SoCal Beaches Magazine Blog

Hotel La Jolla at the Shores
A Great Hotel with Awesome Ocean Views
and Affordable Hotel Room Rates!

The views from the Hotel La Jolla at the Shores

When it comes to great hotels and lodging in La Jolla and the San Diego coastal areas very few if any hotels can offer the scenic views and affordable rates that you will find at Hotel La Jolla at the Shores.

The hotel is 11 stories high just a few blocks from the La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores Beach and every room in the hotel offers amazing ocean views. The rooms are large and very cozy and ideal for those traveling with a special someone or for business travelers who want a quality place to stay at a reasonable price.

The hotel rooms at Hotel La Jolla at the Shores offer plenty of comfort with great ocean views.

The hotel offers a small balcony in every room with a table and chairs which is perfect for those people who like having a cup of coffee or a glass of wine while over looking palm trees, green grass, blue sky and ocean views.

Rooms at the Hotel La Jolla are perfect for a romantic get-a-way

For those traveling on business and need metting space there is the McKenzie Room, which is perfect for meeting with clients and co-workers.

Hotel La Jolla at the Shores provides a level of service and attention to detail that is without compromise. All your meeting needs are handled by our team of sales and catering professionals, who will guide you through the planning process to ensure that your guests have an enjoyable and productive visit. We offer a variety of meeting rooms to accommodate receptions, lectures, seminars, board meetings and conferences.

The bar area at Clays - a perfect place for happy hour and meeting friends

In addition to being within blocks to the Pacific Ocean and less than 5 minutes from La Jolla Village, the Hotel La Jolla at the Shores also has the best bar and restaurant area in the San Diego area. Clay’s Restaurant sits up on the top floor of the hotel and offers an amzing menu for dinner including fresh fish, great steaks and a special vegetarian menu that includes numerous and delicous entrees. Clay’s restaurant is not only popular for hotel guests but is also a popular hang out for local San Diego and La Jolla residents.

The bar area (open Tuesday thru Sunday) has a huge list of delicious appetizers including goat cheese, peruvian pancakes, teriaki skewers, cheese plates, eggplant rattatoui, and calamari. There are many more appetizers to choose from which are all half price from 4PM-7PM every night (Tuesday thru Sunday) in addition to drink specials on house wines and well drinks. The wine list is huge and the choices are many for those who like a glass of wine while listening to live jazz or Latin fusion music which plays Thursday thru Sunday in the bar area.

Clay’s Restaurant and Bar offers amazing sunset views along with cozy and comfortable seating which makes it a perfect place to meet friends or business associates.

When you check into the Hotel La Jolla at the Shores  you have everything at your fingertips including shopping, beaches, attractions and more restaurants. The Birch Aquarium is just 6 blocks away, kayak rentals at La Jolla Cove are 2 blocks away, the La Jolla seals and La Jolla Village are just 5 minutes away and SeaWorld and the San Diego are less than a 20 minute drive away.

There is an in house spa service which features Spa2Go services where massages come right to your room in addition to a pool and an exercise room.

Hotel room rates at Hotel La Jolla at the Shores start at only $126.00 per night and there are also hotel room specials through out the year.

If you are looking for a great quality hotel in the La Jolla area the Hotel La Jolla at the Shores is a perfect choice!

To book a hotel room at the Hotel La Jolla at the Shores use the links below
or call 1-800-679-7707 and speak to a San Diego reservation expert.

Click here to view hotel room rates and hotel information

Click here to view current hotel packages and specials

Hotel La Jolla at the Shores is a perfect place to bring that someone special

Visit Clay’s restaurant at www.clayslajolla.com

Hotel La Jolla At The Shores
7955 La Jolla Shores Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037
Call 1-800-679-7707 to make a hotel room
reservation or to check hotel room rates
Get more hotel information click here 

Hotel rooms and rates click here 

Hotel La Jolla at the Shores video 

Check out the views of Hotel La Jolla at the Shores
click here

Take a walk through one of the hotel rooms click here

Visit Clay’s Restaurant click here

Visit Clay’s for happy hour click here

video #1 Happy Hour Sunset at Clay’s La Jolla

video #2 Clays Happy Hour appetizers

Merchants and Memories Exhibit Showcases
100 Years of La Jolla Business History and Development

Merchants and Memories Exhibit at 960 Prospect in La Jolla Street runs through Febuary 21st

La Jolla California is one of the most beautiful coastal communities
in Southern California and The La Jolla Historical Society has put together a fantastic exhibit that showcases some of the businesses and business owners who helped in the development and growth.

