Neighborhood Watch: Encinitas

Our monthly feature featuring new stuff, fun facts and the OG locals of San Diego's best burgs

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The neighborhoods along Highway 101 were often escapist destinations for Hollywood elite in the 1920s and Encinitas was no exception. The formerly rural, coast-meets-farmland region catered to starlets cruising between Los Angeles and Mexico by road or rail. Premieres at the La Paloma Theatre generated a see-and-be-seen atmosphere among filmmakers and actors, who would then retreat to the historic Leucadia Log Cabin Apartments. With Del Mar as its neighbor, Encinitas absorbed the overflow of racetrack crowds as well. Names such as Bing Crosby, Bette Davis, Liberace and many others were among the big names on Encinitas’ guest list.

Downtown Highway 101 remains abuzz today, but with grom culture overpowering glamour. Encinitas is home to one of the world’s most esteemed surfing spots, Swami’s, which attracts international wave riders. A public mosaic of a surfing Virgin de Guadalupe further drives home the ocean’s central role here. But Encinitas is also recognized for a handful of small businesses and historic architecture. There’s an extensive botanical garden and even an iconic Self-Realization Fellowship Temple. Encinitas has undergone sizeable changes since it first became a destination, but the Amtrak whistle blares on.

COLORFUL CHARACTERS

Mark Patterson - Artist of the “Surfing Madonna” mosaic/Co-founder of Surfing Madonna Oceans Project

At first, Mark Patterson didn’t think much of his doodles of the Virgin de Guadalupe riding a surfboard. “After a while, this image kept showing up, and it was over about three years before I paid any real attention to it,” he says. Then, Patterson decided to turn the image into a mosaic. Out of glass and marble, he crafted the surfing Virgin de Guadalupe and a sign saying, ‘Protect the ocean.’ “It felt to me like she was saying, ‘Snap out of it people, you’ve go to pay attention to what’s going on,” Patterson says. “If the ocean dies, we’re pretty much screwed.” In 2011, without city permission, he installed the mosaic underneath the train bridge on Encinitas Boulevard and Highway 101. Because of legalities, the mosaic moved around before finding its permanent home outside Leucadia Pizza (315 S. Coast Hwy 101). The mosaic later inspired Patterson to cofound the Surfing Madonna Oceans Project, which provides free surf camps for adults and children with disabilities. “Those little kids just light up like Christmas trees playing with the water,” Patterson says. He’s proud that his mosaic materialized into something more. “It’s not just art on a wall anymore.”

—Torrey Bailey

Allen Largent - Owner of La Paloma Theatre

“I started out with my life savings and spent $10,000 on fixtures, equipment and trade name in 1992,” says Allen Largent, when asked about buying the La Paloma Theatre (471 S. Coast Highway 101) 25 years ago. He grew up attending one-room movie houses, which were the norm then. “As times progressed, more single screen theaters have gone away and that intensifies the focus that there’s still one right here in Encinitas.” La Paloma Theatre was built in the late ‘20s and became one of the first to show “talkies” (that is, movies with spoken dialogue). It’s now known for its action sports premiers, as well as for showing indie flicks. For the most part, Largent’s “right-hand man Steve” makes movie selections. Meanwhile, Largent is an all-around handyman. “I like the gadgetry, the lights, the microphones and cables and boxes and projectors. It’s cool stuff.” He says it’s challenging to keep the La Paloma Theatre running when the business has turned digital. “I’m proud I’ve been able to keep it open. It’s so easy to turn a blind eye to the blemishes, but I’m fully aware of them. I think the charm and the beauty outweigh the blemishes, and we’re working on it.”

—Torrey Bailey

Julian Duval -  President and CEO of the San Diego Botanic Garden

“The earliest public gardens were places of meditation, places where people would go to be rejuvenated in some sense,” explains Julian Duval, president and CEO of the San Diego Botanic Garden (230 Quail Gardens Drive). Duval, who previously worked at the Indianapolis Zoo, has been at the San Diego Botanic Garden for nearly 23 years. Over time, he’s seen many changes, including increased traffic on the adjacent Quail Gardens Drive, which was the garden’s name before becoming San Diego Botanic Garden in 2009. The self-described “nature nut” spends much of his day driving around the gardens talking to visitors, pointing out various plants and animals, and telling children that if they study hard, someday they can have his job as director. “It’s always a real treat for me to be able to share the wonder and beauty of nature with people,” he says. Among the thousands of plants, insects, reptiles and birds that call the gardens home, there is one other unique resident: an enormous Galapagos tortoise named Sam. He lives in the backyard of Duval’s onsite home, and isn’t generally on public display, although Duval says they use Sam as a therapy animal for people with special needs. “The garden is a place of healing and solace, and he’s perfect for that.”

