Balboa Park Japanese Gardens


The Japanese Gardens in Balboa park are located just north of the giant outdoor organ (the largest out door organ in the country, by the way). The gardens require a modest fee to enter, and it is worth, but probably only one time. I wish I could say that the gardens are a spectacular place to while away an entire day or afternoon, but the truth is they are only mediocre. They have coy ponds and interesting buildings, but they just lack that special “kabang” that makes you want to return over and over again.

However, in one of the pagoda buildings they have rotating exhibits. These can be anything from uninteresting to quite extraordinary. I saw a beautiful exhibit of Japanese calligraphy there once, fro ma calligraphy master who was there himself speaking about his work. That was a special experience.

Also, they have a nice teashop. It is, again, not the most mind-boggling tea shop. They don’t have the largest selection, not he most peaceful scenery, but it is a nice place for a cup of tea on lazy afternoon in Balboa Park. And if the exhibit in the garden sounds interesting, it’s worth going in again.

Balboa Park Sculpture Garden


The Balboa Park Sculpture Garden is a hidden treat in the cultural haven of Balboa Park. Everyone knows about Balboa Park – the museums, the gardens, the Prado, the zoo. But the Sculpture Garden is a well-kept secret.

If you look straight at the San Diego Museum of Art, which is by the large water fountain at the west end of the Prado (pedestrian walkway), the Sculpture Garden is to your left. There is also a Water’s Café to your left. This is a delightful café to get a bite to eat with delicious, fresh food. It is run by Water’s Catering Company, a favorite food place in San Diego. You simply go by the Water’s Café cart, through the little dining area and out to grassy opening. There you will find the sculpture garden. Don’t be fooled into thinking that Water’s is a restaurant; it’s not, you are free to enter the covered area, and in fact it is the only access way to the Sculpture Garden.

Once you are in the Sculpture Garden give yourself some time to play. Take some pictures. These modern sculptures are great to let your imagination play with. The Old Globe Theatre looms behind them, contrasting in style and creating a wonderful backdrop. You may even like to bring a picnic, or buy something at Water’s Café to enjoy in the sun among the sculptures.

Add this stop to your next day in Balboa Park. It won’t take up a full day, but it can add a special stop to the other, more well-known attractions of Balboa Park.

L Street Fine Art

The L Street Fine Art Gallery is located in the downtown gaslamp district. This gallery exhibits some of San Diego's finest artists, and pairs unlikely artists together creating breath taking interplay between works that may not have ever met otherwise, but seem like they were created to be together in this space.

Currently, the exhibit Domestic Deviation joins established San Diego artist Ernest Silva with up-and-coming artist May-Ling Martinez. This exhibit runs March 3rd through May 21st 2007. This is the third exhibition of the 2006-2007 San Diego Art Prize, which "is given annually to three established artists and three emerging artists who have exhibited outstanding achievement in the field of visual arts."

The space is surprising. In the shadow of the Omni hotel, this tiny space seems to expand as you go inside. The wall is entirely glass, and the art is exhibited along the interior wall, in visible view from the patio and L street.

I highly recommend this gallery at any time, but especially during this exhibit.

L Street Gallery
www.lstreetfineart.com
628 L Street 92101

SD Art Prize
www.sandiegoartist.com

Mission Valley Library

Mission Valley hosts a huge number of shops and restaurants. It can be a good palce to go shopping because of the variety of options, although it lack’s the personality of other shopping areas, like the Gaslamp, Little Italy, Hillcrest, La Jolla, or Pacific Beach. Still, Mission Valley draws lots of visitors, both tourists and locals alike.

One gem in this shopper’s paradise that is often overlooked is the new Mission Valley Library. Locals have the added benefit of being able to check out library books, which is nice because everyone loves free knowledge. But tourists will also enjoy sneaking a peek at the modern design and simple décor. The modern industrial outside boasts engine-turned polished stainless walls, and an illuminated clock tower that changes color at night.

Inside the library the décor is impressive, with high ceilings and water-jet cut decorative steel plating. The organic patterns are detailed, with outlines of leave and cut-outs of leaves, both. The complex design is accentuated by the front lighting that casts shadows on the ceiling.

The landscaping is minimalist, with clusters of reeds and ricer stones lining the path to the entrance. The parking lot is small, but ample for library visitors. However, the library is located in the Fenton Parkway Shopping Mall, and some visitors to the mall will occasionally park in the library lot. (By the way, if you see this happening, report it to the parking lot security agent, who will ask them to leave.) When this happens tha lot can become too full, though I’ve never had to wait more than just a couple minutes, and that was on a weekend.

