Ornate facade of haunted Horton Grand Hotel.

ornate facade of horton grand hotel

A registered National Historic Place, the Horton Grand Hotel in downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter is a true architectural treasure. It’s ornate Italianate Victorian facade is based on the famous Innsbruck Inn in Vienna, Austria.

Today’s boutique hotel is a modern restoration of two historic buildings, the Grand Horton, built in 1887, and the Brooklyn Kahle Saddlery. The latter was the residence of Wyatt Earp during the years he lived in San Diego.

The Horton Grand has another interesting distinction. Room 309 is said to be haunted by the ghost of Roger Whitaker, a gambler who was shot dead by a man he cheated in a game of poker. Many guests who’ve stayed in this room have reported objects changing position when they are asleep!

Is that strange, glaring, long-bearded figure in the corner of this photo a vengeful ghost? I hope he didn’t follow me home!

Entrance to elegant Horton Grand hotel in the Gaslamp.
Entrance to elegant Horton Grand hotel in the Gaslamp.
Another wing of the historic hotel.
Another wing of the historic hotel.
The inside courtyard used to be outside!
The inside courtyard used to be outside!
A closer examination of architectural detail.
A closer examination of architectural detail.
The Horton Grand Hotel stands in downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter.
The Horton Grand Hotel stands in downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.

Cool, tangled photo of San Diego Trolley Yard.

cool chaotic photo of trolley yard

Here’s a unique photo that looks really cool!

I snapped this pic of the San Diego Trolley Yard at the 12th and Imperial Transit Center from the bridge above Harbor Drive. This new pedestrian bridge is a great spot for views of gleaming downtown skyscrapers, the Convention Center, Petco Park, the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, and the trolley and train yards.

This cool photograph was taken through a fence, giving the image a cluttered, layered, weirdly tangled appearance. The red trolleys seem to snake their way through a gray complex jumble of curving rails, vertical electrical poles and the grid of the blurred fence. It’s an image that fascinates the eye!

Here’s a less fascinating photo taken another day…

A less tangled photo from the bridge of the nearby train rail yard and tracks.
A less tangled photo from the bridge of the nearby train rail yard and tracks.

Blue sky, white clouds reflect on skyscraper.

blue sky and clouds reflected on skyscraper

This photo turned out pretty good! Wish I could say it was the result of incredible photographic skill! But I must admit to being lucky once in a while…

This dazzling downtown skyscraper, not far from the Santa Fe Depot, reflects the deep blue summer sky and broken white clouds in a truly spectacular way! Look closely, and you can also see the reflection of the One America Plaza building which stands directly across Broadway.

I love that most of the newer skyscrapers in San Diego are a shiny silver or blue or green–like gleaming ocean waves rising above the sandy tan-colored buildings at their feet. The color scheme gives the skyline a watery cool, light and inviting appearance.

Here come two fun pics I took of the same building on a later date…

Reflection on glass skyscraper of America Plaza across Broadway.
Reflection on shiny glass skyscraper of One America Plaza across Broadway.
Three tall buildings reflect from downtown San Diego window.
Three tall buildings near Santa Fe Depot reflect from downtown San Diego window.

Kid musician street performers by USS Midway.

kid musician street performers by midway

Just walking along yesterday, I had to pause for a few moments to enjoy these kids playing string instruments by the USS Midway aircraft carrier museum for the passing Labor Day crowd. San Diego’s Embarcadero usually has a number of fun street performers, especially down by Seaport Village, but they were out in full force for the holiday weekend!

These three kids are talented musicians!

UPDATE!!!

Walking past Seaport Village on a fine Sunday afternoon in March, I happened to see this amazing musical family again! And I learned their official name: the De la Motte Strings! Here’s their Facebook page!

De la Motte family playing string music.
De la Motte family playing string music.
De la Motte Strings performs by Seaport Village.
De la Motte Strings performs by Seaport Village.

ANOTHER SIGHTING!

The musical family plays one Saturday at the Little Italy farmers market.
The musical family plays one Saturday at the Little Italy farmers market.

AGAIN!

I spotted this growing musical group in Balboa Park in late 2018!

De la Motte Strings musicians perform in Balboa Park.
De la Motte Strings musicians perform in Balboa Park.
Youthful musicians of the De la Motte Strings add life to San Diego.
Youthful musicians of the De la Motte Strings add life to San Diego.

