La Jolla is an affluent, hilly seaside resort community, occupying 7 miles (11 km) of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean in Southern California within the northern city limits of San Diego. La Jolla had the highest home prices in the nation in 2008 and 2009; the average price of a standardized four-bedroom home in La Jolla was reported as US $1.842 million in 2008 and US $2.125 million in 2009. The 2004 estimated population of the 92037 ZIP code was 42,808, while the La Jolla community planning area had an estimated population of 31,746 in 2010.
La Jolla is surrounded on three sides by ocean bluffs and beaches and is located 12 miles (19 km) north of Downtown San Diego, and 40 miles (64 km) south of Orange County California. The climate is mild, with an average daily temperature of 70.5 °F (21.4 °C). La Jolla is home to a variety of businesses in the areas of lodging, dining, shopping, software, finance, real estate, bio-engineering, medical practice and scientific research. The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) is located in La Jolla, as are the Salk Institute, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the headquarters of National University (though its academic campuses are elsewhere). The community's border starts at Pacific Beach to the south and extends along the Pacific Ocean shoreline north to include Torrey Pines State Reserve ending at Del Mar, California. La Jolla encompasses neighborhoods[12] including Bird Rock, Windansea Beach, the commercial center known as the Village of La Jolla, La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Farms, Muirlands, Torrey Pines, and Mount Soledad to name a few.
The City of San Diego defines the community's eastern boundary as Gilman Drive, former Highway US 101, with the exception of some of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD)[13] and the northern boundary as La Jolla Village Drive. The U.S. Postal Service defines a somewhat larger area as it assigned the community the 92037 ZIP code recognizing it as a historically and geographically distinct area. This unique ZIP code allows addresses to read La Jolla, CA and is the only community within the City of San Diego so recognized. Additionally, it is in the 919xx/920xx sequence used for suburban and rural zip codes in San Diego County, rather than the 921xx sequence used for the remainder of the City of San Diego itself. These conditions sometimes lead to the erroneous conclusion that La Jolla is a separate city or that its schools are part of a nonexistent "La Jolla School District". The 92037 zip code extends the northeasterly boundary to Genesee Avenue and the northerly boundary to Del Mar, California. The UCSD campus, although it is part of La Jolla, has ZIP codes 92092 and 92093. Geography La Jolla is an area of mixed geology, including sandy beaches and rocky shorelines.
The area is occasionally susceptible to flooding and ocean storms, as occurred in January and December 2010.[15] Mount Soledad is covered with the narrow roads that follow its contours and hundreds of homes overlooking the ocean on its slopes. It is the home of the large concrete Mount Soledad Easter Cross built in 1954, later designated a Korean War Memorial, that became the center of a controversy over the display of religious symbols on government property.
Wipeout Beach The most compelling geographical highlight of La Jolla is its ocean front, with alternating rugged and sandy coast line and wild seal congregations. Popular sandy beaches, dotting the coastline from the south to the north, are: Windansea Beach Marine Street Horse Shoes Wipeout Beach Children's Pool Beach Shell Beach (La Jolla) La Jolla Cove Boomers Beach La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club La Jolla Shores Scripps Black's Beach (a de facto nude beach leading up to Torrey Pines State Reserve).
