Something fishy going on in La Jolla

If you're visiting La Jolla and notice groups of locals on the beach at night shining flashlights onto the surf, chances are good the grunion - tiny little fish - are going through their odd mating ritual. Nothing - well, almost nothing - intrigues San Diegans like a good grunion run.

On certain spring and summer nights following high tides, hundreds of the small, silvery fish ride waves onto shore for this remarkable dance. While on the beach, female grunion bury themselves in the sand to lay eggs, while males wrap themselves protectively around the females to fertilize their eggs. Both catch a wave to return to sea.

You can grab a flashlight (and jacket) and head to La Jolla Shores on your own or you can join the folks at Birch Aquarium (http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/) for a more educated approach to the spawning phenomena. Reservations must be made in advance by calling 858-534-7336. The program costs $12 per person.

Dates of the spring Birch Aquarium escorted runs are:

Friday, April 16, 9:30-11:30 p.m.
Friday, May 14, 9:30-11:30 p.m.
Friday, May 28, 9-11 p.m.
Saturday, May 29, 9:30-11:30 p.m.

If you want more info, "Grunion Groupies" meet Saturdays and Sundays, April 3-June 6 at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Here, naturalists describe the tale of the elusive California grunion, including how these fish "run" up our local beaches and lay their eggs in the moist sand.

The Grunion Groupie lecture is included in the cost of admission to the Aquarium: $12 adult, $9 senior, $8.50 youth 3-17, and children under 2 free.

The California Department of Fish & Game also provides information on their website and posts the schedule for the "expected grunion runs" March - August 2010 http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/grunionschedule.asp

You really haven't seen La Jollans at their kookiest until you've been to a grunion run.

Watercolor courtesy of Grunion Greeter Don Longacre, www.grunion.org

Art + Culture La Jolla

La Jolla is known for its beaches, great restaurants, and variety of shopping options. In fact, it's these features that draw most visitors to our community and make it one of San Diego's most popular places.

However, in addition to seals and sand, we also offer a wide range of cultural activities. Unfortunately, until recently, it wasn't easy for out-of-towners to discover our highbrow side - and get the scoop on our performing arts, concerts, art exhibits, literature, and family activities.

Enter http://www.artculturelajolla.com/ - the brainchild of Nancy Warwick, owner of La Jolla's beloved Warwick's Books on Girard Avenue.

Nancy, with the help of Nancy Bockoven, has built a website chockablock with a comprehensive listing of events that are part of "La Jolla's vibrant and diverse arts scene."

Whether you are looking for a family activity, stimulating performing arts, an exhibit, or a musical concert - I'm willing to bet you'll find something of interest at www.artculturelajolla.com

Where NOT to eat in La Jolla

This won't make me popular with a couple of local restaurateurs, but I have had two very disappointing meals in the village recently.

Until they mend their ways (hire a new chef?), I suggest you avoid Bistro 101 and Alfonso's - both restaurants are on Prospect Street.

I don't like reporting negative experiences, but the whole point of this blog is to help you get the most out of your time in La Jolla -- and that includes leading you away from cold soup and cardboard burritos.

La Jolla Lodging By Location

Where you stay in La Jolla will influence your vacation more than any other factor, so I want to make sure you find just the right hotel, motel, B&B, or resort.

LA JOLLA HOTEL RESERVATIONS

Before you make a decision, check out the deals offered via the “reservation box” in the top right corner of this blog. You may be surprised to find that La Jolla has cheap places to stay, as well as luxury hotels, suites, and spas. San Diego Hotel Week (http://www.sandiegohotelweek.com/) is another good source of bargain beds.

What follows below is a listing of local accommodation, grouped by neighborhood. I’ll follow up with details on the various places as time permits. In the meantime, check out the map at http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=102753819517919873889.00044c7eebf5647208f7d&ll=32.847866,-117.232361&spn=0.138446,0.219727&z=12&source=embed

North Torrey Pines Road

This is a great area if you want to play golf or watch a tournament at the beautiful Torrey Pines Golf Course. However, both of these luxury resorts sit atop sandstone cliffs, making them a poor choice for beach-goers. A car is a must here because a taxi into the village for shopping and dining costs about $20 each way.

• Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines
• The Lodge at Torrey Pines

Near the University of California San Diego

Easy access to UCSD is the big draw for these three hotels. Estancia is on North Torrey Pines Road, but the Sheraton and the Residence Inn are within walking distance of places to eat and a couple of shopping centers that include a movie theatre, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, etc.

• Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
• Sheraton La Jolla Hotel
• Residence Inn

East of I-5, On La Jolla Village Drive

By definition, these places are not in La Jolla, but they are close enough to be of interest. The Embassy Suites and the Marriott are across the street from University Towne Center. Having said that, travelers don’t come to La Jolla to spend time in a mall, so you’ll need a car if you stay in this area.

• Embassy Suites – San Diego
• Marriott – San Diego La Jolla
• Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine

La Jolla Shores

Now we’re getting to the fun stuff. I walk on La Jolla Shores Beach several times a week and never tire of watching surfers, kayakers and kids digging holes in the sand. In addition to the beach, the Shores has its own little restaurant row and a handful of kayak rental places and beachy stores. I wrote about the difference between The Shores and The Village on July 31, 2009, so flip over to that post for a more complete description.

• Hotel La Jolla at The Shores
• La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club
• La Jolla Riviera Apartments
• La Jolla Shores Hotel (formerly The Sea Lodge)

The Village

La Jolla’s heart has it all: charm and personality, myriad dining options, great shopping, the postcard-perfect La Jolla Cove, a world-class art museum, a seal colony, fantastic ocean views…and almost enough parking for the folks who want to enjoy our little seaside community. In fact, in this neighborhood, being car-less has its advantages.

• B & B on the Sea
• Best Western Inn By the Sea
• Empress Hotel
• Hotel Parisi
• La Jolla Cove Suites
• La Jolla Inn
• La Jolla Village Lodge
• La Valencia
• The Bed & Breakfast Inn at La Jolla (pictured above)
• The Grand Colonial
• Redwood Hollow Cottages
• Scripps Inn
• Shell Beach Motel

La Jolla Boulevard

South of the Village, a few motels provide budget lodgings within walking distance of the beach. This area (south of Nautilus Street) also includes places to eat, and the number 30 bus that runs on La Jolla Boulevard is useful for getting into the village or further a field to San Diego attractions (http://www.sdcommute.com/).

• Holiday Inn Express
• La Jolla Beach Travelodge

San Diego Food Finds

My friend Maria Desiderata Montana writes a blog about San Diego restaurants, and I want you to know about it should you decide to venture outside La Jolla for a meal.

San Diego Food Finds (http://www.sandiegofoodfinds.com/) includes restaurant profiles for great places to eat all over San Diego County. Some of my favorites are: Fidel's (Mexican) in Solana Beach, Quarter Kitchen in downtown San Diego, and Con Pane (bakery/cafe) in Point Loma.

Maria is Italian, and in "cent’anni" (Italian for "May you live 100 years"), she shares recipes from her own kitchen as well as some of her chef friends. Her site also keeps foodies up-to-speed on local food "happenings."

I know La Jolla inside and out, but when I have a need to eat elsewhere, I rely on Maria's sage advice.

Pictured above: Seared Hamachi with fresh arugula salad and strawberries, available at The Loft restaurant at the Montage Laguna Beach. (Photo by Maria Desiderata Montana)

La Jolla Art & Wine Festival

Shopping opportunities draw visitors to Girard Avenue every day, but this will be especially true on Saturday and Sunday, October 10 and 11, from 9am - 5pm. The La Jolla Art & Wine Festival will showcase the work of 300 artists from Southern California and Northern Baja (selected by jury).

The street fair will take place on upper Girard Avenue, between Pearl and Genter, and will include live entertainment and a wine and beer garden (11am - 5pm). To date, six local wineries and Ballast Point Brewery (http://www.ballastpoint.com/) are participating.

Admission is $7 for adults, $3 for children age 3-12; and free for age 2 and under. All proceeds benefit underfunded programs at three local public schools. The Open Aire Market on the La Jolla Elementary School playground will remain free of charge on Sunday.

For more information, see http://www.lajollaartandwinefestival.com/ or email info@lajollaartandwinefestival.com

This is going to be a wonderful community event and out-of-towners are welcome to join the fun.

Photo courtesy Milagro Farm Vineyards & Winery

La Jolla Farmers’ Market - Part 2

I know I already posted about the La Jolla Farmers’ Market (May 2008), but recently I discovered some exciting new vendors with remarkable products, and I can’t stop myself from telling you about them.

First, the darling Swiss couple pictured to the right are serving authentic birchermuesli and a wonderful apple pastry. After consuming both items, I considered yodeling to show my enthusiasm.

I also sampled at 410 Degrees (http://www.410degrees.com/) where Derek Jaeger and his partner Adam Koven produce the most delicious cookies I have ever tasted – and that’s a lot (which explains why I am not a size 8.)

