John & Anne Wiley

2011/07/22

On Another Note

Summers are a great time for free concerts in SB. There’s the Thursday evening series at Chase Palm Park, across from East Beach where the free Saturday drum circle meets. Here’s what the concert stage looked like from offshore in the glow of a Winter sunset.

5044 Chase Stage

5044 Chase Stage

The railroad tracks are quite close as you can see, but that doesn’t seem to interfere with the concerts. The grassy seating area is large enough for large crowds to spread out with picnics.

6165 Chase Palm Park

6165 Chase Palm Park

This recent view from the North side shows the stage at bottom-left, the surrounding grass, and right of the grass the great playground that has rubber sidewalks and landing areas under the climbing kids. Next to the right, on the left side of the path as you walk away from the concert area is a sweet little pond with nature attractions for kids. Further along you can see the red roof of the restored antique carousel and a small meeting area. Oh, the drum circle spot is across the street where the grass tapers down to the left of the soccer fields and you can lie on your back watching the sunset colors play on the palms with surf sounds between drum sets. Some of the dancers are quite impressive to watch too, from professional belly and jazz dancers to free spirits of all ages.

Another source of free musical entertainment is the annual summer classical concert series of the Music Academy. I think most are held in the auditorium on their quiet leafy campus, shown here in a recent photo.

2323 SB Music Academy Campus

2323 SB Music Academy Campus

There’s something about Summer and music that’s innately compatible, and I’m glad SB has such a pleasant combination available.

2011/07/21

Flying Waters

We flew local waters with delightful Di yesterday (Tuesday), and I like several of the pix. This is probably my first attempt at the offshore swimmers we’ve seen from shore.

2343 Ocean Swimmers

2343 Ocean Swimmers

I just love this one of a paddleboard on the shimmering water near Shoreline Park where we had our wedding reception a few days ago (8/7/01).

2346 Paddleboarding on Colors

2346 Paddleboarding on Colors

In the larger version on my Photo Page, the kelp is even more interesting. Last up tonight is the water taxi that runs between the harbor and wharf, named Lil Toot. Very fun to ride, and fun to watch from the air as it toots between the kayaks you see and those out of frame at the top.

2359 Lil Toot

2359 Lil Toot

2011/07/20

Mystery

We enjoy the PBS Masterpiece Mystery series, and somehow today’s news of a mystery in San Diego has a similar fictional quality. It’s all too real, yet maybe I’m somewhat de-sensitized by the programs or the fact it all looked so peaceful when we flew over a few days ago.

2162 Spreckels Mystery

2162 Spreckels Mystery

The red-roofed mansion in the middle of the photo was the scene of tragic events over recent days. Somehow it has me imagining troubles in some of the other mansions we saw, like this mysterious looking place in La Jolla.

2204 Into Dark Water

2204 Into Dark Water

OK, maybe my imagination is running amok here. Nothing about this nearby scene other than the obvious real estate values indicates anything other than completely normal and happy families.

2119 Normal Mansions

2119 Normal Mansions

Oh, but then with the touch of a slider in my editing app, a fake moonlight hue on this scene next door has me imagining a dark and stormy night with furtive figures in those caves…

2120 Into Darkness

2120 Into Darkness

But getting a grip now, it’s easy to imagine a quiet couple sitting on their veranda enjoying a sparkling view from a home they bought decades ago and are now enjoying in a modest retirement. The grandkids love to visit and play in the airy caves, with the echo of gentle waves splashing in the sun.

2082 Sunny Mood

2082 Sunny Mood

Now I’m going to watch a Nova program.  🙂

Comment by Anne: We’ve definitely been watching too many mystery dramas!  It was odd though, to have just flown over this Spreckles mansion in typically peaceful Coronado, and then read of the murder mystery that is so recent and unsolved.  Ok, maybe we’ll switch to a comedy for our next viewing…

2011/07/18

SD Scenes

Though we do still prefer Santa Barbara, it’s certainly true that San Diego is fun to fly. Take for example this scene on Harbor Drive.

1844 Star of India

1844 Star of India

When we lived in SD, Adm. Cameron & Doris Briggs introduced us to the Berkeley and Star of India (and their rummage sale). Now there are several more major attractions nearby. The city looks good with a garnish of scattered clouds.

1846 Scattered Over SD

1846 Scattered Over SD

Along the beach from La Jolla toward the North there are plenty of interesting mansions to admire.

2062 No Rocks

2062 No Rocks

This airy marvel on a bluff over the waterfront is an advertisement for the axiom that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones. I’d love to swim in that semi-outdoor pool with it’s waterfall front edge that forms a moat. The beach, caves and cliffs at La Jolla Cove used to be among our fav hangouts.

2108 La Jolla Cove

2108 La Jolla Cove

Nice place to visit, but…  🙂

2011/07/17

Why SB

Here’s another illustration of why we live in Santa Barbara. Despite the “Carmageddon” in LA that was predicted to bring the End of vehicular movement (everyone seems to have stayed home and averted that), the smog in the LA basin was about normal for a Saturday.

2279 Carmageddon

2279 Carmageddon

That’s the 405 “free”way running diagonally southbound from the bottom of the pic, starting at the Sunset Blvd. overpass. It did feel like a scene from “On the Beach with us the only survivors, to see that chronically jammed pavement devoid of cars.

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