La Jolla Festival of the Arts - June 20-21

I just realized that in my last post I included the La Jolla Festival of the Arts in the Calendar of Events, but I didn't point out that it's this weekend - June 20-21 from 9am to 5pm. More than 200 artists will be exhibiting their work. Live music and a food court will add to the fun.

If you're planning to visit La Jolla this weekend, you might want to go to the Festival on Saturday when the forecast is for clouds and save sunnier Sunday for the beach or a bike ride.

The Festival will take place at the east campus of UCSD at Genesee Avenue and Regents Road. Admission is $10, but active military and children under 10 are free of charge.

For more information call 858-456-1268 or go to http://www.lajollaartfestival.org/.

Have fun!

“Are we already at Disneyland, Daddy?”

You wouldn’t be the first to hear this if your small fry are looking out the window as you zoom along Interstate 5 on the way to La Jolla. The San Diego Mormon Temple rises up seemingly out of nowhere and looks a lot like Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom.

The stunning white structure, with spires that soar to 190 feet, was built in the early ‘90s. A gilded statue of the angel Moroni sits atop the eastern peak.

EXPLORING THE MORMON MYSTERY

Upon completion, locals of all faiths (or no faith) were invited to tour the interior of the temple. Over 720,000 curious San Diegans accepted the invitation. It was so exotic, fascinating, mysterious – I’m not sure what the right word is – that I went twice, each time slipping on shoe covers to protect the white carpet. For its good neighbor efforts, the Church was presented with the Public Relations Society of America's prestigious Silver Anvil Award.

The open house ended when the Temple was dedicated in April 1993. Today only "recommended" Mormons can enter. However, the beautiful grounds and gardens, which cover seven acres, are still open to visitors Tuesday through Saturday. Church staff are available to show you around, answer generic questions about their religion, and discuss the architecture from 7am until dark.

Technically, the Temple isn’t in La Jolla because it’s on the east side of I-5, but it couldn’t be closer. To get there, exit I-5 at Nobel Drive and go east to Lebon Street. Turn right onto Lebon and then right again onto Charmont Drive.

There’s more information at http://sandiegomormontemple.org/ or you can call 858-622-0991.

A Picnic Table With A View

Seems like everyone who visits La Jolla wants to find a restaurant with a good view. Certainly there are several of these along Prospect Street, but savvy locals know that the show-stopper vista is up at the Torrey Pines "International" Gliderport (www.flytorrey.com/).

Here, the Cliff Hanger Café (858-452-9858, open daily) serves great made-to-order deli sandwiches, soups, and salads to diners who have an up-close-and-personal view of hang gliders and paragliders taking off over the Pacific. It’s truly a breathtaking sight.

To get there, take North Torrey Pines Road to Torrey Pines Scenic Drive and turn west. The first thing you’ll see is the landmark Salk Institute designed by architect Louis Kahn. As you continue driving towards the water, colorful paragliders and hang gliders floating over the sandstone cliffs will come into view.

Is this really an “international” gliderport? Just listen to the languages spoken by the pilots. They consider La Jolla to be the ultimate destination for their sport.

If you decide to try a tandem flight, you might want to wait and have lunch afterwards.

Prophetic Post

I wasn’t serious when I suggested in my April 6 post that “the Children’s Pool in La Jolla had gone to the dogs,” but now that’s exactly what’s happening.

In a move that’s bizarre – even for the City of San Diego – officials have decided that the way to clear the Children’s Pool of its harbor seal colony is to broadcast the sound of barking dogs from 6am until dark every day – possibly for years. The estimated cost is $688,934 per year. This includes the public address system, but not the cost of paying the police department to control traffic flow around the area and keep the pro-seal and anti-seal people from resorting to fisticuffs.

I kid you not.

I'd love to hear what you think about the seal situation. When you visit La Jolla will you go to see them? Please post your comments.

Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar

“The best deal in town.” That’s how a friend described the happy hour menu at La Jolla's Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar – so of course I had to go and check it out. And sure enough, my beloved Chinese pot stickers filled with shrimp and scallops and served with Tobiko caviar sauce, normally $14.25, are now half price between 3- 6 daily. Ditto the delicious pan seared sea scallops on potato pancakes.

In fact, all the tapas and sushi rolls are half price during those hours. Sadly, drinks are not discounted.

Roppongi, long a favorite with locals, is located on the corner of Prospect Street and Fay Avenue. You can view the entire menu at http://www.roppongi.com/ (858-551-5252).

The Zagat Survey praised the restaurant for its “unique new Asian cuisine,” but I am also very impressed with the design, which includes a large fire pit on the patio and sophisticated lighting indoors that shows off a beautiful collection of Asian artifacts.

In addition to tapas, the restaurant serves lunch and dinner. They are for sure offering a prix fixe Father’s Day dinner on June 21, but the end date for the half price happy hour munchies has not been announced. I just hope it’s still in effect when you’re in La Jolla. Bargains are few and far between around here – and I’d hate for you to miss this one.

Beyond the Garden Gates

If you hurry, you can still get tickets to the Secret Garden Tour of Old La Jolla taking place on May 9. This very popular annual event, sponsored by the La Jolla Historical Society, provides locals and visitors a chance to tour the spring gardens of seven beautiful homes in our community.

If you’ve spent any time in La Jolla, you know that many of the truly grand houses with the most remarkable landscaping are hidden behinds gates and walls – so this self-guided tour presents a unique opportunity.

The location of the gardens isn’t disclosed until the day of the tour – that’s the “secret” part – but they are always stunning.

In addition to manicured trees, flowers, and shrubs, each home will offer live music, colorful table settings, and artists at work capturing the scene on canvas.

To buy tickets, call the La Jolla Historical Society at 858-459-5335 or go to http://www.lajollahistory.org/. Regular tickets are $50 (or $40 for members of the Historical Society). Tickets for the Platinum Tour, which includes shuttle transportation to the gardens, one extra oceanfront garden, and brunch in a historical garden, cost $150 (or $140 for members).

Don’t Wait – the Cows Are Mooving On

“Whacky” is not a word usually used to describe La Jolla, but since the arrival of 40 artfully-painted full-size bovines – it’s the perfect descriptor. The colorful fiberglass cows are on display throughout the village and they make me – and a lot of other people – smile as we go about our business.

The mod moo moos were painted by local artists, and will eventually be auctioned to raise funds for Rady Children’s Hospital and the San Diego Zoo. In the meantime, you can go to http://www.cowparadelajolla.com/ for more information and a map of their locations.

My favorite, "Designer Genes" wears trendy denim pants, bright red lipstick, and yellow star earrings. Across the street, on the corner of Girard Avenue and Wall Street, “Digesting the News” appears to have eaten so much newspaper that his body is covered in black-and-white sections. In contrast, “Cowsablanca” has blue legs, a purple face, and a green, red, and orange body.

“Public art” often conjures up images of serious bronze figures that add gravitas to a site, but these fashionistas are whacky – and I love it.

CowParade was started in Chicago in 1999, and since then herds have turned up in 50 cities on six continents, including New York, Paris, London, and Mexico City.

La Jolla’s cows are mooving on June 15, and you really don’t want to miss seeing them. They’re udderly adorable.

The Children's Pool Has Gone to the Dogs....er Seals

To fully appreciate La Jolla's Children's Pool - the lovely little cove along Coast Boulevard where the seals hang out - it helps to know the back story.

In 1931, philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps funded the construction of a sea wall around the cove so that La Jolla kids would have a safe place to swim. All was well until about ten years ago when seal numbers in the area increased noticeably and, in fact, the area became a rookery.

