Plumeria

From a neighbor's yard. Funny, I didn't know the name of this flower until I saw it on Honolulu Daily Photo. Have a great weekend everyone!

Chipotle Shrimp Salad

Grilled marinated shrimp, Romaine lettuce, Jack and cheddar cheese, black beans, corn, salsa, half of a fresh avocado, topped with chipotle vinaigrette dressing and corn tortilla strips - from La Salsa. How's that sound for a mouth-watering salad? I'm really happy that some Mexican food places are not just all lard and cheese.

Cabrillo Monument

This monument commemorates Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo the first Spanish settler in San Diego. He first sailed into San Diego Bay on this day 464 years ago. Learn more about Cabrillo here. Cabrillo Monument is the 2nd most visited monument in the US. Can you guess which is the most visited? (Hint). Hey, if you are in San Diego this Saturday, September 30 you can get into the park for free!

View from Cabrillo Monument

This is part of Cabrillo National Monument National Park. This monument is right down the hill from the Old Point Loma Lighthouse. Usually there are spectacular views of both downtown San Diego and the Pacific Ocean, but unfortunately it was not a very clear day. If you enlarge the photo you can see the Coronado Bridge and the Hotel Del Coronado (far right). I'll show you a close-up of the monument tomorrow.

Surprise at sunset

The name of this ship is the HMS Surprise and is one of six ships that are part of the Maritime Museum. It is a replica of an 18th century Royal Navy frigate and I was surprised to learn that it was used in the movie Master and Commander. Click here for a full photo of the ship with its sails up and information about the museum.

The British are coming!

This is one of the doorways that I thought of posting for the Daily Photo group's theme day on September 1st, instead of this one. Every time I've driven by this location in the downtown area on 16th Street, I wonder what the Queen's Guard is doing there and the meaning behind this eye catching assortment of art pieces. I don't know who the guy to the right is, anyone recognize him?

Horton Plaza shopping mall

This mall was an urban renewal project that was designed in 1975 and opened in 1985. It has five levels of shopping - more than 6 city blocks - that includes 190 stores (the big ones are Nordstrom and Macy's), a movie theatre, a grocery store, a reperatory theatre and a hotel is attached to the property. So if you visit, you may not have to even leave these 6 blocks except to and from the airport! Since its opening, Horton Plaza has been a booming business and the surrounding downtown area is now the most happening spot to go for nightlife in San Diego.

Sunshine

Here's another one of the painted electrical boxes around the city. This one is in North Park. Click here to see the others I've shown: 1, 2, 3, 4. Hope you have sunshine in your weekend!

Salsa bar

La Salsa is another chain restaurant. Their motto is "keep life fresh, keep it exciting"! A couple of interesting features that makes this chain special is that they have a "display" kitchen where you can watch the employees cook and prepare your meal. The other is the salsa bar. Lots of places have salsa bars usually with mild, medium, and hot salsa and maybe some peppers and hot carrots. Two of my favorites that are somewhat unique to La Salsa are the avocado salsa and mango salsa.

Seals - where are they?

Although it is like crossing the picket line to go swimming at the Children's Pool/Casa Beach, I did see a few people in the water snorkeling. I also saw a few seals swimming and sunbathing on a nearby rock, but none on the beach.

Casa Beach/Children's Pool

This beach was originally intended as a protected swimming area for kids, but in the last 10 years or so seals have been coming here to swim and sunbathe and they have become a tourist attraction. In 1997, the beach was closed to swimmers because of high levels of animal waste (seal poop). The beach was reopened to swimmers in 2004 because people complained of not having access to the beach, and still today swimming is not advised because of the high levels of bacteria. There is a wonderful seawall (on the right of the photo) that was built to shelter the beach and also for people to walk out on to enjoy the view.

Making hay while the sun shines

This grassy picnic area is called Ellen Browning Scripps Park and overlooks the beach that I showed yesterday. There is a walkway next to the park that looks out onto the ocean. I was going to crop the people on the right out of the photo but decided to let them stay. That's what a couple of beers and some sunshine can do to some people. Just kidding, alcoholic beverages are not allowed in this park.

La Jolla Cove

Only steps from the street and a nice grassy picnic area, this little beach is popular for swimming, kayaking, diving, and snorkeling. The area is part of an ecological reserve which means that the marine life is protected from people touching it and from removing anything from the water.

Laundry day

When I didn't have a washer and dryer in my home, I did my laundry at the laundry mat. I remember the frustrations over no carts being available or even worse, someone you don't know taking your laundry from your washer or dryer. Anyone have pink socks from a laundry mishap?

Cliffs

Although this photo was taken in La Jolla, there are several spots in San Diego where you can walk on cliffs next to the ocean and see a similar view.

Fish taco

Rubio's is a chain restaurant that was founded in San Diego and specializes in fish tacos. The founder of Rubio's got the idea to sell fish tacos after first tasting them in Baja California, Mexico (just south of San Diego). Above is their World Famous Baja Fish Taco, a bargin lunch at $1.69. By the way, that is cabbage not lettuce on the taco.

Elders

Taking a break from dancing at the Sycuan Annual Traditional Gathering and Pow-Wow.

