California Dreaming ~ San Diego

My husband and I returned from California on Sunday evening, and, as sometimes happens after a vacation, a lot of loose ends had to be taken care of before life finally gets back to a normal routine.

I thank everyone for all the comments left on my pre scheduled 9/11 anniversary blog post. It was the first time I was away from NYC on that sad anniversary, and it was interesting to realize what being so far away from the happenings of that day must have felt like. I hope and pray that our nation never has to face such a tragedy anywhere on our shores ever again.

We had a wonderful time on our trip to San Diego, which was part business for my husband and all pleasure for me. This was only our second trip to California, as last year we visited San Francisco, and drove along the coast from Nappa Valley to Carmel.

California is such a wondrous state! Every section we've visited so far has its own distinct beauty and allure. All photos click on to enlarge

We stayed at The San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina. It was a fabulous location, near the Embarcadero which is a paved pedestrian path which winds around the coastline, through its various parks, the picturesque Seaport Village shops and restaurants, and along the harbor.

These are the views of the city and harbor we had from our hotel balcony!

After we arrived on Monday afternoon and checked into our hotel we strolled over to the Gaslamp District. The Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego is one of the largest and most architecturally significant historic districts in the country, encompassing 16 ½ city blocks with over 90 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. The ornate lamps that illuminate the streets of the historic district are replicas of the original gas lamps used in San Diego at the turn of the century.

Its main period of development began in 1867, when Alonzo Horton bought the land in hopes of creating a new city center closer to the bay, and chose 5th Avenue as its main street. After a period of urban decay, the neighborhood underwent urban renewal in the 1980s and 1990s, and is today an energetic business and entertainment district.

The historic buildings each have a marker, such as the one below, which describes its history.

Built in 1910 the US Grant Hotel below recently reopened after a $52 million dollar renovation to help restore the historic ambiance as a world-class luxury hotel. It was ranked as one of the Top 128 Hotels in the World by Conde Naste Traveler.

Across the street from the US Grant Hotel is The Horton Plaza Park which features the Irving Gill Fountain, the first water fountain in the United States to have electric lights.

The Gaslamp District has many examples of beautiful Victorian commercial buildings. Many of the buildings are well over 100 years old, and their eclectic architectural styles are an assortment of Classical Revival, Spanish Renaissance Revival, Modern, Oriental, Spanish, Baroque and Italian Baroque Revival.

The original visitors of the 1880's were gamblers and prostitutes, such as Wyatt Earp and Ida Bailey, who founded numerous gambling halls, saloons and brothels in the area, which was called "Stingaree" at the time, until 1912 when city officials cracked down on prostitution, effectively shutting down the lively Stingaree.

In the evening, as the sun sets, the streets come alive in the present day Gaslamp Quarter. The old-fashioned gas lamps begin to glow along the wide brick walkways illuminating many charming sidewalk cafes, and it becomes a lively and vivacious hub of San Diego nightlife.

We dined that evening at Croce's Restaurant, located at 802 5th Avenue in the district. In 1985, Chef/Owner Ingrid Croce opened Croce's Restaurant and Bar as a tribute to her late husband singer/songwriter Jim Croce, who unfortunately passed away in 1974 in a airplane accident. The American bistro was one of the first fine-dining restaurants in the area, and one that helped revolutionize the downtown dining scene.

I was excited to dine here, as I was a fan of Jim Croce and his 1973 hit single "Time In A Bottle" was my wedding song. I enjoyed seeing all his memorabilia in the window and the walls inside. The food and atmosphere was fantastic, and I recommend it as a place to try if you visit the area.

It was a lovely first day in San Diego, and my next blog post will show highlights of the world renown San Diego Zoo and the breathtakingly beautiful Balboa Park, followed by one of the best parts of my trip which was meeting two wonderful bloggers, and sharing a sightseeing day with them!