New Discoveries and Some Old Favorites From Our Weekend In LA JOLLA, CA....
Over our years in LA we have spent several weekends in La Jolla - yes we are graduates of the highest level of Surf Diva... Level 2! We love La Jolla for it's upscale, quaint surf culture and the relaxed spirt. We visited some of our old favorites last weekend and stumbled upon a couple new discoveries....
Our mother called us one morning, out for a walk with her boyfriend and said they had found the most beautiful beach/hike and we must rush over to meet them. We dutifully raced out and found the Gliderport parking lot where paragliders were dotting the sky and began the steep descent down the cliffs to a truly gorgeous beach below.
What she had failed to mention was that the beach below is a nude beach!! As we got closer to the sand, Mary asked Lucy if that old, fat man on the beach was naked? Lucy who can't see much far away without her glasses assured her he was not. Well, he was! As were at least a dozen gentlemen within eyesight. Why, oh why is it that nudists always seem to be fat old men who insist on standing solo by their towel or walking to and fro from the surf with it all flapping in the breeze?? Our favorite was the old geezer in his sweatshirt (it was chilly) and no pants... Because that makes sense.
After hiking back up we actually had a little bit of an appetite despite the scene on the beach below. Cliffhanger Cafe is perched on the bluffs and is the meeting spot for those wanting to glide... and others just wanting a fantastic sandwich with a view.
For dinner that night we ventured out into La Jolla Shores to Osteria Romantica, an Italian spot with twinkling white lights on the patio luring you in for perfectly fried calamari, pastas, fish and wine. All very reasonably priced, too! The squid ink linguine nere with shrimp and scallops was so fresh and delicious. Our waiter Matteo was also charming and informative and 100% Italian.
Other lunch spots that we have loved in the past and can tell you after our visit over the weekend are still up to snuff are the Cheese Shop, a great old sandwich shop in La Jolla Shores and George's at the Cove up in La Jolla proper.
The Cheese Shop is the perfect spot to pick up sandwiches on your way to the beach. They also have every kind of candy you could ever think of so be warned...
George's at the Cove has been a favorite spot for dinner with decadent views of the Pacific, but we actually loved it for a more upscale lunch. The food was healthy and the portions perfect-- try the fish tacos, a gourmet variation. And the rose wine was perfectly dry.
The shopping in La Jolla has always been surprisingly disappointing. A lot of cheesier bikini shops that just do not tempt. Well apparently Lauren Turek saw the opening and took it!! Her new shop Kerut is sublime and she has fabulous taste. The store feels like Palm Beach met Palm Springs met Morocco and she carries lines like ALC, Rag & Bone, Missoni and also some we'd never heard of- love discovering!
We also were happy to find newly opened Skovasoul-- a jewelry store with fun costume jewelry with nature motifs. Mary picked up a pair of the fabulous gold peacock feather earrings....
Oh La Jolla, we will return to you this summer for some fun in the sun! xo