I'm GIANTS: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys was inspiration on a grand…read morescale. What I loved most is how beautifully this exhibition moves across time periods, genres, cultures, places and styles--welcoming and celebrating so many different people, perspectives and stories along the way. It's elegant without being stuffy. Sophisticated without losing its sense of fun. Thought-provoking, vibrant, unexpected and wonderfully eclectic. If you're in San Diego, don't miss this installation. San Diego County and Tijuana residents receive special $20 admission, older adults 55+ are $15, and visitors with disabilities receive FREE admission. Admission is also free for guests 25 and under, military, and SNAP/EBT cardholders. And there's something especially meaningful about **Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys--both San Diego natives--**finding yet another way to give back to our community through art, culture, access and inspiration. Elegant. Eclectic. Joyful. Classy. And, appropriately... GIANT. Tomorrow, August 9, is the final day. Go experience it.

This is a world-class contemporary museum. If you're in the area, don't miss it!…read more Important details: -The entrance is not on the ocean side, you have to walk around the block to Prospect Street. -The museum is closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday! They are also closed on many holidays, check the hours of operation before visiting. -They participate in Bank of America Museums on Us. Thanks to the friendly person at the front desk who mentioned this. -This museum is near La Jolla Cove which if you like birds, is not to be missed! The museum has three floors and nice outdoor areas including a restaurant. The museum overlooks an absolutely stunning coastline. They go a little overboard with recordings and staff asking patrons to stay away from the art (I get it, but geez!). Be ready for that, especially if you have kids. The Nick Cave fringy art is just too tempting for kids. I went to look out a window and was told to stay back, I mean really. They have a "calm room", and you might need to use that to calm down from being told to stay away from the art so much! Haha. I saw the Giants Alicia Keys exhibit which was great. The movie I could barely hear. They have tons of merch in the store for the exhibit, however I really wanted a t-shirt that was for the museum and not the specific exhibit, but they didn't have any.

This is a smaller aquarium, but it was a lovely one to visit. We picked the Birch aquarium as one…read moreof the spots to visit using our City Pass & it was quick and easy to get inside. There is a short walk from the parking lot to the aquarium, but the walk itself isn't that bad. There are two sides to the aquarium to explore, an outside area where you can see some adorable as can be small blue penguins and another outside area with touch pools. The area with the touch pools has a gorgeous view of the beach & ocean as the aquarium sits up higher so you'll have a great view for photos. We thought they had a great selection of sea life to view. They had several different types of Jelly fish & several different species of Sea horses. I absolutely loved seeing the Sea Kelp Dragons, they are so cool to see. The bathrooms were clean, the gift shop was nice, and all of the staff we interacted with were friendly. I would say we were here for 45 minutes altogether?

This is a tiny aquarium that you can easily clear in about an hour. I would recommend purchasing…read moreyour tickets online and checking to see if they have any discount promo codes available. Otherwise, you'll be paying around $40 per person, unless you have an EBT card, which brings admission down to only $3 per person. There are about two sections of aquatic animals to explore. There is a penguin section, a small shark section, and a variety of other marine creatures. There is also an outdoor section with a nice view of the ocean in San Diego, which makes for some great photo opportunities. I've been to many aquariums, and I felt slightly underwhelmed by this one, mostly because of the price. Other than that, it's still a pretty nice spot to check out at least once. Parking: Plenty of parking, and it's free!

Geisel Library was my go-place for studying when I attended UCSD. It has a lot of tables and…read morecomputers. I believe it's a beautiful library. I highly recommend visiting Geisel Library even to those who are not UCSD students.

Drove all the way over to La Jolla because of this library. I have a soft spot for libraries and an…read moreeven soter spot for libraries with unique architecture. My coworker mentioned that there was a library in San Diego that was like an inverted pyramid --- say no more! I am in! It looks a lot like a rose to me -- which made it even better. Turns out, the "Geisel" part of the "Geisel Library" is actually Dr. Seuss Geisel! Which is why they have a multi-level Dr. Seuss exhibit. Library has a great view of the Quad. Has tons and tons of study rooms and study areas, each with charging ports. Glass walls everywhere with an awesome view of Do Ho Suh's Falling Star. THIS was a very pleasant surprise!

