Posts tagged Waterfront

Today was our day of installation: We our home in Solana Beach in San Diego rely on the chic Sofia Hotel in downtown San Diego. Another brilliant day we reached the hotel by 10 clock, but our room was not ready yet, so we decided to begin to explore local store.

Victorian Seaport Village, Mexico and the architectural style of the coast and four miles of trails winding cobbled a welcoming environment for shops and restaurants create the water. The range of goods including souvenirs, clothing, kites, wind chimes and unique gift ideas. Galleries and dealers complete the offer and live music is often offered throughout the year. An original 1895 carousel with hand-carved animals enchant adults and children. Dining options include four restaurants, and thirteen casual restaurants.

An outdoor exhibition of oversized globes currently adds an additional interest in Seaport Village. “Cool Globes – Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet” features 40 inspiring globes that show simple solutions to global warming. The balls were traveling by local artists, national and international in the street in places like Chicago, Washington DC, San Francisco designed and will be presented in Los Angeles and London in 2009.

To the north of Seaport Village, the Embarcadero, the USS Midway, an aircraft carrier that, in operation 1945-1992 was includes. It was offered as a museum ship was moored in San Diego’s Navy Pier in 2004. Visitors to the ship in the cockpit, dining room, terrace, flight control area, officers, maintenance and parts of the engine room. In the evening, are often held on this ship and a massive coffee adorns the rear of the ship. A portion of the vessel can be obtained free of charge with a view of Port of San Diego, while the approval is for the rest of the ship 0.00.

San Diego has long been a center for the U.S. Navy and the area was around the USS Midway has many relics of military history, including dedicated to the Battle of Leyte Gulf Battle historic memorial in 1944. The Bob Hope Tribute, also called the National hello to Bob Hope and the military, is an impressive collection of bronze statues to life, remember that Bob Hope five decades of support for soldiers Entertainment, airmen and sailors from 1943rd

The National Hi consists of 16 numbers on a circular space around a sculpture by Bob Hope, entertaining the audience in front of a microphone. The figures are illustrations of faith surrounding military personnel from different eras, including World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, the Cold War and the first war in the Persian Gulf.

Among the many pieces of public art along the waterfront, one of the most beautiful is “surrender”, a 25-foot sculpture of a sailor kissing a young nurse. The sculpture recalls the moment when the Second World War was finally over, and the joy and the euphoria has swept the world. Is inspired by a famous photo of the celebrations of VE Day in Times Square, this sculpture by J. Seward Johnson ready for the Port of San Diego by the end of February 2009.

is further north along the coast, the Cruise Terminal at Pier B Street along North Harbor Drive. San Diego is a focal point for many major cruise lines Carnival, including Holland America, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises. Nearly 620,000 cruise passengers arrived in San Diego in 2006. Cruises in the local port is also available in this area, and a central location is the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau is directly opposite the cruise terminal.

Now it was time to head back to the hotel, and finally with less than ten minutes I arrived at the hotel check in Sofia. The front desk staff was very friendly and our bags already in Suite 602, Studio Deluxe Suite has been. Our room was elegant and modern, ergonomically enhanced by a lounge with flat screen TV and a second office. Our bathroom including bath with shower and luxury of a dressing with fresh orchids in the bedrooms.

always driven by my curiosity, I managed to persuade two employees of the hotel, I later a tour of the entire hotel a few minutes. Brian Wells at the reception and Danny Miranda, a hunter, and graciously began by the history of the Hotel Sofia for me. Two towers of the hotels were built in 1926 and opened a year later, the Pickwick Hotel. The property was part of the Pickwick Corporation, a company that shared 22 utilities in California. The design was added in the Gothic Revival style in 1928 and two hotel towers.

From 1928 to 1944, the hotel at the same location from a radio station called KGB (no association with the former Russian secret service agency). Pickwick Stages in 1929 merged with the Greyhound Corporation. In the years 1940 and 1950 remains the Pickwick Hotel is a popular destination and entertainment, and the residents and guests enjoyed the Piccadilly Lounge. In the 1950 local council to prevent need decorative architectural elements from the front to reduce the risk of injury in an earthquake can be removed.

From the mid-1950s to the mid-1980s saw the center of San Diego fell into decline and lost its luster as a destination retail and entertainment. Now a new owner started the Pickwick Hotel shows its age well.

The new owners, Ken and Harker Parekh Winslow purchased the property in 1986 and began to systematically repair the hotel during the next 20 years. With the opening of Horton Plaza shopping center in very successful retail rejuvenation of the historic Gaslamp Quarter and the construction of Petco Park, San Diego has become a destination again. The location is absolutely ideal for us in our discoveries of the city of San Diego.

