Strolling Through Little Italy, San Diego

Touted as a "hip and historic urban neighborhood," 

San Diego's Little Italy is a great place to explore.

Since it was in close proximity to our hotel,

we decided to walk there for breakfast one morning.

This mosaic depicts the Italian culture of the area, including 

its origins as a tuna fishing village and the bocce courts in Amici Park.

We wandered down India Street, the center of activity.
I loved this triptych mural of Venetian gondoliers.

The ornate wrought iron, cherub and gilded pillars at this entryway caught my eye.

Green checked tablecloths and cozy outdoor seating drew us to Cafe Zucchero...

...and this fabulous Belgian waffle was my reward!

A group of paisans, kibitzing in Italian.

The mosaic globe fountain at the Piazza Basilone.

We happened upon the Little Italy Mercato (mercato = market in Italian),

an event that takes over the neighborhood every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A farmer's market with handcrafted wares and lush fruits & veggies!

Posts on more of my San Diego adventure~
An Afternoon at Hotel del Coronado
A Day at Pacific Beach & Crystal Pier
Shopping & Dining at The Headquarters

Links of interest:
Little Italy San Diego
Cafe Zucchero
Little Italy Mercato

Lovely Art Quilts by Bozena Wojtaszek

Handcrafted quilts are beautiful,

and art quilts, stitched together with decorative flair, are especially so.

Bozena Wojtaszek, of Poland, is a self-taught quilter.

Her contemporary creations are exquisite, often embellished with embroidery & beading.

I've selected several of my favorites and paired each one with close-up photo

so that we can appreciate the detailing and the fine craftsmanship of this talented artist.

Watch this short YouTube video of Bozena in action!

Bozena's links:

Etsy

Blog

Twitter

Images used with direct permission from Bozena Wojtaszek.

The Bob Hope Tribute in San Diego

Bob Hope. (1903-2003)
Comedian and star of film and television,
but probably most warmly remembered for the many times
he traveled overseas with the USO to entertain our American troops,
often during the Christmas holiday when servicemen were far from their loved ones.
Bob brought smiles, laughter, encouragement and appreciation
to thousands of men and women in the armed forces.

The city of San Diego, California is "thanking Bob for the memories"
with a spectacular and moving memorial called
A National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military.

Amid a group of beautiful coral trees along the shore of San Diego Bay,
is a life-size bronze statue of Bob at the microphone.
He's facing a group of 15 bronze likenesses,
designed to collectively symbolize those soldiers
who fought during the times of Bob's USO tours and who
represent the branches of the military as follows:

World War II: Paratrooper, Fighter Pilot, Marine Corps Sergeant, 

Navy Pilot Lieutenant, Army Nurse, Navy Machinist Mate

Korean War: Infantryman, Sailor, Marine

Vietnam War: Artilleryman, Air Force Mechanic, 

Coast Guard Squadron One, Navy Medic

Gulf War: Soldier in Desert Storm, Air Force Staff Sergeant

The sculptures were done by Eugene Daub and Steven Whyte. 
Speakers provide recordings of Bob telling his classic jokes and one-liners.

Notice the aircraft carrier in the background; it's the USS Midway Museum.

We dropped in next door for delicious fresh-caught seafood dinner
at The Fish Market, complete with an amazing view of the bay.

A 25 feet tall bronze statue, Unconditional Surrender, 
is also adjacent to the restaurant.

Its sculptor, Seward Johnson, based his work on
a V-J Day photo by Victor Jorgensen, shown below.

wikipedia

Leaving the restaurant just at sunset, we couldn't resist 

heading back over to the memorial for another look and more photos.

Bob Hope received many awards recognizing his humanitarian efforts.

In 1997, on behalf of all United States soldiers, Bob was made an honorary veteran.

Additional posts from my San Diego vacation:
An Afternoon at Hotel del Coronado
A Day at Pacific Beach & Crystal Pier
Strolling Through Little Italy
Shopping & Dining at The Headquarters


Links to websites of interest:
National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military by Eugene Daub & Steven Whyte
The Fish Market -Seafood Market & Restaurant
USS Midway Museum
BobHope.com
USO.org

A Day at Pacific Beach & Crystal Pier – San Diego, CA

While enjoying our sisters get-away in San Diego,

we decided we needed some beach time.

Heading north, we came upon Pacific Beach.

Nothing like sand between the toes as a quick fix for mid-winter doldrums!

Somehow, seeing the ocean made it official.

Remembering that there were below-freezing temps with loads of snow

back home made it that much sweeter.

Although the skies were overcast that day, we were quite content

to listen to the pounding waves and take it all in.

There isn't a better way for me to relax than to sit on a beach 

and become mesmerized by the ocean!

‘'

Fun browsing in this surf shop.

Came away with turquoise earrings & a pair of floral print Toms!

Time for lunch...

Awesome to eat outside with this view!

Grabbing coffee for a stroll on the pier.

Crystal Pier has cottages to rent.

It's actually called the Crystal Pier Hotel!

Other posts on my San Diego adventure~

An Afternoon at Hotel del Coronado

Strolling Through Little Italy

Shopping & Dining at The Headquarters

The Bob Hope Tribute in San Diego

Website links of interest:

Crystal Pier

Toms

South Coast Wahines Surf Shop

Kono's Cafe