Why Buy the Cow?

In case you fall in love with one of the bovines in La Jolla's Cow Parade (see below) and feel that you must have it, I have just learned that they will be auctioned at a fundraiser on Saturday, July 11 from 6pm - 10pm at the newly opened Robert Paine Scripps Forum at Scripps Institution for Oceanography. Proceeds will benefit The Zoological Society of San Diego and Rady Children’s Hospital.

Tickets for the event, priced at $150, went on sale today and are going fast. To get yours, go to http://www.cowparadelajolla.com/.

CowParade La Jolla is part of the world’s largest public art exhibition. CowParade has been held in 55 cities around the world since the first event in Chicago in 1999. More than 100 million people have attended CowParade events, which have raised more than $25 million for charities.

So get mooving and get your tickets.

Beyond the Garden Gates

If you hurry, you can still get tickets to the Secret Garden Tour of Old La Jolla taking place on May 9. This very popular annual event, sponsored by the La Jolla Historical Society, provides locals and visitors a chance to tour the spring gardens of seven beautiful homes in our community.

If you’ve spent any time in La Jolla, you know that many of the truly grand houses with the most remarkable landscaping are hidden behinds gates and walls – so this self-guided tour presents a unique opportunity.

The location of the gardens isn’t disclosed until the day of the tour – that’s the “secret” part – but they are always stunning.

In addition to manicured trees, flowers, and shrubs, each home will offer live music, colorful table settings, and artists at work capturing the scene on canvas.

To buy tickets, call the La Jolla Historical Society at 858-459-5335 or go to http://www.lajollahistory.org/. Regular tickets are $50 (or $40 for members of the Historical Society). Tickets for the Platinum Tour, which includes shuttle transportation to the gardens, one extra oceanfront garden, and brunch in a historical garden, cost $150 (or $140 for members).

Don’t Wait – the Cows Are Mooving On

“Whacky” is not a word usually used to describe La Jolla, but since the arrival of 40 artfully-painted full-size bovines – it’s the perfect descriptor. The colorful fiberglass cows are on display throughout the village and they make me – and a lot of other people – smile as we go about our business.

The mod moo moos were painted by local artists, and will eventually be auctioned to raise funds for Rady Children’s Hospital and the San Diego Zoo. In the meantime, you can go to http://www.cowparadelajolla.com/ for more information and a map of their locations.

My favorite, "Designer Genes" wears trendy denim pants, bright red lipstick, and yellow star earrings. Across the street, on the corner of Girard Avenue and Wall Street, “Digesting the News” appears to have eaten so much newspaper that his body is covered in black-and-white sections. In contrast, “Cowsablanca” has blue legs, a purple face, and a green, red, and orange body.

“Public art” often conjures up images of serious bronze figures that add gravitas to a site, but these fashionistas are whacky – and I love it.

CowParade was started in Chicago in 1999, and since then herds have turned up in 50 cities on six continents, including New York, Paris, London, and Mexico City.

La Jolla’s cows are mooving on June 15, and you really don’t want to miss seeing them. They’re udderly adorable.

The Children's Pool Has Gone to the Dogs....er Seals

To fully appreciate La Jolla's Children's Pool - the lovely little cove along Coast Boulevard where the seals hang out - it helps to know the back story.

In 1931, philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps funded the construction of a sea wall around the cove so that La Jolla kids would have a safe place to swim. All was well until about ten years ago when seal numbers in the area increased noticeably and, in fact, the area became a rookery.

At this point, some La Jollans began defending the rights of the seals and others became very vociferous about how this should be a place for children, blah, blah, blah. At times the battle bordered on ridiculous and, of course, it ended up in court.

The city (remember, La Jolla is part of San Diego) roped off the area so that humans couldn't pester the seals, but in 2005 a judge ordered the rope removed. The judge also directed the city to reduce the bacteria level in the area so that it would be safe for swimming.

The California Supreme Court has refused to overturn the ruling, and to dredge or not to dredge is hotly debated every week in the two La Jolla newspapers. In the meantime, pro-seal volunteers patrol the area 24/7 and answer visitors' questions.

March and April are great months to visit the Children's Pool because it's pupping season - and while you're there, you might say thanks to the seal's tireless supporters.