Morning at Spreckels Park

I shot this at 8:00 this morning to show that Spreckels Park is not always alive with visitors.

I've photographed this gazebo in the summer at Concert in the Park, on Sunday nights.  It's a great spot to relax with a book and keep an eye on your kids without hovering.

Do you see that orange plastic fencing on the far right edge?  The Parks department recently removed a ton of lovely but dense vegetation that used to encircle that palm tree.  I have a story about that spot.

When my son was in preschool, I took my eyes off him here for a second, then couldn't find him.  If you're a parent, you know know the shot of terror that ran through me.

Fortunately another mom's pointed out the 'hideout' inside the bushes around the palm tree.  Sure enough, not only was my son in there, but a couple more kids to boot.  They were giggling and having such a good time, I let him play in there a while.

We were both a little sad when we saw that the old bushes had been pulled out recently, but it brought back memories that had improved with age.

Oh, I later found out some of the little boys were peeing in there instead of walking over to the nearby restrooms, so maybe it's for the best they're re-landscaping...

The World of Dolores Forsythe

Dolores

Mabel

A child's Turkish ceremonial gown is draped above

Walking into Dolores Forsythe's jewelry boutique is like jumping into a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get, but it's all so fabulous you just don't care!

Dolores has made a career many of us dream of... she travels the world in search of jewelry, textiles, stones and curiosities, then brings it all back to her second floor shop in Coronado's historic Winchester building.  With every trip her boutique is transformed with new exotic treasures.

Dolores was inspired to start her business ten years ago while traveling through Asia with her husband.  During her stay in Vietnam, she got to know some of the local women who sold pearls to support their families, but they had very limited sales opportunities.  Dolores saw a chance to make a difference, and a new business was born.

Moved by the difficult circumstances she witnessed, Dolores contributes a portion of her sales to Grameen Bank's micro loan program, which enables women in third world countries to start businesses and improve the lives of their families.

  What began as a small pearl business quickly grew into a popular Coronado boutique as word spread about the one-of-a-kind jewelry, and the charismatic woman who sold them.  I met Dolores five years ago at a jewelry sale in her garage (those were the early days remember) on my way home from school drop-off, and have been a fan of this remarkable lady ever since!  

The Winchester Building

In tomorrow's post we're going upstairs in the historic Winchester building to take a look in an alluring Coronado shop guaranteed to please.

Meet Maggie

Meet Maggie, a pretty little female Bichon Frise I met yesterday morning at Centennial Park. 

Maggie was being walked by a well groomed man with a lovely accent (French maybe?), and when I asked to take her photograph, this sweet dog hopped up to look lovingly into the man's eyes, leaving two muddy paw prints on his slacks...  lucky for her she's way too cute to get mad at!

You may remember I did a post on Cotton, a male Bichon Frise a few weeks ago.  It's not that I have a thing for Bichons, it's just that they are so darn photogenic, and their owners are usually so nice, it's hard to pass them up!

Maybe we should introduce Maggie to Cotton - wouldn't they make a nice couple? :-)

The Old Coronado Ferry Ticket Booth

Here's the original ferry boat ticket booth, glowing in this morning's light.  Located at Centennial Park on First and Orange Avenue, this was the site of the Coronado Ferry Landing from 1886 until 1969 when the Coronado Bridge was built.

A bit of trivia:  In the book In Love and War, by Jim and Sybil Stockdale, there is a description of Sybil waiting right here for an early morning ferry in the 1960's, when her husband Jim was a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

Coronado Boathouse & The Bridge

This is the lovely view you see on Avenida Del Sol, near Orange Avenue.  The historic building with a red shingled roof is the Coronado Boathouse, and you can see the Coronado Bay Bridge rising in the distance.

I get many of my beach photos at the end of Avenida Del Sol, behind the Hotel Del Coronado.  It's a favorite hang out for surfers and beach walkers.  I recommend riding a bike or going there on foot, as the parking is very limited.

It is so nice to be back home in sunny Coronado!

Back From Alaska

We're back from our little foray into the frozen North, but I want to share a few photos before I get back to my regular Coronado shots tomorrow.

The first photo posted is of Sleeping Lady (Mt. Susitna), taken from my friend's house on the outskirts of Anchorage overlooking the Cook Inlet.  For more information on the Alaska Native legend of Sleeping Lady, click here - then click "hear Ann read..." to listen to part of this old native story read by Ann Dixon, and told for children of all ages.

