Great Blue Herons

At first glance I thought these Great Blue Herons were some kind of a roof decoration, because they were so regal and still.  After watching them for a few minutes, I saw they did move, but very slowly and smoothly.

They must have been perched up there looking for their breakfast.

Paddle Power

I've been too busy to blog the past couple days, so this morning I hit the roads on bike to look for a typical Coronado scene to share with you.

There were a lot of people on the water today, but I thought this kayaker and paddleboarder made nice pictures.  The weather has become a bit chilly (low 60's), but it's fairly sunny, making it a good Sunday to spend outdoors.

Hope you had a great weekend! 

Magic Bus

Doesn't this old VW bus evoke memories?  I had to take a photo when I saw it at the golf course parking lot the other day.

It may be a bit "grey around the temples," but imagine if this bus could talk... the stories it could tell!

It reminds me of the smile-worthy quote:

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of  arriving safely in an attractive, well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, champagne in the other, body thoroughly used up, and screaming "Woo Hoo!  What a ride!"

~ Hunter S. Thompson

Hmmm, a VW bus and Hunter Thompson quote - it must be 60's day here at Coronado Daily Photo!

San Diego Bay Paddle Boarder

This paddle boarder caught my eye this morning as I peddled along the bike path in Coronado.

To give you an idea of how fast he was going; I had a hard time keeping up with him on my bicycle!

Now that is an upper body workout!

Have you tried paddle boarding?

Bino's Bistro

Bino's Bistro is one of those marvelous little restaurants that you want to keep to yourself, because it's just that good.  The secret's out of the bag now, because I'm sharing it with you today.

I met friends there for breakfast this morning, starting with the best creamy Chai Latte I know of, followed by one of their egg, vegetable and cheese scrambles.  The bistro environment is un-fussy and accommodating, and the food is consistently delicious.  Don't even get me started on their crepes...

Bino's Bistro is located on 1120 Adella Avenue in Coronado, so drop in when you're in the neighborhood!

Bay View Park At Sunset

This was the scene at Bay View Park at around 5:30 tonight.  I thought I'd soak up the ambiance by myself, but others had the same idea.

A woman ate an ice cream bar (chocolate I think) while watching the light fade to dusk, and a Snowy Egret shuffled along the edge of the bay in search of dinner.

It's hard to tell a Snowy Egret from a Great Heron, but a quick internet search taught me the Snowy Egret is smaller, has golden feet, and shuffles on the edge of the water to churn up his food.  The Great Heron is larger with black feet, stands perfectly still, then strikes quickly when a fish comes along.

Good to know.

The Coronado Museum and Tent City

The Coronado Museum of History and Art shares a lovely old triangular building with Tent City Restaurant, on the corner of Orange Avenue and Park Place. 

This is a convenient pairing since you can tour the Museum, shop at their adorable store, then stroll a few feet into the restaurant, which is where my family and I had lunch today.

Bliss.

Coronado Golf Course

The Coronado Municipal Golf Course has an impressive view of the San Diego Bay as well as the Coronado Bridge.  These golfers are honing their skills on the putting green.

I shot this Sunday morning after breakfast in the Club House.

The best part of this Golf Course?  It's open to the public!

Mist Over Tidelands Park

The morning mist hung low over Tidelands Park when I shot this photo about 8:00.

I like the way it makes this old tree look bleak and mysterious - something you don't often see on sunny Coronado!

Playing on Coronado Beach

Here's another picture of our fabulous day on the beach yesterday.

There is something soothing and joyful about spending the day by the oceanside.  Even though we live by the water, we don't find time to just hang out there often enough.

I'm not a new years resolution kind of person, but if I were, I'd resolve to spend many more playful days on this beach!

The Sand Creature

The weather was beautiful today in Coronado, so we headed out to the beach with friends to enjoy the sun and surf.

Just before we left (five hours later) I discovered this sand monster creature left by children.  Isn't he (or she) magnificent?!

Sunny Sunday

The warm weather has brought everyone outside, residents and tourists alike.

Today I photographed the ferry Cabrillo as it arrived full of passengers ready to explore our island.

I hope we all take time this holiday weekend to explore and discover!

Wine A Bit

The flag hanging in front of WineStyles says it all.

