View of the lit dome of San Diego’s downtown library, seen from the 9th floor at night.
Yesterday evening after work I walked a bit in the darkness. The air was cool, downtown was quieting. I was drawn to the San Diego Central Library, and of course I had to ascend to the 9th floor. Few others were about. I lingered high above the city, outside under the lattice steel dome. I watched small trolleys slip past below. A thousand distant lights stretched toward the South Bay. The world seemed remote. Paths of gentle light were traced above, around and below. I seemed to float in a swirled galaxy; but I saw no stars.
Inside a glowing steel lattice. The new library’s dome in the past couple years has become a distinctive feature of San Diego’s skyline.Gazing through the unique dome toward the 12th and Imperial Transit Center’s clock tower.Nine stories below, a trolley heads north into the heart of East Village.Looking down into the large reading room of the San Diego Central Library after dark. Under the dome, people were quietly studying, or just gazing out into the nighttime.Meshed paths of light seem to radiate like a halo from the top of San Diego’s amazing downtown library.
…
Follow this blog for more photos of cool stuff! Join me on Facebook or Twitter.
Worker at parking garage construction site, which is right next to the Little Italy trolley station.
I was pleasantly surprised this morning to see some new public artwork at one end of the Little Italy trolley station. It’s part of the new parking structure that’s being built right next to the station.
I had to peer over and through a chain link fence, but the super colorful leaf-like art immediately tickled my fancy. Upon closer examination, the multi-colored ovals that form a dazzling mosaic appear to be impressed with different tire tracks. I guess that would be appropriate for a parking garage!
UPDATE!
I’ve noticed that a small plaque installed by the artwork reads:
David Adey
Inspiration/Expiration
2015
Ceramic
This parking garage, when completed, will serve both the nearby County Administration Center and Little Italy.Brilliant layers of new public art in San Diego. Forming a mosaic, these ovals appear to be randomly squished by vehicle tires with different treads.There’s some unusual new artwork at the Little Italy trolley station in downtown San Diego!
…
Follow this blog for more random discoveries in and around San Diego! Join me on Facebook or Twitter.
Sunrise in downtown San Diego. Photo taken from Eighth Avenue and A Street.
Early yesterday morning I walked down Eighth Avenue, from the top of Cortez Hill to Petco Park. Here are a few random, interesting photos…
Blue Sky apartment tower under construction in downtown San Diego.Cool street art visible from Eighth Avenue, south of Broadway.Early morning activity in front of Lucky D’s Hostel.Some faded utility box artwork on a sidewalk in San Diego’s East Village.A boy jumps rope on one October morning in a downtown San Diego parking lot.Birds in a row atop a street lamp. Bright clouds as day begins.Surveyors have begun their work early in a parking lot beside Market Street. Another utility box with colorful street art.The recently completed Sempra building, just north of Petco Park, reflects clouds and blue sky in the morning.Worker inside old brick building that is being renovated. Cool posters in windows advertise Underground Elephant.
…
Follow this blog for more photos of San Diego stuff! Join me on Facebook or Twitter.
Orange and yellow logo of visiting Norwegian Sun cruise ship reflected on rippled water in San Diego Bay.
A big rush this morning. But I had enough time to walk down to the Broadway Pier. Slowing myself for a few moments, breathing in fresh air, I was enchanted by the surrounding quiet, the growing morning light, and mysterious reflections.
Bow and bridge of the Norwegian Sun, docked at the San Diego Cruise Ship Terminal. The image is reflected in the orange and clear windows of a nearby gift shop.Early morning light at San Diego’s Broadway Pier. The Coronado ferry has begun another trip across the quiet, glassy water.Reflection of downtown San Diego’s nearby skyline in the windows of the Port Pavilion. Photo taken as the sun climbs above building rooftops, from the Broadway Pier.
…
Follow this blog for more mysterious photos! Join me on Facebook or Twitter.
Public art on display in downtown San Diego’s dynamic Horton Plaza shopping mall.
