La Jolla Real Estate Blog: May 2010

Friday is National Hamburger Day!  What a great day to ketchup catch up with good friends and family and grill some prime hamburger meat or visit one of our delicious La Jolla hamburger establishments.

Smashburger 

• Info:  The newby of the crowd!   This hamburger joint opened to rave reviews and the line waits out the door at lunchtime.  100% Angus Beef with an artisan butter toasted bun - starting prices for a 1/3 burger is $4.99.
• Location:  1000 Prospect Street, La Jolla

Burger Lounge 

• Info:  One of the newer burger joints in town and offering Kansas grass-fed beef & special bun baked bread for about $7.95.  Winner of "2009 Best Local Hamburger Joint"
• Location:  1101 Wall Street, La Jolla and locations in Coronado, Kensington & Little Italy

Islands 

• Info:  One of our favorite reasonably-priced places and consistently a delicious hamburger.
• Location:  3351 Nobel Drive, La Jolla and over 50 Islands throughout  Southern California & Arizona

Jeff's Burgers

• Info:  This is your basic local "hole in the wall" that every beach has or should have!  "Food tastes better at the beach" at a good price and the hamburgers are legend with the surfers and La Jolla Shores locals.
• Location:  2152 Avenida de la Playa, La Jolla

The Spot  

• Info:   Long time favorite with locals "Best Burger" designation with a "build your own" burger menu.  Not creative?  Then order the "Original Garbage Burger" a half pound beef patty with lots of goodies for about $12.95
• Location:  1005 Prospect Street, La Jolla

Whaling Bar and Grill

• Info:  Trendy location, also a favorite of locals and offers a three-quarter pound Angus burger for $17.00
• Location:  At La Valencia Hotel on Prospect

Lastly our HAMBURGER HALL OF FAME

Mallie's Grill & Bar in Southgate Michigan on May 30, 2009 created the Guinness World Record for the biggest hamburger on the planet... a whopping 185.6 pounds!

Don't forget there is a "Home of the Hamburger" at Seymour, Wisconsin. 

La Jolla has a variety of houses and condominiums in our "Village".  Most of us consider the village to be any location that is within walking distance of the market, shops, restaurants, art museum, churches and of course the beach.  This is where Miramare is located.  Miramare are luxury condominiums that start at $6,000,000 and of course, these homes are only shown, according to their website, by "invitation only to pre-qualified buyers".  I say that with tongue in cheek because it is hard to imagine that you need an "invitation" to see a home that you might want to buy.  Does that mean that people wait by their mailboxes looking for that formal invitation?... Ok..ok... I know it is a marketing gimmick idea for luxury home selling. 

Miramare condominiums are luxury personified with nearly 4,000 square feet of living space and you can choose your location on one of three levels.  With the purchase you are provided a generous allowance to help you "design" the home of your dreams meeting your needs and desires.   With six floor plans to choose from and a purchase price of $6,000,000 this ultimately will be a prestigious address in La Jolla once they are sold. 

Miramare is located at 355 Coast Boulevard South across from the street from the ocean in the village of La Jolla.

Is your hometown fit or fat?  The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) AFI 2010 data report is considered a scientific snapshot of the state of health and fitness at the metropolitan level.  This annual survey not only takes into account low smoking rates, less obesity/asthma and better eating habits, but also how much of a community's land is used for parks and recreation and public areas for playing sports, running and biking.  How well does your hometown support physical activity, good health care and offer programs for healthy lifestyles?

San Diego ranked 13 on the American Fitness Index (AFI) for 2010 and here is why:

Strengths/Advantages (per capita)

• Residents eat 5+ servings of fruits & vegetables per day
• Lower percent of residents with heart disease and/or death from cardiovascular disease
• More acres of parkland, including dog parks & higher park-related expenditures
• Higher percent bicycling or walking to work
• Lower percent with disabilities
• Lower percent currently smoking
• More ball diamonds (baseball, kickball)
• More farmers' markets

Challenges/Disadvantages (per capita)

• Fewer golf courses, swimming pools and tennis courts
• Fewer park units and park playgrounds
• Lower percent of residents use public transportation to work