Demographic information on La Jolla According to U.S. Census Bureau figures, the ethnic/racial makeup of La Jolla is 82.5% White, 0.8% Black, 0.2% American Indian, 11.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.0% some other race, and 3.1% two or more races. Latinos, who may be of any race, form 7.2% of La Jolla's population. La Jolla had the highest home prices in the nation in 2008 and 2009. The survey compares the cost of a standardized four-bedroom home in communities across the country. The average price for such a home in La Jolla was reported as US$ 1.842 million in 2008 and US$ 2.125 million in 2009. Local Native Americans, the Kumeyaay, called this location mat kulaaxuuy [mat kəlaːxuːj], 'land of holes' (mat = 'land'). What sort of topographic feature the description "holes" refers to is uncertain, but it may be the sea-level caves on the north facing bluffs which are visible from La Jolla Shores. This was apparently corrupted by the Spanish occupiers to "La Jolla". An alternate suggested origin is that the name is a corruption of the Spanish La Joya, meaning "the jewel". Although disputed by scholars, this origin of the name has been widely cited in popular culture. That supposed origin gave rise to the nickname "Jewel City", which was once commonly used but now exists mainly in commercial references. Some significant events in La Jolla's history: 1850 – the area of La Jolla was incorporated as part of the City of San Diego (this coincides with the admission of California to the United States and the chartering of San Diego as a city under California law.) 1880s – the area was surveyed and subdivided by Frank Botsford, "the father of La Jolla" 1890s – a local railroad arrived in La Jolla 1893 – the La Jolla Park Hotel opened 1909 – The Bishop's School was founded 1911 – electricity came to La Jolla with 4 customers 1912 – the first motion picture in town was shown 1913 – the first La Jolla Light newspaper was printed; the Orient Theater opened at Girard and Wall streets 1922 – La Jolla High School was founded 1926 – La Valencia Hotel opened; La Jolla Country Day School started 1944 – the first stop sign was installed at Girard Avenue and Torrey Pines Road 1960 – the University of California, San Diego was established.
Neighborhoods
La Jolla Farms - These homes on top of the cliffs above Black's Beach and adjacent to the western boundary of the UCSD campus. The most expensive home ever sold in San Diego county is on La Jolla Farms.
La Jolla Shores - the residential area and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus along La Jolla Shores beach and east up the hillside. Also includes a small business district of shops and restaurants along Avenida de la Playa.
La Jolla Heights - the homes on the hills overlooking La Jolla Shores. No businesses.
Hidden Valley - lower portion of Mount Soledad on the northern slopes. No businesses.
Country Club - lower Mount Soledad on the north-west side, including the La Jolla Country Club golf course.
Village - a.k.a. Village of La Jolla (not to be confused with La Jolla Village) the "downtown" business district area, including most of La Jolla's shops and restaurants, and the immediately surrounding higher density and single family residential areas.
Beach-Barber Tract - the coastal section from Windansea Beach to the Village. A few shops and restaurants along La Jolla Boulevard.
Lower Hermosa - coastal strip south of Beach-Barber Tract. No businesses.
Bird Rock - southern/coastal La Jolla, and the very lowest slopes of Mt Soledad in the area. Notable for shops and restaurants along La Jolla Boulevard, five traffic roundabouts on La Jolla Boulevard, coastal bluffs, and surfing areas just two blocks off the main drag.
Muirlands - relatively large area on western middle slope of Mt. Soledad. No businesses.
La Jolla Mesa - A strip on the lower southern side of Mt. Soledad, bordering Pacific Beach. La Jolla Alta - A master planned development east of La Jolla Mesa.
Soledad South - Southeastern slopes of Mount Soledad, all the way up to the top, east of La Jolla Alta.
Muirlands West - The neighborhood between Muirlands to the south, and Country Club to the north.
Upper Hermosa - North of Bird Rock, east of La Jolla Blvd.
La Jolla Village - (not to be confused with the Village of La Jolla) - north-east of La Jolla, east of La Jolla Heights, west of I-5, and south of UCSD. This neighborhood's namesake, The La Jolla Village Square shopping and residential mall, including two movie theatres, is located here. It should be noted that The Village (of La Jolla) and La Jolla Village are not at all the same.(This is the boundary for the Public School Systems.
Community Groups
The La Jolla Community Planning Association advises the City Council, Planning Commission, City Planning Department as well as other Governmental agency as appropriate in the initial preparation, adoption of, implementation of, or amendment to the General or Community Plan as it pertains to the La Jolla area as well as review specific development proposals. The nonprofit La Jolla Town Council represents the interests of La Jolla businesses and residents that belong to the Council. The Bird Rock Community Council serves the Bird Rock neighborhood, while the La Jolla Shores Association serves the La Jolla Shores neighborhood. Community organizations include Independent La Jolla, a membership-based citizens group seeking to secede from the city of San Diego. Service clubs in La Jolla include Kiwanis, Rotary, La Jolla Woman's Club and the Social Service League of La Jolla to name a few.
