Travel World News- Southern California’s Jewel called La Jolla

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S JEWEL CALLED LA JOLLA

December 2007

The shimmering village of La Jolla, California, is set amidst the sapphire Pacific Ocean and the multi-hued pearl that is the city of San Diego. “La Jolla” is Spanish for “gem” and this name reflects its beauty.

La Jolla resides within San Diego, the third largest city in California, whose own renown not only encompasses great warmth, but also is recognized for its leisurely lifestyle. San Diego is the home of the San Diego Padres baseball, the renovated Gas Lamp Quarter downtown, and the largest US Naval Base on the West Coast. Some fifteen miles from downtown San Diego, the village of La Jolla claims its stake. There it celebrates a unique sense of self, accorded it by a local and global audience.

This little village of 42,000 residents insures that its Mediterranean architecture remains an integral part of its life-style, that lunch-hour ocean swims occur as reliably as sea breezes, and that art persists as a constant factor in its cultural life. La Jolla is one of North America’s top 100 artist towns, home to some fourteen galleries within its narrow confines: a business district of a mere 30 short blocks.

La Jollans are committed to their native locale: many born here may leave for schooling, but a return is imminent for the majority: back to its safe environs and diverse offerings. One might consider its eclectic mix of people the main attraction, or even the art that lures its very savvy collectors, or perhaps the rejuvenating spirit that comes from its magical perch above the Pacific. Whatever the reason - and certainly more than these three - La Jolla sparkles just like its name.

LANDSCAPES

Alluvial cliffs hug the sinuous coastline and define La Jolla’s western boundary as she meets the Pacific. Seabirds and mammals congregate amidst the rocky shallows off La Jolla Cove. They share their homes with humans who stroll on the coastal path. Both bask in the languid sunshine, both refresh in the temperate warmth. All enjoy this natural setting that reveals so much of La Jolla’s enchantment. Seal Rock, a mammal reserve, lies just offshore.

Sea lions have adopted a cove - originally destined as a Children’s Pool – protected by a seawall constructed long ago. Sand now occupies most of it, which makes it ideal for the animals to claim it as their particular beach. Humans dispute its destiny. But sea lions, unaware of the unfolding drama, continue to revel there while observers continue to delight in their antics. This is but one of La Jolla’s imprints.

La Jolla Underwater Park and Ecological Reserve is a favorite of scuba divers and snorkelers. And for intrepid climbers who can negotiate 300 feet-high cliffs, Blacks Beach is the spot for nude swimming. This two-mile sandy strip just north of La Jolla Shores is an insider’s secret, though anyone can partake. Requirements are simply tenacious feet.

LA JOLLA HOTELS

The long-established seaside hotels are another La Jolla hallmark. The 1926 classic La Valencia Hotel overlooks La Jolla Cove. Its mosaic-tiled tower and pink façade frame La Valencia’s posh rooms, suites and villas. They reflect the lovely California /Spanish décor of a by-gone era.

A member of Preferred Hotels Worldwide, La Valencia is the meeting place of San Diego’s movers and shakers, known to congregate in its rich mahogany Whaling Bar. The exclusive dining perch The Sky Room offers only twelve tables in an assuredly intimate setting. Its sensational views over La Jolla Cove are complimentary.

The Hotel Parisi across Prospect Avenue is La Jolla’s only holistic, Zen-forward, feng-shui-ed, senses-oriented property. With that list of adjectives, this hotel must resonate to its own California beat. And it does so nicely.

Amidst original art and custom-designed furniture, this boutique hotel is a repeat favorite for the business traveler (location and amenities right in La Jolla’s heart) as for the leisure and luxury tourist (who seek sensual comforts). From its large choice of in-room spa treatments, the Parisi’s featured ‘Zen-Touch/ Shiatsu Bodywork’ stands out. This is an experience that entails personalized assessments prior to treatment and individual protocols for follow-up.

The Grande Colonial Hotel, a member of Historic Hotels of America, was also opened in 1926. It was the first fireproof hotel west of the Mississippi. Its recently-concluded $5 M renovation insures an Old World feel that is couched in So-Cal style.

