Art takes to the streets this weekend for the La Jolla Festival of the Arts – June 26th & 27th.  Nearly 200 juried artists from the western US and Mexico will present their works from serigraphs to photography, sculpture to fine jewelry, and all mediums of paint.  Chalk artists from around the world will bring the streets themselves alive, with color and beautifully rendered works of art…

The Festival of the Arts recognizes talent in design and execution, and not just in artistic mediums.  Classic Austin Healeys will be on display from points across Southern California, and celebrity chef demonstrations will also be part of the festivities.  Live music will be featured throughout the day by favorites such as Fred Benedetti and George Svoboda, the Mar Dels, Monsoon Jazz, and the USN Southwest Brass Band.

Admission for adults is $10, while children 10 and under are free.  A children’s area will feature interactive booths, hands-on games and activities.  The event is from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the University of California San Diego’s East Campus, located at Genesee Avenue and Regents Road.

Miss Wheelchair California, Jennifer Kumiyama, and runner-up, Maggie Elizondo will be attending the event on Saturday. Nearly $1 million in funds have been raised by The Torrey Pines Kiwanis Foundation since the inception of the La Jolla Festival of the Arts, providing sports and recreation opportunities for disabled San Diegans as well as wounded warriors returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

San Diego county is alive with countless theater venues. From artsy to traditional, esoteric to mainstream, on any given week you’re sure to find a unique play to delight the senses. Enter playwright Annie Weisman. Annie  grew up in Del Mar, and has returned to her home turf to mount her new script, ‘Surf Report‘, at the acclaimed La Jolla Playhouse…

Actor Gregory Harrison plays the role of Bruce, a venture capitalist and surfer.  The central role of  Surf Report is his assistant, Judith (played by Linda Gehringer), who must balance the drive to excel in her career with her family relationships, strained with compromise and dreams put on hold.  Throughout the play surf reports are announced, acting as a barometer of the action of the play itself.  When Weisman attended Torry Pines High, she recalls, a daily surf report was part of the morning announcements.

Click here to view the embedded video.

In preparation for the role, Harrison and fellow actors Zoë Chao and Liv Rooth hit the waves with Surf Diva

The La Jolla Playhouse is legendary for giving new productions the support they need to florish, often resulting in Broadway success stories.  Just last week, ‘Memphis‘ (a musical that premiered here in 2008) won 4 Tony awards, including Best Musical! We hope that ‘Surf Report’ enjoys similar success, while showing audiences a glimpse into a Southern California lifestyle beyond the waves.

“Smuggler’s lair?”

A mystery dwells beneath the La Jolla Coast Walk.  The Cave Store, is more than its banal name would imply. Take a walk with us back in time to 1902… A steep descent down 145 uneven steps contained within, takes one below street level to a secret cave where crashing waves rush in…

“Hmm, a hidden sea cave accessible by land within a sheltered cove…”.

A descent into Sunny Jim’s Cave provides shelter from the relentless sunshine and distracts from the happy throngs of people walking the busy streets of La Jolla Village.

“The curious need be forewarned…”

The steps are steep, wet, and the space cramped. Not for the claustrophobic. Think spelunking, with worn wooden steps & an ocean view at the end. The  rough rock opening frames the beauty of the La Jolla Cove, the sandy bluffs and rocks. The crystal blue waters shimmer, interrupted with flashes of bright orange Garibaldi fish.

If you can tear your eyes from the scenery before you, the shape of the opening resembles a man’s profile.  Named by Frank Baum (of Wizard of Oz fame) for its resemblance to a  cartoon mascot of a British breakfast cereal,  Sunny Jim’s Cave has been welcoming visitors since the 1920’s.  A recently storm created a ’stronger’ chin, less true to the historical figure, but cutting a dashing profile none the less.

Another dapper and ever so pleasant man now watches over ‘The Cave’ and its secrets, meet Jim Allen. Jim is happy to regale all with local history and lore. There is a small fee to descend the steps to the viewing platform at the bottom of the cave. At street level, the small shop offers an eclectic offering of  treasures, much as it has since the early 1900’s. So, back to the secrets of the cave, well…

“No one is talking”

Does it hold the secrets of smugglers gold? Perhaps a hiding place for shadows passing through the night.  A romantic escape from spying eyes. A  solitary spot  to propose to the woman of your dreams, as etched in the railing found along the platform. A secret destination for over a century. But  for what purpose we will never know. The weeping walls  of Sunny Jim’s Cave tell no tales…

OR

Everyone has a strong opinion, no middle-of-the-road here…

“The children or the seals?”

The Children’s Pool  in La Jolla was built in 1931 with the funds and support of grand dame Ellen Browning Scripps, for the purpose of providing a safe place for children to enjoy the sea.  Long before there were State Beaches lining our coastline, access was much more limited and safe areas like this one were a precious commodity.

