Pomas

Can anyone guess what is under all that cheese? I won't keep you in suspense too long while your mouth is watering. Pomas Italian Deli in Ocean Beach makes salads, pizzas, pasta dishes, and sandwiches. This is their famous roast beef with provolone cheese, dipped in au jus then oven toasted. *Drool*. I ate the whole thing.

Downtown Hostel

The Hostel located downtown on 5th (in the gaslamp district) has a fabulous paint job. Check it out!

One legged baton twirling

She's about 60 years old, four stories tall, weighs about 3,500 pounds, and from the looks of her now, she could use some attention to her leg. She is the Neon Majorette, modeled after a San Diego State University drum majorette, and once the icon of the Campus Drive-In Theater. After the drive-in closed she moved around a bit then ended up at the College Grove Center shopping mall where she actively twirls her baton. Click here for a detailed history and here for a story and photos of the old drive-in by someone that worked there.

Transfer Station

When I've been summoned to jury duty I take the trolley downtown because it drops off right around the corner from the court house. I take the Orange Line which travels from the East County through some of San Diego's less affluent communities and goes right into our sparkly shiny new downtown of fresh high rise condos and our million dollar ballpark. This is the view looking down Park Blvd toward the 12th & Imperial MTS Trolley Transfer Station. I haven't shown photos of the less fortunate, mundane, or not so beautiful sides of San Diego, but it does exist and is a part of our city and many other cities as well. Here is a great article about the many different walks of life that pass through the Transfer Station hub at 12th & Imperial.

Puppets

Over the weekend, we saw a very fun performance at The Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater in Balboa Park. The Puppet Theater has been entertaining young and old for about 60 years using a variety of puppets - marionettes, hand puppets, rod puppets, shadow puppets, and ventriloquism. The above photo is of the puppeteer Big Joe with one of the characters from the show. Big Joe did a great job running the show - he was the voice of all the characters, animated the puppets, made several costume changes, and ran around the theater to our delight.

Can do

I've found several interesting things to photograph in our family friends' backyard - a hummingbird, a beautiful cactus flower, an old sign, and this plane made out of aluminum cans. If you empty a six pack and have some time on your hands you might try this project.

Docking station

Cormorants, egrets, and other feathered friends preen and relax in the sun at Santee Lakes. They are probably thinking they are glad that they are not turkeys.

A leftover sundae

We're still eating Thanksgiving food from yesterday. This is kind of a strange combination but it sure tastes good - a roll, turkey (white and dark meat), a small slab of cranberry sauce, and stuffing. Is there any room left in your stomach today?!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is Thanksgiving here in the US. A day we march around and say silly things about how we're thankful for what we have...that's all bullocks. It's about the food, it's all about the food, it's everything about the food. We stand about in the kitchen all day, cooking up a storm and fretting about how we're going to time is right to get 15 dishes on the dinner table at the same time. And then we gorge Roman-style, and after sit around for a while enjoying each other before the food has settled enough for us to start in on dessert. Then we eat some more.

This is our turkey, which this year, is being smoked. Just before it was put in the smoker, this image was snapped.

Go eat, folks. Eat lots. And if you don't happen to celebrate Thanksgiving where ever you are, it's high time you started to. ;-)

Color convergence

While many others Daily Photos are showing how the leaves on the trees match the reds and yellows of the world around us, I felt lucky to catch this bus and AMC Pacer car on University Avenue in a color collision. Some people think that the AMC Pacer or AMC Gremlin are the ugliest cars in the world. When I was in high school I thought my first car, a puke yellow 1978 Toyota Corolla, was the ugliest car ever. What was your first car?

Tourists

I took a walk out on the Ocean Beach Pier this weekend and it was cold and overcast. These two dogs, Destiny (in the pink) and Cosmo, were visiting from Florida and were freezing their butts off while their parents were fishing.

