San Diego - "America's Finest City"

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Petco Park Stadium in the Gas Lamp District

San Diego’s airport is in the heart of the city so even though we arrived fairly late in the evening, we were able to retrieve our luggage, stop and pick up the apartment keys and still arrive at our rental apartment within half an hour of landing.  Because we arrived so quickly we were even able to do a quick grocery shop and unpack our luggage before heading to bed, allowing us to wake up the next morning feeling almost fully settled.  San Diego was off to a great start!

After a couple of intense work days and deadlines, we took our first opportunity to do some sightseeing by heading out on a tour to see La Jolla Beach and the Torrey Pines.

As we drove to our first stop - Mt. Soledad - our tour guide, Victor, told us proudly about the City of San Diego.  The city seemed to come into its own when it hosted the World Expo in 1915.  This Expo paved the way for many of the city’s key monuments and developments, which can still be experienced today.  The city was also hugely influenced by World War II when it became the country’s primary maker of small aircrafts.  This industry attracted hundreds of thousands of people from nearby regions who came seeking employment.  As a result, San Diego is now the 8^th largest city in the US.  In addition, it still maintains one of the largest military operations, with a huge military base right in the heart of the city and 300,000 veterans who have taken up residence in the area.  

Mt. Soledad is one of the highest peaks in San Diego and hosts the Mt Soledad National Veterans Memorial.   The memorial is dedicated to all war veterans and hosts the names, pictures and bios of any war veteran who pays to buy a small part of the commemorative wall.  The memorial’s enormous standing cross has been a complex issue for the city, with some residents believing that the cross blurs the line between state and religion.  The controversy has been on-going for many years but it looks like a solution is imminent.  

After a quick stop at the Torrey Pines’ golf course, home to hundreds of native Torrey Pine trees and also the childhood golf course of Tiger Woods, we headed onto La Jolla beach.   

La Jolla is perhaps the ritziest area in San Diego, where house prices stand at about 50x the national average.  Mitt Romney is one of the many famous people to have a house there. The addresses are exclusive and even the shops are select, with virtually no fast food restaurants and very few chains.  As an example, they have six car dealerships in the area but no mainstream brands, instead boasting dealerships such as Maserati and Ferrari.

The area's proximity to gorgeous La Jolla beach may be one of the reasons it is so popular.  Many of the houses are either on the hill overlooking the long and pristine beach or are close enough to walk out to go for a swim.  The water is said to be perfect for surfing and is apparently so warm that many animals migrate to a nearby cove to live there to live for the winter.

The surrounding beach rocks and areas are filled with sea lions and seals soaking in the sun.  The sea lions and seals have chosen different areas to spend their time, with the sea lions choosing the rockier and higher areas, likely because their back fins can help them climb more easily.  The seals prefered the more sandy area down on the beach.   Surprisingly, the seals have actually caused a different challenge for the city as they have taken over a dedicated children’s beach area as their prime "birthing" spot.  To resolve the challenge, the city has decided to split the beach's use – the children get to use it during the summer and the seals can use it during the winter when they are birthing.  We are not sure how this deal was signed and sealed but apparently both groups are living by the agreement for the time being!

The most famous dining spot along La Jolla’s main drag is George’s Restaurant and so we stopped in there for a quick lunch.  The food was actually surprisingly good considering its touristy vibe and the view is certainly one of the best in the city.

As we made our way back home along the ocean road, it became apparent just how important marine research plays in San Diego’s economy and culture.  It can be felt everywhere in the city.  Many credit Ellen Scripps with spearheading this effort in the early 1900s.   Ellen Scripps was a philanthropist and a visionary for the city, establishing many of the city's key institutions and initiatives such as the Research Institute,  the Aquarium, numerous hospitals and the San Diego Zoo.    

What also became incredibly clear during our tour was the important role that women played in the development of San Diego.  Two women spearheaded the charge – Scripps and Spreckels – launching hundreds of lasting initiatives around the city. Other players have contributed too.  The aircraft carrier plant, for example, was the first plant in the country to hire women employees and  several other companies have embraced the power of women in their operations.  A functional city that is innovative and forward-thinking - could this be why San Diego has the nickname, "America's Finest City"??