During a recent trip to San Diego, California, my friend Jake and I spent an entire afternoon exploring Liberty Station, a former naval training center now transformed into a dynamic blend of residential, commercial and arts spaces.
A geometric array of 15 former barracks buildings sets the tone, with facades and colonnades in a Spanish Colonial style. The repurposed buildings now house Liberty Public Market, a foodie's paradise, and the Arts District—featuring scores of artists' studios with expansive windows overlooking the grounds.
Liberty Public Market
We dropped in on Barracks 19, Studio 202, to find painter Leslie Pierce with a canvas on her easel and a paint brush in her hand. A New Yorker by birth, Leslie (nevertheless) welcomed us warmly and showed off her contemporary paintings, some inspired by the fragmented bands of color generated by a broken computer printer.
Outside again, we continued our tour of the station's 300+ acres, biking along an oceanside path past sailboats and sculptures before circling back to the Market to wrap up the day with cappuccinos on the patio of the Fig Tree Cafe.
All in all, a great day in San Diego and a recommended sight.
