Tag: military

Two unusual rooms in a San Diego hotel!

A luxurious hotel in downtown San Diego contains two huge rooms that are quite unusual. One used to be a basketball court, and another was an indoor swimming pool!

The Guild Hotel occupies the historic 1924 building that was originally home of the Army-Navy YMCA. For decades, tens of thousands of sailors and military men would head to this location on Broadway, not far from the waterfront, to recreate. They’d play basketball, run around an elevated indoor track, and swim in a basement pool.

The Guild Hotel, when it moved into the iconic building, creatively repurposed two large indoor spaces. The huge basketball court was converted into the grand Grace Ballroom! The swimming pool was turned into the Society Ballroom!

I was shown these spaces several weeks ago during the San Diego Architectural Foundation Open House event.

Just inside the front entrance of the luxurious The Guild Hotel in downtown San Diego.

The Guild Bar in the hotel lobby.

To the left of the bar, a door opens to the unusual Grace Ballroom.

The Grace Ballroom at The Guild Hotel was originally an indoor basketball court. Military men shot hoops here for decades when the building was an Armed Services YMCA.

An elevated platform intended for jogging or running continues to surround the hotel ballroom!

Beautiful tiles along a stairway that descends from The Guild Hotel lobby to a lower level.

An old photograph of the large swimming pool that once occupied the Army-Navy YMCA’s basement.

The swimming pool is gone, replaced by the Society Ballroom! The historic space was set up as a meeting room when I toured the hotel.

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Santee plaque and trail honors U.S. Marines.

A bronze plaque in Town Center Community Park in Santee honors local U.S. Marines. The plaque stands behind an outdoor performance stage near a flagpole, and points the way to the Marine Memorial Trail, which runs around the perimeter of the public park.

I photographed the plaque a number of weeks ago during an event in Santee promoting San Diego FC’s inaugural soccer season in 2025. As you can see in these pictures, it was raining that day. Today as I sit here it’s raining, too, and I’m going through old photos.

To read a great article concerning this 2011 plaque, click here.

The plaque reads:

CITY OF SANTEE MARINE MEMORIAL TRAILS

THE PASSAGE OF TIME WILL NOT DIMINISH THE GRATITUDE THIS COMMUNITY HAS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED WITH OUR ADOPTED UNITS OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS 2ND BATTALION, 1ST MARINES AND MARINE HEAVY HELICOPTER SQUADRON 462. THE CITIZENS OF SANTEE CALIFORNIA REMEMBER WITH PRIDE AND RESPECT THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES RO PRESERVE AND DEFEND FREEDOM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

THE PROFESSIONALS MEMORIAL TRAIL

HEAVY HAULERS MEMORIAL TRAIL

SEMPER FIDELIS

I also noticed another small plaque at the base of the flagpole.

It reads:

In honor of Randy Voepel for 20 years of service to the City of Santee. Mayor and Council Member. 1996-2016

His patriotism and allegiance to community and country will forever wave.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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Balboa Theatre centennial: A salute to San Diego military!

The Balboa Theatre in downtown San Diego is celebrating its centennial. The old vaudeville/movie theatre opened in 1924, survived a threatened demolition, and has experienced a beautiful restoration. Today the Balboa Theatre is a popular concert and event venue whose splendid interior and pipe organ recalls what entertainment was like in San Diego a century ago.

I’ve learned a special event is coming on Friday, March 29, that honors both the historic theater’s centennial and San Diego’s military. The Flying Fleet, a silent movie released in 1929, will be returning to life, accompanied by the Wonder Morton theatre pipe organ played by Ken Double.

Much of The Flying Fleet was filmed in San Diego. Scenes depict two love smitten pilots training at Naval Air Station North Island. The romantic drama includes action from the United States Navy’s first aircraft carrier USS Langley! You might consider The Flying Fleet a melodramatic prequel to Top Gun!

Is your budget feeling stressed? Tickets are a whopping $3.50!

Interested in learning more? Click here!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

“If not me then who?” in National City.

A thought-provoking mural is boldly painted on a wall in National City. The wall stretches beneath the Dunkin’ Donuts on Plaza Boulevard, just east of Interstate 805.

The east side of the mural asks: “If not me then who…” The long south side encourages those passing by to: ”Make a statement by Making a Difference.”

It surprised me to learn this mural, painted in 2019, honors fallen soldier Lieutenant Commander Landon L. Jones, who died when his helicopter crashed into the Red Sea. A number of Dunkin’ Donuts franchises around San Diego dedicate their stores to a particular fallen service member. These stores are operated by Tali Burton, a U.S. Marine Veteran.

The mural was painted by Coronado residents, and was designed by a Coronado High School student!

To understand the full story, click here for an excellent article.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Adam T. Gastelum street sign in Barrio Logan.

Have you wondered about an Honorary Adam T. Gastelum street sign in Barrio Logan? I recently noticed it on Evans Street, at the intersection of Logan Avenue.

Curious to learn more about Adam T. Gastelum, I did a little searching.