La Jolla Schools/Education
The University of California, San Diego is the center of higher education in La Jolla. The campus's original name was UC La Jolla before it was changed to UC San Diego. UCSD includes the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the San Diego Supercomputer Center. National University is also headquartered in La Jolla, with several academic campuses located throughout the county and the state. Among the several research institutes near UCSD and in the nearby Torrey Pines Science Park are The Scripps Research Institute, the Burnham Institute (formerly called the La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation), La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology (LIAI) and the Salk Institute. Other schools La Jolla is served by the San Diego Unified School District. Public schools include La Jolla High School, La Jolla Elementary (which was the first public school, built in 1896 with the first classes in the Heald Store at the corner of Herschel Avenue and Wall Street, later moving to its present location on Girard Avenue), Torrey Pines Elementary, and Bird Rock Elementary, as well as The Preuss School UCSD, a public charter school. The community's prep schools are The Bishop's School, which was the first private school opened in 1909, The Children's School, Integral Elementary School of La Jolla, Delphi Academy, Stella Maris Academy, All Hallows Academy, The Gillispie School, and the Evans School. La Jolla Country Day School is located in the nearby community of University City.
Churches and Religious Institutions
All Hallows Church Assembly of God Christian Science Church Congregational Church (the first church built, which burned down in 1915 and was re-built in 1916 on 1216 Cave Street) Barabbas Road Church First Baptist Church La Jolla Christian Fellowship La Jolla Lutheran Church La Jolla Presbyterian Church La Jolla Religious Society of Friends La Jolla United Methodist Church Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic church Prince Chapel By The Sea AMC St. James By-The-Sea Episcopal St. John Church of God in Christ Torrey Pines Christian Church University Lutheran Church Congregation Beth El Congregation Adat Yeshurun Chabad Jewish Center of La Jolla.
Attractions and Landmarks
La Jolla is the location of Torrey Pines Golf Course, site each January or February of a PGA Tour event formerly known as the Buick Invitational and now (since 2010) called the Farmers Insurance Open.[42] In 2008, Torrey Pines also hosted the 2008 U.S. Open. Nearby are the de facto nude beach, Black's Beach, and the Torrey Pines Gliderport. Downtown La Jolla is noted for jewelry stores, boutiques, upmarket restaurants and hotels. Prospect Street and Girard Avenue are also shopping and dining districts. Museum of Contemporary Art - La Jolla The Museum of Contemporary Art, founded in 1941, is located just above the waterfront in what was originally the 1915 residence of philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps. The museum has a permanent collection with more than 3,500 post-1950 American and European works, including paintings, works on paper, sculptures, photographic art, design objects and video works. The museum was renamed Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in 1990 to recognize its regional significance. Beaches and ocean access include Windansea Beach, La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Cove and Children's Pool Beach. For many years, La Jolla has been the host of a rough water swim at La Jolla Cove. Landmarks Grande Colonial Hotel Wisteria Cottage, home of the La Jolla Historical Society La Valencia (Cabrillo) Hotel La Jolla Women's Club Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (Ellen Browning Scripps residence) The 12 Green Dragon Buildings Bed & Breakfast Inn at La Jolla The Bishop's School Mt. Soledad Memorial.