Women pose for a photo outside Sandersons in the 1950

In celebration of La Jolla’s rich entrepreneurial spirit, a new exhibition entitled Merchants & Memories: Reflections on La  Jolla’s Business Community Heritage is running to the public  from February 6 through February 21 in Wisteria Cottage.  The  exhibition highlights many of La Jolla’s renowned commercial  enterprises, past and present, that operated over the last century.

 ”We realize the global economy is a reality,” says the Society’s  Executive Director, John Bolthouse.  ”But it will always be La  Jolla’s great local businesses that will ensure this town’s unique  economic identity.” 

An advertisement from the 1950

The Merchants & Memories runs through Febuary 21st and the content of the exhibit will continues to be developed.  ”To  make this effort  truly special, we’re involving today’s businesses in  tomorrow’s history by  asking them to contribute images, records  and memorabilia,” says Michael Mishler, the Society’s  Archivist/Curator.  ”This is about their heritage and we encourage their participation.”

A soda fountain from the early days of La Jolla businesses

Mishler has spent countless hours researching archives and interviewing local La Jolla and San Diego residents who grew up in and contributed to the growth of La Jolla as we know it today. For anyone who loves local history this is a must vist exhibit to see all the old photos, guest registers and memorabelia.

Kids enjoy watching a movie at the old Cove Theater

The exhibit runs through Saturday, February 21
Wisteria Cottage, 780 Prospect Street La Jolla Ca. 92109
Open every day 10am - 3pm
Free Admission -

Visit the La Jolla Historical Society exhibit runs through Feb. 21st -

For those who cannot make it to see the exhibit get a guided tour from curator Michael Mishler below on YouTube videos.

Mechants and Memories VIDEOS

Merchants and Memories Exhibit video #1

Merchants and Memories exhibit video #2

Merchants and Memories exhibit video #3

Merchants and Memories Exhibit video #4

Merchants and Memories exhibit video #5

Volunteers are needed for this and future exhibitions. If you would like to become a volunteer please visit the La Jolla Historical Society website at www.lajollahistory.org or call them at 858-459-5335

The Cave Store in the early 1900

Stay up-to-date on what’s happening at the Society!

Read the latest edition of Timekeeper, the official newsletter of the La Jolla Historical Society

An early bike shop in La Jolla Village

Visit La Jolla California!

Save money on hotels and attractions when you book a hotel
online or call our toll free reservation number at 1-800-679-7707
La Jolla hotels with discounted rates click here

Fashion Show Raising Funds for The Lupus Foundation of America
Febuary 21st from 9PM to 11PM
Catamaran Hotel - 3999 Mission Blvd.
San Diego, California 92109

Sweatte Productions presents a night filled with glitz and glam for a noble cause. The night begins with an auction with a live auctioneer followed by the Fashion Show. Local sponsors including sponsors eLiveLife. com and Gunlock Industries will be donating merchandise along with gift certificates for the event.

The Lupus Foundation of America estimates that 1.5 million Americans have some type of lupus. This chronic, inflammatory, multisystem disease most commonly affects ten times more women than men between the ages of fifteen to forty-five.

The Lupus Foundation of America, California Chapter’s mission is to support
individuals and families affected by lupus. Their goal is to increase
awareness of lupus among health professionals and the public, encouraging
improved diagnosis and treatment of lupus and funding research into the
causes and a cure. Patient support and education are at the heart of LFA’s programs.

The Lupus Foundation Fundraiser will take place February 21, 2009 at The Catamaran Resort and Spa from 9-11 pm in the ballroom upstairs. Tickets can be purchased at www. freewebs. com/sweatte under the current events section.

Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa
3999 Mission Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92109
We would appreciate any kind of exposure to promote our efforts in raising funds for The Lupus Foundation of America.
Please contact:
Sweatte Productions
Vanessa Sweatte
619.840.1098
sweatteproductions@gmail.com
www. lupus. org
www. freewebs. com/sweatte

The Catamaran Hotel at 3999 Mission Blvd. will be hosting the fashion show to benefit The Lupus Foundation. Discount hotel rooms can be found online or by calling 1-800-679-7707 for those wishing to spend the night.