—Jamie Ballard

STILL STANDING

Through Encinitas’ urbanization, some landmarks, such as the Aldrich Castle, have been lost. However, the city is holding on to other storied sites. Here are a few oldies but goodies to check out:

The 1883 Schoolhouse (390 West F St.) reigns as the oldest building in the city. Here, the Encinitas Historical Society operates out of the one-room schoolhouse, unfolding the city’s heritage through photos and exhibits.

Then there’s the 1887 Derby House (649 S. Vulcan Ave.), ranking as the city’s oldest-known home. Its pink facade and dark blue trim are sun baked and chipped. Garth Murphy and his wife Euva Anderson bought and restored the condemned house in 1976, filling it with international antiques, paintings and more. They live there now, but also rent out rooms to craftsmen who mix with the home’s artistic core. Famed surfboard designer Ryan Burch is a current tenant.

Just across the railroad tracks from the Derby House used to stand the historic 1888 Santa Fe Railroad Station. But since 1976, the yellow-painted triangular structure has encased Pannikin Coffee & Tea (510 N. Coast Hwy 101).

The quirkiest of all are the Encinitas Boathouses (726 and 732 Third St.). This pair of 1920s homes look like two ships docked on the sidewalk. Because, why not?

—Torrey Bailey

FELLOWSHIP OF THE SEA

’m fascinated by uncommon religions, and at first glance, the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple (939 Second Ave.), may not seem as strange as, say, snake-handling or UFO cults, but anything with “fellowship” in the name will raise some red flags for me. Plus, it was founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1920 to spread the “sacred spiritual science” of yoga, which sounds like a classic plot to con Westerners out of their money (but to be fair, what new religion isn’t a buy-your-way-into-heaven grift?). I decided to attend one of their Sunday services to check it out.

The interior of the temple is a long room with blue carpet and hard chairs. Despite the Eastern foundations, the membership was overwhelmingly white, fit, casual and had excellent posture. Many women wore yoga pants, and it made me upset that I hadn’t thought to wear my most spiritual pair of sweatpants (I have many). 

The minister began his sermon with a guided meditation and controlled breathing exercises. This was briefly very enjoyable because it was the first time I’ve ever been encouraged to enter a sleep-like state in church. However, with each deep exhale, the room filled with Sunday-morning coffee breath. Namanasty, am I right? 

All in all, it was kind of... normal. I can’t say I experienced any enlightenment, but maybe my pants just weren’t cozy enough.

—Ryan Bradford

SPIN ZONE

Record stores have been an endangered species for most of the 21st century, as digital music and streaming services have significantly cut into retail sales. San Diego has certainly felt its share of that and Encinitas institution Lou’s Records downsized a bit back in 2010, moving inventory from its two buildings into one. In an article written for CityBeat back in 2011, owner Lou Russell is quoted as saying, “We’re just trying to survive.” 

Six years later, Lou’s Records is indeed surviving, their doors still open and shelves still stocked with new and used vinyl gems. Some of that rebound can be attributed to a rising interest in vinyl—2016 was the best year for record sales in 25 years. But Lou’s is also a beloved institution in San Diego County, having been open since 1980 and consistently carrying an incredible selection of hard-to-find music. It’s the kind of shop that’s not only fun to browse through, but carries a certain sentimental value. I personally have fond memories of taking long drives along the coast just to browse through its shelves, and the store’s selection remains excellent after all this time. Lou’s has gone through ups and downs, but it’s still standing, and still worth the drive north. 

—Jeff Terich

LUX LIFE

Hidden on the other side of town and well off the coastal strip of Hwy 101, Lux Art Institute (1550 S El Camino Real) has provided a much-needed shot of culture to the otherwise surf-centric area. The institute has pulled in huge, international artists by offering artist residencies, in which the artist in question will live on site (there is an apartment and studio space in addition to the main gallery space) and produce work while there. It also offers educational workshops, classes and discussions throughout the year both for adults and children. The institute just wrapped up its 10th season (current resident painter Andy Harper has work up through Jan. 13 and will offer a Studio Series discussion on Dec. 14) with more than 50 residencies over that decade. Director Reesey Shaw says the institute’s location has served as an inspiration to artists from all over the world. “We just introduced the tagline “glocal,” which is global artists featured locally,” says Shaw, who points out artists such as Siro Cugusi (Italy), Francis Upritchard (New Zealand) and Vibha Galhorta (India) as evidence of the focus on global reach. Reesey also adds that some artists even love the area so much that they try to buy a house here. “Ye Honxing from Beijing is looking to buy a house in La Jolla,” says Shaw. “She went back to Beijing and took an immersive English class and she’ll be back in January to work on a project for Apple.”

—Seth Combs