Go f### yourself San Diego! Oh, no, no! No...I'm sorry. I apologize. That's a quote from the cult classic movie 'Anchorman'. I promise. I'm sorry. But let me tell you there's plenty more reasons to visit the place that comedy calls "a whales vagina' that finds itself between San Francisco and Los Angeles 120 miles away and in its small town, city calm next to the Golden Gate and Hollywood than loving lamp.
Take the Gaslamp Quarter by gaslight for example. Anthemic to this cities culture of good food and an even better time once the alcohol fills your glass and you raise a cup. Because if LA is too busy for you. And San Fran too hill big. Than these greetings from Saint Diego make the picture perfect, retro vintage postcard to send you on your way. Stretching for as miles far as the lantern can see out to sea, or like the mozzarella between the breaded sticks you stretch to share (yeah right...the only thing you're sharing these bar bites with is marinara sauce). With more traditional, signature seafood joints than the knots in your stomach if you eat too much, the only thing this quarter has more of is every game going in the sports bar that your eyes and multiple T.V.'s can see. It's time to look up again instead of having your social life buried in another screen. Because in this town there's no scrolling or swipe right, the good people you meet tonight and will never forget are right there infront of you. Right now.
But take a walk out of lamplight and gas up your running shoes in a city that jogs (not "yogs" Ron) and find yourself uptop the stadium structure perpendicular to all that Friday night fun and you'll meet the unofficial sprinters peak that offers you a beautiful view of the bay (see above) and all the boats that will lead you to the waterline of this coastal city in the Pacific and the quieter watering holes and straight from the sea food places that take this city from one night to brotherhood to anniversary moments with your beloved. The calmer it gets to the ocean breeze. The quieter kept your unforgettable memories that haven't been brain cell dimmed by whiskey and wine.
And it's along this walk you should take to see more this city has to offer by the water. Like the ships sailed straight out of rum diary bottle of a 'Pirates Of The Carribbean' movie on this California coast. But none of these wooden planks can walk the walk or talk the talk with the military muscle and might of the USS Maritime memorial museums right there on the harbour in all their unsinkable battleship glory for those naval officers that gave their lives for freedom of their country. And you'll be moves to salute with some emotional sculptures and statues that haunt the harrowing nature of war and all the love that is lost and in some cases gladly and tearfully reunited in the fight. And of course there's also taller than it all that iconic shot sculpted of the officer dipping his partner for a kiss beneath the return home ticker tape of New York's Times Square, LIFE immortalised. Because there's no greater victory than that.
But between the San Diego Zoo of squirrels that can water-ski (that's the second to last 'Anchorman' reference I sort of promise) and Balboa Park that is truly a knockout, there is so much to see in the "birthplace of California". But one of the best ways to see this town is to get down to some walking. And from the bottom of your worn sneakers your heart will see the soul of this city. Block street art mural to block beauty as you see the thin golden California line of a setting sun in the sky between the chrome of the scraping structures, you'll want to keep looking both ways long after you've looked whether it's safe to cross the street. It's kind of like that anticipatory feeling without the fear of when you walk-ran through the supermarket as a kid, trying to play it cool as you bobbed your head and ducked and weaved like a floating butterfly down every aisle to look for your mum. As you got lost in the whole cereal aisle you hoped to bring all back to the trolly cart. But when you catch one here at the end of the day like you would in the Bay City neighbour it's time for a night you won't forget. I hope you brought your jazz flute.
You stay classy San Diego. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
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