Los Angeles was the base for the first part of this trip. First day was San Diego and Coronado Island. I joined the tour bus and we set off.
Coronado Island is home to the Hotel Del Coronado where ‘Some Like it Hot’ with Marilyn Monroe was filmed.
Elegant and charming the Hotel del Coronado screams old style luxury; an iconic living legend that continues to inspire.
‘Hotel founders, Elisha Babcock, Jr., and Hampton L. Story, along with San Diego developer Alonzo Horton, survey Coronado beach, c. 1886. Although neither Babcock nor Story had experience in the hotel business, they were so inspired by the natural beauty of Coronado that they decided to buy the island and build a magnificent hotel, one that would be “the talk of the western world,” an iconic California destination where “people will continue to come long after we are gone.”’
We then drove through the Gaslamp District and on to the Marina area. The highlight of this for me was the “Embracing Peace” statue by Seward Johnson.
This sculpture depicts one of the most famous and iconic moments in the history of the United States, reflecting the joy of the American people upon learning World War II had ended. It is inspired by the spontaneous war end celebration in New York City’s Times Square.
San Diego has a huge military history and there are some fabulous commemorations in Tuna Harbour Park.
We then moved on to San Diego Old Town. Predominately Mexican it has an eclectic, boho, laid back vibe. I loved it.
Lunch was the tastiest I’ve eaten in a while; cheese topped boar and chilli bean soup with big chunks of garlic bread and two glasses of Chardonnay, from the Hungry’s Kitchen and Tap.
It was a good first day. Good to be back in America. New states, new experiences.
Milly Space 