Victorian Village In San Diego

When we were in San Diego last month, I dragged Mr. McSlore up to Old Town to see the completed Victorian village in Heritage Park. It's tucked way in the back, behind the cheesy Mexican themed bars and touristy Mexican shops and, well, Mexican everything. Not my favorite place in San Diego, but worth the trek just to gaze at the amazing restoration. Last time I was here, it was 1988 and they were just getting started with the landscaping. It was basically just sculpted dirt at that point. Now it's this tiny oasis of beauty.


Feast your eyes after the jump.

So many details! I love the unique banister, and the paned circle in the front window, but I have no idea who that dude is.

Love the cupola, or as Mr. McSlore calls it, 'widow's peak.' We actually argue over this. Then we have Victorian missionary make-up sex.

I thought this was a church until I noticed the star in the window. One of the earliest synagogues on the west coast. The interior is crazy stark, almost puritan, just wooden pews and a lectern.

This house is of a more common Victorian design, the kind you see in cute little town squares all across the nation.

Except for the roses out front.

My God, the ROSES.

If that is not a vision of perfection, I do not know what is. I got pricked a few times (no jokes) but it was totally worth it.

Beautiful trumpet vine and gate that leads to one of the most charming places on this earth.

My mind boggles at the amount of time it must have taken to create that siding. I picture a tiny grey haired man huddled over his work bench, sweat sliding his glasses down his nose as he toils over every piece. He doesn't even notice until the glasses fall off onto the wood in front of him. Then he hollers at his assistant Pinnochio to bring him his kerchief. Or maybe that was in a Disney movie I saw as a kid. Damn you, Walt!

The windows and their beautiful intricate layers. One window probably took more time and effort than every single one in my house.

Mini portico's in the door frame. To DIE.

The Coral Tree. Only out west do you see such an amazing sight.

The flowers.

The entire tree.

I could have spent the entire day here, just reading a book and lifting my head every once in a while to glance at my surroundings, but we had a zoo to get to, and you all know how that went.