Waterfront Park
By Michael-Leonard Creditor / flexible fotography
As I mentioned last time, and in the great words of lyricist Sammy Kahn: “It very nice to go trav’lin’ … but it’s oh so nice to come home.” That’s especially true when you live in one of the most magnificent and temperate places on the planet.
It’s natural that whenever anyone travels to other places folks who live there always want to know where the traveler is from. When I’m the traveler and I tell them I live in southern California – and in San Diego, no less – the response is often something along the lines of, “It’s so beautiful there; why do you bother to leave?” My answer, by the way, is always: “Just to see how things are different elsewhere.”
Sometimes, I’ll grab my camera and spend some time walking around San Diego as if it were a city I was visiting. I try looking at familiar things and scenes like they were new to me.
One of the differences came home to me as I was choosing images for this article: although San Diego has a very old and well-developed café culture, I haven’t made much photography in them. Also, I wanted to stay away from those grand scenics that really take advantage of the natural beauty of this place on Earth. The previous essay was street scenes, so this one had to be just street scenes. San Diego Scenics will be a separate article.
For this tour, we’ll begin and end downtown, meandering though some city neighborhoods along the way.
And, speaking of downtown: next month in honor of ARCH-TOBER, let’s have A Photographic Look at some (mostly) downtown San Diego buildings that I really like. Call it, “Yes! Some Good San Diego Architecture!” If this hits the pixels before September 16, you still have time to VOTE in the Orchids & Onions “People’s Choice Award.” And, don’t forget about the awards presentation coming up on October 4.
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One America PlazaThe trolley station at the base of the tower is really where the building becomes the street. -
Trolley Then & NowThis is the companion image to LerchenfelderStrasse in last month’s essay. -
In the StreetsSan Diego’s Street Scene festival. This is 1999, when they were still in the Gaslamp Quarter. -
Gaslamp Quarter FestivalThe title speaks for itself. -
Adams Avenue Crowd by DayYes, the telephoto lens compresses the crowd. Yes, it’s still a massive crowd. -
Adams Avenue Crowd by SunsetThe crowd thins out considerably by sunset. -
Balboa Avenue, EastWhile ocean views are well-known around these parts, San Diego has mountain vistas, too. -
IntersectionWhen I first came to Southern California, huge intersections like this simply amazed me. So many lanes; so many cars. With the construction of the Blue Line extension of the trolley, this intersection is already completely changed. -
CMB MoonBoth this image and Balboa Avenue, East were shot from the high place of Ruffner Street n Kearney Mesa. It’s the best place to get caught at the red light. That’s Cowles Mountain on the right. -
Clairemont Cul-de-SacWhile I best enjoy roaming around on foot, some scenes in some neighborhoods are truly accessible only by car. -
Empty Lot BAR-B-QThis scene was somewhere in southeastern San Diego, but I have no memory of where. -
A Clairemont “Stop Flower”I have photos of the famous “mythical Green Flash,” too. Yes Virginia, it …. -
Sunset Blvd.Our very own Mission Hills neighborhood. -
Stage Coach CornerThis is a well-known street corner in PB, but I have no idea the back-story to the display. -
To Catch The SunsetIn San Diego, it usually worth the run. -
Cass Street CornerLight it up. -
Coronado ShopsSo picturesque. They could be almost anywhere. -
Chula Vista PlazaAnother collection of quaint shops. These succumbed to the "wreck and reconstruct" ideal. -
Willow Street BridgeFinally under reconstruction, this important causeway has definitely seen better days. This is how it looked in 2012. -
Balboa Park Arcade -
Mosaic SculptureSan Diegans know that these perfectly whimsical creatures are the product of internationally renowned artist/sculptor Nikki de Saint Phalle. -
Park BenchI don’t think this fella was homeless that day, but truly just resting. -
Marching in the StreetsYeah, it’s an authentic street scene. This is last year’s March for Science. -
Pan Pacific Hotel by night. -
Horton PlazaSan Diego’s version of Cliffside Shops, perhaps. If you want to see it like this, better hurry. -
Lyceum ObeliskA very European-looking street scene, for sure. -
Harbor Drive Pedestrian BridgeIt’s a beautiful bridge. This is the support pylon. I like to call it "the finger.." Index finger, of course. What were you thinking? -
Waterfront ParkI think the County got this one mostly right; this is a marvelous park. -
Harborside Walk -
Pier CafeThis is probably the one structure at Seaport Village that I’ll miss. -
Seaport Village, KazooFinally, San Diego’s answer to a Paris street busker: the great inimitable Kazoo (Jerry Hager).
All photos © michael-leonard creditor / full-size images @ flexible fotography
Michael-Leonard Creditor
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Good photos. The Waterfront Park is a County of San Diego project, not city.
thx for the accuracy — city, county… they made a good public space.
Caption updated. Thanks for the catch.
Rich K., editor