like a lot of hard work.Yards from foremast wait on sidewalk to be painted.Maritime Museum members at work on Star of India.High up in the blue San Diego sky.
I got a quick photo of a San Diego Maritime Museum volunteer working on the yards on an early July morning!
Volunteer works on Star of India’s yards.
Here come several more pics taken in October. The top third of the foremast has been removed!
Top portion of Star of India foremast has been removed in October of 2014.Maritime Museum of San Diego workers high up on the foremast of the historic Star of India.On a shroud, in a tangle of ropes and cables between masts.
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Lots of folks enjoying Cinco de Mayo weekend in Old Town.
Late this morning I took a long leisurely walk through San Diego’s Old Town, just to check out this weekend’s Cinco de Mayo festivities. Thousands of people had arrived already, and the crowd was rapidly growing!
People were excited to watch dancers and musicians performing on several stages. They enjoyed gobs of Mexican food, the Cantina Garden, a fun petting zoo, lots of very cool lowriders, and endless booths selling Mexican crafts and wares.
Mariachis play for huge crowd in Old Town’s central plaza.Posing for a fun Cinco de Mayo photo.Colorful Mexican ornaments and gifts seemed to be everywhere.This barbeque smelled really good to the passing crowd.Curled mustache and old-fashioned prickly pear lemonade!Fiesta de Reyes was more festive than usual for Cinco de Mayo.One Mexican folk dancer watches another perform on stage.Bright yellow festival dress worn by lady walking behind Seeley Stable.A petting zoo was set up in Old Town for the kids.There were dozens of amazing hydraulic lowriders.
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Bibbey’s mural includes Finding Nemo and SpongeBob.
Bibbey’s gift shop, which sells sea shells, rocks and other great stuff, is located across the street from the Imperial Beach pier. It’s hard to miss. The building is one big crazy mural! Check out the wild creativity which blends images from television, movies and the popular culture.
Cosmic ocean fantasy and an Imperial Beach mural.Fierce octopus guards door of cool gift shop.A sexy mermaid, the Lorax and other fun elements.Kung Fu Panda and a surfing dragon!Madagascar penguins and Patrick.Someone enters Bibbey’s gift shop.Another great section of Bibbey’s crazy mural.Shark spotted on wall of Imperial Beach building!
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A short walk north of the Imperial Beach pier takes you to this delightful sculpture. The Spirit of Imperial Beach is 18 feet high and incorporates many fun elements. The sandcastle at its base and the child with a pail recall the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition, which used to be held yearly in Imperial Beach. (Several years ago the competition was replaced by the Sun and Sea Festival.)
Child rides a fish near the beach.Spirit of Imperial Beach by James A. Wasil.Crabs, shells, fish, sandcastle and girl with a pail.Closer look at amazing detail.Spirit of Imperial Beach sculpture is just north of the pier.
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Bankers Hill is dotted with a variety of grand historic mansions. One of the most opulent–and one of my favorites–is the Long-Waterman House. It stands directly across the street from the barn-like Farm House that I photographed for an earlier blog post.
The Long-Waterman House was built in 1889 by famed architect D. B. Benson and is a superb example of the American Queen Anne style. The first owner was John Long, who headed the Coronado Fruit Package Company. He also owned a business which imported exotic woods and manufactured hardwood veneer. As you might expect, the interior of this house, which I’ve been fortunate to briefly see, is absolutely filled with warm, beautiful woodwork.
In 1891 the mansion was purchased by Robert Whitney Waterman, who’d just finished a term as Governor of California. He died only a few months later.
Plaque in front yard of 1889 Long-Waterman mansion.Delightful architecture on Bankers Hill.
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Cool San Diego Sights! 