By the Sea, By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea

Week 90: San Diego, CA

After our lengthy "sit-downs" in San Francisco and LA, I had become unaccustomed to our typical way of life on the road, i.e., one week in every city. So when we arrived in San Diego and I checked into another hotel and unpacked my bag for my week's stay, it was something of a shock to the system. However, this city and it's many splendors helped ease the way. San Diego has been rated one of the top five wealthiest cities in the U.S., and one of its most livable. The weather is perfect--sort of an unusually warm spring day every day--and the city abounds with cultural life, tourist attractions, natural wonders, and successful businesses. On my first afternoon here, Labor Day, I wandered around the downtown area, marveling at the eclectic mix of architecture--from historic 19th century structures in the bustling Gas Lamp District, to Spanish inspired buildings of stucco and terra cotta tile, to vintage art deco wonders like the Balboa Theatre, to ultra modern high rises--and eventually found myself at San Diego Bay. Seaport Village, which adjoins the imposing Convention Center, is an eccentric hodgepodge of touristy shops and restaurants clustered around the edges of a beautiful park and waterfront walk. On this holiday afternoon, the place was hopping with activity--families enjoying the sunshine, street musicians playing. A nice introduction to this fine city.

On Tuesday I hopped on the bus and made the short trip to Balboa Park, one of the great features of San Diego. This massive park encompasses the world famous San Diego Zoo, ten fascinating museums, numerous gardens, a fabulous botanical building, and the Tony-winning Old Globe Theatre.
The look and feel of today's Balboa Park is owed to the architectural genius of Bertram Goodhue, who designed the arcaded walks and ornate Spanish Revival buildings for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. It's an incredible treasure, this park, and is one of the premier attractions of San Diego. Before you ask, no, I didn't go to the zoo. I find zoos very sad. I know they are educational and I know they are an opportunity for children and adults alike to see animals they'd otherwise never see up close. But giraffes and zebras should be running through the sierras of Africa, not roaming about a pen. Just my personal feeling. Besides, there is just so much one can do with one day in Balboa Park, and being an art nut, I made a beeline for the San Diego Museum of Art. It's a concise jewel of a collection, with an emphasis on Renaissance art, much of which was endowed by Amy and Anne R. Putnam. There are wonderful devotional works by Renaissance masters like Giotto and Fra Angelico. There are also great pieces of Spanish art, a focus of the museum due to the region's rich Spanish heritage. These include masterpieces by El Greco, Goya, and the haunting Penitent Magdalen by Murillo.
On the Italian Baroque side, I was most struck by the David with the Head of Goliath by Massimo Stanzione, a Neopolitan artist who was strongly influenced by Caravaggio and others of his school including Artemisia Gentileschi, but who studied the work of classicists like Guido Reni. In this sense, his work combines the realism and chiaroscuro of Caravaggio and a mannerist lyricism of the style that came after him. Perhaps my favorite piece in the museum was Blue Eyed Boy by Modigliani, an absolutely classic example of this artist's elongated, whimsical style.

Across the way from the SDMA is the Timkin Museum, housing a very small but delightful collection of European works, including a Rembrandt, a Rubens, and a glorious crucifixion by Veronese. The museum was also hosting a special exhibit of Russian religious icons. From there I wandered over to the Old Globe. For a classical actor like me, there are a handful of Shakespearean theatres that represent the finest in classical English speaking theatre; among these are Shakespeare's Globe in London, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and the Stratford Festival in Canada.
The Old Globe is among these hallowed theatres, and not only produces classic plays, but has originated many successful musicals which have had Broadway success, inlcuding "Avenue Q" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." Standing in front of the beautiful buildings--a replica of Shakespeare's Elizabethan playhouse and two other great spaces,--I felt that frisson of excitement and longing I always feel in such places. I still have a strong ambition to play the great roles and to play them at the finest classical theatres. I hope someday to work at Old Globe, but on Tuesday, they were loading in a show so I couldn't even get a peep at the stage! Ah well. From there, I went to the Museum of Photographic Arts, which was hosting a retrospective of the work of legendary landscape photographer Ansel Adams. Here again were those silvery, majestic images that celebrate the natural wonders of America. Alongside this exhibit was one dedicated to the work of Jo Whaley, "Theatre of Insects." Whaley was a scenic artist who turned to art photography, and she has a fascination with insects--beetles, butterflies. She takes these colorful creatures and places them in miniature theatrical settings, producing richly detailed and highly evocative tableaux. I was a real fan of this show.



