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!

Love UCSD's Geisel Library! Iconic building packed with great study spaces (quiet & group), amazing…read moreviews, and all the resources you need. Highly 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.

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 like Birch Aquarium and always enjoy exploring the exhibits, especially sitting and watching the…read morehuge main tank, it's so relaxing. They've made some nice renovations recently, and we love the outdoor touch pools, penguins, and beautiful ocean views. My biggest complaint is the price. You can easily see everything in about 2 hours MAX, so full price admission feels pretty steep. We go more often because through CalFresh/WIC you get discounted tickets, and they also have great veteran discounts. Parking can be tough, and there aren't many handicap spots close to the entrance. If you're visiting from out of town, it's definitely worth pairing with a day exploring La Jolla, but I wouldn't plan on the aquarium being a full-day activity.

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?

What a wonderful building! Rediscovering it as I came here years back for a brunch at the Sea and…read morethe horse restaurant and now come to the Exos gym via my workplace. So impressed with the design and quality. The big mural made of annual reports is amazingly cool, what a fun idea of creating art from numbers on paper. Financial fun and artsy, who would know! Super pleasant space to work while waiting for my gym class with mellow background music. Lot of effort put in the design of everything, from the lamps, to the royal blue chairs, their arts exhibition. What a privilege to be able to come here for my gym classes and enjoy the membership perks!

This is the end Beautiful friend…read more This is the end My only friend, the end The Doors - The End It is with great sadness I post this. I was not there at the beginning but I will be there at the end. June 2, 2016 the gallery will permanently close. There is a change.org petition: https://www.change.org/p/chancellor-khosla-stop-the-closure-of-the-university-art-gallery

The University Art gallery is located in the middle of UCSD's campus. I know because I skateboarded…read moreby it many times. The space is small, but the interior is as chic as any La Jolla gallery. The gallery features hardwood floor and it often times has exciting exhibits from up and coming artists. A lot of faculty and graduate students have their art work on display here, but artists don't have to be associated with the university to be featured at the gallery. The staff is friendly and the gallery has a lot of exhibit openings with free food and drinks and the receptions are always to the public. For a gallery, the University Art Gallery has a pretty relaxed atmosphere, but a lot of pretentious UCSD art students hang out here, but hell even they have to dig scoring the free food and drinks at the openings.

Found this gem in August 2021 when my 8-yo twins wanted to learn how to play violin and guitar. I…read moresit in classes with my kids during lessons and I'm super impressed on how patient the teachers are with beginners. At the end of 10 weeks lessons, my son is able to play Ode to Joy on guitar and my daughter plays 4 different pieces at the recital. I'm very happy with their progresses and will continue to sign them up for lessons. So very glad to find this place. The place is very clean and adhere to covid protocols. Staff and kids wear masks the whole time they're inside. Staff are friendly and approachable. They're responsive to email inquiries. Overall, I give Villa Musica a perfect score!

We have had the pleasure to have both our girls ages 10 and 12 at Villa Musica. Both girls attended…read moretheir show choir class and really enjoyed it. My youngest practiced piano and oldest guitar also a Villa Musica with their instructors and have been excelling in their music learning. We are very happy with their learning and the care they have received there so far :)

My organization hosted a two-day event at the International House in February 2019. We had a great…read moreexperience! Barbara Ramsey, the Events Manager, made sure we had everything we needed and the rest of their events staff on site was equally helpful. We had no issues with the technology in the room and everything was set up as requested. We also used UC San Diego Catering services for lunch, coffee and refreshment breaks. The food was always on time and delicious. They made special accommodations for dietary restrictions in our group, which we really appreciated. UCSD International House is a beautiful venue with excellent service. We would happily host an event here again!

If you are going to live on UCSD's campus, I completely recommend living at the International…read moreHouse. I-House provides students with a unique living situation because UCSD students share housing with students from around the globe. There is a plethora of cultural activities for students to participate in, such as conversation tables, where they can practice their foreign language skills. I feel that students who travel across the globe tend to be more social. I have met so many people who forged great relationships when they studied abroad which is what makes I-House so great because you get a chance to really get to know so many different people from so many different cultures. I can honestly say, living at I-House was one of my most memorable experiences at UCSD.

My visit to Estancia started a bit rocky, but the hotel manager, Sidney (I hope I'm spelling that…read morecorrectly) more than made up for the issue I had. If not for her, my review would be completely different. She went above and beyond and I appreciated it so much. The grounds are full of plants, succulents, and flowers. My room was clean and comfortable. It felt like I had a little apartment on the property. I loved the variety of items in the gift shop. I came to the resort for my last night in San Diego to decompress from seeing my best friend who has terminal cancer and so I wasn't my typical self. Again, Sidney was extremely empathetic. I truly hope my friend can get out of the hospital so I can fly down again and treat her to a stay at Estancia La Jolla. Thank you so much, Sidney. Your kindness will stay in my heart. Edit: I've been thinking about my experience at Estancia. My flight out of San Diego was cancelled, so I had to book a stay at a Hampton Inn near the airport. It's a third of the price I paid to stay at Estancia, but the service here made me remember that if NOT for Sidney taking such good care of me, my review would be a one star. Honestly, I would have preferred that the issues I experienced there never even happened. Using AMEX Fine Hotels you have an expectation of the property going that extra mile. The fact that there are over 900 reviews on here and the property does not respond to any of the reviews makes me question whether they really care. It would seem that they don't.

Overall fairly underwhelmed. I feel like this could just as easily have been a two star review…read more Stayed here for a few nights recently while attending a wedding. Which seems to be the main draw here. While advertised as a resort and spa, this locale seems primarily focused on hosting weddings and events. This was confirmed after having a number of conversations with various staff members. Overall the facility is nice. Clean. Rooms are modernly appointed. The property is pretty, with numerous netting halls and rooms, several guest buildings, and adjacent gardens. It's not a huge property, and despite its beautiful surroundings and locale; doesn't really offer much in terms of views or an ability to enjoy the area unless you want to hike or bike off the property. There is one full service restaurant on the property, Mustangs and Burros, and a breakfast/lunch spot. There is also à combination gift shop/ coffee bar. Food was average at best. Much is made about the locally sourced organic ingredients, sadly flavor and seasoning doesn't seem included. Food offerings at the cafe were fairly limited. Food through their catering/event department seemed better than anything offered at the resort. Service was also fairly lackluster. Front desk staff was absolutely terrible. Incompetent and flat out rude. House keeping was similarly unhelpful and did the bare minimum. Overall was fairly disappointed with the service at the resort. The only decent service was from the valet and bell staff. Was our first visit to Estancia, and frankly likely to be our last. Did not feel there was much here to rave about. Everything seemed "ok" at best. Nice event location maybe. Would not recommend for anything else.

This place is trippy! I came to film to be an extra in a Sci-Fi thriller feature film. Russian…read morefeature film. Wow! The floor I was on looked totally like a Futuristic lab. Almost like the entire building is one huge computer. There's row after row of big machinery with little lights. I'm assuming all of this is parts of a server? It's very impressive. Since we were shooting a film w/lab coats it was a perfect setting to play scientist. Obviously the place was locked secured during our shoot so I don't really know what goes on here on a regular day. Nonetheless, I'm very grateful for the opportunity and a sneak peak into a world I would of been oblivious too. Where you suppose the kill switch is in this maze of technology? Would be awesome to flip the switch and hear the whole place shut down lol. Ok beam me up Scotty! Melly Mel out!