Robert Plimpton at the Spreckels Organ in Balboa Park.
Who’s that person at the microphone in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion? It looks like Robert Plimpton, San Diego’s Civic Organist Emeritus! Most of the time he uses his amazing musical talent as resident Organist of the First United Methodist Church.
Robert Plimpton was San Diego’s official Civic Organist from 1984 to 2000, when Dr. Carol Williams (first woman in the United States to be appointed Civic Organist) took his place. She happened to be out of town, so he returned for last Sunday’s free public concert in Balboa Park . . . and played magnificently, of course!
I tried to get a good photo of the organ’s enormous pipes, but the images turned out too shadowy. I’ll try again at some future time!
A plaque at the historic Spreckels Organ Pavilion. Dedicated to the people of San Diego and all the world, by the philanthropist Spreckels brothers in 1915.View of Spreckels Organ Pavilion from a spot near the Japanese Friendship Garden.Bust of John D. Spreckels watches organ concerts behind benches.
Here’s a photo I took in late 2015, during Balboa Park’s yearlong centennial celebration.
Patricia McAfee, mezzo soprano, and Robert Plimpton, San Diego Civic Organist Emeritus, entertain a Sunday afternoon audience during “A Tribute to Kate Sessions, The Mother of Balboa Park” concert on November 8, 2015.
It must be around two o’clock on a Sunday afternoon. Time for the weekly free concert at Balboa Park’s Spreckels Organ Pavilion!
Crowds gather in the sun under colorful umbrellas to listen to the majestic sound of the Spreckels Organ, one of the largest outdoor organs in the world. The city of San Diego employs an official Civic Organist, none other than Dr. Carol Williams, one of the top performing organists in the world! Each Sunday she plays classical music, jazz, marches . . . and occasionally one of her excellent original compositions. The Spreckels Organ Society helps to raise funds to keep the tradition of free public concerts alive. It’s a tradition that has lasted a hundred years!
The beautiful Spreckels Organ Pavilion is used for various concerts and events throughout the year, including the yearly December Nights festival around Christmas. It’s also a favorite venue for wedding photography. The ornate, elegant architecture makes it interesting to visit even when the stage and benches are empty.
Late this morning, loads of Padres fans anticipating a great baseball game were entering Petco Park from its east side. Before filing through the gate and past the cool new Jerry Coleman memorial, they passed this colorful vendor. All sorts of Padres gear was on display for supportive fans.
Sunny summer days of baseball are full of life, sounds, smells, color and pageantry. Going to a Padres game in San Diego is always a fun experience, win or lose!
Padres fans converge on Petco Park for another baseball game.
I took a couple more related pics at the beginning of the 2015 season…
Any vendors at this entrance on opening weekend of the 2015 season are hidden by lots of excited fans!A smiling entrepreneur set up shop on a sidewalk a couple blocks from Petco Park.
Here’s a photo taken on a weekday morning of Dick’s Last Resort in the Gaslamp. This wacky bar and restaurant chain with an intentionally-trained-to-be-obnoxious staff is jam-packed with all sorts of colorful customers most evenings and especially on weekends. Beer and good times are known to flow freely here!
Here are a couple more pics from other days:
Dick’s Last Resort seen from across Fourth Avenue.A very dour, funny unshaven dude with beer mug.
The Gaslamp Quarter is not only the Historic Heart of San Diego, as the iconic sign proclaims, but it has become the center of entertainment and dining for downtown’s burgeoning nightlife. The popular Hard Rock Hotel, seen in this photograph, is but one of scores of cool attractions lining bustling Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Avenues between Broadway and Harbor Drive. Pouring even more life into the Gaslamp is nearby Petco Park, the San Diego Convention Center and Horton Plaza.
This area of town, a few decades ago, had become the home to vacant old buildings, half-deserted warehouses and seedy bars attracting lonely sailors homeported in San Diego. Many say the catalyst for its modern transformation was the establishment of Croce’s restaurant and jazz bar on Fifth Avenue in 1985. The popular Croce’s was created as a tribute to legendary singer Jim Croce by his surviving wife Ingrid. As of 2014, Croce’s has moved to a different location on Bankers Hill.
Just a typical view of city life in the always lively Gaslamp Quarter.Fun, elaborate architecture can be seen all over the historic neighborhood.People dine at a restaurant in the heart of the Gaslamp district.Bar patrons watch a soccer game in style.People stop to enjoy a treat at Ghirardelli’s.Colorful stuff for sale in a touristy store window.Plaque tells a bit about the Louis Bank of Commerce Building.The legendary Louis Bank of Commerce Building attracts much attention!San Diego’s first granite building shows Baroque style architecture.
The two photos above show the Louis Bank of Commerce Building. In the late 1800’s it became home to the Oyster Bar, one of four saloons and gambling halls operated by Wyatt Earp when he lived in San Diego.
Canopy reads: Wyatt Earp’s Historic Gambling Hall and Saloon.Nesmith-Greely Building was built in the Romanesque Revival style.Greely Building contained office of the first woman attorney in California Bar Association.Elegant doorway of the 1888 building.I.O.O.F. Building’s cornerstone contains a stone from Solomon’s Temple!The 1882 Independent Order of Odd Fellows building.Closer view of the Classical Revival style I.O.O.F. building in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.San Diego’s historic Old City Hall is an 1874 Florentine Italianate building.Two floors were added to Old City Hall to accommodate San Diego Public Library in 1887.The delightful entrance to Old City Hall.The Yuma Building was one of downtown’s first brick structures.The distinctive Yuma Building also dates from 1882.Looking down Fifth Avenue one early weekday morning.Grand Pacific Hotel was built in 1887 at this location.The distinctive old Victorian Grand Pacific Hotel in San Diego’s fantastic Gaslamp.Worker scrapes old paint as the years roll on.Old Town Trolley Tours bus exits the popular Gaslamp Quarter.
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One of the best things about Seaport Village is its historic carousel. I like to buy a hot dog or onion rings from the nearby food court, or an ice cream from Ben and Jerry’s, then sit down at a shady table and watch families and kids flock to the merry-go-round. It’s also pleasant to take in a bit of live music from local artists who perform near the carousel on weekends.
This fun Looff carousel was built in 1895 and features over fifty colorful animals including a dragon, a giraffe, a teddy bear, a lion, and two horse-drawn chariots. Master wood carver Charles Looff is famous for inventing the uniquely flamboyant Coney Island style of carousels. In his lifetime he produced many popular carousels, amusements parks, roller coasters and Ferris wheels. Very cool!
Horse decorates exterior of Seaport Village carousel.Signs details long history of this Looff carousel.The fun merry-go-round is a big favorite of young and old alike.People enjoy a perfect day near the Seaport Village carousel.
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In Seaport Village and on the grassy fringe beside it one can find all sorts of curious, interesting and helpful folk. There are street performers of every kind. You’ll find clowns, cartoon portrait sketchers, an amazing rock balancer, guys with colorful exotic birds, face painters, henna tattoo artists, balloon twisters, poets, musicians, people in cute costumes posing with tourists, marvelous magicians, palm readers, tarot card readers and various seers with crystal balls.
Above is a pic of Papa Alex, a friendly psychic. According to his sign, he’s a specialist in love problems and finance. Seniors are entitled to a 75% discount.
And here are more pics taken on several of my walks…
This sign promotes psychic readingz and more!HONEST READINGS sign near Seaport Village.The Angel Reader does both tarot and palm reading.Handmade sign in Embarcadero Marina Park North beside Seaport Village.Table next to sidewalk features tarot cards kept in place by crystal paperweights.This smiling psychic has a bright pink tent!
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