Overhead wire art installations, #2

Another strange sighting from Expat:
After I found the frying pan at Hotel Circle, I kept my eyes open for more "overhead sneaker art". Behold the latest -- discovered at the North end of India Street, almost opposite my favorite pub the Shakespoo (as it's irreverently known). Like the frying pan, I surmise that the bellows was a prop in some promotional display, and once the show was over the prop-master wanted to put his work on semi-permanent display. Felicia and I wonder if this is a purely American (maybe even purely Californian) art-form, or do people sling sneakers over phone wires in, say, Helsinki?

Jazzin' it up

I love color and this is probably one of the most colorful "trees" from the Urban Trees Program along Harbor Drive. The "trees" are exhibited for one year and then another group of 30 "trees" are planted. This one is called "The Melotree" by Jean Cornwell. Click here to see one of my favorites from last year.

Horton Plaza fountain

The looks of this fountain and plaza haven't changed much in almost 100 years. The fountain was designed by Irving J. Gill, a famous San Diego architect, and it was one of the first in the US to use electrical color light effects. Click here to see a photo from 1910 when the US Grant Hotel (across the street) and the fountain opened.

Grill your own meat

The Turf Supper Club is a small, dark, loungy, hipster, retro decorated, divey bar and supper club. They serve strong cheap cocktails and cheap steaks that you grill yourself. A jukebox and piano music (on Sundays) provide musical entertainment. How do you like your steak cooked?

The mouse looks on

This mouse, located at the Mission Trails park, overlooks a little bowl where presentations are made. To the right, off frame, there is a wonderful vista of park terrain.

Garage band

These are not my neighbors, but there is a house a few doors down from me that I hear having jam sessions once in a while. Do you have any musical talents?

Pot for sale (No, not THAT kind of pot)

In support of local artists...photos and information from Expat.
You can wander around the studios of Spanish Village any day of the year, and window-shop ceramics, glassware and other art pieces. But twice a year, the Potter's Guild of San Diego holds big, big all-day sale weekends, putting every member's work on display. Last weekend was the pre-Christmas sale, and we stopped by to see two very good friends, Roberta Klein (above) and Elizabeth Woolrych (below). They're both very experienced ceramic artists who've been working in San Diego a long time. Roberta has a private studio in Mission Hills, and Elizabeth works in Studio 6 at the Village. She delights in giving pottery classes to kids.

(Under) the boardwalk

These hanging copper wind spinners seem to be popular these days. I took this photo inside a little shop on the Pacific Beach boardwalk that sells decorative hanging wind chimes, hammocks, kites, shells, shovels and buckets for playing in the sand, and other beachy stuff.

...Oh when the sun beats down and burns the tar up on the roof
And your shoes get so hot you wish your tired feet were fire-proof
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah
On a blanket with my baby is where I'll be...

Where the boardwalk ends

Law Street is a popular surf spot with beach access and a grassy area that drops right down on the Pacific Beach ocean. Happy Veterans Day - Thanks to all the veterans for their contributions and service!

60 miles in 3 days

I love this pink display I saw at Cohabitat (a home decor shop) in support of the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk that is going on this weekend in San Diego. The walk is approximately 20 miles per day and goes from the Del Mar Fairgrounds, down the coast, and ends at Petco Park. A few of my cousins have participated in this walk and it is grueling. Bravo to all the participants that are walking to raise awareness and money for breast cancer!

Only tacos

Tacos are the real deal, unlike burritos which were created in the US. And Mamá Testa's only serves tacos - old fashioned home cookin style tacos from the different regions of Mexico. And they don't use flour tortillas.
About $8 for 3 tacos and chips. I wasn't feeling adventurous so I got regular ol' carnitas tacos. At first they reminded me of Rubio's street tacos, but they tasted much better and there was a lot more meat than Rubio's and with homemade tasting tortillas. I also had a very interesting tasty medium spicy sesame salsa. When I get out of my food rut, I'll probably go back to try the tacos guisados (stewed meat or veggie filling).

Fall Hike

Hiking in the fall is really nice. It's cooled off some, but is still warm enough to not have to bundle up too much. We don't get the fall colors that those that live in colder climates do, but it's still nice to walk amongst the shade of oak trees.