 

Cool spray paint art on the Embarcadero!

cool spray paint art on embarcadero

I took this fun photograph near Anthony’s Fishette. A spray paint artist had placed these colorful pieces of artwork out for passersby to admire and hopefully purchase. These appear to be smaller renditions of the more elaborate “space art” productions that I’ve seen in the past. In addition to a few cosmic planets, I see several outlines of the Coronado Bay Bridge, a Buddha, a Mario, a skull and crossbones, and a variety of cool faces.

I really like how these images, weighed down on the sidewalk with small rocks, combine in a fantastic mosaic. The colors are intense and the effect is bold!

Someone checks out space art on the sidewalk.
Someone checks out space art on the sidewalk.

UPDATE!

I spotted the same artist displaying his work on some grass near the convention center during 2015 San Diego Comic-Con. I learned his name is William J. Dorsett. Cool guy! Check out his Mind Magick Creations website!

The work of William J. Dorsett displayed near the convention center during 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.
The work of William J. Dorsett displayed near the convention center during 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.
A cool local artist shows his stuff outside 2015 San Diego Comic-Con!
A local artist shows his stuff outside 2015 San Diego Comic-Con!

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Big crowd at San Diego’s 2013 Festival of Sail!

big crowd at festival of sail

Sunday afternoon brought a gigantic crowd to San Diego’s sunny waterfront. The 2013 Festival of Sail appears to be a resounding success! This photo was taken at the annual event’s busy entrance just south of the Star of India.

A huge mass of humanity also surged along the Embarcadero in the vicinity of the sand sculpture event on the cruise ship pier, and by the USS Midway and Seaport Village. Lines were long everywhere, and street vendors and performers were raking in the money!

One often hears that America’s Finest City is a top destination for tourists on Labor Day weekend…I certainly believe it!

UPDATE!

It’s almost a year later and the 2014 Festival of Sail is a couple days away! This year I’ll actually attend, brave the huge crowds and take a bunch of pics!

Banner is up a few days before the 2014 Festival of Sail!
Banner is up on Star of India a few days before the 2014 Festival of Sail!

Chalk wisdom on the Cabrillo Bridge.

seven days without love make one weak

Someone in San Diego has a funny bone. They wrote a whole mess of silly but pithy quotes with chalk on the Cabrillo Bridge sidewalk. You know, where joggers and walkers pass over Highway 163 heading into Balboa Park. The scribe must’ve done this days ago, because the chalk is fading.

Depicted in this photo is the astute observation: Seven days without love make one weak.

Funky, folksy Studio 13 in Spanish Village.

funky art studio in spanish village

Take a look at the deliciously, crazily, wonderfully picturesque Studio 13 in Balboa Park’s always surprising and colorful Spanish Village! This quaint little studio is both funky and folksy, a wild mixture of creative artistry!

You know, I wouldn’t mind living in such a happy place. Perhaps in the middle of a green meadow with unicorns grazing nearby…

A peek inside Studio 13 in Spanish Village.
A peek inside Studio 13 in Spanish Village.
Looking around the side of Studio 13.
Looking around the side of Studio 13.
Looking behind funky Studio 13 in Spanish Village.
Looking behind funky Studio 13 in Spanish Village.

Sexy silver mermaid in Spanish Village!

sexy silver mermaid in spanish village

This morning I took a stroll through Spanish Village on the north end of Balboa Park.  Spanish Village is a wonderful, colorful place where many local artists have small studios. Not many people were about yet, just one older gentleman setting up some impressionist paintings in the courtyard. I snapped a number of pics of the motley, surprising studios, and this photograph is pretty striking.

The silvery, sexy mermaid sports a naval cap atop her long hair and stands ready to defend Studio 18!

A wider view of one corner of Spanish Village.
A wider view of one corner of Spanish Village.

Taming a wild horse: Sculpture in Balboa Park.

taming a wild horse sculpture in balboa park

I love this small bronze sculpture just in front of the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. Because it stands inconspicuously in the seldom-visited northwest corner of the Plaza de Panama, few people ever wander over to look at it. Which is a shame.

This piece of art is titled Youth Taming the Wild (Horse Trainer) and was created by Anna Hyatt Huntington in 1927. She is also responsible for the huge, iconic El Cid statue near the center of the plaza, between the fountain and the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

I love the expressed energy in this work of art and the careful natural detail. One can see why this fine artist is considered one of the top equestrian sculptors.

Horse sculpture in northwest corner of Balboa Park central plaza.
Horse sculpture in northwest corner of Balboa Park central plaza.