Heavy morning fog giving way to drab drizzle defined Christmas Eve. My wife and I broke with our normal neighborhood walking protocol and headed off to one of San Diego’s few enclosed malls: Westfield Plaza Bonita. I wanted someplace for warming walking, and we hadn’t gone retail shopping anywhere really this season.
The shoppers were characteristically different from the locals where we live (University Heights). According to U.S. Census data, National City residents are about 66 percent Hispanic, 19.7 percent Asian, 8 percent White, and 4 percent Black. Around ultra-white UH, Hillcrest, and North Park, the population is older and more likely single or childless couples (straight and not). By contrast, Plaza Bonita bustled with families and teenagers. I swear that the average of people dropped 10 or 15 years. I love it! Hello, National City!
Unsurprisingly, the mall was festive. The standout decoration is the Christmas Tree nearby Target. Both photos come Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. I chose the Featured Image because of the youngster pointing up. Vitals: f/2.2, ISO 160, 1/60 sec, 13mm (film equivalent); 10:12 a.m. PST. The other shot is similar, except for 1/125 sec and 10: 51 a.m.