Balboa Park and the Gaslamp District

We went to explore Balboa Park today. They call it a landscape of Art and Culture and it is, home to 15 museums, 1200 acres of incredible gardens and the San Diego Zoo. The ornate Spanish-Baroque Style buildings were constructed for the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition, commemorating the opening of the Panama Canal, along El Prado (The Promenade). These beautiful structures consciously reflected the Hispanic origins of San Diego and helped established the popularity of Mediterranean architecture that characterizes California to this day. I loved the International Museum with its modern serpent climbing structure outside and great exhibits inside.













The Botanical Building, an open-lathe structure was build in 1915 to resemble a Victorian-era railroad station. This bentwood structure holds more than 350 tropical plants. You enter and just breath deeply and a smile comes over your face. A 193' long lily pond fronts the building.

I walked around the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, a huge semi circle area, seating 2400 people. It is the home of one of the worlds largest such instruments, containing more than 4,500 pipes. There are concerts every Sunday and I would have loved to have been here for that.



We went down to the Gaslamp Quarter, one of the early areas in this city, to have lunch. We went to the House of Blues, said to have trademark Southern juke-joint decor. The walls are covered with the beads that are thrown to people at Mardi Gras in New Orleans. They are actually dice and the numbers 1 and 6
have been carefully removed as they
are bad luck. The artwork was outrageous and fun.

San Diego

We drove down I 215 going through a part called the Avocado Highway, full of huge boulders with that pretty blue California lilac and yellow poppies on the hillside.

We went sightseeing and drove through Presidio Park, where this Mexican areas (not yet California) first missions and presidio (military fort) were founded here in 1769, overlooking the current city. A local philanthropist built this beautiful Mission style building and landscaped the grounds in 1929 and deeded it to the city to honor the heritage of San Diego.


Next was Old Town, the location of the first European settlement in what in now California. This Historic Park preserves aspects of the American and Mexican heritage from 1821 -1872. There is the original town plaza, old buildings and homes including this La Casa De Estudillo. The adobe structure is completely restored with period furnishings. The bee shaped horno (oven) is in the back yard of the L shaped buildings with the fountain and gardens in the middle. The clay tiles on top of the perimeter fence are green with moss.

We drove through Heritage Park, where the city has restored 6 Victorian houses. The huge tree at the top has amazing red flowers. We also saw the Mormon Battalion Memorial. Apparently Brigham Young enlisted 500 men in the U.S. Army during the war with Mexico in 1846, in order to finance the Church's exodus west. Many of them settled in San Diego and built the first brick kiln west of the Mississippi River. They built the first fired brick building, the Old Courthouse and many brick lined wells in the early settlement.


We finished our drive by going down to Point Loma. Much of the area is a Naval Base, and goofy Gabby, our Garmin, had us turn left into the secured area, where we had to give them photo ID, which they kept until we got back out. The road goes right through the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, where rows upon rows of white crosses overlook the Airport and beaches. That was very profound and sad.

Over to Colton

where we stayed at our favorite overnight spot. This WalMart has numerous signs saying - no parking- but Jose is patrolling in the 24 hour Security car and said we were welcome. Lovely sunset.

That time again

It's getting to be the end of the season. Joy and Roman ( or Ramon, as in the road, as Julius calls him in pool) leave tomorrow, we're off Sunday, then Sharon and Andy head for home Monday. We started our appy happy hour in 2 vacant spots in the sun, but 2 rigs pulled up so we had to move everything across the road to continue for dinner - the leftover spaghetti and cake from Linda's birthday. A neighbor brought his guitar over and played some great songs.

Spring Fashion Show

We had our Bathing Suit Fashion Show today. Seven of us modeled the suits for Delinda of Glossy, a local shop which offers all the suits for $29.99, a bargain as the price tags are $68 - $88. We always have fun in the back with our quick changes and stuffing the sale tags inside the suits and our 'dressers' making sure we're tucked in and presentable. There were lots of door prizes, many of them hats and someone stuck one on Mel, who always takes pictures for the next posters of the show.

Where's Lexi?

when I need her??? When I sew with the girls, Lexi is always beside me and organizes the pins and places them in the blue pin cushion on my finger, which I find the handiest thing. I woke at 6 this morning and finished the fish wall hanging I've been working on. I experimented with variegated thread, stuffed the fish and seahorse to be puffy fat and embellished with white beads and crystals for the bubbles coming out of their mouths. It's been fun and I've enjoyed this project.

A Happy Birthday

We enjoyed a great happy hour over at Desert Pools with Joan and Ken and Elaine and Ted and 20 of their friends. It was fun to meet the people that they do so much with.
Next it was back to our place where we celebrated Linda's birthday with a spaghetti feast.