La Jolla
La Jolla, California, is a seaside resort community of 24,440 within the City of San Diego. Pronounced "La-Hoy-Ya," which is possibly Spanish for "The Jewel," it is often referred to as the "Jewel by the Sea." La Jolla borders Pacific Beach to the south and extends north to Torrey Pines State Reserve and Del Mar, California. Along the way it encompasses neighborhoods like Bird Rock, Wind 'N Sea, The Village, La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Farms, and Torrey Pines. Interstate 5 forms La Jolla's man-made border to the east, with the minor exception of some UCSD and commercial property east of I-5 and north of La Jolla Village Drive also considered by some to be part of La Jolla.
Identity
La Jolla residents and business owners often refer to the "village" or "town" of La Jolla. The official postal address for La Jolla's 92037 zip code is "La Jolla", not "San Diego" as it is for the other communities within the City of San Diego. La Jolla has several community groups which work to unify the voice of the community, including the non-profit La Jolla Town Council organization which represents the interests of the La Jolla businesses that belong to the Council. The USS La Jolla, a nuclear submarine, is named in its honor.
Landscape
With its palm-tree lined streets, large estate homes, and Mediterranean climate and atmosphere, La Jolla is reminiscent of a southern European village with touches of Beverly Hills along the upscale retail shops on Prospect Street. Much of La Jolla's natural charm stems from the presence of the ocean and Mount Soledad. Narrow curvy roads follow the contours of Soledad and hundreds of homes overlooking the ocean are nestled on the slopes. The sandy beaches, dotting the coastline extend from the south to the north, are Wind 'n' Sea Beach, La Jolla Cove, La Jolla Beach and Tennis property, La Jolla Shores, Scripps, and Black's Beach (leading up to Torrey Pines State Reserve).
Education
The University of California, San Diego (including the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the San Diego Supercomputer Center) is the center of higher education in La Jolla. National University is also headquartered in La Jolla. Among the several research institutes near UCSD and in the nearby Torrey Pines Science Park are [[Scripps Research Institute], the Burnham Institute, the La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation and the Salk Institute. The town's two rival prep schools are La Jolla Country Day School and The Bishop's School. The public high school, La Jolla High School, is in the San Diego City Schools district. It is home to several famous alumni, including Gregory Peck and Raquel Welch.
Literary La Jolla
Theodor Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, was a resident of La Jolla at the time of his death in 1991. Unlike many celebrities, his address and phone number used to be listed in the local phone book. In fact, the main library at the University of California, San Diego, is dedicated to him. Raymond Chandler, an early influential noir novelist, moved to La Jolla late in his career. He died there 13 years later, but not before delivering a bleak aphorism about then-stuffy La Jolla, "A nice place -- for old people and their parents."
The title article in Tom Wolfe's The Pump House Gang is about a group of surfers from Windansea Beach in La Jolla who "attended the Watts riots as if it were the Rose Bowl game in Pasadena." (see [1] for an excerpt)
Ann Rice, famous for her modern vampire novels, recently moved from New Orleans to La Jolla.
Attractions and activities
La Jolla is also the location of Torrey Pines Golf Course, made famous by the PGA TOUR Buick Invitational held there each February (in 2005, the competition was held in January). Down the steep cliffs from the Salk Institute and the Torrey Pines Golf Course is the famous de facto nude beach, Black's Beach.
Walking along the beach at all times (but especially at sunset) is popular recreation. Those ambling along may be able to glimpse the "Green Flash."
Downtown La Jolla is noted for its as jewelry stores, upmarket restaraunts and hotels. Prospect Street and Girard Avenue also have several famous boutiques. Notable for its architectural and historical presence is the La Valencia Hotel, which used to welcome movie stars on retreat from Hollywood during the silent film era.
In recent years, harbor seals have taken over the Children's Beach, a quaint man-made cove near downtown. The seals are protected animals under federal law, so removing them has become a difficult and controversial issue. As of now, the beach is open; the rope is down. However, harassment of the animals is prohibited; swimming is allowed but not recommended.
Origin and pronunciation
The area was known as La Jolla Park at least as early as 1886. The origin of the name is obscure. It is pronounced "Lah HOY-Ya," not "Lah Ho-Ya" as it should be in Spanish. Some say it is a corruption of ahoy, called out by sailors seeking the attention of people on the shore. The people of La Jolla claim it is a misspelling of La Joya, meaning "The Jewel" in Spanish. Perhaps the most-likely, although least-glamorous, theory is that La Jolla is a corruption of the Indian word "Woholle," meaning "hole in the mountain," referring to the caves in the north-facing cliffs next to La Jolla Cove Park.
Notable residents of La Jolla
- Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known to the world as the beloved Dr. Seuss, called La Jolla home until his death in 1991 (see Literary La Jolla below).
- Actors Gregory Peck, Cliff Robertson and Raquel Welch also called La Jolla home. As has musician Michael Franks, and the infamous Hearst family.
- Rolf Benirschke, an NFL kicker, attended high school in La Jolla.
- NFL quarterback Doug Flutie makes his home in La Jolla.
- Novelist Anne Rice, author of Interview With the Vampire, moved to La Jolla from the New Orleans area in March 2005.[2]
- V. Alexander Stefan, founder of The Stefan University (and The Institute for Advanced Physics Studies), research physicist, educator, fine art painter, writer - author of Doctor Faustef.
- Until recently, Deepak Chopra ran his Center for Well Being in La Jolla.
- Kary Mullis, a biochemist and surfer from La Jolla, discovered PCR (polymerase chain reaction) a very important process of genetic engineering that is vital in researching cures for various diseases (such as cancer).
- Armi Kuusela, winner of the first Miss Universe beauty pageant, back in 1952, lives in La Jolla with her husband, Albert Williams.
- Many of the Forbes 400 Richest Americans live in La Jolla, including Irwin and Joan Jacobs, Margaret Anne Cargill, David C. Copley, Helen K. Copley, Audrey Geisel and Ellen Browning Scripps.
Notes
- ^ "Anne Rice's rebirth", San Diego Union-Tribune, November 3, 2005.
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