Last Sunday was a really pretty day so we took a walk along the waterfront. The sky was a perfect winter blue with big white fluffy clouds poking over the hills to the east and there was a nice wind blowing - but not enough to make you feel cold.

The Port of San Diego has installed some wonderful public art projects around San Diego and we viewed the Urban Tree Project as we walked along the Embarcadero taking a few photos. Here we have "Fire Blossom Tree" by Greg Eng, my favorite of them all, and "Dragon" by Kent Kraber.



There two are titled "Californiascape" by Harmon Nelson, Vicki Leon, and Steve Riggs, and "School of Blue Bottle Noses" by David Boyer. We enjoyed playing around with Californiascape while looking through the working kaleidoscope.



This is the 5th Urban Tree project and there are a total of 31 trees. Click here for more information on the Urban Tree Project.

The Embarcadero is undergoing huge changes to make it more user friendly in hopes that it will become a bigger attraction for both tourists and locals. I've been looking at the plans online and can't wait to see the finished landscape. If you want to view some of the plans click here and then click on the "schematic Design Illustrative Site Plan"

I'm not quite sure what to say about the next few photos - it seems that Alex has a bit of an obsession with seagulls. At least the last one includes a good picture of San Diego's fabulous skyline.





Anthony's Fishette used to be a favorite when Charlie was a little kid. We would take a walk along the Embarcadero or ride our bikes and then stop for lunch here. The fishette has only outside seating while Anthony's Grotto, right next door, is an indoor restaurant. The food is decent and most of it is fried but the fish is always really fresh. I think it's a great place to take your out-of-town visitors for a super casual lunch. Alex and I just had a snack of french fries which were fresh out of the fryer and really crisp - Mmmmm.



The Star of India is one of several ships that make up the San Diego Maritime Museum. Look at Alex standing by the ship being very daring with one leg over the protective barrier. A slight movement in the wrong direction and he could have been taking an afternoon swim.



I love the the San Diego County and City Administration Building which was built in the Spanish revival style in 1936 - 1938. We have so many beautiful buildings in San Diego - I'll have to post more pictures in the future.



What a fabulous couple of hours we had down at the waterfront.

Cabrillo National Park

There’s no better way to start showing a guest around San Diego than taking them to Cabrillo Point. With incredible views of San Diego, Mexico on a clear day, whale watching during certain months, as well as a lesson in the history of the area, it’s a great start to a vacation for anyone, no matter their age.

Why do I like Cabrillo Point so much? There is so much to do and see. The park highlights some of the early history of San Diego. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed close to the point and the park commemorates his landing.

Start off at the information center and walk around the museum. Enjoy the exhibits and learn about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. You can visit this page for further information

The Juan Rodrigues Cabrillo monument offers stunning views of San Diego and Coronado Island. On a clear day you can see for many miles into Mexico and all the way to the Cuyamaca Mountains which might be covered in snow during the winter months. With San Diego being home to a major navy base you might even see an aircraft carrier slowly passing by the point. And while taking in all the sights how many languages do you hear around you while you take in the views?

From the monument take a slow walk up to the old lighthouse. As you walk take note of all the plants, which are native to California. When you arrive at the lighthouse you can explore the main lighthouse that has been refurbished to show life in the 1800s, and the assistant keepers quarters with interactive features.

Further on past the lighthouse is the lookout point, where you can watch the ocean for water spouts (binoculars recommended). A waterspout is a clear indicator that there are whales in the area. It is possible to spot whales during the months November through March. The whales migrate south to the bays of Baja, Mexico, to give birth and nurse their young before heading back north up the coast for the rich feeding grounds of the arctic.

A great way to end your visit to Point Loma is to drive down to the tide pools on your way out. Just past the exit turn left to go down the hill where you’ll pass the new lighthouse on your way to the tide pools. On a warm day this is a great place to picnic and climb along the rocks.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that throughout this entry all the web pages I’ve cited belong to http://www.nps.gov. The National Park Service offers a wealth of information for all parks nation-wide. Remember to take care of our parks when you visit by taking out all the trash you carry in.

Torrey Pines north course is the easier course of Torrey Pines. The north and south courses are used in the annual PGA tournament The Buick Invitational. With both courses on the Pacific Ocean, no matter what course you play you will have spectacular views. The US open will be played on Torrey Pines south in 2008. Although Torrey Pines is owned by the city, for non-resident golfers the fees can be a little pricey.

The course starts out with a par 5 heading towards the ocean. The next few holes then go along the canyon until you get to the 6th, 7th, and 8th holes. The 6th hole is a par 4 that goes straight towards the ocean. The 7th hole, a par 3, is the signature hole for the course; downhill with the whole Pacific Ocean in the background. The 8th is a great hole that goes right along the ocean but is uphill and a good 420-yard par 4. After that the course goes around the canyons and cliffs and the views are still spectacular with the back nine running along the Torrey Pines State Park.



The Easiest hole on the course would have to be the second hole. It’s a 320-yard par 4 that will always play with the wind behind you. There’s one bunker on the right side of the fairway and one bunker on the right front part of the green. Also on the right side of the fairway is a big pine and if you get behind that you have just made the hole 10 times harder. Your next shot will have to be low but then high enough to get over the green side bunker (next to impossible). The green is nice and flat and will not break that much.

The hardest hole on the course would have to be the 13th. A par 4, 430-yard dogleg left. If you hit your tee shot to the right you will be ok but you will have at least 50 yards more then what you should have had. On the left you have a fairway bunker right where the hole begins to dogleg. You need to hit about 290 to be able to carry the bunker. Your second shot is where it gets tough. You have a huge bunker at the front and on the right of the green. Then you have a bunker along the whole left side of the green. On top of that you have a small green to hit at with tons of slope all over the green. A par is a great score for this hole.

Torrey Pines is a great course to play but very hard if you play the course a week after the Buick Invitational. They let the rough grow out for the tournament and will leave it like that for a good 2 weeks. If you play the course soon after the Invitational make sure you watch your ball if it is heading in the rough, because you will loose golf balls in the rough if you’re not paying attention. All greens slope towards the ocean, so no matter what it looks like make sure you play the ocean break. Enjoy it and remember that this course is not easy. If you don’t play well, don’t get upset - this is a course where the pros play.