Bayview Plaza - Mission Bay update

Bayview Plaza is the name of the development planned by Protea for the Clairemont Trolley Station.

I blogged a couple years ago of Protea’s plans for this vacant lot HERE.  It was just a brief meet-n-greet session, but now plans are well into the works seeking city permissions.

This is the second meeting with Protea and the final opportunity for local/public input.

Residents did express themselves by voting on possible retail spaces desired, as noted by the dots on the options board.  Green means ‘I want it’.

The proposed trolley station looks like others.

But lacking as seen in this overview in that there is no pedestrian overpass, no bike route!  Both HUGE!  Remember, it is permitted to take your bike on the trolley.  

But to be fair safe passage for pedestrians and bicyclists is the responsibility of the city planners.

Yellow dots are a maybe vote, blue are heck-no.

I still like Protea despite the complex is now more than 76’ vice the 30’ that was originally proposed.  Personally I feel the city planners totally left the idea of a viable mobility hub out of the concept.

Parking will be AWFUL, with 156 residential units vying for 86 resident parking spaces.  137 parking spaces are for retail customers (might used by residents) and 150 for trolley use only (too many).

Another concern is seen in Mass Transit Magazine article HERE.  Note there is no environmental study required, and the city will make its decision behind closed doors.

We were traveling on our 2019 Road Trip during the final De Anza Cove public meeting.  I doubt that I would have attended anyway as it was downtown at the City Council.  Basically the De Anza Specific Plan was merged into the larger Mission Bay Plan.

Campland has announced they will be taking over the short term cleanup and support of the Mission Bay RV Park – full article HERE.  The issue with the previous contractor is the amount of asbestos discovered, and they backed out of the clean up.



With the permission of the Coastal Commission to proceed Campland has committed to a 2 year project to clean out the remaining homes and stabilize the shoreline.  That news can be found HERE.


Altho this is called a 'short-term' project, the city just gave away public land for private development.  But, at least it is moving forward, after a long delay.

In exchange Campland will add 150 RV sites on the de Anza peninsula.

The restaurant that was to take over the old Visitor Center, did not secure a liquor license and withdrew :(  The site will now be the Beach Bunny renting toys 'Beach Bikes Boards' is their slogan.

Beach Bunny will have a snack bar, but no adult beverages.

In no special order are a few shots from a bike ride around Mission Bay.

Mariners Point now has paved parking!

Stand Up Paddleboard class in Ventura Cove.

Always some volleyball in South Mission

A protester's writes his message in the sand in PB

The beach was filled with locals enjoying our Local Season, that short times between repeating Tourist Season and Snowbird Season

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Meanwhile on the Big Bay, ground breaking on the Chula Vista Bayfront Project was today.  This 535 acre project will add another 246 RV sites to the waterfront.  And include restaurants, public parks, retail, etc.  I wonder if Fran would move to Chula Vista ???

HARRY POTTER: Hogwarts Battle - Defence Against the Dark Arts | Game Unb...

I can't help but show this off. Daughter Kami is on YouTube showing off the Harry Potter game she designed for USAopoly. She's awesome! Both Kg and Aj were the first players of the game to help her work out the kinks.

PIFA - Ski Beach on Mission Bay

PIFA is a celebration of the culture of the indigenous people of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia that is hosted by the Pacific Islander Festival Association.  This is the 25th annual gathering, the historic event has been heavily advertised, which is reflected by the crowd it drew.

There are advantages living close to Mission Bay, we can easily get to any of the events hosted there. 

After my volunteer time with Coastal Cleanup I headed home for a shower and we were on our bikes heading to Ski Beach.

Bikes were hands down the best way to get here.  Traffic was very heavy as we cruised passed the folks looking for parking.

But with my morning spent a South Shores we did not arrive till past noon and hungry!

It was a warm day and guests crowded into what shade was available.  All the folks standing past the tree are in the food lines.

There is a short line for the spam musubi, which I take advantage of to quiet our growling stomachs.   Sticky rice and fried spam wrapped in nori – it’s really pretty good.

With some culinary satisfaction we wandered a bit to check out options for a meal to share, while people were watching and checking out the stage.

Lots of choices for food, not surprising since there are so many island nations represented, including Hawaii.

We decide to split a combo plate of Kahlua pork, BBQ chicken and short ribs, with rice and macaroni salad.

Like spam, macaroni salad is a staple at every meal.  What’s with that?  

We share our dinner while watching more performances.

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We’re sitting next to a couple pretty gals with coconut bras, I snap their picture as they work their way to the stage.

This long line is for Hawaiian Shave Ice, not to be confused with shaved ice.  Generous portions on a hot day, almost worth the brain freeze that is sure to follow.

With an intermission on the main stage, we take time to check out the vendor booths.

I have to wonder what Hawaii smells like.  Volcanic ash?, Low tide?,  nope – papaya, mango, orchid, plumeria, etc.

With the talking heads still on the main stage for the 25th PIFA, we decide (I decide) enough.  I’m just getting too old/sunburned to be doing two things in one day!  But it was a great day!

And the Adams Avenue Street Fair is also this weekend … time for a nap!

Coastal Cleanup Day - South Shores of Mission Bay

Coastal Cleanup Day is a state wide event, the world’s largest single cleanup day event.  There are over 100 sites in San Diego where volunteers are needed and will be sponsored.