In the 1970’s, harbor seals and sea lions began to take to this sheltered beach, their population growing beyond the size of their favored Seal Rock, located nearby.  As their numbers continued to grow, human occupation of the Childern’s Pool became more difficult. Eventually, the pool became unhealthy due to bacteria levels resulting from the animals’ waste.

“Now we find ourselves in the middle of a stinky sticky situation…”

The question that has busied San Diego’s city courts and councils is the current interpretation of the original intention. The Children’s Pool be habited by, of course, children. Being a coastal issue, the harbor seal challenge goes beyond personal opinion.

The Coastal Commission and the Marine Mammal Protection Act demand the least invasive resolution possible. Other cities have had success by irritating their seal population with recorded animal sounds, such a dogs barking.

“A barking dog soundtrack?”

La Jolla has developed a plan to include this tactic, and other irritant variations, to persuade the seals & sea lions to leave the Children’s Pool to the children.  Unlikely to stray far from their happy homes, the seals may very likely relocate a short distance away to a neighboring beach.

One has to wonder if human visitors will stray from the Children’s Pool in order to avoid the amplified dog barking, scheduled to be broadcast from 6 am to sunset. Daily. Not to mention the barking from the upset seals.

“A veritable cacophony of discord reverberating along the coast…”

This issue has drawn attention far beyond the golden beaches of La Jolla. Animal rights groups will have something to say about the implementation of this plan.  Not only must La Jolla plan for the animal relocation, but also provide for the safety of the city employee dipatched to this duty.  The plan comes with a proposed budget for one year coming in at nearly $700,000. Yep, you read right… what the ???!?!?!?

“Give me & my staff a megaphone,  cots and keep the coffee coming… we’ll stay up 24/7 barking for $700 grand a year!”

Is it the responsibility of the city to resist the call of the wild and turn away a healthy population of seals in order to restore the traditional intent and use of the Pool?  When funds are tight for everyone, from Wall Street to Main Street, is this fiscal responsibility? Oh, and what about the retirement community across the street from Children’s Pool. Will the incessant dog barking remind them fondly of little Fido from their youth? Uh, nope…I think not.

“So, who’s irritating who?”

La Jolla is bound by extensive legal proceedings to find a resolution to this lengthy impasse. Children need a safe haven, seals need to be seals, and area visitors & residents deserve harmony befitting such a gorgeous stretch of coast. Tourism matters in our finest city’s economy, and she will always have bills to pay.  The resolution needs to be a win-win for ALL concerned, lest our tourists swim away to other shores along with the seals.

“Want to slowly savor something deliciously wicked?”

If you are what you eat, then you deserve the best. For a relatively new kitchen, whisknladle in La Jolla has garnered itself a lot of attention.  If you haven’t heard about it from a foodie friend or in the local rag, look for it’s mention in Food and Wine this month.

Locally sourced fresh-as-it-gets food is made from start to finish on site.  Innovative cocktails feature infused liquors and reductions. Wildly creative food lures you to sample exotic sounding fare.  The service is welcoming and encouraging, and you might find yourself surprised at what you venture to try!

“Sweet and salty, earthy and tangy, fresh and succulent, rich and delicate…”

Local Mussels & Fries,  Chorizo & Date Fritters…  Popular favorites on the menu, balanced with simple and beautifully executed seasonal fare.  The descriptions of the preparations had me intrigued.  As the assortment of small plates and large came out of the kitchen, the process of exploration began.

“The blend of flavors are carefully orchestrated into complex combination’s”

Eating seasonally and locally connects you with  your environment, and the gifts that surround you.  Knowing that inspired culinary spot assures that your precious dining budget is going to support the right cause.  From local farms and co-ops to fishermen and wineries, whisknladle knows exactly where your food has come from. Not to mention how best to feature it’s assets, and let each morsel find its own voice!

Photographs via whisknladle

“And, it’s not what you think!”

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has earned the #1 spot in a 2008 comparison study of the most expensive International housing markets, while La Jolla has captured the #1 honors for the U.S. market.

La Jolla topped the list with an average $1.84 million price tag for homes that met the study criteria. Last year, Beverly Hills took the top position with a $2.21 million average price tag. (Who knew?)

“Does this mean that La Jolla homes held their value better than similar homes in 90210  since last year?”

The annual study began in the 1980’s by Coldwell Banker. It compares prices for four-bedroom, 2.5  bath homes that have approximately 2,200 square feet of living space. This year, the cumulative average sales price of the 315 U.S. housing markets evaluated in the survey was down 4.4 percent – compared to the cumulative average sales price in 2007.

“Top 10 Most Expensive U.S. Housing Markets“

1. La Jolla, Calif
2. Greenwich, Conn
3. Beverly Hills, Calif
4. Palo Alto, Calif
5. Santa Monica, Calif
6. Santa Barbara, Calif
7. Newport Beach, Calif
8. San Francisco, Calif
9. Boston, Mass
10. San Mateo, Calif

Source: 2008 Coldwell Banker Home Price Comparison Index