I made a cool discovery today! I was walking through Horton Plaza, downtown’s extremely unique shopping mall and popular tourist destination, when I noticed that some art was being displayed on a lower level. A sign indicated that Horton Plaza is showcasing the work of local San Diego artists. Great idea! Here are some pics!
The San Diego artist Beau Carney was born and raised in Southern California. He works with a variety of mediums.Some very colorful painted work by Beau Carney.Public art and other unexpected discoveries add character to a very unique shopping mall.Westfield Horton Plaza supports local artists. For information on how to showcase your art, contact hortonplaza@westfield.comA few early evening visitors to Horton Plaza mall in downtown San Diego walk past cool artwork created by a local artist!One last photo of eye-catching panels by local San Diego artist Beau Carney!
…
Follow this blog for more photos of cool San Diego stuff! Join me on Facebook or Twitter.
This astonishing ceiling impressed San Diego Trust and Savings Bank customers back in 1928, when it originally debuted.
There are many amazing hotels around San Diego, especially downtown. Several of the hotels are located in historic old buildings. For several months, the San Diego Trust and Savings Bank Building (1928), now occupied by Courtyard by Marriott, has been undergoing outside restoration. A few days ago I noticed that much of the work has been completed, so I decided to go inside the lobby to ask a question or two. And wow!
This was my first time inside the truly eye-popping lobby. Look at the ceiling! The old bank hall, which now welcomes hotel guests, appears almost like the interior of some medieval church, with its arches, vaulted doors, medallions, bronze window grilles and a 32-foot high colorfully painted coffered ceiling. Also reflecting the building’s Italian Romanesque Revival architectural style, the grand interior contains 35 decorative columns with Corinthian capitals, chiseled from 19 different types of marble from around the world. Additionally, the walls, counters, pilasters and floor all feature rich imported marble.
The elegant building, which was constructed with the finest materials available at the time, was designed by notable architect William Templeton Johnson, who is also credited for the San Diego Museum of Art and Natural History Museum buildings in Balboa Park, the Serra Museum in Presidio Park, and the La Jolla Athenaeum. He is also one of the architects responsible for the San Diego County Administration Center.
I was told by a friendly front desk clerk that the restoration involved patching cracks in the building’s exterior. Looks to me like somebody did a good job!
Photo of the San Diego Trust and Savings Bank Building taken from one block east on Broadway. The 14-story structure is topped with a two-story penthouse and cupola.Flag on stately exterior of Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Downtown.Plaque at 530 Broadway. This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.Elegant bronze and glass entrance to the eye-popping lobby of the Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Downtown.Stand inside the old bank hall and gaze upward. You’ll think your visiting a fantastic cathedral or medieval building in Europe.The welcoming interior of a modern hotel. An historical building smartly preserved and repurposed.I like this cheerful painting of a girl lying on a turtle behind the hotel’s front counter!Yet another cool sight in my amazing neighborhood: downtown San Diego!
UPDATE!
When I stepped into the hotel during the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s OPEN HOUSE 2017, I learned from a friendly event volunteer that I could head down to see the old bank’s vaults, which are now meeting rooms! Here are some photos!
Map near the ceiling where steps descend from the lobby to elevators.The beautiful arched ceiling near the hotel’s bank of elevators.Elegant area near the entrance to The Safe Deposit Room.Formidable steel doors in a lower level hallway, leading to The Vault, a very unique meeting room. The San Diego Trust and Savings Bank Building has unusual historic features that hotel guests can enjoy.The Safe Deposit Room in the Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Downtown has a rather unusual entrance! The 1928 Mosler safe door weighs 47,000 pounds! Meetings can be held inside.
…
Follow this blog for more photos of cool San Diego places! Join me on Facebook or Twitter.
A human connected to technology in this new public art mural. Park it, charge it! The seven-story parking garage is located at 707 Broadway. This photo was taken from 7th Avenue.
During a walk several days ago my eyes lifted with surprise at a very cool new sight. An absolutely gigantic mural has appeared downtown, on the seven-story parking garage located at 707 Broadway!
