| With its panoramic ocean views, swaying palm trees | | | | be well. |
| and unbeatable weather, La Jolla is like Hawaii without | | | | Gerard is one of two main streets in the Village. Also |
| the five-hour flight. | | | | famous for its shopping is Prospect Avenue which |
| This was decades ago and we had just returned from | | | | also has lots of trendy boutiques and popular eateries. |
| our first real long-distance travel experience an | | | | Check out George's for spectacular views of the |
| unforgettable, eye-opening journey to Hawaii that | | | | ocean and award-winning cuisine. Brockton Villa's |
| exposed a couple of soggy Pacific Northwest college | | | | another one just off Prospect that seems a perennial |
| students to bright sunshine and warm saltwater that | | | | favorite. A Caesar salad on the outdoor deck at |
| we never even knew existed. The very next month | | | | Moondoggie's can be a refreshing and relatively |
| we were taking a Southern California vacation when | | | | inexpensive pause as the breezes from the shoreline |
| we came upon La Jolla and it was, as Yogi would say, | | | | find their way to this part of the shopping district. Just |
| d? vu all over again. | | | | footsteps from Scripps Park are such outdoor cafes |
| To be sure, the water in Southern California was | | | | as Cody's, the French Side of the West and Fay's |
| prettier than it was warm. And there weren't too many | | | | Gourmet Seafood. |
| native Hawaiians although Hawaii doesn't seem to | | | | Scripps Park is, in fact, just a block down from the |
| have many either. WHAT La Jolla did have was the | | | | main shopping district, and yet is anything but |
| views and that bright sunshine, and we were | | | | commercial. You might find an ecology tee-shirt stand |
| determined that someday we would come back and | | | | but mostly it's green lawn and meandering walkways |
| live there. | | | | that entice friends, lovers and families to stroll along |
| We did eventually live and work there, if only for a | | | | one of the most picturesque shorelines in all of |
| brief time, and this special coastal haven delivered on | | | | California. The shoreline is jagged and rocky in places |
| all its promises. The "Village," as the locals call Girard | | | | while at the same time offering up just enough beach |
| Avenue and the community surrounding it, is a gourmet | | | | to lay out your beach towels in some privacy. Stroll |
| blend of those spices that make life so enjoyable | | | | about 10 minutes south and you'll find La Jolla Cove |
| fine dining, world-class shopping, countless outdoor | | | | where you can watch the local seals sun themselves |
| activities, surf, sand, incredible views and, of course, | | | | on a scenic beach. |
| almost-constant sunshine. | | | | Skirting the east edge of Scripps Park is a scenic |
| Nowadays, the local home values have priced out the | | | | roadway that is often used as a bike route between |
| average mortal and, if you're living there, you've either | | | | La Jolla and the more touristy beach town of Pacific |
| done very well for yourself or had the good fortune to | | | | Beach. The ride takes you through beautiful |
| grow up in a family that bought local real estate back | | | | neighborhoods never far away from ocean views |
| when local land prices were reasonable probably | | | | and through the fascinating town of Birdrock. It, too, is |
| sometime just after statehood. But there are two | | | | artsy and trendy but maybe down a notch in price. |
| groups of people who are living in the Village | | | | La Jolla Shores is just north of the downtown area |
| temporarily: the renters and the tourists. The renters | | | | and offers a mile-long beach where locals and tourists |
| plunk down several thousand each month for the | | | | alike congregate for outdoor activities. Nearby are the |
| barest of digs; the tourists stay only briefly but much | | | | expensive homes of the La Jolla Shores area as well |
| more economically. | | | | as a few hotels and a tiny shopping district. |
| Which is why it's great to be a tourist in La Jolla. With | | | | Nearby is a marine preserve so it's common to see |
| a choice of several tasteful hotels and spa resorts | | | | divers preparing for their scuba sessions out in the |