I volunteer with ‘I Love a Clean San Diego’, especially when they have a site on the list that we use. This year I chose South Shores.  We’ve often biked along Mission Bay through South Shores, we’ve used the restrooms and I’ve used the RV dump station.



I arrived a little early to check out the RC aircraft.  I've seen them often but have never really checked them out.

Who knew???  it’s a private club field, and my idea of doing a cleanup, in the private fly-zone, was not really how I wanted to spend my time.

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Back at Cleanup base station, check-in was quick and easy




After the 'Thank You' and 'Safety' talk we were told to always work in pairs  … bugs, snakes, gopher holes,  yadda-yadda. 

I took off alone with a quick stop at the RV dump station.

<no picture, we’ve all seen the detritus at a dump station>
it's not pretty, but better in the trashcans than the bay.

With that done, and a fresh pair of rubber gloves, I notice that most of the 50+ volunteers are either in the parking lot or on the trails by the water.  It's a warm morning and bayside is tempting, but that's not where the real trash is.

Little did these gals and kids know as they walked the parking lot, that just beyond the bushes is a trove of trash.
 
It was there I filled my bucket and a couple trash bags.  But the prize was an anchor buoy!  I thought it was a beach ball when I first saw it.  Nope!, at least I could roll it back.

While there I saw another abandoned camp nearby.  At that camp there was a mattress, a bunch of take out food containers and a latrine.  The trash filled my last plastic bag, the contents of the latrine filled my 5 gallon bucket and the mattress I had to drag out to the street.

There’s no way I want to carry all that back to the collection area, so I retrieved my truck.  I parked the truck facing oncoming traffic, at an unauthorized gate, near that private RC flight zone - yup! the one that did not want my help … And where’s a cop when you don’t want one?  Right in front of my truck - with his lights flashing! 



“Do you need assistance?” That’s better than asking for my credentials!  After I explained, he pulled on his gloves and helps me load the mattress and trash bag, but I’ve had my Hep shot and load the latrine contents myself.  Nice cop!, I did not get his name, nor did he ask mine.  but thanks for the help!

The efforts of the day were awarded various prizes – biggest group, best bucket decorations, etc.  But I won 3: biggest find – the mattress; most unusual – the buoy; and … drum roll … most disgusting – the latrine contents!  

Better in their plastic bag than my bay!

I’m quick to get back home for a well deserved shower, than Fran and I get on our bikes for a ride to PIFA! 

What’s PIFA? – that’ll be in the next blog….

Fiestas Patrias - Celebrating Mexican Independence

San Diego is busy this weekend!  Old Town is hosting a Beer Festival with unlimited 2oz tastings.  But there’s a $25 cover, not really my thing.

Also today is Old Town Founders’ Day presentation and the Harney Street Market.  And all these events are FREE!, now that’s my thing.

Although free events are good, neither were enough for me to ride the bike down the hill.  However, today Old Town is hosting Fiestas Patrias, Mexican Independence Day.

On September 16, 1810 Miguel Hidalgo, a parish priest in the small town of Dolores, offered an impassioned cry of sorrow and anger that inspired the revolt against Spain.  
Known as the Grito de Dolores.  It was indeed a call to arms.

Old Town celebrates with traditional music and dance, and what is thought to be the gist of the Hidalgo Speech.

I passed on most of the talking heads, but the music of the Mariachi Divinas was excellent.

Certainly good enough to get this young gal on her feet.

The adult dancers brought their own canned music ...

Later in the afternoon there will be Mexican cooking demonstrations.  The street tacos looked really good!

Add a cup of pozole cooked over the fire for me!

Mexican Monte is a slight of hand card trick.  Alas, I was too early, no one was at the table

The local caballeros have cell phones!

Later they will be giving roping demonstrations and inviting the kids to give it a try.

The Harney Street Market was also in progress.  This is an artisan market with various crafts for purchase.

I’m glad Fran was not with me, we might still be there!  These characters show up at many of the Old Town events.

The park was also hosting Founders’ Day.  San Diego was already growing when Mexico declared its independence.  These ‘founders’ are demonstrating the correct technique for building with mud bricks that have not been fired.

From its start San Diego was a mix of nationalities, and it remains an interesting ‘melting pot’.

The Mormon Battalion was stationed in San Diego during the Mexican American War.  Although not exactly ‘founders’ in my mind, they do have a big history throughout San Diego County.

Again not ‘founders’ but what's not to like about the immaculate cars of the San Diego Model A Club?

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This weekend is also Bayfair, a big weekend for the powerboats!  Sprint boats go fast but not far, jet skis have a slalom run, those loud hydroplanes have a really fast oval course … I didn’t give them a thought!

The Dragon Boat preliminaries are also this weekend.  The international finals will be on the same course in a couple weeks.

ready, set, GO!

Today’s teams are mostly Laotian, competing in Men, Women, Mixed team categories.

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Gross! Fresh squeezed sugarcane?

Awards ceremony will be held here tomorrow.

I had to track down the announcer – he talks fast in Lao and never stopped!

I’ll leave you with this picture of Miss Dragon Boat … I agree it’s a tie!

This is my first post on my new-to-me Notebook.  Previously I've used laptops that could be used as 'portable desktops'.  Let me know if there are any issues with this post!