For discount hotel rooms at the Catamaran Hotel
call 1-800-679-7707 or use the link below to
book online or get more hotel information
http://arestravel.com/176_hotel-info_h160.html

‘Beaches, Boobs & Boards’
Skateboarders Cruise the Boardwalks of L.A.
to Help Fund Breast Cancer Research

Story & photos by Chad Thomas

Skateboarders band together for a photo and to help prevent breast cancer

Saturday, Aug 30th began as a hazy morning in Southern California for the start of the second annual Skate the Coast (STC). Some of the haze was due to the marine layer. The rest of the fog was thanks to all the Pabst Blue Ribbon and Red Bull from the registration party hosted by Arbor the previous evening in Venice Beach. Seventy-five longboarders gathered at 7:30am to invade 18 miles of the beach towns from Santa Monica to Redondo Beach.

STC began as an extension of Skate the Lake, a fundraiser benefiting Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC). Skate the Lake (and STC) was created in 2005 by Lake Tahoe locals’ Curt Sterner & Tahoe Longboards founder Chuck “Buckley” Vogt after both men’s mothers where diagnosed with the life-threatening disease. With this trauma hitting so close to home, both men realized the urgency of education & early detection and took it upon themselves to get the message out to as many people as possible.

Skate the Coast 2008 brought out many professional skateboarders all hitting the boardwalks for a great cause.

This B4BC benefit had pro skaters like Arbor’s Andrew Brinkman (thanks for the ride brother) & the previously mentioned Buckley chillin’ with pro shredders like Monix’s’ Allison Hardy & musician Emily Tessmer -all together to support their love of breasts (& skating). A truly great mix of people made this an extraordinary event, which I feel blessed to have been a part of. Seriously, name one thing besides boobs that can get 75 skaters out of bed at 7:30 am…I can’t think of any. By the time the crew gathered at the finish around 3pm it was sunny with a nice onshore breeze –exactly what you would expect from a day at the beach. STC is a perfect example of how two people can make a huge impact. This years Skate the Lake and STC saw a combined 225 participants, raised $9,000, and was seen on Fuel TV as well as Grind TV and now this fine publication.

Skateboarders cruising the boardwalk for breat cancer research

Early detection of breast cancer is the key, get educated & get checked. Also, if every person who reads this donates $1 and tells twenty friends-then they do the same there is no telling how many lives will be saved. Whether you have boobs or are just a really big fan of them, get involved. Go to skatethelake.org or b4bc.org and help. The life you save could be your own. This all too common disease will see one-million women diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone.

A huge thanks to the Arbor Family, Tahoe Longboards and Sector9 for their generosity and support.

Skate the Coast riders cruising down the California coast

To see more photos of Skate the Coast ’08 go to myspace.com/chadthomasphotography.com

Story submitted by:
Chad Thomas Photography
ww.chadthomasphotography.com and http://www.myspace.com/chadthomasphotography

Skateboarders take time for a group photo during the Skate the Coast fundraiser for breast cancer research.

Charlie the Brown Pelican poses for a photo on the Oceanside Pier

I have spent thousands of hours cruising the California coastline taking
pictures of landscapes, special events, harbor seals, pelicans, action sports and a host of other subjects but rarely if ever have I stumbled upon a subject as fun and entertaining as I did last week taking pictures of “Charlie the Pelican”.

 Charlie is a brown pelican who along with 4 other pelicans have made a home on the Oceanside pier entertaining guests and also eating anchovies from the Pier Bait shop owned by Ed and Pam Gonsalves.

Pam and Ed purchased the bait shop in May of 2008 and soon after Ed brought Charlie down from a rough section of the pier where there was a bait cleaning station. According to locals Charlie had been hanging out on the pier for about 5 years scronging for scaps from local fisherman and had already been a “local” in the Oceanside area.

Ed Gonsalves of Pier Bait shop feeds some of the younger pelicans anchovies. Nearly 70% of brown pelicans do not make it to full maturity.

Soon after Charly began spending more time by the bait shop other younger pelicans started showing up to eat anchovies provided by tourists and fisherman calling it a day and throwing their bait away.

70 percent of pelicans do not make it to maturity and the brown pelican is currently on the endangered species list. Shooting for feathers and to “protect” fishing caused declines in pelican populations in the first half of the 20th century. Pesticide poisoning, especially by DDT, caused severe declines across the range in the late 1950’s and the extirpation from Louisiana (”the pelican state”). It was listed as Endangered throughout the range in 1970. The ban on DDT led to a population recovery, and it was removed from the Endangered Species list in Atlantic Coast states in 1985. Breeding numbers in most states are stable or increasing, and the total population in the United States now exceeds historical levels.

A young brown pelican poses for a photo on the Oceanside Pier

I have tried for years to shoot pelicans walking along the shoreline and also shooting them from The Ocean Beach Pier and Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach.

