Monday at The Pearl

Today’s post takes us to a little midcentury gem in the Point Loma area of San Diego, The Pearl Hotel. This retro beauty made the list of St. Louis Style for being one of nine “Unforgettable Retro Hotels in the USA.” From The Pearl's website:

Originally designed by local architect Robert Platt in 1959 and operated as a Sportsman’s Lodge throughout the 1960s by resident husband and wife duo, Charles and Dinorah.



Fast forward to The Pearl Hotel as you know it today. The mid-century modern motel and gem of San Diego’s Point Loma neighborhood was thoughtfully renovated with hospitality brand Casetta Group at the helm. The interiors are outfitted in a contemporary aesthetic and unique vintage decor, while maintaining the integrity of its original architectural features. The 23 unique guest rooms surround the art moderne oyster-shaped pool, which flows into the onsite cocktail bar and restaurant Ponyboy. ‍



As a nod to the hotel’s name, the in-room artwork pays homage to the remarkable female Japanese pearl divers, called Ama, known to hold their breath underwater for extended periods of time while harvesting oysters.



I would classify it as a retro gem that is competitively priced in a decent location…if you are wanting to explore the Point Loma area. It’s far enough down Rosecrans Drive that you would find it difficult to navigate the stop-start-bottleneck traffic if you wanted to head downtown or explore the other beaches of San Diego. On the flip-side, Point Loma does have enough fare on its own to keep a tourist semi-busy and well-fed. If the lobby area looks unattended, it kind of was on the day I visited. The lone person on staff seemed very disinterested…when he could be found. It felt like a one-person show and I am sure he was stretched thin doing his duties (and his face showed it).



The lobby seating area with a gorgeous (!) view of Rosecrans:



The bar/restaurant area:



The pool, which is cute in a retro way but if this place approached anything near full-occupancy would be a very tight situation:



The room itself was clean and spacious, and very well appointed:



Large bathroom that was pretty, but definitely avoided any of the retro homage touches:



The “vintage touches” were reserved for the reading materials and other decor touches:



The view from the shared balcony won’t take your breath away, but I’ve definitely seen worse:



Would I recommend this place? Sure, but I can’t say it’s one that draws me in like the Lafayette in North Park. Both places are a bit out of the way for the typical San Diego tourist, but the Lafayette at least has a “wow” factor that is much higher than The Pearl.
 
See more photos of The Pearl in Point Loma at my main website.

Spoiled in San Diego

As San Diegans complain about the heat wave we've had, I am sure that tears of sympathy are flowing from those who live in the east and the south during the summer. We have no idea how good we have it here weather-wise, let alone the panorama views we get that include the bay and the ocean. I shot this one a few weeks ago from Point Loma.

See more Daveland San Diego photos at my main website.

Sunrise and Snooze

As a child, Easter was all about finding the decorated eggs that were hidden in the yard. This photo shows me at age 2, very excited to already have a few in my basket. This year, the egg hunt was bypassed for an uplifting Sunrise Service at the Cabrillo Monument National Park near Point Loma. Although there was no visible sunrise, the view from this area is still spectacular.



There was music…



and a short (but well-delivered) sermon that was extremely inspiring and worth getting up for.



Afterwards, I blew the diet and tried Snooze Restaurant in Hillcrest.



I have avoided going here because typically it is jam-packed.



Because I was early, I immediately got a seat in this very hip eatery that has been the rage since it opened in the space formerly occupied by Corvette Diner.



I tried the Pancake Flight, which consisted of Blueberry/Lemon, Nutella, and Sweet Potato Pancake. Two thumbs up on the first two; I probably would have enjoyed the Pineapple-Upside-Down one more than the Sweet Potato, which was just a tad dry. The flavorful side of bacon was delicious though, making up for any deficiencies experienced from the Sweet Potato Pancake.



Hope you have all had an inspiring and joyful Easter (if you celebrate it!). Otherwise, Happy Sunday!

See more vintage & current Daveland San Diego photos on my main website.

San Diego Half Marathon: A Challenge for 50

Typically, I prefer to do races in cities other than the one I live in. When I train, I don't believe in training on a treadmill or on a track; races are held outdoors, and that's exactly where I like to train. To have a race over the roads that I train everyday seems somewhat boring, but this year, I have decided to break with tradition. On March 9, 2014, starting in Petco Park, I will be doing the San Diego Half Marathon and hoping to achieve a personal best in honor of my impending (yikes) 50th birthday. When I turned 30, I was living in Indiana, and my family took me to Chi Chi's, a "Mexican" restaurant (the quotes are intentional). I remember all the waitstaff coming out to sing "Happy Birthday" and dumping a huge sombrero on my head. I also remember thinking, "Is this what 30 is about?" Once I recovered from that (5 years later), I felt my life start to hum again. When it came time to turn the next corner and hit 40, I decided to take life (and my celebration) by the horns and face it head on. The 40s have been a blast, and I fully intend to make the 50s even better, starting with this race.

Here's the course: along the way, runners pass the Broadway Pier:



Harbor Drive/Harbor Island and The San Diego Airport:



Coming back, Liberty Station in Point Loma and up through Mission Hills, which is known for its beautiful Mission/Arts & Crafts-style homes and gardens:





Next along the line is Hillcrest, home to many unique restaurants and shops:



And then past the jewel of San Diego, Balboa Park:



With a tremendous finish (I hope) through the Gaslamp Arch:



As far as scenery goes, I really can't complain.

See more vintage & current San Diego photos on my main website.

Traveling Thursdays: Point Loma, Humphreys, & Steve Martin

Point Loma (an anglicized Spanish version of "hill") is a peninsula located in San Diego and the landing place of the first European expedition to come ashore in present-day California. Today, Point Loma has two military bases and a national cemetery (shown in the first vintage 1958 photo).

Two current day shots that I took of the Point Loma Lighthouse, built in 1854. Apparently, it only saw some 30+ years of service as the constant fog and clouds in the area hampered its effectiveness. As they say, location location location (say it along with me, please). It now serves as a museum of sorts and is open to the public





Elsewhere in Point Loma is Humphreys, one of the most unique concert venues in the area.



This outdoor venue can get a little chilly at night, but thanks to its location near the bay, sure makes for a beautiful evening with great views of the stage and the nearby marina. There are a handful of rooms at the Humphreys hotel that overlook the stage; talk about a party!



Last night, Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers played to a full house. As Martin pointed out in between numbers, the management rudely put the words "SOLD OUT" over his photo. I'll wait a bit until you figure that one out.



Just announced, Martin & The Rangers are contenders in five categories for the Bluegrass Awards, including Album of the Year and Entertainer of the Year. Their CD's title track is up for Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year, and Martin is up for writing the Best Liner Notes for the CD "Rare Bird Alert." Their fifth nomination is for Best Graphic Design for a Recorded Project.





Nicky Sanders wowed the audience during the encore with his violin solo for "Orange Blossom Special."



It was a perfect evening - beautiful weather, great music, and wonderful friends.



Proof that some things never go out of style. Photo by Harry Langdon:



See more vintage & current San Diego photos at my main website.