A quick internet search revealed the identity of the creative person behind this public artwork. Christopher Konecki of Cohort Collective is a self-taught spray paint artist whose work can be seen elsewhere in San Diego, including nearby at SILO in Maker’s Quarter. This particular piece, which was finished a couple weeks ago, is said to be the largest mural in San Diego. The wildly imaginative, cartoon-like design is meant to convey the intersection of evolving communication technology with art and personal human experience.
These photos proceed from the west side of the parking garage, to the north, and finally to the east. You can see just how colorful and amazing this art is!
The huge cool mural wraps around the parking garage. I see a hot air balloon, phonograph, radio tower, satellite and various buildings, all interconnected like a circuit.The artwork engages the eyes and mind with its detailed composition. Two clusters in the image are connected by the Coronado Bay Bridge.Moving around toward the brightly sunlit east side and 8th Avenue. The high mural is viewed beyond some trees.The parking garage adds its color to the adjacent building’s futuristic graphic, at 707 Broadway in downtown San Diego.And finally we are on the east side of the parking garage. Very cool!
…
Follow this blog for more photos of cool stuff! Join me on Facebook or Twitter.
Morning photo of the new Fault Line Park in San Diego’s East Village. The Central Library’s dome is visible in the background.
An incredibly cool new public park opened in East Village a couple weeks ago. It’s called Fault Line Park, and is located south of Island Avenue between 14th and 15th Street. The park is situated directly above a shallow rupture of the Rose Canyon Fault System, which stretches through downtown San Diego.
In addition to a children’s playground and places to sit and walk, the 1.3 acre Fault Line Park contains a really unique feature. A public art installation, titled Fault Whisper, by artist Po Shu Wang of Living Lenses, allows visitors to monitor our active planet. Large, shining spheres stand on either side of the fault line. At the west sphere, curious ears can listen to the Earth’s subterranean movements, which are recorded by a seismometer embedded below in the actual fault! They can also look through an eyepiece toward the opposite sphere, to see whether the Earth has shifted!
What brilliant, interesting artwork!
Even though I listened intently, I couldn’t hear the Earth whispering early this morning when I took these pics. Perhaps old Mother Earth was still sleeping!
This line marks where a part of the Rose Canyon Fault System has ruptured, just 14 feet below the surface. According to geologists, there’s no great earthquake danger here.Photographer records cool reflections in one of the large stainless steel spheres in Fault Line Park.Plaque describes Fault Whisper public art, created by Po Shu Wang in 2014. Two spheres stand on either side of the fault line. From one you can listen to the Earth and monitor movement.Here’s the opening where you can press your ear to listen. There’s a speaker just inside. The Earth’s movements are translated into musical notes.Looking through eyepiece at the opposing sphere. If the Pacific and North American tectonic plates have shifted since the art’s installation, it isn’t very noticeable.Stella Public House restaurant in East Village is located right next to the cool new Fault Line Park.If Stella Public House is as awesome as the super friendly employee I met, you’d better head over there at once!View of Fault Line Park in East Village from outdoor patio shared by Stella Public House and Halcyon coffeehouse and cocktail lounge.
…
Follow this blog for more photos of cool stuff! Join me on Facebook or Twitter.
Workers have begun to install the first paver “bricks” dedicated to people, businesses or organizations at the foot of San Diego’s Broadway Pier.
I was walking along San Diego’s waterfront after work today, enjoying what remained of daylight, when I spied some sort of construction underway at the foot of the Broadway Pier. I moseyed over to check it out.
I discovered that the first of the custom pavers are being installed by the Port of San Diego, in the wide new plaza at the pier’s entrance. Anyone can sponsor a paver “brick” and have a name engraved upon it for posterity. Phrases such as “In memory of,” “In celebration of,” “In honor of,” “Sponsored by,” “Established in,” and “Dedicated to” are allowed. Plaques on furniture such as tables, chairs and benches can also be customized with a name of your choosing. A tall stack of pavers was ready to be installed, so it looks to me like the Port of San Diego is off to a good start!
Interested? Check out sdportwalk.org for further details!