UCSD has a series of artworks called the Stuart Collection. Various artists were commissioned to…read morecreate artwork for UCSD. I had a closeup look at the construction of Fallen Star. It was a unique experience coming to work each day and watching a construction crew building what appeared to be a Craftsman style house. I saw lots of them when I lived in North Park. When they finished construction a crane lifted the house into place near the top of the building. At the opening reception the artist Do Ho Suh appeared to talk about his latest creation. I saw him afterwards and had my picture taken with him. Fallen Star is one of my favorite works in the Stuart Collection. Looks very cool from the ground. Inside it's very disorienting as the floor isn't level and the angles are not what you are used to. This is one of the most unique and interesting artworks I've ever seen. Cool documentary about Fallen Star on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbVAv2AENfI I never saw Do Ho Suh again but he is still doing great work and his last exhibition was in New York in 2022. https://newyorkarttours.com/blog/art,artist,contemporary,critic,exhibition,gallery,newyork,photography,sculpture,tour,visualart/inverted-monument/

This is a review fo the Fallen Star in UC San Diego's Stuart Collection…read more The Fallen Star is for sure a must-do for students at UC San Diego. It is a great experience being in the house and it is super fun. It is available for everyone to go and book a tour. Beware! The spots get taken up really quickly so be sure to book far in advance. You book 30 minute slots on Wednesdays or 15 minute on Thursdays depending on whether or not you are booking with a group or not(Wed for group, Thursday for Individual). We did not book with a group as the group signups are extremely full (Backed up for 2 months) so we just booked multiple individual tours on the same day. You are supposed to arrive around 5-10 minutes before your time starts so you can spend the whole time within the house. Although our group for the tour was luckily pretty small(Only 4), sometimes they can be a bit larger. Parking can be a bit difficult as its around a 5 minute walk away from the event but I think its worth it. Its also free! Overall, I would recommend it.

I love hidden San Diego and honestly anything that's a little odd, so once I heard about this, I…read morehad to find it and see for myself. It feels a little disrespectful to say that a sculpture looks like a turd when that wasn't the artist's intent, but... it looks like a turd. It's hard to look at it and think of anything else. At least that's what I thought. When I sent a photo to some friends and family, they were all able to quiet the intrusive thoughts of poop for long enough to think of some other possible interpretations, including: * a Cheeto or cheese puff * a giant cashew * a snake emerging from the ground * a dinosaur-sized macaroni * a rock (less creative but classier, I guess) Now, I'll just have to come back and see it again for Halloween -- I've heard that someone (who would do this?) puts giant googly eyes on it. Keep San Diego weird!!

A piece of art that really moves you, get it?…read more Public art is always subject to debate, and in San Diego the preference tends to run on the "less-than classy side". Statues of dolphins, horses, and fishermen will barely cause a ripple on anyone's radar. However, there is one sculpture in particular that causes looks of befuddlement more than any where else. Representing a large bowel movement, this sculpture is often referred to as the "Scripps Turd" which remains its reputation to this day. The Abstract Sculpture, titled Okeanos, a.k.a. "The Scripps Turd" is made of bronze and was created by artist William Tucker. Tucker is a modern British sculpture and art scholar born in Cairo, Egypt. He attended the University of Oxford and went on to further study sculpture at Saint Martin's School of Art in London under teacher and mentor Anthony Caro. He has since received several awards and honors for his work, such as: The Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts in 1986. The International Sculpture Center's Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture in 2010. The title of National Academician at the National Academy Museum in 2011. People driving along North Torrey Pines Road in La Jolla had undoubtedly once noticed Tucker's big, hulking 13-foot piece of art in front of the Scripps Green Hospital. Despite the public's distaste for the art piece, the 3,500-pound sculpture was commissioned for $200,000 in 1987. The money came from donors in honor of Frank J. Dixon, the Director of the Institute for 25 years. Tucker named the artwork after the Greek god of rivers and oceans, Okeanos or (Ōkeanós), also known as Oceanus. Okeanos was a Titan who represented the ocean and was the eldest son of Uranus (ha) and Gaia. Tucker said the form, to him, suggested an ocean wave, and it was hailed by many critics when it was revealed. Michael Brenson, the former art critic of The New York Times, wrote of Okeanos in 1988: "The sculpture is a rippling curve that seems to spew out of the earth and curl up like a wave. It suggests not only water but also clouds and vegetation and human limbs." Alas, the public didn't feel the same way. Nor did philanthropist Edythe H. Scripps, who had "The Turd" moved to a new location by The Scripps Research Institute at the mere cost of another $40,000 (more money down the drain. I drew inspiration in recalling a smaller sculpture featured in the classic documentary film on the life of legend Joseph Dirtè (see tip photo). Upon seeing this work of art, the latter was most likely inspired by this same piece. A "chip off the old creative block" perhaps.

