Ghost of Hotel Del

Built around a central courtyard garden of tropical palms, shrubs, and flowers, west of San Diego Bay on Coronado Island, the Hotel Del Coronado is one of the few remaining wooden, Victorian style hotels to be found in North America.  The hotel is the second largest built in this style still in existence today.

When construction began in March, 1887, all of the essential building elements and utilities had to be imported, or were constructed on the strand.  Prior to this point in time, the strand had been occupied solely by coyotes and rabbits.  Fresh water was piped in from San Diego, lumber was imported from Eureka, California while an electrical plant was constructed on-site.  The electrical plant would eventually supply all of Coronado Island.  People and supplies were ferried across San Diego Bay once a wharf and dock were completed.

I stand at the western side of the huge complex.  The hotel is situated directly on the beach with unobstructed views across the Pacific.  Crashing waves creep up the hotel’s sandy beach, as a breathtaking, crimson sunset favors the hotel’s west facing windows.  Through windows along circular shaped walls, a grand ballroom gazes out to the sea above me.  A veranda before me, furnished with intimate clusters of seating around cocktail tables positioned beneath propane heaters  to ward off the chill, beckons to those returning from the water’s edge.  Laughter rises from the lounge behind me with the scent of a cigar drifting on the evening air.  I see patrons sipping a cocktail and overhear discussions of dinner plans or accounts of adventures of the day.  Hotel Del Coronado is preparing for evening.

“Have you heard the ghost?” asks one of my companions.

“No,” I respond skeptically.

“Oh it is true.  I heard her last night.  First a thumping, then a sound like shuffling cards.  Absolutely startling!  And I guarantee no one else was in the room with me!”

I smile.  The ghost supposedly lives on the third floor.  A jilted woman who came to the Del to meet a lover who never arrived.  She committed suicide over being abandoned and proponents claim she haunts the hotel to this day, waiting for him to return.

The elevator operator who has worked in the hotel for thirty-five years swears the story is true.  I never hear her during our stay.  But the floors creak and doors slam sometimes in the middle of the night.

Might we imagine this tale could be true?

Walk In The Park

    

    Kate Sessions Neighborhood Park on New Year’s Day is alive with an array of people comprising all age groups from young children and couples to retirees.  Romping dogs, of various sizes, chase balls, under barren Chestnut trees that frame a view of downtown San Diego.  From the park’s location high upon a hill in a suburb of La Jolla to the north of the city, the Pacific Ocean is visible, gleaming in the sun beneath a blue sky streaked with wispy, white clouds.

    A man sits on a bench, and quietly strums a guitar, sharing the instrument’s soothing notes with those reclining on the grass nearby.  The sun is warm and the grass is inviting to all who would choose to do nothing on this first day of the year.  This scene defines relaxation, and the park beckons souls, who stand at its edge, to linger.

     A white Labor-doodle bounds up to his owner seeking a yellow tennis ball in his master’s hand.  He wriggles and then sits as commanded, impatiently submitting to the admiring strokes of a woman’s hand on his head.  He knows it is his duty to behave, in order to receive this small token of physical comfort.  Then he is off with his owner to other distractions the tug of his leash now promises.

     A collection of fir trees, that have completed their Christmas rituals, are stacked in a wild array at one end of the parking lot.  All the sparkle and glitter of the season is missing from their boughs returning the trees to their natural state as they await their next fate.  The pending grind of a mulching machine does not break the serenity of their last moments in the sun.  What happiness and dreams did they view on their weeks of holiday glory?

Good Night San Diego

And so after two enjoyable weeks we must say goodbye to San Diego and our family.  Tomorrow we will be traveling onward to the next chapter in this year's adventure-the start of work in Victorville, CA.  Victorville is northeast of our current location and we will be moving back toward the desert and warmer weather in eastern California.  The goal is to begin there before the extreme heat hits this area.  We learned that rule last year-the earlier the better to be in this location.  It is also nice to begin working in a familiar territory.  There is a certain comfort in returning to a known territory and remaking connections with people we worked with last year.

The day ended with a fabulous sunset over Mission Bay.  The salt air and balmy temperatures by the water combined with the colors of the setting sun were too hard to resist.  I was joined by several others from the park as we stood along the seawall boundary of the park
to take photographs of the glorious shades of light before it faded.

Eclipse Bar and Bistro

In the interest of maintaining tradition during our stay in San Diego, we made a return trip to the Eclipse Bar & Bistro for brunch.  Self-described as “eclectic cuisine featuring sweet and savory small plates infused with chocolate, vanilla or caramel”-the restaurant lives up to this description. 

The owner seated us and we had the opportunity to chat with him.  We have always enjoyed having a moment with him.  His enthusiasm and devotion to his business is a pleasure to experience-both his efforts to make his restaurant special and different and his concern for his patron’s satisfaction.  This is the kind of dedication to customer service that has made his restaurant successful for years. 

We enjoyed this outing with Jimmy’s sister.  Jim and I chose the Avocado Benedict with chile burnt caramel hollandaise sauce, which is served with either toast or polenta.  Awesome.  Teri took the Parmesan and tomato quiche with mole sauce.

Nothing could be better than adding “drinking chocolate” to this extravagant meal in one of three versions:  double dark cocoa (Jim), orange peel vanilla bean (Chris) or a double dark cocoa mocha (Teri) with a presentation that was divine.  

Going to Eclipse is about as close to heaven as a chocolate lover can get on this earth.  I can hardly wait until the next time.

Three Pounds and Counting

There are continuous opportunities to eat in San Diego.  We frequent "Cafe on Park"with family and friends on a regular basis (mainly for lunch) where I try to indulge in salads only.  In spite of this I am up three pounds since we arrived in this beautiful seaside city.

But what would a trip to San Diego be without a stop in "Little Italy" to wander around?  Today was nice with a perfect temperature of 78 degrees under sunny skies.  The Little Italy District is just a couple of blocks off the Trolley system and an easy walk from the train stop.  This was my first trip to this district also which made it doubly interesting because it was a new experience.  Plus there are multiple restaurants and shops to peruse once you get there.

While soaking in the ambiance, we were also busy searching for authentic Italian cuisine.  We couldn't resist.  So we stopped for an early dinner at Filippis Pizza Grotto which was established in 1950 to enjoy the best lasagna we have tasted lately.  We are not biased of course.  Almost every Italian restaurant we patronize becomes "the best" at the moment we visit it.  Honestly though, this meal was exceptionally good.  I think it is because they had an abundance of melted mozzarella cheese layered between the noodles.  There is also an awesome Italian market in the entry area which you pass through en route to the restaurant.  The restaurant is a temptation in and of itself that requires fortitude to get through coming and going without pausing to make a purchase.

And so we have had our second Italian experience in San Diego and the extra pounds are worth it!

Spring Flowers in San Diego

Everywhere we go in San Diego there are flowers this time of the year.  They are beautiful.  They don't require words:

The temperate climate here lends itself to flowers and gardens everywhere.  Front yards, flower boxes, patios, parks and everything in between create a photographic opportunity.

I hope you enjoyed your stroll through "Spring" in San Diego.