San Diego’s North Embarcadero, often referred to as the city’s front porch, has undergone enormous improvements in recent years. I’ve lived downtown for 15 years, and the waterfront is more beautiful, friendly and functional than ever. But additional phases in its revitalization await completion. According to the Port of San Diego website, money that is raised will help fund future improvements and developments on the Embarcadero.
Anyone can place their name on a permanent paver to help support improvements to the North Embarcadero. Custom plaques on furniture, like public benches and tables, are also available.Some of the first pavers are engraved with the names of VIPs. Included are the current Mayor, several Port of San Diego officials, and City Council President.Smiling Port of San Diego guys explained to me a little about this ongoing project. Ultimately, these legacy “paving blocks” will stretch in a band across the entrance to Broadway Pier.Looking east down Broadway from the foot of the pier, on San Diego’s continually improving, very beautiful Embarcadero.
…
Follow this blog for more random interesting discoveries! Join me on Facebook or Twitter.
Another easy, carefree day of fishing at the Embarcadero Marina Park Pier in downtown San Diego.
I have lots of favorite places. One is the small public fishing pier in downtown San Diego, located at Embarcadero Marina Park South. I walk there quite frequently. When I stand on this short pier, leaning against the rail above the bay’s gently lapping water, I feel my mind and spirit expand.
I walked past the pier last Saturday morning. I’d seen a sign announcing a Kiwanis fishing tournament, and thought it might be fun to take a few photos. But when I arrived, nobody seemed to be there. Perhaps I was too early.
When I got home and reviewed all the photos on my computer, I figured I’d blog about the pier anyway!
I casually know a few of the regulars. Back when JJ’s Sunset Deli by the Bay was open, we’d eat, sit and talk on JJ’s patio at the foot of the pier. Jim had the best ribeye steak sandwiches. I even blogged about it. But I deleted that post when he shut down and retired at the end of last year. It’s a very big shame a new tenant hasn’t taken over the cafe. It’s a small gem that adds unique charm to San Diego and thousands of fond, priceless memories.
The Embarcadero Marina Park Pier extends less than a hundred feet from the shore, but the T-shaped end is about 300 feet long. At times many fish can be caught here. It’s possible to catch mackerel, bass, croaker, halibut, guitarfish, bat rays, leopard sharks and many more local species. Kids love the place. There’s grass nearby and picnic benches, and curving paths for running and riding, and rocks to climb down that are covered at the waterline with tiny, quick crabs.
There are homeless people scattered about the park. But they’re generally just hanging out, talking, sleeping, trying to enjoy the sea breeze, some shade or warm sunshine.
Know what’s really cool? No fishing license on the pier is required! That’s the case with all public pier fishing in San Diego.
Across the bay from the pier (which is located behind the San Diego Convention Center) lies beautiful Coronado Island.The small pier is a favorite spot for fishermen and families. It’s an affordable way for many locals to enjoy their beautiful (but sometimes expensive) city. The pier is most popular on weekends and during the summer.This friendly pier regular drags the bottom of the bay hoping to snag lost fishing poles and other sunken treasure!Someone caught a small mackerel, which flops around on the wooden pier.Another wonderful San Diego day on the Big Bay. The modest pier is located at Embarcadero Marina Park South.Two brown pelicans perch on a rail hoping for a handout from sympathetic fishermen.Fishing poles in a line on a hazy day. Across the gentle water to the south stretches the long San Diego–Coronado Bridge.Joggers, bicyclists, skaters, city residents, tourists, people attending Summer Pops concerts nearby…almost everyone likes to visit this pier for great peaceful views.Just spending some time on the pier, relaxing, talking, enjoying life among friends and fellow fishermen.Birds are plentiful on San Diego Bay…And so are boats, of every kind!Walking along the path that encircles Embarcadero Marina Park South. The small structure which housed the pier cafe, unfortunately, has been vacant this year.Kids look excitedly into the blue water. Maybe the big one is down there just waiting to be caught!
…
Follow this blog for more random cool stuff! Join me on Facebook or Twitter.
Cool San Diego Sights! 