I haven't been to an UltraStar Cinema in years, I didn't realize we still had one in San Diego…read more This location was one of the few spots showing Never Stop Chasing so we had to come just to see this. You can see the theater has aged, and well loved. Pricing for concessions and tickets were not bad at all even with the fees. I also heard the staff explaining how busy it can get during their 50% off ticket and popcorn days, which is a deal if you don't mind the crowds. Seats have definitely seen better days, but I do like how high the backing is and for someone short like me, there were no issues of being able to see the screen even if someone tall was in front of me.

I saw The Odyssey today in theater 5 at 3pm. The leather seats were very comfortable and the sound…read moresystem was good. Most importantly, the air conditioning was working really well and the theater was clean. It was easy to purchase tickets online although the $3 convenience fee was a bummer. All staff members I interacted with were friendly. The concessions seemed reasonably priced as well & they have happy hour every day. I didn't try anything though & just brought my water bottle inside. We parked in the free underground lot & it was easy to walk over to the cinema. There were plenty of dated yet functional bathrooms inside. This is a good movie theater to see your next film. Peace.

A luxury movie experience one needs every now and then, this THE LOT location in LJ with upscale,…read moreclean, and comfortable environs perfect for serving that desire. The Lot is very unique in that they not only serve as a movie theater, but have a full-service dinner and bar area as well. Adjoining ASA Bakery is also on-site, serving creative, too-pretty-to-eat pastries and matcha drinks. Honestly, the $24 price tag for a movie experience might seem steep, but other movies theaters are in and around that price anyways. At The Lot, at least you're getting comfortable, plush seats, a seemingly private viewing experience with your partner in your recline-ready love seat, food and drink wait service at your seat (if you desire it), and superb picture with okay enough sound. On that note, some cons: -We recently watched The Odyssey and some of the scenes were blaringly LOUD to the point where my ears felt like they could bleed. They do not divulge their sound system either, only that it's "high-end". The sound could definitely use better balance. -Mentioned love seats are very apparent upon booking now, making selection easy with no confusion. The theaters do cater to them so if you're in a group, you'll feel far from them. -Try as we might to pay in person, we could not avoid the service fee applied to all sales. Service fees are my biggest gripe, enough to teeter this rating. The atmosphere though is rather spectacular, so some things are to be ignored. -No true matinee prices unless you're a member. $20-22, otherwise, on Wednesday's for non-members.

I really enjoy the experience of The Lot, but between this location and the one on Liberty Station,…read morethe service always leaves something to be desired. Each visit (three separate occasions), something I've ordered was either forgotten or brought out very late. On this particular visit (Fri, July 3rd), I went to see a movie for my birthday. Unfortunately, due to public transportation, I was unable to make it to the theater as early as I wanted. My movie started @ 1:30, but I didn't make it inside until about 1:40 or so. The trailers were still playing, but the lights were off inside and the other guests seemed to already have their food/drinks. So, I attribute some of the mishap to that. However, there were less than ten people in the theater. So, keep that in mind as well. I ordered poke nachos, a popcorn, and a soda. Pretty simple order, right? My "host" brought out the popcorn + drink pretty swiftly. The popcorn tasted stale, just like another time I'd visited. Even though I'm pretty sure their 1:30 movies are their first showing. About halfway through the movie, I pressed the call button because I still hadn't received my nachos. The host said, "They might be ready now. Let me check." Translation: "I forgot them." That was pretty annoying. Especially as this is the third time something like this has occurred at The Lot. And I've only been three times in total. Luckily, the popcorn was free because it was my birthday, which I had to remind the host twice before he tried charging me. Do not order it unless you enjoy stale popcorn. The nachos and ginger ale were tasty, though. Overall, the vibe/setup is nice for viewing films. I only which the service and attention to detail was better.