Another added perk to the library is that it is located at the Fenton Plaza trolley stop. The library is a beautiful site to behold as you exit the trolley into this Mission Valley stop, and the library offers a memorial site to trolley riders who pass by. The other side of the trolley line there is the San Diego River, making the green line a fun to ride just for the view!

Libraries across the country, San Diego included, are experiencing a revival. Beyond the modern architecture making this library a place of substance, the library also hosts numerous community events on a weekly and even daily basis, whether it’s hearing a guest speaker, looking the art and collections on display, or joining in on a local club meeting, libraries offer much to their local communities and visitors alike. Check out the schedule of events to make an interesting stop into a special afternoon.

http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=SANDIEGO

I definitely recommend stopping by the Mission Valley Library when passing by on the trolley or if you are at nearby IKEA, Cold Stone Creamery, Starbucks, International House of Pancakes (IHOP), Lowe’s Harwarde, or even Qualcomm Stadium down the street. Even if you can’t check out any books, it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate the impressive design of this San Diego Landmark!

Athenaeum

Next time you are wiling away a day in La Jolla, be sure to stop into the Athenaeum. This music and arts library has been around for over 100 years. It is one of the few remaining private libraries in the nation. If you did not know, all libraries used to be private; you had to pay a fee to join in order to check out books. In some parts of the world libraries still work this way, for example in Paris. In the United States the vast majority of libraries have been publicized, except for 17 of them, and most of these are specialty libraries.

The Athenaeum’s specialties are art and music. There is a huge selection of music CD, sheet music, and books on art and music to check out to members. But the library itself is open to the public, and anyone is welcome to browse the selections for a minutes or an afternoon. I highly recommend spending some time in the space. There is a gallery that hosts several art exhibits each year, specializing in artists from Southern California and Baja Mexico.

The library includes three heritage buildings that have recently been renovated to connect the space inside, without altering the appearance of the protected buildings on the outside. The gallery was expanded, the art school was made handicapped accessible, and behind the scenes the offices were improved and they built a climate-controlled vault for their art collection.

Their collection of art also has a specialty: Artist Books. This relatively new art form really only came into critics sight in the 1970s. But San Diego is a hub of activity for book artists, and the Athenaeum is one reason. They have a permanent collection of artist books, and they have an exhibit of artist books that is simultaneously on display with the larger art gallery.

Throughout the library there are little nooks and each corner seems to hold a surprise discovery. Whether you wander into the art gallery, happen upon the artist books, or discover the children’s art books collection, the athenaeum is a delightful place to explore. In the heart of La Jolla, on the corner of Wall St and Girard St, it is a historical delight that is not to be missed.

Athenaeum
1008 Wall Street (@ Girard)
La Jolla, CA 92037-4418
858 454 5872

A-List at the Athenaeum

The Athenaeum is a historical music and arts library located in the heart of La Jolla on the corner of Wall Street and Girard. They host concerts during the lunch hour and in the evenings. These concerts focus on the traditional and academic forms of music, like classical, jazz, and even opera.

However, the Athenaeum has started a new program for young adults, the A-List. This new take on art and music offers evening parties every three months, with up and coming artists on exhibit and up and coming musicians to set the mood. The most recent event hosted electronica with a DJ mixing in the sounds of saxaphone and flute into the house beats. A pair of “His and Hers” neon nooses was on display along with photography from Tijuana and installation art that questions “Who is it good for?” on the back of bus stop bench.

This fresh take on art costs $10 for non-members, though members get in free with a guest. Once inside you never know what to expect. In addition to the art and music the Athenaeum chooses a theme for each A-List event, and mixes up cocktails to match, like the “Yellow Cab” – a mix of vodka, lemonade, and lime juice.

If you think the party stops there, you are wrong. There is free beer from local breweries like Karl Strauss, Stone, or Rock Bottom; there are door prizes from local restaurants, boutiques, and artists. Not to mention the crowd is full of artistic folks who can have interesting conversations about the art on the wall just as easily as they can debate which IPA is best or what mixed drink they recommend.

So next time someone asks you, “Are you on the list?” you can answer, “I’m about to be.”

Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
1008 Wall Street (@ Girard)
La Jolla, CA 92037
858 454 5872
http://www.ljathenaeum.org/A%20List.htm