Birthstones, gemstones, and more …

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Special Guest Post by Cynthia in the Marketing & Communications Division

Do you know what your birthstone is? I was born in January, so mine is garnet. I’ve always loved the warmth of the red color. But my favorite color is green, and I have to admit that I have, at times, been jealous of those folks whose birthstones are emeralds. When I recently visited the Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA) exhibit, GIA Celebrates Birthstones, located post-security in Terminal 2 at San Diego International Airport, I found out that I don’t have to be jealous anymore.

It turns out that garnet comes in multiple variations. Although red is the most commonly known color, there is a green variation as well.

GIA is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones and pearls. This exhibit showcases raw and finely crafted gems and jewelry from the GIA collection. You’ll be guided through a variety of interesting facts and folklore related to each month’s birthstone, as well as an introduction to the tools used to grade stones in this fascinating field.

Stop by soon and see if you recognize what your birthstone looks like before undergoing polishing. The exhibit runs through February 2012.

And if you’re interested in finding out more about GIA and its collections but are not traveling through the airport, the GIA world headquarters is located in Carlsbad, California (about 45 minutes north of downtown). They give public tours of their museum and exhibits with advance reservations. You can learn more by visiting:  www.gia.edu.

Valentine’s Day flash performance wows passengers at SDIA

Today the Airport Art Program presented a surprise interactive Valentine’s Day performance by U.C. San Diego student singers from The Tritones and the BEAT as a sweet treat to passengers and other visitors to the airport. Catch the video above, and see a great write-up of the performance by the Union-Tribune here:

Airport turns Glee-ful for Valentine’s Day

Olympic fever

Just in time for the Winter Olympics wrapping up in Vancouver, a new Olympic-themed exhibit is now open at San Diego International Airport, sponsored by the San Diego Hall of Champions in Balboa Park and the United State Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA.  See more pictures from the exhibit at http://bit.ly/b3liSs. Or head to the Terminal 2 West baggage claim area and see the exhibit for yourself, right under the Spirit of St. Louis replica.

Rachel’s Urban Tree takes root

Airport Authority employee Rachel, her husband Shawn ... and their Urban Tree called "Office Arbor."

On Saturday, September 12 the Port of San Diego unveiled the 30 newest Urban Trees showcased along North Harbor Drive. While I was unable to attend the event, one of my coworkers (who just happens to be an awesome photographer) attended and took pictures of Airport Authority employee Rachel (from the Risk Management Department), her husband Shawn, and of course their Urban Tree!

I’d like to thank Roy in the Airport Authority’s Information Technology Department for the beautiful pictures you see here. My fellow Ambassablogger, Mary, has three previous posts that followed Rachel’s journey from concept to final production of this unique art piece.

Urban Trees to be unveiled

Here's where the Urban Trees are to be found.

There’s a dedication event this Saturday for the 30 new Urban Trees along North Harbor Drive. Stop by and congratulate San Diego International Airport employee Rachel and her husband Shawn on their masterpiece, “Office Arbor.”

• Saturday, September 12, 2009
  • 10 a.m. Ceremony — at the east end of the Cruise Ship Terminal (1140 N. Harbor Dr.)
  • 10:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  Self-guided walking tours

Urban Tree artists will be on hand to answer questions about their creations.

Don’t forget: Rachel’s tree is located between Grape and Hawthorne streets. If you snap a picture of the tree, send it my way and maybe we’ll feature it on the Ambassablog!