There are 7 total ships, including the Star of India, and a submarine. You can purchase your ticket…read moreat any of the main booths/boat entrances, then show your receipt to visit the others on the same day. The flexibility of a self-guided tour was great. One ship was away on a sail in the afternoon this past Saturday, but there was more than enough to explore on the various vessels during our visit. Plenty to see and experience on each of the boats. We stepped onto the swift boat where staff educated us about its machine gun. And we walked through and checked out the different sections of the USS Dolphin submarine too. The HMS Surprise was a lovely ship with plenty of references to its use in films. The Star of India was like a museum all on its own, so many areas to explore and a ton of history to learn. The Californian was pretty basic, not very different from many other ships we've visited in the past. Steam Ferry Berkeley was the largest, with displays showcasing scientific instruments, model boats, artwork, the riverboats in Vietnam, the engine room, a torpedo caught by a fisherman, and a special exhibit featuring the "histories of the black pacific". There's a gift shop on site as well. Altogether, the variety of ships at the Maritime Museum made for an interesting adventure, a bit touristy, but worth the cost if you're into history or simply like boats.

Ok so I will split this into two reviews:…read more 1: the ships and actual adventure 2: the reservation process and customer service 1: booked a trip for the Spanish replica ship adventure the San Salvador and really loved it. The ticket also got you access to the other ships to walk around which was cool. But the coolest part was that San Salvador was sailed like they would have sailed it waaay back when. We got to see real rigging masts sails steering all being done by a crew and it was a totally amazing experience and such a perfect day. Bonus: we saw dolphins and it was a perfect day. Drawback: the gentlemen speaking throughout didn't talk into his mic often so missed a lot but oh well - who's really going for history?! such a good time!!. 2. I had a good with my tickets and called and tried to talk to folks in person and could never get someone. The tickets were cancelled but not refunded which was a bummer and staff in the kiosk even said they phone lines were messed up. A bummer. :(

Green Flash is a meteorological optical phenomena that you can see during sunset or sunrise. It is…read morevery rare to be able to see. Given the right conditions, you can see a distinct green spot above the sun's upper limb, that usually only lasts for no longer than two seconds. It is even more rare, the green flash can resemble a green ray shooting up from the sunset or sunrise point. This sculpture is the work of Malcolm Jones and is dedicated to that phenomenon, but it in no way aids you of viewing. You will find it on the Mission Beach boardwalk. The piece is made of a solid cast acrylic archway that is supported by two concrete pillars. There is also a bronze plaque describing the green flash phenomenon located on the sculpture and another title plaque. It was made in 2002 and is in fair shape, especially considering its age. Some has put stickers on it and the plaques are show signs of corrosion. It is unique and I actually learned something new in the process. It definitely sticks out. I have come to the terms that I will probably not ever see a green flash. It takes masterful planning, precise timing, and patience. I have 2 of the 3 (you can figure out which one I am missing). Parking here is simple. There is a free parking lot right by it. You can park, get out and talk a closer look. Well, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. The beach, a park, and an amusement park are in walking distance if you are looking for ideas.

I walked under this on my way to Mission Beach in San Diego and wondered what it was. It looked…read morelike something out of the 1970s!!! What is the Green Flash?? Well, it happens at sunrise or sunset, right before the sun drops out of view or starts to appear, it is said that a green flash appears for about 2 seconds. So this SoCal local flavor arch is a tribute to those 2 seconds!! Don't blink or you might miss it, literally, lol!!!!!