Southern California #4, La Jolla: A Search for Indulgence

Story and photography by
Nancy & Eric Anderson 

 

La Jolla (pronounced La Hoya) has a population of 42,000 souls. It’s one of San Diego’s villages (it would say the San Diego village), a pleasing place like Woodstock, Vermont that seems almost too cute to be true – as if the main street had been designed by Walt Disney. It has its own zip code but stories its post office offers valet parking and its Girl Scouts get catered services when they go camping would appear to be untrue.

Tourists love it as do local San Diegans as it is a compact, friendly little town with everything close by, and it’s walk-able, its streets traversed by cautious even fearful drivers well aware that, in La Jolla, pedestrians are king.

We are talking to some pedestrians now as we walk its streets. Asked what makes La Jolla special, the first one replies, “We’re a tiny place with European charm. We are called ‘The Jewel’ with reason. This is beautifully enclosed space, full of small ‘Maw and Paw’ boutiques except they are all high end.” She hurries away presumably to go shopping. Another passer by, who had stopped to listen, continues the thread, “We are a destination within a destination; we are more than just a part of San Diego. Shopping and dining are important components of any vacation. And we have such diversity in our boutiques and independent stores. Have you checked out our art galleries? We are one of the Top 100 artist towns in North America.” Says her companion, “This is a relaxed, friendly place. It’s not fake. And it’s a very safe community and that’s an important consideration for people traveling.”

The point about this being a community is valid. So many of the people who live here were born and raised here. The town has what has been called “generational continuity.” In that respect it’s not unlike another delightful part of San Diego, Coronado. Each place has beach proximity, a lot of contented, retired people and nationally famous hotels.

Almost all its hotels offer something more than location. The 15-room Bed and Breakfast Inn at La Jolla is not just another B & B but a 1913 home built by the renowned architect Irving Gill and accordingly listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A mile away stands the 108-room Hotel La Jolla at the Shores, once called the Summerhouse Inn in the glory days when jazz greats used to perform at Elario’s restaurant in the 11th floor penthouse. Now the restaurant, Clay’s at La Jolla, has music in its Sky Lounge Wednesday through Sunday with unbelievably on Sundays, a 17-piece “Big Band Express” -- starting at 6PM because this is Southern California where they all go to bed early.

All hotels in La Jolla make an effort to please; they have to because the clientele is somewhat discriminating. The small 23-room, owner-run La Jolla Inn, for example, gives guests free underground parking -- and free parking in La Jolla surely is worth something. This European boutique hotel offers the usual complimentary continental breakfast and newspaper, coffee and tea throughout the day and complimentary beverages and home-made cookies at 2PM each day. All the rooms have microwave ovens and refrigerators.

So how do other hotels stand out amongst the competition in what is essentially a small town? By being different, even unique.

Here are three favorites.

Hotel Parisi. We love this 20-suite hotel because its existence in this languid and ever so slightly proper city is so unexpected. The Parisi is avant guarde zen-like in its feng shui simplicity. Initially it seems stark but it grows on you with its walnut furniture and earth tone holistic design. It’s right on the main drag, Prospect Street, like our other two favorites, all three have a perfect location. La Jolla’s clientele tends to be comfortably off and spa services are important in most hotels these days. Hotel Parisi offers a tremendous variety of holistic services for guests: you could stay here for a month and have a different spa treatment every day. You could start with Lomi Lomi, progress to Chi Nei Tsang then Ear Coning and continue with other treatments we’ve never heard of, but we concede we don’t look as good as they do.

The owner is talking to us right now. “Small hotels face challenge,” she says. “They need marketing resources to reach the world but now the internet answers that and gives us GDS software for rate parity so all websites can consistently quote a price that is accurate. It’s a bit like the airline system.” With differences. The Hotel Parisi offers special packages from the standard Romance that most hotels have, to one most do not: an ART special which, standing for assisted reproductive therapy, is a program designed to help couples conceive. For sure, this is not something you’d get at a Motel 6.

The old world 75-room Grande Colonial Inn holds up its name comfortably against the cutting edge Parisi. The Colonial Inn is indeed grand; it has taken over rather well properties beside it: the delightful 1925 Little Hotel by the Sea that always made us think of the Little Engine That Could every time we passed by. It has also absorbed the 10-suite Garden Terraces next door to it. This combination of two is a wonderful addition to the mother hotel and offers so much to its guests as if to trump the bigger hotel. Guests staying at the Little Hotel by the Sea & Garden Terraces enjoy kitchenettes in every room, irons and ironing boards, ceiling fans and air conditioning, premium cable, 32 inch LCD TVs, complimentary bottles water, free WiFi or wired internet access, a daily newspaper and down comforters. And, yes, it does have a colonial New England feel to it. The history of the inn is confusing; it started in 1913 as an 8-room hotel then grew like Mopsy in 1928. It has the original fire door weighed down and held up by rope that would burn in a fire so that the heavy door would crash to the floor and isolate the fire area. The rooms are spacious and said to be bigger than those in La Valencia even in the new villas at that famed resort hotel. Those fire precautions made sense. Nearly all the Great Old Dames of the American hotel world ultimately burned down. The risks were very great: the structures were wooden and everybody smoked – and most drank, a deadly combination. Now in Southern California most hotels have gone non-smoking. As have most restaurants. The contrast with Europe is striking.