Never have I ever run across such tame pelicans that will sit and pose for photos as I did on the Oceanside pier with Charlie and his friends.

As is the case with most coastal animals and birds there are always those who need to tease and provoke the animals for “fun”. In the hour or so time I was there I witnesses and filmed a fisherman got after Charlie with a fishing pole (which I have documented on film), a lady trying to poke the bird with a cane “to see if he would go after it” and a number of unintelligent camera goes who felt that they needed to be less that a foot away for get a “good shot”. I have seen the same kind of activity before at The La Jolla Childrens Pool where visitors have kicked seals and stuck their kids and family members within 12 inches of the animals, despite hearing the seals give warnings that they are too close. The sad part is that the “humans” act more like animals than the “animals” do. If I had someone stick a cane in my face or get up as close in my face to get a “photo” as some of the goofballs do when taking photos of the birds or seals I would retaliate as well…..who wouldn’t when someone is getting up in your face or trying to poke you with something?  You can get great photos and still be 5-6 feet away so why do you have to get within a foot? It makes no sense at all and is good reason for a roped off section on the pier.

A sign asks visitors to please not tease the pelicans - a roped off section is needed for these birds

Fortunately the majority of visitors respect the pelicans and take and enjoy photos from a safe distance.

“We need to put up a rope barrier to give the pelicans a safe spot where they can hang out”, said Ed. ”Hopefully the City of Oceanside will realize the pelicans are a great resource for the City of Oceanside and give permission for a small roped of section for the birds”.

A pelican takes a break and rests on the Oceanside Pier

Ed is right. The pelicans are amazing and beautiful birds and a great treasure for the City of Oceanside and its visitors. Pelicans can get up to an 8 foot wingspan and live up to 35 years in age and in addition to being very majestic they also have amazing skills which enable them to skim inches above the waters surface in addition to “dive bombing” into the water at nearly 30+ miles per hour to catch fish. I will never forget some of the shots I first took of pelicans on the Ocean Beach Pier 6 years ago and how in awe I was to see these huge birds going straight into the water from heights of up to 35 feet in the air. For a bird that weighs up to 35 pounds with an 8 foot wingspan, it is an amazing sight.

Anchovies are a pelicans favorite treat. A bag of anchovies can be bought for $4.00 a bag at the Pier bait store run by Ed and Pam Gonsalves

The people who come to watch and feed the pelicans include a wide age group and demographic. “I had a marine who just got back from Iraq who spent over an hour feeding the pelicans as therapy to get back to civilian life”, said Ed who sells bags of anchovies for $4.00 per bag. “Senior citizens, families and ordinary passers by all stop by the bait shop to buy anchovies for the pelicans.

Charlie the pelican reaches for an anchovie. Pelicans can reach wing spans of up to 8 feet wide.

As for myself, I spend a large time photographing the California coast and rarely, if ever,  have I ever had so much fun going out on a photo shoot as I did hanging out with Charlie and his brown pelican friends on the Oceanside Pier.

The pelicans are a great treasure for the City of Oceanside and the general public who can get an upclose look at one of the most beatiful and majestic birds on the planet. It would be great to see the City of Oceanside to acknowledge Charlie and the other younger pelicans as a great resource for tourists and visitors of the area and set up a small roped off section to prevent harrassment of these birds.

If you are looking for a great way to spend a morning or afternoon come check out Oceanside and the Oceanside Pier and meet Charlie and his other brown pelican friends. A $4.00 bag of anchovies will bring you a ton of laughs, fun and also some amazing photos. Don’t forget to say hello to Ed and his wife Pam and tell them you saw them on the SoCal Beaches Magazine blog. Of all the hundreds of articles I have ever shot along the California coastline in the last 7 years this experience I had with the pelicans on the Oceanside Pier rates as one of the BEST EVER! 

Charlie swallows an anchovie on the Oceanside Pier

Charlie is a great ambassador for pelicans everywhere showing that like any wild animal that they deserve respect and a place in our coastal community.

Visit the Pier Bait website at www.PierBait.com
Get a map and driving directions to the Oceanside pier
click Oceanside Pier Map and Driving Directions

Visit the Pier Bait Shop on the Oceanside Pier and say hello to Charlie

Cool Brown Pelican Facts

 While the Brown Pelican is draining the water from its bill after a dive, gulls often try to steal the fish right out of its pouch. They sometimes even perch on the pelican’s head or back and reach in. The pelican itself, however, is not above stealing fish from other seabirds. It also follows fishing boats and hangs around piers for handouts.  