This path is located near the visitor's center in Mission Trails, which was once the home of the Kumeyaay people.

Can I get some privacy around here?!

Can you imagine hundreds of people shuffling by your home everyday watching your every move? The exhibit Absolutely Apes at the Zoo has floor to ceiling glass walls where you can see arboreal orangutans and siamangs doing their thang. I guess they are familiar with the celebrity life because one of the orangutans has her own page on myspace! Visit Janey at www.myspace.com/janeyape to see her artwork, her favorite books, movies, and music.

Look out below!

There is a sign at the entrance of the Skyfari ride at the San Diego Zoo that warns of a fine (maybe something like $250) for spitting or throwing objects out of this aerial tram ride. Who would have thought to do that in the first place? Just think of the poor gorilla with gum stuck in its hair!

PS: I went to the Zoo again and the fine is actually $500!

Skyfari view

I went to the San Diego Zoo a few weeks ago and I took the Skyfari ride for the first time in a long time. This is the view looking south toward downtown and Balboa Park. If you are afraid of heights and visit the zoo - take the bus tour instead because this is really high up there!

State of change

I read somewhere that gardens are always in a state of change, and so are we here in San Diego after the wildfires. I find all types of gardens to be meditative whether it is from the physical work and care in tending a garden or just from sitting and appreciating its beauty. This garden is in the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park and is named San-Kei-En which means three types of scenery - pastoral, mountain, and lake.

Beach volleyball

We are in for another bout of Santa Ana winds this weekend and the temperature should get into the 70s. Although all the fires within the city have been extinguished, we'll be watching closely and hoping that the winds won't spread the fires that are still active in the county. Maybe we can ease some of our worries on this November day by enjoying some beach volleyball?!

JRDN

For swanky, hip, trendy, kinda pricey patio dining in Pacific Beach right on the water, this restaurant JRDN (pronounced "Jordan") is the place to be. They serve up the surf and turf right with a view of the surf and the lively boardwalk.

Theme Day - The Color Blue

Keep it clean, please! The trash cans out on Coronado beach are a cheery blue to match the ocean. Aren't they lovely?

There are plenty of other people playing blue out there. Go check 'em out!:

Boston (MA), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Arlington (VA), USA - Cape Town, South Africa - Portland (OR), USA - Sequim (WA), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Arradon, France - Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Stockholm, Sweden - Singapore, Singapore - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Toulouse, France - The Hague, Netherlands - Moscow, Russia - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Stayton (OR), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Detroit (MI), USA - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Nelson, New Zealand - Bandung (West Java), Indonesia - Greenville (SC), USA - Hyde, UK - Radonvilliers, France - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Manila, Philippines - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Saarbrücken, Germany - New Orleans (LA), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Forks (WA), USA - Wichita (Ks), USA - Barton (VT), USA - St. Louis (MO), USA - Joplin (MO), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Quincy (MA), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Inverness (IL), USA - Christchurch, New Zealand - Toruń, Poland - North Bay (ON), Canada - Le Guilvinec, France - Chateaubriant, France - London, England - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Sydney, Australia - Austin (TX), USA - Mumbai, India - Boston (MA), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Paderborn, Germany - Montréal (QC), Canada - Jackson (MS), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Orlando (FL), USA - Grenoble, France - Cheltenham, UK - Forks (WA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Weston (FL), USA - London, UK - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Belgrade, Serbia - Paris, France - Shanghai, China - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Montpellier, France - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Auckland, New Zealand - Evry, France - New York City (NY), USA - Nottingham, UK - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Oslo, Norway - Minneapolis (MN), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Trujillo, Peru - Trujillo, Peru - Melbourne (VIC), Australia - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Durban, South Africa - Brussels, Belgium - Anderson (SC), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Wellington, New Zealand - Prague, Czech Republic - Saigon, Vietnam - Ystad, Sweden - Miami (FL), USA - Seoul, South Korea - Hong Kong, China - Melbourne, Australia - Baziège, France - Greensboro (NC), USA