But of course the most famous hotel this side of the Del Coronado is the celebrated La Valencia. And, with the development of villas in the area behind the hotel, La V finally dealt with a major problem: although it had magnificent public rooms, many of its bedrooms were uncomfortably small. The contrast when we stayed there again recently was striking. Beautiful open airy rooms with lots of space, lots of breathing room and private butlers eager to show guests how La V. had come into the 21st Century. Answer: very nicely, thank you.

La Valencia was always a prestigious address rather than a comfortable one for its guests but the villas have changed everything. This was always the hang out of Hollywood: Clark Gable, Gregory Peck, Cliff Robertson, Frankie Laine. And the hotel’s Whaling Bar was the bar that once refused entry to Robert Redford because he was wearing shorts!

Why not? A place has to keep up standards. Let ‘em off with ties, then it’s jackets and before you know it, they’re showing off their, er, bare knees. Robert should have known better. What is the world coming to?

La Valencia has it all: history, refinement, charm, service. It even has location, right on the main street, at 1132 Prospect Street, with all the boutiques and art galleries in front as you step out the front door. Additionally, it has that great asset, weather. In the hotel world it has to be the perfect package. No wonder someone’s always trying to buy it and its rural kid sister Rancho Valencia, a few miles away in exclusive Rancho Santa Fe.

You don’t need to do a lot in La Jolla. Many are content just to find a bench, survey the Pacific and ponder the world. But whatever you do, walk. Leave your car initially wherever it is. Parking commands a premium here.

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego at 700 Prospect is a five minute walk south from La Valencia. It’s a somewhat stark building as many modern art museums can be but its use of light and space rewards the senses. Asked what her museum offers those who still haven’t warmed to modern art, Denise Montgomery, the museum director of communications, says, “We are here as an option and many visitors have happily discovered artists of interest to them and for them we have opened some doors.”

You do need a car for another La Jolla attraction and one that is always great fun for children, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps. It’s about three miles away at 2300 Expedition Way. It has hands-on exhibits for kids and platforms to clamber up on so they can see better into the tank. The exhibits seem to go on and on and by the time you get to the Kelp Forest adults will be pleased to discover padded seating. We always are.

While you are up there you can take a moment to visit the nearby Salk Institute . Its minimalistic architecture has won many awards. The Torrey Pines International Glider Port is virtually next door but you should contact them first before driving up because weather and wind can cancel any activities. The Torrey Pines State Park, a bit farther west, is a great walk for outdoor enthusiasts. It has dramatic panoramic views from its cliffs. It also is the steep access for the legendary Black’s (nude bathing) Beach below. About 20 years ago a man in a wheel chair sued our city on the grounds that San Diego had not provided access to the nude beach for persons with his disability.

The best walk in La Jolla, however, is the simplest one: just head down to the water’s edge and parallel the ocean in either direction.

Don’t miss the landscaping and stunted wind-swept trees that were the inspiration for the work of La Jolla native son, Dr. Seuss.

There’s always something going on where the surf meets the sand in La Jolla. Maybe a commercial photography shoot with the model shivering beyond the camera (Californian beaches are not as warm as, say, Florida’s). Or a wedding or family group posing for the camera on the rocks. Or some bird watchers, with binoculars mounted on tripods, excited to see so many species in a single day. Or our seals performing, like the squatters they are, in the Children’s Pool doing what seals do so well, basking in the sun and eating fish.

You can certainly enjoy fish on the menu in most La Jolla restaurants. Our favorite fish restaurant is the upscale El Crab Catcher at 298 Prospect but the low key, less expensive El Pescador at 627 Pearl is very popular – apparently its owner goes out in his boat at 2AM every morning for a fresh day’s catch. For breakfast we like The Cottage at 7702 Fay or Harry’s Coffee Shop at 7545 Girard; Harry’s has been around for almost 50 years.

Azul’s at 1250 Prospect does a marvelous Sunday Brunch, and for “hamburgers as an art form” try the Burger Lounge at 1101 Wall Street. Next door lies the Coffee Cup Café, a great place to grab a cup of your favorite java and read the copy of Life After 50 that some hopeful retired person has thoughtfully left on your table – probably the editor. Nice to have something to read if you are marking time for your spa appointment round the corner at the Gaia Day Spa at 1299 Prospect. Notice how many addresses are on Prospect Street. This really is a small town.

A younger crowd out for the evening should try Jack’s at 7863 Girard; this group of clubs, bars and restaurants seems straight out of Manhattan and in the evening, when the sun has fallen like a golden globe into the sea, Jack’s really sizzles. Alphonso’s at 1251 Prospect has been owner-run for more than 32 years in La Jolla. Staff turnover is light because many are family members. Great Mexican food, margaritas and especially popular is its Quesadilla Mercedes.

We like George’s at the Cove at 1250 Prospect for lunch and its ocean vistas, and Roppongi’s at 875 Prospect for its eclectic mix of Asian-Fusion appetizers. For an evening meal with style our favorite is Tapenade – it’s as great as its website (make sure your sound is on). Sante is a great dining experience particularly if Tony Buonsante, the owner, is around. He will be for a photograph if you come in with a Hollywood celebrity or even a beautiful female friend as we did recently. The history of Sante’s restaurant is confusing especially if you have consumed a bottle of Chianti before you’re hearing the story – but apparently Tony was originally a restaurant dishwasher in New York City who worked his way up to being the restaurant maitre d’. Some regular diners from La Jolla saw his potential, invested in him and brought him to La Jolla to get him started. Says John, the son, “They set him up with a female chef and they nearly killed each other.”

We don’t believe it. Not in La Jolla, that wonderful place where people make eye contact and smile at strangers and where motorists stop for pedestrians even where those crossing don’t even use the cross walks.