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)

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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/.

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.