Sports
Buzzie Bavasi - Former Major League Baseball executive who lived in La Jolla from 1968 until his death in 2008. Rolf Benirschke - Former placekicker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League, attended high school in La Jolla. Conor Chinn - Current professional soccer player for the New York Red Bulls. Gerry Driscoll, championship sailor and businessperson, lived in La Jolla until his death in 2011 Dick Enberg - Sportscaster for NBC Sports, currently with CBS Sports. Doug Flutie - Former quarterback for the San Diego Chargers. J. J. Isler, yachtswoman, two-time Olympic medalist and America's Cup competitor Rey Mysterio - World Wrestling Entertainment Professional Wrestler, WWE. Bob Skinner former Major League Baseball player. Joel Skinner - Former manager and current third base coach of Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians, born in La Jolla. Alexandra Stevenson - professional tennis player and 1999 semifinalist at Wimbledon, born in La Jolla. Arts and entertainment Actors James Maslow - Television actor (Big Time Rush) and singer. Gregory Peck - Film actor. Robin Wright Penn - Film and television actress, attended La Jolla High School. Autumn Reeser - Television actress (The O.C.), born in La Jolla and lived there until age 17. Cliff Robertson - Film actor. Raquel Welch - Film and television actress. Danica McKellar - Film and television actress. Film and television executives Donald De Line - Studio executive and film producer (Pretty Woman — 1990) at Walt Disney Productions and its Touchstone Pictures division since 1985, native La Jollan. Gore Verbinski - Director of Pirates of the Caribbean, native La Jollan. Literature Raymond Chandler, an early influential noir novelist, moved to La Jolla late in his career, staying until his death 13 years later, having uttered the bleak aphorism about then-stuffy La Jolla, "A nice place — for old people and their parents." Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), a children's author and long-time resident of La Jolla who died there in 1991.[2] The Geisel Library at the University of California, San Diego, is named for him. Audrey Geisel - His widow, a member of the Forbes 400 Anne Rice - Novelist and author of Interview with the Vampire, moved to La Jolla from New Orleans in March 2005.[3] Music Robin Crosby - Rock musician who plays electric guitar for the metal band Ratt, attended high school in La Jolla. Warren DeMartini - Rock musician who plays electric guitar for the metal band Ratt, attended high school in La Jolla. Michael Franks - Musician. Sam Hinton - American folk singer and marine biologist. Andy Skib - American backup Guitarist/keyboardist in David Cook's band. Nathan Williams - Lead singer for the pop/punk band Wavves. Went to high school in La Jolla. Visual and performance art Armi Kuusela - Winner of the first Miss Universe beauty pageant in 1952, lives in La Jolla with her husband, Albert Williams. Crime Ivan Boesky - Financier convicted of insider trading who lived in La Jolla for several years. Andrew Cunanan - Infamous spree killer of Gianni Versace and three others, graduated from The Bishop's School in 1987. David Hall, Governor of Oklahoma from 1971-1975, moved to La Jolla after serving 19 months in Federal prison for racketeering and extortion, and went on to become a successful sales executive there. Government and politics David Hall, former Governor of Oklahoma, moved to La Jolla following his release from federal prison. John McCain, United States Senator from Arizona, 2008 Presidential nominee of the Republican Party, owns a home in La Jolla with his wife, Cindy McCain. Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts and candidate for the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination, has a $12 million vacation home there. Former American Samoa Governor Hyrum Rex Lee and his wife, First Lady Lillian Lee, lived in a multi-million dollar high-rise condo in the Shore Towers until their deaths in 2001 and 2010. Business and finance Margaret Anne Cargill, philanthropist, an heir to grain-trading conglomerate Cargill, and member of the Forbes 400. Deepak Chopra ran his Center for Well Being in La Jolla until recently. David C. Copley, owner of the San Diego Union-Tribune and member of the Forbes 400. Benjamin Graham, noted economist and value investor lived in La Jolla at the end of his life. Trip Hawkins, founder of Electronic Arts is a La Jolla native. Daniel Lawrence, founder of Charlotte Russe (clothing retailer) Irwin Mark Jacobs - Electrical engineer; Cofounder and current chairman of the board of Qualcomm, and his wife, Joan. William Lerach, securities lawyer (cases include Enron) Ted Waitt, founder of Gateway, Inc., built an estate on top of Mount Soledad where he lives with his family. Science and technology Geoffrey Burbidge and Margaret Burbidge, astronomers holding positions at UCSD after many years, reside near La Jolla Shores. Francis Crick, Nobel prize in medicine winner for his work to identify the essential structure of DNA, was a long-time resident of La Jolla. Robert Galambos (1914-2010), researcher who discovered how bats use echolocation.[12] Clive Granger, (1934-2009) 2003 Nobel Prize in economics winner was a long-time resident of La Jolla. Kary Mullis, a Nobel Prize in Chemistry-winning biochemist and surfer from La Jolla, invented the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method of DNA analysis. Walter Munk, oceanographer, lives in La Jolla. Carl Rogers, psychologist and researcher on psychotherapy. Ellen Browning Scripps, philanthropist, founder of Scripps Institute of Oceanography and Scripps College, member of the Forbes 400. K. Barry Sharpless, a Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner, lives in La Jolla. Benjamin Elazari Volcani, Microbiologist.