This is a rather smallish Library but it's a nice one for a retired guy with 10 agin' fingers, 9…read moretoes, 6 snaggly teeth, 2 eyes dimmed by Cateracts, 1 good ear, beautiful brown hair, a shaggy gray beard and a heart as big as Texas to come and spend time at while waiting on a repair on my van. All library personnel treated me with kindness and respect. The security guard was friendly too. He wasn't a jerk as some guards can be. I've been to some libraries in which when my eyes grew weary from reading and fell shut, and a bossy young guard with a chip on his shoulder would bang on the table and inform me I can't sleep. Once a guard roughly tapped my shoulder, startled me and I nearly crapped in my pants. This did not happen today in this library. The challenge I had was that since this was a small library seatin' especially near an outlet was prime real estate. I was fortunate enough to get a seat. Hopefully, a nearby outlet will be available soon. This library is clean, well organized well maintained and has friendly knowledgeable Liberians to assist visitors. Overall a very positive experience while waitin on my Mechanic to repair my Van. I may very well add North Clairmont Public Library to my rotation, Fortunately as I'm endin' my review a table near the charging station became available. Life is GOOD. This Library has activities for children , several computers to use, and a couple of tables with puzzles . I'm not sure what the protocol was in regard to the puzzle. I do know that the todlers LOVED the children's activities which included singin', dancin', story tellin' and such. I will say that unlike several libraries I've visited across San Diego County, this one does NOT have a park adjacent to it. My Gemini Assistant got it's wires crossed and gave me wrong information about the North Claremont Park bein there. In fact my Gimini Assistant had me walking the entire length or Banock tryin to find the Library. So much for modern technology. Like humans AI can and does make mistakes.

Small library, but friendly staff, organized clean space, several computer stations and community…read moreresources

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.

This small library is very community oriented. They have scheduled game days for kids of all ages…read more I've been to several concerts in the past year with various genres of music. The staff here are friendly knowledgeable and helpful. I've met some interesting people here and even found a new friend.

clean, comfortable, and a great place to get work done! The librarian was super friendly and made…read moregetting a new library card quick and easy. The computers are modern and worked perfectly--I had no trouble completing my school project. I believe you get a set amount of time per session, but I had more than enough to finish my work without any issues. Overall, a great experience, and I'll definitely be coming back to this branch again! Highly recommend!

Feels like a quick rich quick scheme. Overpriced shows and overpriced drinks. Do not recommend…read more Best seats are reserved for paid actors. Owners don't even bother to show their faces on stage.. but they're there.

Great venue. We had about 66+ adults and children there for a one year old birthday party. The…read morespace was big enough for a taco stand in the front, a DJ booth and all his equipment, tv for Nintendo HDMI setup for the kids, a playpen for the toddlers, 4 tables for food, ice bins for adult/kid's beverages, seating and a playground next door. We also had a traditional dragon dance performance in the front of the venue. The folks that run it (Kyle, Paige, Jim and Anthony) were really responsive and nice. Our party was the party of the century thanks to them!

The San Diego River Park Foundation is dedicated to the restoration of the San Diego River. One of…read morethe many ways they use to reconnect San Diego with this magnificent natural waterway is art! Public art and various murals about river life help to raise awareness . All of the artwork is designed and supervised by a professional artist but the actual workmanship of the projects is done by volunteers. There are currently 5 community murals. Some are at the Preserve Trail between Pacific Highway and Napa Street. Others are at the parking lot near Mission Center Road and Hazard Center Drive. There is also "River Life" at Qualcomm Road and Camino de la Reina in Mission Valley. Every mural is a colorful piece of art and hopefully does the job of both engaging the community and beautifying the immediate area.

Nice art. In a fellow artist and i love seeing nice art out there. Great pieces. San Diego has a…read morelot of great artists and its good to see that. Keep up the great work.

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.

Keep walking all the way down Spruce. You'll find it all the way at the end of the street. The…read morebridge is a tad bit wobbly, but it's pretty sturdy.

Fun bridge if you're in the area. Neighborhood street parking is easy. The bridge ends are wobbly…read more The oldest suspension bridge in San Diego, it's sturdier than expected but still cool. I couldn't appreciate its 70 foot height but fortunately the natural area is respected, didn't see any garbage or human made etchings. Quince Street Bridge is a few blocks away, so might want to check that out too and do a hike underneath.

The Botanical Building was one of my favorite spots to visit when I went to Balboa Park. It is such…read morea beautiful and peaceful spot. I loved walking around and seeing all the different plants, flowers and greenery. There's even a pretty fountain inside! Thai spot is a great place to just relax and walk around. It is picture perfect and a must see places

I have an unabashed affinity for conservatories, I confess I watch Bridgerton just so that I can…read moremarvel at the conservatories they unveil for their summer time dance galas. Anyway, the botanical building in Balboa park, Sand Diego though made of wood lath is nonetheless considered a conservatory and reputedly the only wood lath conservatory in the world and also one of the largest of its kind globally. As soon as one enters, they are greeted by the intoxicating smell of fecund moist earth. The wood lath structure allows the breeze to flow through but cuts down the harsh sun creating a dappled sanctuary. I felt like a little child let loose in candy land, the display is a feast for the senses with monsteras, philodendron, ferns, orchids, begonias, cycads etc in every corner. One side had majestic soaring plants reaching the ceiling while the other side felt bare in comparison. The lily pond greeting one at the entrance also houses turtles, pink lotuses, frogs and fish. Overall a must visit for people who have a thing for plants or even-otherwise.

When I heard about this mural, it was a must that I had to come check it out. The mural is in the…read morestyle of your typical Greetings from.... post card. It is the work of Victor Ving and Dave Persue as part of the Greetings Tour in 2016 and measures 15 feet high and 25 feet wide. It was funded by the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association. Each letter in the word San Diego has an iconic image of the city. S - Hotel del Coronado A - Coronado Bridge N - Matt Hensley ollie on overpass (Photo: Daniel Harold Sturt) D - Sunset Cliffs I - Persue "Bunny Kitty" E - American flag, Mexican flag G - Balboa Park O - Giant Dipper, Belmont Park The mural is in excellent shape and looks awesome. It overloooks a parking lot, so it is easy to park and take a closer look. It is on the side of the Belching Beaver and is pretty easy to find. It is a bit outside of the city, so you will need a car to get here. It is in an artsy part of town though, which is pretty cool. Anyway, as with most murals 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 planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. Luckily for you there are a ton of murals in this area to check out.

What a nice and pretty mural. We really liked seeing it while we in the area. San Diego was a cool…read moretown with alot of public art. You can park side street and just walk.

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.