An obituary summarizes several accomplishments of the proud Hispanic American Army veteran. He is credited with helping to found nearby San Diego VFW Post 7420. It also explains: Adam joined the Army to serve in World War II. His campaign battles included Normandy, Northern Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe.

I also discovered that on October 22, 2018, a San Diego City Council Resolution designated the 900 block of Evans Street between the intersection of Logan Avenue and National Avenue to be known as Adam Trejo Gastellum Street.

Many in San Diego appreciate his service.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Veterans Memorial in Encinitas: standing stone.

A cracked stone stands in Encinitas, enfolded by a rock wall whose ends appear unfinished. Those who walk past might pause and wonder.

The vertical stone seems timeless–like an ancient monolith.

When I first saw this unusual monument near the intersection of Encinitas Boulevard and Vulcan Avenue, I wondered what it might be.

Plaques near the standing stone explained this was a Veterans Memorial, established by the City of Encinitas, dedicated on December 7, 2003. It soon will be National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, when this memorial will be twenty years old.

I took photographs of the Veterans Memorial, then sought more information. I found this blog that transcribes the various plaques, one of which I didn’t observe during my walk. It reads:

These memorial walls are meant to be reminiscent of ancient walls, the shapes referring to “the waving flag.” Both ends of the large memorial wall are left unfinished, representing the unfinished lives of those who have perished in the line of duty. The large monolithic stone water feature within the memorial, trickles water slowly as tears, speaking back to those who mourn.

The ultimate goal in the design of this memorial wall is to offer a sense of quiet sympathy to the visitor, reminding those of us who take so much for granted, just how much others have given in protecting our freedoms.

Here’s an article from 2003 that provides a good explanation of the memorial and its creator, Michael Ames Clark, from nearby Cardiff.

I was interested to learn the artist’s vision was made real by landscape architects Schmidt Design Group. They’ve created dozens of outdoor projects around San Diego over the years. Their redesigned Children’s Park in downtown San Diego opened a couple weeks ago.

During past architectural Open House events, I enjoyed tours of their Waterfront Park and Briercrest Park. To enjoy those tours, click the links!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Aviation enthusiasts recreate 100-year-old aircraft.

A disassembled 1927 Boeing FB-5 ended up as a box of parts. Almost one hundred years later, volunteer aviation enthusiasts in San Diego opened the box, then got to work in machine shops to recreate the very rare aircraft.

The reassembled FB-5 made its debut in 2022!

I saw this historical fighter in all its restored glory during my recent visit to Aerofest at the San Diego Air & Space Museum’s Gillespie Field Annex in El Cajon.

I was told that eventually this FB-5 will be exhibited at the world-famous museum in Balboa Park. A sign explained it’s one of about a dozen airplanes “built from scratch” in the museum’s extensive collection.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Fleet Week’s downtown Veterans Art Exhibit.

You have until 4 pm today (Sunday) to view Fleet Week San Diego’s special Active Duty Military & Veterans Art Exhibit. It’s open free to the public at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s old downtown location, at 1100 Kettner Boulevard.

If you’re watching the Veterans Day Parade along the Embarcadero today, you might enjoy stopping by afterward. It’s within easy walking distance.

The artwork covers several walls in the museum’s Melinda Farris Wortz Gallery. Diverse artists with different military experiences have pieces on display. Many of the works depict life in the military or on the battlefield–occasionally with a bit of humor. Other paintings include impressionistic landscapes and dreamlike visions. There’s even some fine nature photography!

I captured a few of the canvases…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

A patriotic Massing of the Colors in San Diego.

The 67th Annual Massing of the Colors and Service of Remembrance was held today in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

The patriotic ceremony featured a procession of color guards through the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. In addition to military color guards, participants represented dozens of schools, organizations and agencies from throughout San Diego County.

The event was presented by the San Diego Chapter of Military Order of the World Wars, whose mission includes instilling love of country by honoring our nation’s flag and the liberty it promises. For a writer like myself, freedom is precious.

As I sat in the front row waiting for the event to begin, a gust of wind on the stage blew over our nation’s flag. Several people immediately rushed forward to raise Old Glory again.

The Massing of the Colors this year was co-sponsored by the Spreckels Organ Society. Patriotic music, including an Armed Forces Medley, was provided by San Diego Civic Organist extraordinaire Raúl Prieto Ramírez!

A special mention in the ceremony and program acknowledged Vietnam Veterans and their sacrifices. Fifty years ago, that terrible war ended.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Dave grows Veterans Rock Garden in Encinitas!

Dave Dean has been adding painted stones to the new rock garden in front of American Legion San Dieguito Post 416 in Encinitas. I spoke to him today when I happened to walk down the sidewalk. He was working in what he calls the Veterans Rock Garden.

Many more stones will be painted with patriotic designs at future events. Dave hopes that the garden will one day contain thousands of colorful additions!

Yes, this is the same Dave responsible for Dave’s Rock Garden on B Street, a few blocks east of Moonlight Beach!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!