The second was taken at Hilltop Ski Area, a convenient ski slope located in Anchorage.  This is a great little hill for your average skier.  It's taller than it looks!

The third photo is of an ice sculpture at Anchorage Town Square's Gallery of Ice.  There were a number of glorious carved ice sculptures next to a skating rink, but this gives you an idea of what it looked like.  Plus it was darn cold when I took the photo just after sunset, so I hopped into the warm car as soon as I snapped this picture!

We're In Anchorage, Alaska

Okay, you're good at Geography - we're in Anchorage, Alaska for the long weekend.

We head home tomorrow after skiing, sledding, and getting really cold.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Can You Guess Where I Am?

Even folks who live in Coronado go on vacation sometimes.  Why you ask?  I don't know... just to mix things up I guess.

I shot this photo yesterday afternoon in downtown (fill in the blank), can you guess where I am?

We are staying outside of this town on the side of a mountain, and I just warned my son to be alert for moose and wolves when he's outdoors.  We're definitely not in Coronado anymore! ;-)

I'll check your comments and give you the answer tomorrow!

Loma and Ocean

I shot this around 8 a.m. last week while riding my bike down Loma, before it runs into Ocean Blvd.  It's pretty quiet early in the day in winter, just after school starts. ;-) 

Seeing views like this everyday makes me so grateful to live in Coronado.

Notice Point Loma in the distance on the right-hand side.  There is a nice state park, Cabrillo National Monument on top that is worth an hour or two visit.

The Attic

Meet Nancy, one of the owners of The Attic.

 

The Attic is something of a well-kept secret in Coronado.  It's only steps from Orange Avenue (our main street) on Tenth Avenue, and carries the types of vintage and new treasures from the U.S. and Europe you thought you only dreamed of. 

 It's been one of my favorite shops for years, not only because they have something for everyone, but because the three ladies who own the shop, Nancy, Jane and Kandi, are a joy to visit.

I'll tell you a funny story about the world of blogging; even though I've shopped at The Attic for many years, I got to know Nancy because we both follow a French blog about brocante (French for flea markets) called Tongue in Cheek.  I left a comment mentioning Coronado one day, and Nancy followed the link to my blog.  We've been blogging friends ever since!

Here's a little back story on some of the merchandise shown:

The old repurposed window above was left in a dumpster, but Nancy's keen eye saw its potential, salvaged it, then embellished it with The Attic logo.  It now holds a place of honor in the shop.

The necklace with a Hotel Del Coronado key fob charm is one of many the ladies had commissioned from an old key.

The large iron crown hanging from the ceiling once graced a florist shop here on the island long ago.

Those two vintage dresses above?  They were owned by the same woman; the first was her prom dress, and the second was the gown she wore to a midshipmen's ball many years ago...  romance lives in the corners of this shop.

Happy Valentines Day

Who needs diamonds, champagne and chocolate?  The Coronado Sandman will write your "I love you" in sand!

In case you haven't caught my previous posts, the Sandman is an elusive local artist who creates beautiful, for-the-moment artwork with sand.

Happy Valentines Day!

Century of Naval Aviation Parade Of Flight Photos

Yesterday's Century of Naval Aviation's Parade of Flights did not disappoint!

There were at least a hundred aircraft flying in this spectacular display, with oodles more parked on the flight line for spectators to admire.

I'd have even more photos to share with you, but I had to leave early with a kiddo who wasn't feeling too well.

Thank goodness we rode our bikes to avoid the grueling traffic of thousands of cars coming on the island.  It's quite liberating to peddle past lines of cars when it's time to go home!

Century of Naval Aviation Parade of Flight

My family and I will be spending the day at the Century of Naval Aviation Parade of Flight today on North Island.

In a tribute to Glenn Curtiss training the first Naval Aviator here 100 years ago, there will be a flyover with military aircraft from the past century. 

I'll post pictures of the event tomorrow.

Have a great weekend!

Coronado Flower Lady

The Coronado Flower Lady is a local gem, brightening Rotary Plaza at the corner of Orange and Park Avenue daily.

I peddled by for a photo this morning as the stand was being set up - there are many more flowers on display when they are open for business.

This is a great spot to rest your feet and take in life in Coronado as it passes by.

Beach Tent

I see these ingenious little tents popping up more and more on our beaches.  What a great way to keep the sun and blowing sand off! 

This photo was taken on a sunny day last month at the Coronado Ferry Landing, overlooking the San Diego Bay.