Thursday at the Grant

The U.S. Grant Hotel is one of the oldest hotels in downtown San Diego, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Why was it named after the 18th President, you ask? Because his son, aka Junior, and wife, Fannie Chaffee, were the owners. They purchased the property in 1905 and Junior oversaw the building of the Grant Hotel. From the hotel website:

On October 15, 1910, with great pomp and circumstance, THE US GRANT opened her doors. Five years of construction in the heart of San Diego had built up a flurry of curiosity, a storm of excited press, and a staggering cost of $1.9 million. Thousands of guests flocked from all across the region to take part in the opening ceremonies of this hotel of untold luxury.

The architect was Harrison Albright, who also designed another Daveland favorite, the West Baden Springs Hotel. The hotel boasted two swimming pools and a ballroom on the top floor. The Grant was also the site of the very first San Diego Comic-Con International, held in 1970. The hotel is currently operated by Marriott Hotels & Resorts as a part of its Luxury Collection.

The U.S Grant was also home to the local radio station KFSD for a long time between early 1930’s and 1939 (note the towers visible in the above 1954 photo). Famous guests have included Albert Einstein, Charles Lindbergh, Woodrow Wilson, five former First ladies, and 12 United States Presidents.

The below image is from July 2014:



From March 2015:



These spectacular views of downtown San Diego and the Gaslamp District were from my stay at the Grant, circa December 2007:





Last week, I found myself back at the Grant to shoot a wedding.



Below is the entrance to the Grant Grill, the hotel’s signature restaurant. When it opened in 1952, ladies were not permitted to enter before 3pm, as the restaurant was known for its boys’ club power lunches. In 1969, a sit-in resulted in the end of that antiquated policy! 



The decorate of the Grill has a sense of humor!



The historic hotel has definitely given itself a decorative facelift, attempting to stay fresh and modern.





One of the fresh florals found in the lobby:



A letter box can be found near the elevators. Most hotels originally had these boxes, as guests would want to send postcards and letters home to loved ones.





The Groom and Bride:



She may not have been blushing, but she definitely looked gorgeous!



No Steinway? Oh well, I guess Yamaha will have to do.



See more U.S. Grant Hotel photos at my main website.

Traveling Thursdays: San Diego, Gaslamp District, Balboa Theatre, and Joan Rivers

What a combo! Well, that’s what you get when you go to a Joan Rivers show at the Balboa Theatre in San Diego and have dinner in the Gaslamp District at Seersucker Restaurant (see first photo showing the "EAT" sign). Seersucker is the restaurant of former “Top Chef” contestant Brian Malarkey. The food is creative, tasty, and calorie laden. The space is fun, but don’t expect to have any deep conversations there as the acoustics are terrible and it can get extremely loud in there. Instead, just go for food and fun.

Since the camera goes pretty much anyplace that I go (a photographer should always be prepared!), I clicked a few things on the way to the Balboa Theatre to see Joan.

Cool sign, but wouldn’t want to stay here! Historic, yes; needing a good disinfecting? Yes, also!







The Balboa Theatre is a BEAUTIFULLY restored movie palace from 1924.



I especially like the little waterfall features located to the left and right of the stage.



Not so beautifully restored is Joan herself. Looking pulled back and puffy all at the same time, her face has become masklike. However, I wasn’t really there to see her face.

This woman is a comic legend who makes Kathy Griffin and Margaret Cho look like amateurs.



At 70+, her physical movement, comic timing, and ability to flow with the energy of the audience are more akin to someone at least half her age.



As you probably already know, she can be brutal...but her tirades know no boundaries, as she is an equal-opportunity comic tearing apart every race, creed, and color known. For audiences who are shocked, please lighten up. The woman is not serious; she’s trying to get you to laugh at life, because as the saying so aptly goes, “Laughter is the best medicine.”



Or as Alan Alda once said, “When people are laughing, they're generally not killing each other.”



See more Balboa Theatre and Joan Rivers photos at my main website.