• The Brown Pelican frequently lowers its head onto its shoulders with the bill open, pulls its head back, and stretches the pouch over its throat and neck. The exposed neck looks like a large lump sticking up out of the pouch.  
• Unlike most birds, which warm their eggs with the skin of their breasts, pelicans incubate their eggs with their feet. They hold the eggs under the webs that stretch from the front toes to the hind toe, essentially standing on the eggs to warm them. This peculiar incubation method made them vulnerable to the effects of the pesticide DDT. The DDT made the eggshells thin, and the incubating parents frequently cracked their eggs.  
• The Peruvian race of the Brown Pelican, found along the Pacific Coast of South America from southern Ecuador to Chile, is sometimes considered a separate species. It is larger than the other races, has fine white streaking on the feathers of the underparts, and has a blue pouch in the breeding season. Otherwise, it looks and acts like a Brown Pelican, found in similar coastal environments and plunge-diving for food.For more information on brown pelicans visit
  http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown_Pelican.html
  

  A brown pelican relaxes on the Oceanside Pier

Meet Charlie the pelicans friends on the Oceanside Pier video #1

Feeding the pelicans on the Oceanside pier video #2

Meet Charlie and Ed Gonsalves the owner of Pier Bait Shop video #3

Oceanside California and the Oceanside Pier

For more photos of Oceanside visit:
http://www.socalbeachmag.net/californiabeaches/oceanside.html

For a map and driving directions to the Oceanside Pier visit:
Oceanside Pier map and directions click here

Save 30% to 50% on Retail Hotel Rooms Rates
 in Oceanside and Carlsbad
Call 1-800-679-7707 and book a hotel in Oceanside or Carlsbad by phone
or click the link below and book your hotel room online!
Oceanside California hotels & lodging click here

Oceanside Area Attractions and Tickets click here

Mission Beach Hotels and Vacation Rental Go On YouTube Videos

Hotels in Mission Beach and Pacific Beach San Diego are finding out about the power of YouTube videos to help increase exposure and provide more information for visitors coming into the San Diego area.

Mission Beach Online a local San Diego based reservation website has seen an increase in traffic and reservations since offering guests a youtube.com video for some of the featured hotels in the area.

“We have seen YouTube as a way to get extra exposure from a source outside our website in addition to providing more information for guests coming into the area”, said Mark Fitzgerald, the marketing director for the website based company. “Unlike many larger reservation services, we are local and provide information that companies outside the area cannot.”

Mission Beach Online is not alone, many other industries are realizing that YouTube can provide video resources for home buyers, vacation rentals and even long term rentals.

“The number of rental and real estate listings is starting to grow and within 5 years we expect that the numbers could hit nearly one million”, said Fitzgerald.

Mission Beach Online has already seen a large increase in real estate listings and vacation rentals and they are getting ready to distribute that content to end users visiting the website.

We feel that this is the wave of the future and we are getting ready to
incorporate that into our business model.

Mission Beach Online is one of a handful of websites in the San Diego area that are getting ready for the new trend of video and are trying to incorporate as much video content as possible.

To view the videos of Mission Beach visit www.missionbeachonline.com or www.YouTube.com/socalbeachesmagazine
Find beachfront hotels and vacation rentals in Mission Beach and Pacific Beach
and save $$$ on your reservations when you book online or call 1-800-679-7707

Mission Beach Hotels Featured Videos
Book online or call 1-800-679-7707

Best Western Blue Sea Lodge videoRooms starting $107 Book this hotel click here	The Surfer Beach Hotel videoRooms starting at $99.00 Book this hotel click here	Tower 23 Hotel videoRooms starting at $169.00 Book this hotel click here
Capri by the Sea vacation condos videoRooms starting at $204.00 Book this vacation rental click here	Mission Bay / Mission Beach Hotels videoFind a master list of Mission Bay / Mission Beach hotels click here	Mission Beach vacation rental - 716 Ensenada Ct. videoBook a Mission Beach vacation rental click here
The Bahia Hotel Mission Beach / Mission Bay videoRooms starting at $84.15 Book this hotel click here	The Hyatt Regency Islandia Mission Bay videoRooms starting at $179.00 Book this hotel click here	Catamaran Hotel and Resort videoRates starting at $98.00 Book this hotel click here

For more information on Mission Beach
and Pacific Beach visit
www.missionbeachonline.com
www.pacificbeachonline.com
www.missionbeachconcierge.com
www.pacificbeachotels.org
www.socalbeachmag.net