Braids

A spectator's view from the Sycuan Annual Traditional Gathering and Pow-Wow.

Men's dance

Here's another photo from one of the men's intertribal dances at the Sycuan Annual Traditional Gathering and Pow-Wow.

Women's dance

This photo is from one of the intertribal dances for women at the Sycuan Annual Traditional Gathering and Pow-Wow. The intertribal dances are open to dancers of any style and participants are from the Kumeyaay Nation as well as from other Native American tribes of Canada, the US, and Mexico. There is also competitive dancing in various categories (which is what the numbers are for) that are based on the style of dance and the outfit. One dance category for women is called the Jingle Dress, shown in the above photo on the women to the left, and another dance category is the Fancy Shawl, which you can see on the woman on the right.

The first San Diegans

The cross that I showed yesterday is near the top of Presidio Hill. But long before the Spanish missionaires established themselves in the area, the Kumeyaay Indians lived in small groups at the base of Presidio Hill. Click here to see a timeline of the history of the Kumeyaay people in San Diego. This weekend the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation had their 17th Annual Traditional Gathering and Pow-Wow. The above photo shows one of the women's dances. Over the next few days I'll show you more photos from the Pow-Wow.

Cross at the Presidio

Anne's recent photo series of the church Calaruega (Manila Daily Photo) reminded me of this cross that was put up in 1913 on Presidio Hill by Spanish missionaries. The hill was the site of the first church of 21 churches in California that were established by the missionaires. The first church is called Mission San Diego de Alcalá and was established in 1769.

Marieta's

For Mario's de La Mesa fans that like to drink margaritas, this is the place for you. It is a short distance down the street on La Mesa Boulevard. Mario's serves wine margaritas and I feel that margaritas require tequila (okay, not this much tequila). Other nice things about Marieta's: good food, fast service, live Mariachi music, and the champagne brunch. Anyone know where Marieta's West is?

Poet and Muse

Another shot from Balboa Park! :-) 'Poet and Muse' stands outside the Mingei Museum and is one among many sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle in San Diego. Here are more places to see her work in the area: At UCSD, the Sun God was the first piece commissed by the Stuart Collection; at Kit Carson Park in Escondido - Queen Califia's Magic Circle, a sculpture garden; near the Convention Center, 8th Ave & Harbor Drive - a sculpture called Coming Together; and more!

Trolley - late night service

For students without cars that want to get out of the College area in the evenings but not turn into a pumpkin, the Trolley's Green Line has recently expaned their service. The last eastbound train to San Diego State University from Old Town departs at 1 a.m. and the last westbound train from SDSU departs at 1:32 a.m. I took this photo driving on the freeway near SDSU.

Let's dance

I've never been inside this building that is off of the Interstate 5 South freeway near Mission Bay. It is currently up for lease and uninhabited, but I think that at one time it was a restaurant featuring flamenco music and dancing. As I whiz by I always imagine the atmosphere this beautiful building once held: Spanish tapas, skirts flaring, hands clapping, and rapidly plucked guitar strings. Anyone know more about this building? Anyone been there in the good old days?

Shoes

Today is a holiday and to shoppers in the US, a holiday means big SALES! I wasn't shopping today, but when I am my first stop is a shoe store. I decided to make this into a contest. Can you guess how many pairs of shoes I have? The first correct answer will win a pair of shoes from San Diego, I mean a postcard from San Diego. The contest will be open until a correct answer is given. Hint: I'm going to go count them now!

Dog days of summer

Because my son is particularly interested in Pugs after having watched the movie 'Milo and Otis' several times this week, my friend who has a Pug said we could tag along to a "Pug party" she was going to at Nate's Point in Balboa Park. People with Pugs meet up, bring their dogs, and talk about how cute they are. I thought I would get the perfect photo of 50 cute little dogs looking directly into the camera. Wrong. It ended up being a lot of sniffing, chasing, and tongue wagging, and a little bit of barking and jumping up on people, and not much looking into the camera.

House of Hospitality & The Prado

As some of you may know, I've been spending a lot of time in Balboa Park. Here is another view of the Park showing the House of Hospitality from the Casa del Rey Moro Garden. If you are interested in getting married in San Diego, this is a picturesque and popular wedding site and reception location. I took this photo from where the ceremony would be held, then your wedding guests would walk to the courtyard of this building (where the beautiful La Tehuana fountain is located), and then to the entrance of the banquet hall (which is the doorway I showed yesterday). Doesn't that sound lovely? Or if you are not interested in getting married, consider having lunch, dinner, or cocktails at The Prado Restaurant on their outdoor patio under the red and purple umbrellas shown above.

Doorways - Daily Photo theme day

I'm taking a break from my Friday Mexican food posts for today because on the first of every month the Daily Photo group has a theme day. Here is a photo of a doorway at Balboa Park depicting the Spanish missionaries that came to the area. Go door-to-door to see all of the fabulous doorways of the world by clicking on a number below.
1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 -9 -10 -11 -12 -13 -14 -15 -16 -17 -18 -19 -20 -21 -22 -23 -24 -25 -26 -27 -28 -29 -30-31 -32 -33 -34 -35 -36 -37 -38 -39 -40 -41 -42-43-44