| and, yes, some are quite reasonably priced visitors | | | | deep. If you don't scuba, you'll find other ways to get |
| can pretend they're living the lifestyle for a few days | | | | close to the ocean such as paddling a kayak in an |
| and still go home with money in their pockets. | | | | area near what is known as the La Jolla Caves. Or |
| It all begins with watching the people parade down on | | | | you can actually climb down in the caves by visiting |
| Gerard Avenue. Plan to have a gourmet sandwich | | | | the La Jolla Cave and Shell Shop, where there is a |
| down at one of several cafes and then plop yourself | | | | 145-step walkway to the Sunny Jim Cave, the largest |
| at an outside table. Leading the parade is a | | | | of these grottoes. |
| 20-something bombshell dressed in a | | | | Another seaside favorite is the Birch Aquarium, a |
| spaghetti-strapped halter and capris, dragging along a | | | | popular place to take families for an up-close look at |
| five-inch poodle that is decidedly disinterested in being | | | | sea life such as coral reefs, tide pools and even |
| part of this parade. Next up: a 30-something clean-cut | | | | sharks. The Aquarium has a 70,000-gallon tank in |
| guy wearing lumberjack boots up to his ankles, his | | | | which many sea creatures are on display. |
| pants squished into the boot tops, and his long-sleeve | | | | If you simply want to drive around the area, the |
| shirt well down over his belt buckle. It must be new La | | | | spectacular homes make it worthwhile. One especially |
| Jolla fashion because his stylish 20-something | | | | rewarding drive is to head up Nautilus Street to the |
| model-like girlfriend doesn't seem the least bit | | | | highest elevations in town where the Mt. Soledad |
| embarrassed to walk beside him. Then along comes | | | | Memorial Cross is dedicated to veterans of the two |
| two 30-something men, dressed almost identically in | | | | world wars and the Korean War. While there has |
| turtlenecks, expensive sports jackets and shades, | | | | been a political tug-of-war about whether the cross will |
| surely sweltering in the mid-day sun but cool in their | | | | remain, the views from this part of La Jolla offer one |
| own minds. And on it goes all during lunch, making it | | | | of the best ways to see the topography of the entire |
| almost worth the nine bucks it cost for the sandwich. | | | | San Diego area. |
| You might even see celebrities in this neck of the | | | | AT A GLANCE |
| woods. We came upon Geena Davis and her kids one | | | | WHERE: La Jolla has often been called "the Beverly |
| time, while beautiful people such as Cindy Crawford | | | | Hills" of San Diego and is located about a 15-minute |
| have actually bought houses in the Village. Barbra | | | | drive north from downtown. Several of the best San |
| Streisand is said to have bought her wedding ring | | | | Diego hotels are located here, so this is an excellent |
| down at Bowers Jewelers. Movie and TV filming are | | | | base of operations for a Southern California vacation. |
| common and the longtime series Silk Stalkings used | | | | WHAT: A seaside village that offers some of the best |
| the local scenery quite often to depict the glitzy | | | | shopping, restaurants and ocean views of the entire |
| glamour of Southern California. | | | | San Diego area. Spa vacations are big here, and there |
| Walk down Gerard just a little ways and there seems | | | | is a good selection of spa resorts and facilities in the |
| to be plenty of temptation to bring out your credit card. | | | | area. |
| There are specialty stores like Rangoni shoes, art | | | | WHEN: Year-round. Always keep an eye out for |
| galleries like Cosmopolitan Fine Art and Images of | | | | travel deal, and travel packages at San Diego hotels |
| Nature, and then more typical "mall" stores like Banana | | | | are more plentiful during slower times of the year. |
| Republic and the Gap. Side streets have their own | | | | WHY: La Jolla is quiet and has a village-like |
| offerings, many of them related to health, fitness and | | | | atmosphere, and is perfect for a vacation -- or even |
| well-being even if you need a little plastic surgery to | | | | retire if one could afford it. |