At this point, some La Jollans began defending the rights of the seals and others became very vociferous about how this should be a place for children, blah, blah, blah. At times the battle bordered on ridiculous and, of course, it ended up in court.

The city (remember, La Jolla is part of San Diego) roped off the area so that humans couldn't pester the seals, but in 2005 a judge ordered the rope removed. The judge also directed the city to reduce the bacteria level in the area so that it would be safe for swimming.

The California Supreme Court has refused to overturn the ruling, and to dredge or not to dredge is hotly debated every week in the two La Jolla newspapers. In the meantime, pro-seal volunteers patrol the area 24/7 and answer visitors' questions.

March and April are great months to visit the Children's Pool because it's pupping season - and while you're there, you might say thanks to the seal's tireless supporters.

Shiley Eye Center at UCSD

I just finished reading an article about a professor of ophthalmology at Shiley Eye Center at the University of California San Diego, who helped discover a gene associated with the dry form of macular degeneration.

How on earth, you're asking yourself, is this relevant to a blog About La Jolla?

Well, it reminded me how lucky I am to live in a community that is a treasuretrove of medical facilities and that I should mention this to potential visitors.

I realize that cataract surgery isn't a common vacation activity, but you wouldn't be the first. Patients come from all over the world to be treated by Shiley doctors. So why not have the best possible care and beautiful surroundings?

At Shiley (http://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/eyes/), services range from serious stuff like pediatric ophthalmology and cornea transplants to image enhancing "lid lifts." The center is located on the UCSD campus, a stone's throw from Thornton Hospital - also know as the "Ritz Thornton" - but most procedures are done in Shiley's own surgery center.

Beaches, shopping and dining options, and some of the area's best hotels are all nearby.

Come and see for yourself.

La Taverna

La Jolla has lots of “destination restaurants” that serve good food – and sometimes a view – to out-of-towners.

Then there are the restaurants the locals patronize…places that depend on return business and don’t have a vista to distract from other weaknesses. One of these is La Taverna – snuggled between a dry cleaners and a shoe repair shop at 927 Silverado Street (858-454-0100; http://www.lataverna.com/).

The tiny restaurant offers only a half dozen tables inside and about the same number on a sidewalk patio. The menu of Italian comfort food includes grilled salmon on white bean salad (my favorite), pan-roasted shrimp with garlic and arugula-basil pesto, Parmesan chicken on roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and other satisfying dishes.

At La Taverna, everything is made on site, including wonderful bread, sausages, and gnocchi. If you go, leave room for dessert. The restaurant's multi-layer banana cake is the stuff of legends. Lunch is served Monday - Friday and dinner is Monday - Saturday.

Chef/Proprietor Mary Ann Vitale also owns Sorella della Taverna (7420 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 858-866-6400), a deli where locals load up on items such as eggplant lasagna, penne pasta, and grilled vegetables. She also offers salads, sandwiches, and pizza. This gourmet-to-go spot is the perfect place for assembling an extraordinary picnic. They're open 10-5 Monday - Friday during the summer. Best to call for winter hours.

Bon appetito.

The La Jolla Rough Water Swim

America's Premier Rough Water Swim takes place at the La Jolla Cove every year on the first Sunday in September - that's the 7th this year. Not being a competitive swimmer, I'd never made an effort to attend, but having once seen it "by accident," I'm a regular spectator now.

More than 2,000 swimmers churning up the water make for a memorable sight. Most of them follow a triangular one-mile course, but elite swimmers opt for a more grueling Gatorman three-mile challenge. Juniors have a 250-yard option.

This event has been part of La Jolla's history since 1916, and it's taken place almost every year since 1931. (Concerns about polio and sharks caused cancellations in 1948 and 1959 respectively.)

If I hadn't been having Sunday brunch with friends at Azul La Jolla (1250 Prospect, tel. 858-454-9616, www.brigantine.com/locations_azul.html), I wouldn't have realized what I was missing. I still think Azul is the best viewpoint - so book early and request a window table. They open for brunch at 10am.

