Tag: buildings

Home of The Golden Era in San Diego.

The Golden Era was a literary newspaper that originated in San Francisco in 1852. It was notable for publishing pieces by renowned Western authors like Mark Twain and Bret Harte.

In 1887 the periodical, then a monthly magazine, was brought by James Harrison Wagner to downtown San Diego. It occupied the first floor of a building that stands at 919 Fourth Avenue in today’s Gaslamp Quarter. Much of its focus then would concern the development of San Diego and the West in the late 19th century.

A historical plaque describes the Lawyer’s Block Building, 1889.

Before its completion, 20 spaces of this building’s second floor were rented to some of early San Diego’s best known lawyers, making this an unofficial headquarters for litigators. The first floor had a more literary history. In 1889 it housed the West Coast’s pioneer illustrated literary periodical, Golden Era. The San Diego Union also had its offices here, with printing presses in the basement.

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A remodel of the Fleet Science Center!

Look at this! The Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park has a new entrance!

A remodel of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center building has altered the visitor experience. The main entrance and lobby are now near the old IMAX theater lobby. The museum’s original entrance has been repurposed, turning it into new gallery space.

In addition, the Fleet Science Center’s café will soon be enlarged. Once the café reopens, there will still be outdoor dining, plus a dedicated spot where visitors can purchase always super popular soft serve ice cream.

I ventured inside the remodeled museum yesterday…

The spacious new lobby and front desk…

Looking to my left, there are displays and images on a temporary partition. Somewhere beyond it will be the enlarged café. (Not sure about a gift shop. Forgot to ask.)

After moving through much of the museum, I peeked into the original lobby, which is currently roped off. It will become new gallery space.

The new main entrance to the Fleet Science Center is where that blue canopy is. What do you think?

UPDATE!

I got a photo of the new café shortly before it opened…

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The original palace of the Fish Taco King.

You’re looking at a true landmark in San Diego.

In 1983 a modest Orange Julius stand in Pacific Beach was converted into a palace. It would become the original palace of Ralph Rubio, who today is known as the Fish Taco King.

Rubio, credited with making fish tacos popular in Southern California, opened this very first restaurant on Mission Bay Drive. Lovers of nostalgia and tasty Mexican food can still visit it today.

The first Rubio’s location retains its simple charm. To me it resembles both a taco stand and a vintage roadside diner. The menu might have expanded from the original (when fish tacos sold for 99 cents), but I can attest their food remains mouth-watering good. I enjoyed a couple fish tacos the other day. I also took this photo.

If you’d like to visit the original home of Rubio’s Coastal Grill, head over to 4504 E. Mission Bay Drive, just off Interstate 5 in Pacific Beach. Then perhaps head to the beach for a perfect San Diego day!

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Painting huge murals downtown on The Torrey!

Huge, super colorful murals are being painted in downtown San Diego. Once completed, there will be four murals, one on each side of The Torrey’s new high-rise. The Torrey is located at 1200 Front Street, where the north part of the old downtown courthouse used to stand.

This morning during my walk I noticed two artists working on the east side mural. I’d stumbled upon Australian husband-and-wife visual artists who go by the name DABSMYLA. They’re out of Los Angeles. Here’s their website. That’s them in the above photograph!

Two murals are finished, they’re now working on the third, and I was told a fourth will be painted on the south side of the building, once the old courthouse bridge over B Street is demolished.

Super cool!

These first photos show the mural they’re working on presently, on the building’s east side. All of their artwork is full of bold imagery from nature, including San Diego’s beautiful coast.

On the north side…

And on the west side (where there’s some new, interesting stump art on the sidewalk which I’ll blog about)…

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Exhibit celebrates Irving Gill’s architecture in Oceanside.

The Oceanside Museum of Art occupies a building that was designed by renowned architect Irving J. Gill. They soon will be expanding into an adjacent building also designed by Gill. So it’s appropriate museum visitors can now enjoy an exhibition titled Modern Simplicity: The Architecture of Irving J. Gill in Oceanside.

Irving Gill is a name you might recognize. His architectural work can be found all around San Diego. He’s considered a pioneer of the modern movement in architecture. Twelve of his buildings throughout Southern California are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (In nearly thirteen years of blogging, I’ve photographed much of his work. To find those past blog posts, click here.)

As the exhibition webpage explains: The City of Oceanside is home to several notable examples of Gill’s later work, including two landmark buildings that define the east-west axis of the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) campus: the former 1934 City Hall and the original [1929] Fire Station #1 and police station.

In Oceanside he also designed the Americanization School (1931), the Nevada Street Kindergarten (1931), the Blade Tribune building (1936), and several others. The exhibition documents his buildings with fascinating information and historical drawings and photographs.

The exhibition explains how Irving was inspired by Southern California’s climate and stripped architecture of unnecessary ornament and focused on pure geometric form.