TOP TEN COMMUNITIES

1. Washington DC/Arlington/Alexandra
2. Boston/Cambridge/Quincy
3. Minneapolis/St.Paul/Bloomington
4. Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue
5. Portland/Vancouver/Beaverton
6. Denver/Aurora
7. Sacramento/Arden/Arcade/Roseville
8. San Francisco/Oakland/Fremont
9. Hartford/West Hartford/East Hartford
10. Austin/Round Rock

Surfing has always had its place in La Jolla, even before the Beach Boys made it famous with their song, "Surfing USA".  La Jolla's Historical Society recently opened a free exhibit highlighting the early years of surfing and it will be available through July 16th.  The society's historian Carol Olten, along with the archivist and curator, Mike Mishler concentrated the exhibit on the earlier years of surfing from the 1930s and 40s. 

Visitors to the La Jolla Historical Society will be able to view a "groovy" collection of artifacts, including ten authentic surfboards on display and photographic reproductions that will take them back to when it all began.  As Carol Olten explained, "Come and experience the surfing culture of La Jolla long before it became popular by Gidget movies, The Pumphouse Gang and the Beach Boys ".

"Waveriders - Perspectives of Surfing La Jolla 1930-1950 is available to view from Thursday to Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. at the Wisteria Cottage located at 780 Prospect Street.

Summer is almost here and with that comes beach weather!  La Jolla is blessed with many beautiful beaches and coves offering places to swim, surf, snorkel, scuba dive and kayak.  While there are lifeguard towers on most of our beaches it is important to remember that the ocean changes and can be a dangerous place when there is a rip current.  Stay safe this summer and watch for the flags and read the signs from the lifeguards on where it is safe to swim!

Casa de Manana is a retirement community in one of the best locations in all of La Jolla.  Located on Coast Boulevard across from the Children's Pool beach, these lovely Spanish style bungalows are what most of us dream of retiring to!

The history of Casa de Manana is just as charming as the place.  In 1923, Mrs. Isabel Morrison Hopkins envisioned a luxury hotel by the seashore and on July 4, 1924, Hotel Casa de Manana had its grand opening!  Casa de Manana quickly became "the" place to stay and socialize.  In 1953 Mrs. Hopkins sold the hotel and Casa de Manana opened as a luxury retirement community with 108 charter members in residence. 

Today Casa de Manana is part of the Front Porch family of communities and is supported by the Pacific Homes Foundation.  The mottos of Casa de Manana are "the view changes daily" and "come live your life your way at Casa de Manana"... we couldn't agree more!  A dream retirement lifestyle!

Looking for a rental in La Jolla?  There are many rentals available through our Multiple Listing Service (Sandicor).  You can choose rentals that are furnished vacation rentals, furnished long term rentals or unfurnished.  There are La Jolla rentals available which allow pets and others that are oceanfront. Below is a link to all the MLS rentals in La Jolla over $3,000 to $10,000 per month and if you find something you like and would like to view it, give us a call or send us an email:

La Jolla Rentals from $3,000 - $10,000 per month

Please note that some of these rentals may be short term vacation rentals and the prices may reflect weekly rates.  Call us to find out at 760-567-9100.

Looking for a rental in La Jolla?  There are many rentals available through our Multiple Listing Service (Sandicor).  You can choose rentals that are furnished vacation rentals, furnished long term rentals or unfurnished.  There are La Jolla rentals available which allow pets.  Below is a link to all the MLS rentals in La Jolla under $3,000 per month and if you find something you like and would like to view it, give us a call or send us an email:

La Jolla Rentals Under $3,000 per month

Please note that some of these rentals may be short term vacation rentals and the prices may reflect weekly rates.  Call us to find out at 760-567-9100.

We are San Diegans and love our state, but when we think of another place to live we often consider Florida and Dawne has beautifully demonstrated (below) why we think Florida and specifically Tampa Bay would be a great alternative to Southern California.  Thanks Dawne!

We like hope and optimism about the real estate market and here is a glimmer of both - thanks Charita for this information!