After this short introduction to the history of the hotel, we strengthened outside the hotel, which is located at the intersection of Broadway and West First Avenue. The statue of the businessman was at the entrance to the city Development Corporation and City Council dedicated to revive as a thank you to the city to the entire neighborhood. Brian pointed out that Horton Plaza and the Gaslamp Quarter literally just 10 minutes. The Sofia is only seven blocks from the beach and the marina.

Speaking of history was the Hotel Sofia is a member of Historic Hotels of America last year and is the only hotel in the historic center of San Diego. A photo shows the entrance to the radio towers that the hotel set up in 1934 were distributed for 50,000 watts waves in San Diego.

In a hallway on the left side of the entrance, we stopped to admire some pictures of the renovation. Images brass designers, architects and builders decorate the wall. One of the photos shows the renovation, and the only thing about the entire reconstruction process was that the owners of 12 women are kept in the household, and Brian and Danny on staff to assist in the demolition. The team removed carpeting, ceiling fans, sinks and toilets with 242 hotel rooms and 720 old doors were torn off. Danny and Brian said it was great to keep their jobs during the reconstruction phase and in the transformation of this hotel. Their sense of belonging and pride in the newly restored and glamorous hotel, Sofia was obvious.

Less than three weeks before Christmas, the lobby was flooded with Christmas decorations. Brian added that the hotel currently offers a total of 14 Christmas trees decorated by the owners. Real orchids adorn the public areas and all rooms. On the floor of the hall opposite the entrance is a painting of a young girl on the beaches of Coronado. This girl is the granddaughter of Ken Winslow, Sofia and was the inspiration for the new name of the hotel completely renovated. A sitting area invites you to sit and relax by the fireplace.

On the left side of the lobby is in the business center that three new desktop computers, high-speed Internet access over fiber, color and monochrome printers and fax has. The business center is available to customers 24 hours a day.

Walking back to the lobby, we turned right into the “Cassis”, the elegant and modern restaurant with 120 seats on the ground floor of the Hotel Sofia. Created in 2007, Cassis offers upscale American cuisine to French and is a day for hotel guests and the public. High ceilings, tile graphics, elaborate chandeliers, furniture and a unique style and intimate private rooms with curtains, offers a sophisticated environment.

heading stage now that we are on the mezzanine floor, where several awards were proudly displayed in Sofia. In less than two years since its reopening, the hotel Sofia two Best of City Search Award and Expedia Select won an insider. This distinction only for the top 1% of the hotels is provided. The restaurant has also won awards, and Sofia has also received an ASID Design Excellence Award.

corner of Danny and Brian took me two conference rooms that are equipped modern video conferencing and projection condition. The largest meeting room holds 32 people, while the small meeting room with 20 seats, a massive antique wooden table is anchored. In the hall we came to yoga and fitness center, a convenience which is open 24 hours a day. The hotel even has a private yoga teacher and offers TV, DVD, towels, mineral water and orange infused. Hotel Sofia has even produced their own yoga DVD! <-P> adopted by the common facilities and Danny Brian me with 633 to room, a corner room. A standard room with double bed, gives this room an excellent view of the port of San Diego. A smaller but well-designed space, it has high quality beds, therapeutic pillow tops and luxurious queen duvet. A flat screen TV, digital safe, iron and ironing board, hair dryer and add equipment. coffeemaker and microwave enable customers to meet their basic needs to address. ice machines deliver on different floors of the electricity for cooling retreat private party with champagne needed.

The hallways in the colors of sage green and elegant rug is adorned top quality. After the renovation, the number of rooms to 211 rooms reduced disadvantages of the 242 original rooms. The extra space was taken by the conference rooms and a fitness room yoga.

few steps later in 601, presented Brian the comfort of a private bedroom with a double bed and a sleeper sofa in the living room. A Queen Suite can accommodate up to four persons. reading lamps, can high-tech to tilt in any direction, and the clock radio comes with an iPod / MP3 port. flat-screen TV in room and lounge. All areas vanity interesting feature dark wood cabinets, all adorned with real orchids. soaps luxury and pampering guests and mineral water is free.

To conclude the visit, Brian and Danny gave me some tips about San Diego Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, Old Town, Seaport Village and Coronado explore attractions are among the most popular local. The upscale neighborhood of La Jolla and Scripps Institute of Oceanography are a little further. I’m looking forward to tomorrow morning at about the Gaslamp Quarter, free Hotel Sofia. A visit to Balboa Park would complement our adventures in San Diego.

Not only have we found a very central location in San Diego, stay at the Hotel Sofia, we are also the local history and discover a unique place, a property carefully 1920 and has kept it in the new millennium with the above-mentioned range of modern amenities.

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