People might not realize it, but many buildings and houses around San Diego were greatly influenced by the vision of one man: Irving J. Gill. In Oceanside–and now at the museum exhibition–that inspired vision comes to life.

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Dolphin mosaics at La Jolla Shores beach restrooms.

I really love these dolphin mosaics at the Kellogg Park North Comfort Station in La Jolla Shores. They’re so lively and colorful!

I had to take some photos during my latest walk along the beach there.

A circular plaque in the structure, to the right of the showers, recalls how construction of the comfort station and its restrooms was primarily funded by the John G. Watson Foundation and supported by Friends of La Jolla Shores.

“Oceans of Thanks” is a phrase used by the Walter Munk Foundation for the Oceans to express gratitude to supporters, donors, and the community, particularly during annual celebrations like Walter Munk Day.

Walter Munk was a world-renowned oceanographer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He was often called the Einstein of the Oceans. The efforts of his wife Mary Coakley Munk were instrumental in creating the new comfort station.

The Kellogg Park North Comfort Station and its mosaics were dedicated on October 30, 2014.

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Mural by famous artist on La Mesa school!

Artist and architectural designer Millard Owen Sheets earned international fame for his work around Southern California. Perhaps you’ve seen his gorgeous mosaic murals on the exteriors of buildings that were originally Home Savings Bank branches.

One of those mosaics still exists in La Mesa. People heading down Jackson Drive might notice it above the front entrance of JCS Manzanita Elementary school, on a building that began as Home Savings.

The colorful artwork depicts friars and vaqueros. It was created back in 1976. According to this website, the mosaic was worked on by Millard Sheets and assisting artists Denis O’Connor and Susan Lautmann Hertel.

Around San Diego, three mosaic murals by Millard Owen Sheets can be found in Chula Vista, Coronado and Pacific Beach.

How absolutely amazing is this?

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Changes coming to downtown’s Wells Fargo Plaza!

Today during a walk through downtown San Diego I noticed workers removing the individual letters spelling WELLS FARGO from the front of Wells Fargo Plaza! It was down to WE. That piqued my curiosity!

Security guards behind the front counter told me the building is undergoing a renovation. On display inside the Wells Fargo building’s lobby, several renderings visualize proposed changes coming to the 24-story office tower. Each shows an outdoor restaurant concept at the main entrance.

I was asked not to photograph the renderings. They do look interesting.

I found this article. It explains that the Conrad Prebys Foundation purchased the building in 2025 as the cornerstone of the foundation’s efforts to reimagine and enliven the city’s downtown business corridor as a vibrant civic and cultural center.

As a downtown resident, I’ll have to keep my eyes wide open during walks to see exactly what the future brings! If I happen to note anything interesting, I’ll post an update.

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Beautiful historical mosaic at Chula Vista bank.

Perhaps you’ve seen this beautiful mosaic while driving through downtown Chula Vista. It decorates the California Bank and Trust building at 444 Third Avenue.

The mosaic mural was the creation of internationally renowned artist and architectural designer Millard Owen Sheets. He with the help of other Sheets Studio artists produced many such mosaics for Home Savings Bank branches around Southern California. Perhaps you’ve seen his work in Pacific Beach and Coronado.

This particular mosaic in Chula Vista was created in 1987. It depicts ocean waves and seagulls. According to this website, it was worked on by Denis O’Connor, Monika Scharff; Studio MosaicArt Colledani Milan/NOVA Designs; Kathryn Yelsa.

The mosaic mural stretches horizontally just below the bank’s rooftop. Situated high up, partially obscured by nearby trees, it can be easy to miss. Pause on the sidewalk below to enjoy this very beautiful, historical public art!

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Hidden models of historic Old Town San Diego!

It’s unlikely you’ve seen these amazing models of buildings and life in Old Town San Diego. That’s because they’re well off the beaten track, inside slowly disintegrating displays on Conde Street, behind Cafe Coyote.

Eight years ago I blogged about the neglected display cases along the sidewalk. They contain faded, crumbling photos and other historical material. You can read my past blog post by clicking here.

I walked by again today, and when I peered through the scratched, dirty glass I discovered several models of early structures in Old Town. They appear to contain more detail than similar models inside Old Town San Diego State Historic Park’s visitor center!

I pressed my camera right up against the glass and sharpened my blurry photos.

Do you know who created these beautiful models? Leave a comment.

The above photograph shows a model of an early Old Town adobe. I’m not sure which adobe. There are no labels.

Next, here’s a model of a Kumeyaay village–presumably Kosa’aay which was located nearby on the San Diego River. The native Kumeyaay long predated the arrival of Spanish missionaries and the establishment of Old Town…

Peering into the display case, I found another great model. This one appears to depict an adobe in decay. I had to crop the photo because a mirror behind it was showing the shirt of yours truly.

Whoever made these detailed models spent much time and care!

If you happen to walk down San Diego Avenue and come to Conde Street, turn the corner. Look for the outdoor display cases across the street from the Old Adobe Chapel.

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