On Wednesday, I had an audition for a director who runs a theatre in one of the coastal towns north of San Diego, so I drove out there and back, enjoying the gorgeous scenery along coastal route 101, and the interesting, affluent communities that dot the shoreline. Del Mar seems to have chosen Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon as the model for it's community's look--strange, faux Tudor buildings and squares occupied by blonde surfer types. Odd. La Jolla is a very wealthy enclave which encompasses UC San Diego, and another fine regional theatre, the La Jolla Playhouse.

Thursday, I kept my rental car so I could hit the beach. This is an incredible area of the country, and the beaches are some of the best. I took myself out to Torrey Pines, and the Torrey Pines State Beach, a portion of which is known as Black's Beach. This glorious, unspoiled, vast expanse of beach lies at the foot of dizzyingly steep cliffs. To reach the sand, one has to make one's way along a winding, crumbling, terrifying trail down the cliffside (and then scale its exhausting length on the way back up!)--however, the trek is worth it. The beach is incredible, the water the perfect temperature, the atmosphere serene. My only regret is that I didn't bring my camera to capture some of the beauty of the place--however, Black's is a nude beach and I am quite sure my picture taking would not be taken to kindly!

Friday, I had a mission. I got up early and caught a water taxi over to Coronado Island, which lies across San Diego Bay. This charming community was built in the late 19th century by rich industrialists as an elite resort town. It is not much more than a mile across from bayside to oceanside, and is a lovely, small town America sort of place (with palm trees). The jewel in the crown of Coronado is the historic Hotel Del Coronado, affectionately known here as "The Del."
This great old beach hotel from 1888 was my destination because of it's famous appearance as the location of the "Florida" sequences in the classic Billy Wilder comedy, "Some Like It Hot," one of my all time favorites. And while the hotel has seen an expansion over the years, to include a spa, multiple pools, retail shops, restaurants, and some rather ugly additional guest bungalows, it still retains its familiar silhouette. More frissons of recognition and excitement as I stood on the beach where Marilyn, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon romped 50 years ago this year. In fact, next weekend Tony Curtis will be the guest of honor at a special weekend celebration at the hotel commemorating the film. I played the Jack Lemmon part of 'Jerry' several years ago in the musical version, "Sugar," and it is a role I very much hope to play again. I strolled down Orange Avenue from The Del back toward the bayside area and ferry dock and stopped on the way at the Coronado Historical Association to enjoy a charming exhibit of the work and life of L. Frank Baum, author of the "Oz" books. Baum was a guest for many years at the Hotel Del Coronado and also owned a vacation home on Coronado Island which he shared with his family. The exhibit had some terrific old photos and artifacts, and some pristine first editions of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and other of Baum's classic children's works. It was a nice added treat to an all around lovely day. Next time you find yourself in San Diego, don't miss the chance to visit nearby Coronado.

Phew! What a week! And while I must admit I am looking forward to going back to New York and being again home and in one place, I was reminded this week in this wonderful city of how fortunate I have been to be able to explore our great country. San Diego and environs is a terrific place and I am so glad I got a nice taste of it's many splendors.
Now to introduce you to Judy, my San Diego dresser. Judy got into the costume and wardrobe business through the design and construction end of things, and she is still a costume designer for both theatre, and interestingly, the circus! She and I had a great chat about San Francisco, a city she lived in for a long time and has great affection for--something we have in common. She has done a great job this week, so, many thanks Judy! Monday we return to the bay area, for a week in San Jose. For me it will be a family visit, as I will be staying with my brother, his wife and kids, whom you have all met before on this blog. More from there next weekend, folks!