Consider this: their signature PB Overload contains Reese’s chips and a thick peanut butter crème. The lemon basil cookie is made with candied macadamia nuts and dried berries. I could go on, but writing about them is activating my sweet tooth. Check out their website and then taste the real thing at the market.

On the non-food side of things: Toni Renier at Square Meadows (http://www.squaremeadows.com/) is a photographer who transfers her images to tiles that can be used for table tops, tile walls, or decorative floors. She also puts her pictures on tee-shirts, coffee mugs, greeting cards, and other personalized gifts. In addition, she can use your photos in any of these applications.

Wendy Telford (http://www.telfordimports.com/) travels to Italy and brings home beautiful hand-painted ceramics that are both useful and decorative.

Having raved about muesli, and cookies, and ceramics – I have to tell you that the most memorable vender was Omar Sao, selling fabulous colorful African baskets.

“The women in my village made baskets and let me sell them to pay my tuition. Now I’ve graduated and I’m still selling baskets and sending the money to them,” he told me. “Many people rely on the money I send, so I have to sell a lot of baskets.”

That shouldn't be hard because these baskets are really stunning.

The Market (http://www.lajollamarket.com/) takes place every Sunday from 9am to 1pm on the playground of La Jolla Elementary School on upper Girard (in the village).

Go – and treat yourself to some birchermuesli. Then do something nice for the women in Omar’s village.

In Search of the Best Beach

Even though I live here, La Jolla’s beautiful beaches still take my breath away. To best sure you see the most scenic viewpoints, follow this route:

Starting at the south end of La Jolla - at La Jolla Boulevard and La Cañada Street - take La Cañada towards the ocean. You’ll have a good view of Bird Rock – literally a big rock offshore covered with birds – on your left just after you pass Avenida Cresta. This landmark gives its name to the surrounding neighborhood and is a popular surfing spot.

Continue north on Camino de la Costa, past a gaggle of beautiful homes, and jog left at Palomar Avenue. Now you’re on Neptune Place - witnessing drop-dead gorgeous Windansea Beach. The surf shack on the beach is a designated historical landmark. For decades, Windansea’s surf has attracted the world’s best riders. It was also featured in Tom Wolfe's book The Pump House Gang. For more information, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windansea_Beach

As you follow the coast, you'll pass the Children's Pool (see my April 6 post: “The Children's Pool Has Gone to the Dogs....er Seals”) en route to the La Jolla Cove. From here, walk along Coast Walk (a pedestrians only dirt trail). The path, which starts to the left of The Cave Store (http://www.cavestore.com/), offers one of the most beautiful blue-water vistas in our Golden State.

After stretching your legs, take Prospect Street to Torrey Pines Road and make a left turn. Turn left again onto Princess Street and you’ll find yourself passing the Marine Room, home to the best beachfront dining in town (http://www.marineroom.com/).

Continue along the water, past the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club (http://www.ljbtc.com/) to La Jolla Shores Beach – another great spot for walking and very popular with kayakers.

To see more beaches, continue up La Jolla Shores Drive and turn left onto North Torrey Pines Road. Turn left at Torrey Pines Scenic Drive and follow signs to the Torrey Pines Gliderport (www.flytorrey.com). This spot offers a rare up-close-and-personal view of hang gliders and paragliders (tandem rides offered for the uninitiated). It is also my favorite off-the-beaten-path place for lunch. (See June 2 post: “A Picnic Table with a View.”)

From the Gliderport, continue north on Torrey Pines Road for a beautiful view of Torrey Pines State Beach. The Reserve (http://www.torreypine.org/) above the beach offers more great views...guaranteed to take your breath away.

Why Buy the Cow?

In case you fall in love with one of the bovines in La Jolla's Cow Parade (see below) and feel that you must have it, I have just learned that they will be auctioned at a fundraiser on Saturday, July 11 from 6pm - 10pm at the newly opened Robert Paine Scripps Forum at Scripps Institution for Oceanography. Proceeds will benefit The Zoological Society of San Diego and Rady Children’s Hospital.

Tickets for the event, priced at $150, went on sale today and are going fast. To get yours, go to http://www.cowparadelajolla.com/.

CowParade La Jolla is part of the world’s largest public art exhibition. CowParade has been held in 55 cities around the world since the first event in Chicago in 1999. More than 100 million people have attended CowParade events, which have raised more than $25 million for charities.

So get mooving and get your tickets.

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.

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.