DIVERSIONS

High karat gold and platinum frame La Jolla at sunset, with shimmers of silver veining often seen at dusk. Add to this spectacular landscape the variety of theatre, museums, restaurants, and the world-renowned science and research centers at home here, and one quickly distinguishes plebian trinkets from posh gems. This is La Jolla: a multi-faceted experience.

THEATRE

The La Jolla Playhouse, founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer, today serves as the debut theatre for shows that are Broadway-destined. The quality of its production and the professionalism of its artists set it apart from imitators. Gregory Peck, who had attended La Jolla Elementary School, knew one day his hometown would house a theatre he established. Performers who have graced its stage reveal a list of 1940s “Who’s Who”: Charlton Heston, Groucho Marx, Eve Arden, David Niven and Jane Wyatt (former first wife of Former President Ronald Reagan), among others. John Waters’ comedy Cry-Baby was featured during this writer’s La Jolla journey. A wacko, juvenile-delinquent musical comedy, it is slated for an April Broadway opening.

MUSEUM

The Museum of Contemporary Art occupies the renovated Ellen Browning Scripps’ oceanfront home that was rebuilt in 1915, after her vengeful gardener simply burned the original house down. She bequeathed it to La Jolla, one of many gifts this far-sighted philanthropist bequeathed. Today, after its 1996 expansion and renovation, this 60,000 sq. ft. space commands a sweeping ocean view. It also supplies a dream-like backdrop for special events and weddings. The Museum is a bilingual institution, a few blocks walking distance from the described La Jolla hotels. It offers evening classes, free admission and innovative exhibitions.

AQUARIUM

A short drive from La Jolla is the world-renown Birch Aquarium at Scripps. It overlooks the Pacific with a majestic view, on land originally donated by Ms. Scripps. This unique aquarium-museum is a repository for oceanography, whose mission is to interpret research from Scripps Institution and promote ocean conservation. Over 380 fish and invertebrate species reside here, one of the world’s rare oceanographic museums. More than 400,000 visitors experienced it in 2007.

The Birch Aquarium at Scripps celebrates The Gray Whale Season that began on December 15, 2007, and extends through the end of March 2008. The whales’ annual epic journey can be observed during a daily 3.5 hour whale-watching cruise in local waters. With staff naturalists leading the expedition, the aquarium offers a rich experience for nature-lovers.

BOOKSTORE

A village community that is peopled by global sophisticates is, by definition, a site that requires a reading universe of world-class resources. La Jolla residents have the distinct opportunity to sustain one of the few independent bookstores left in America. And they make history each time they do so.

Nancy Warwick is the current director of her family’s bookstore, the eponymous Warwick’s on Girard Avenue. A savvy leader, Nancy assumed the store’s management several years after accomplishing a PhD in Anthropology.

Her grandfather founded Warwick’s in Minnesota in 1896, but he left that cold weather to establish warm roots in La Jolla. This was in the 1930’s. His paper-goods store was the order of the day, and he was a purveyor of books as well. Her grandmother worked at the store until she was 96. When her parents assumed its stewardship (throughout the l970s and ‘80s), theirs was an age when Hallmark cards monopolized sentiments.

Along with a well-read staff, Nancy has updated or introduced today’s in-demand items: hand-made stationery, leather photo albums, sophisticated calligraphy supplies. Warwick’s’ continued successes validate her business instincts.

An independent bookstore may seem a thing of the past, but the repeat customers who frequent Warwick’s consider it another pivotal reason they live where they do. This “community marketplace” - as Nancy refers to her store - serves ideas, sells books, suggests must-reads, and as importantly, sustains the La Jolla community.

RESTAURANTS

Between the freshly caught Pacific seafood and the Chino farms marketplace where organically-grown products move from farmer to chef - sans middleman, La Jolla restauranteurs cater to a demanding Southern California palate.

The following list of La Jolla favorites does not adequately convey the ambience nor specialties for which each is renown. But these restaurants are a sure bet, and group reservations are always accommodated: Sante - where authentic Italian food is served with the lightest touch; Roppongi – where creative South Asian cuisine merges with California flare; Azul La Jolla – where breathtaking views frame exquisite Sunday brunches; Jacks – where a retrofitted mall houses myriad restaurants, and The Cottage – where outdoor meals are served California casual and California chic.