My other favorite annual event is the La Jolla Christmas Parade - which will take place this year on December 7. More about that later.

For lotso info on the Rough Water Swim, go to http://www.ljrws.com/.

La Jolla Farmers' Market

The La Jolla farmers' market is a perfect example of a really cool thing that doesn't get on the radar screen of most visitors. It's held every Sunday from 9am - 1pm on the playground of La Jolla Elementary on "upper Girard." That's the part of our main drag that extends south of Pearl Street.

The market - officially it's the "La Jolla Elementary Open Aire Market" - is popular with lots of locals who are there every week stocking up on fruit, veggies, and flowers. However, even if you are traveling and not cooking (hey, I live here and don't cook) there are lots of other reasons to go.

Personally, I love the jewelry - especially the fact that if I see something I like, but it's not exactly what I want, the artisan will often offer to take a custom order. Even the woman who sells the Deruta pottery wrote down the description of the planter I wanted and brought it back from Italy on her next trip. Other vendors sell colorful cotton tablecloths, Oriental rugs, handmade pottery, and a wide range of clever clothing.

The market is also a great place to find gourmet food items - to keep or to gift. I often buy the flavored olive oil, the handcrafted salsa, and the organic salad dressing. Having said that, in truth, my favorite market foods are the highly-addictive kettle corn and anything from Charlie's Best Breads.

More than 75 vendors set up stalls every week. Another ten or so, set up mini-kitchens. I don't know how they manage in such small spaces, but I've had some great Mexican dishes from this mobile food court, as well as crepes, gyros, kebabs, and barbecued chicken. The shaded picnic tables also make a good spot for people watching.

It's a bit of a carnival really. Serious foodies march from stall to stall procuring ingredients; kids run wild in the play area; folks stand in line for a chair massage; and live music puts a smile on everyone's face.

It can be crowded, and you may have to maneuver around baby strollers and step over a few dog leashes, but if you go, you'll see why it's my favorite slice of La Jolla life.

Inside Scoop on the US Open

I live in La Jolla and I'm a travel writer. What that means is that, in addition to enjoying my home town's great weather, beautiful surroundings, and range of cultural and recreational options, I also see La Jolla as a travel destination. And what I see sometimes drives me batty.

People flock to La Jolla, but don't take advantage of everything our community offers. So I decided to start this blog and provide a head's up for would-be visitors. The "inside scoop," if you will.

Hey. I figure if I can write The Insider's Hong Kong (http://www.ranchandcoast.com/february2006/travel.html) and The Insider's India (http://www.ranchandcoast.com/october2007/travel.html), I ought to be able to lead readers off the beaten path that starts just outside my front door. And why shouldn't I? I'm lucky enough to live here...consider this payback.

OK. So now we're bracing for the US Open (June 12 -15). The USGA capped ticket sales at 42,500 a day, and they went fast. However, if you are ticket-less and want to attend there's still hope. San Diego Golf Reservations (866-701-4653, http://www.sandiegogolf.com/) still has tickets to sell. Of course the price is marked up, but do you want to go or not?

The other option, is to take advantage of the packages being offered by The Grand Del Mar, a fairly new very grand resort about 15 minutes north of La Jolla. They are offering packages with and without accommodation that include tickets. Again, this isn't an inexpensive option.

Their US Open Grand Access Package includes a one-night stay and admission for two to the US Open on the following day. Rates start at $605 per person (888-314-2030, http://www.thegranddelmar.com/).

Their US Open VIP View Package includes one-day admission to the Open; access to the Manchester Pavilion VIP Hospitality Tent on the 10th Fairway; daily breakfast, lunch, cocktails, and dinner inside the Pavilion; preferred parking; and access to the onsite business center. Weeklong packages start at $3,300 per person, but daily rates are also available. Contact Rob Sterling at 858-314-2055.

More later.