The weather on Coronado this weekend is warm, spring-like and fabulous.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Lawn Bowling In Coronado

Lawn bowlers in Coronado are keeping the tradition alive.

In 1935 the Coronado Lawn Bowling Club was founded at 7th and D Avenue next to the library, and in 2010 the city constructed a world class artificial tournament quality green in the same location.

What a relaxing way to spend an afternoon!

Coronado Lifeguard Subaru

I'm always impressed with the lifeguard Subarus that easily cruise up and down this long strip of Coronado beach.  Plus they look pretty cool with their surf board on top!

I thought this was a nice photo of a typical morning on the beach in Coronado, with lifeguard and surfers doing their thing, until I noticed the man stretching on the right appears to be headless... upon closer inspection, he was just doing a very deep neck stretch.

Coronado From The Air

We have a guest photographer today, my son Josh.

This was his view last month as the airplane he was flying on came in to land in San Diego at sunset.  You can see San Diego under the plane, then the San Diego Bay, the long silhouette of Coronado, and the Pacific Ocean stretching into the distance.

He took the picture with his iPod.

The Best Place To Be

You might remember the Sandman from a previous post... he's a talented but illusive artist who creates his fleeting masterpieces out of sand on Coronado streets, sidewalks and jogging trails.

I found this message on the path near the Hotel Del Coronado, and thought it was the perfect message for visitors to Coronado.  Since there is no artwork involved, I can't be sure it's the Sandman's, but I have a hunch it is.

Photographing The Photographers

My husband and I had a rare afternoon to ourselves, so we ate a delicious lunch at Sapori, then took a stroll hand-in-hand around Centennial Park.

There were photography sessions in the works all over the park, and I knew I had to share them with you!

The first photo is a Quinceanera, a latin celebration of a girl's fifteenth birthday, marking her transition from girlhood to young womanhood.

The second shot is a very handsome bride and groom trying to include family and friends in their wedding photos, with San Diego and the bay as their backdrop. 

Coronado Surfers

Nothing says California like surfers.  Especially surfers in January!

I saw these two yesterday morning on the beach between the Hotel Del Coronado and The Shores Condominiums.

I've never surfed, which is a pity given all the opportunity here.  Maybe it's my Northern upbringing, or maybe it's just my terror of going out in public wearing a skintight wetsuit.

Yep, it's the wetsuit.

Surf's Up!

The surf must have been good this morning, because there were lots of surfers on the beach.

I'll post more surfer photos tomorrow.

Have a great day and make the most of your New Year!

Ocean Avenue in Coronado

This shot is looking South on Ocean Avenue at sunset, toward the Hotel Del Coronado, with Mexico on the distant right side.

Carnival Splendor Still Docked

The cruise ship Carnival Splendor remains in San Diego, receiving necessary repairs before it can head North under its own power later this month.

I took this photo driving home over the Coronado Bay Bridge from San Diego on January 1st.  You can see Coronado on the other side of the bridge, with Point Loma and the sunset fading into the background.

The Carnival Splendor is surprisingly large, dwarfing  large ships that sail past it into the San Diego Bay.

Click HERE for more information on the Carnival Splendor.

The Last Breakfast

Today is the Beach-n-Diner's last day of business, and my family and I are already feeling the loss.  It is the perfect family restaurant, with something for everyone and a fun, kid-friendly atmosphere.  

Beach-n-Diner has been our Sunday morning ritual for many years now - Go to church, then stroll over to the diner for omelets, pancakes; anything you please.  The service was always cheerful, relaxed and welcomed children, which was good, because lots of them like to eat there!

Goodbye Beach-n-Diner, we will miss you!

Happy New Year!

Let's bring in the New Year with a view from the top!

This is the fabulous view from the Coronado Bay Bridge... it's really better to be a passenger than the driver when coming over to Coronado, because there's so much to see from up there.

I shot these on Thursday afternoon with my husband Mike at the wheel, so I could snap a few quick photos for you.

The first photo shows the San Diego Bay with Coronado on the left, and San Diego on the right.  The second shot pans over to include the village of Coronado, with the Pacific Ocean and Point Loma in the distance.

Thanks to everyone who visited my blog in its first year!  I wish you the very best for 2011.