The Marine Room among OpenTable’s 100 Most Romantic Restaurants
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, OpenTable has announced its 2026 picks for America’s 100 Most Romantic Restaurants, and one in La Jolla made the cut.
The Marine Room at 1904 Spindrift Drive is one of three San Diego-area restaurants on the list. The others are Mister A’s in downtown San Diego and Jeune et Jolie in Carlsbad.
All three earned a score of 4.8 (out of 5) among diners who use the OpenTable reservations platform and left reviews. The top 100 are drawn from reviews and an analysis of metrics.
To find out more about The Marine Room, visit marineroom.com.
Woman’s Club to assemble ‘welcome home’ baskets
The La Jolla Woman’s Club is accepting donations of household items for an upcoming basket-assembly event as part of Project Welcome Home. The club is partnering with Walden Family Services on the project, which supports former foster youths ages 18-26 as they transition into safe, stable housing.
Items being sought include kitchenware, bathroom and hygiene products, bedroom furniture and bedding, cleaning supplies and items for babies. The baskets will be assembled at the Woman’s Club on Thursday, Feb. 19.
To donate, email mdykstrasells@gmail.com to arrange pickup or drop-off.
San Diego seeks participation in Community Recreation Needs Assessment
Less than three weeks remain for San Diego residents to participate in the Community Recreation Needs Assessment, which enables people to indicate their preferences for the future of recreation programming in the city.
CRNA was launched in August in collaboration with Keen Independent Research Inc. to engage with residents through surveys, focus groups, virtual workshops and in-person meetings.
The online survey is open through Saturday, Feb. 28, and is estimated to take about five minutes to complete.
For additional information, email Keen Independent Research at sdparksneeds@keenindependent.com.
Music Society artistic director named among America’s top musical professionals
Leah Rosenthal, artistic director of the La Jolla Music Society, which presents performances at the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, has been named one of Musical America Worldwide’s Top 30 Professionals of the Year.
Leah Rosenthal, artistic director of the La Jolla Music Society, is among Musical America’s Top 30 Professionals of the Year. (La Jolla Music Society)
Rosenthal joined the Music Society in 2008 and has grown its programming from 25 events per year to 70. She also created the Resident Companies @ The Conrad program, welcoming musical organizations into a three-year residency starting in the 2025-26 season.
See the full list of honorees at musicalamerica.com/pages/?pagename=2025_top_professionals.
La Jolla Boulevard lot consolidation plan goes before San Diego staff
After the La Jolla Development Permit Review Committee gave its support to a project to consolidate three La Jolla Boulevard lots into one, staff in the San Diego Development Services Department is set to make a decision in coming weeks, according to a city notice.
The proposal would consolidate three adjacent parcels at 6111 La Jolla Blvd., next to La Jolla United Methodist Church.
When the plan was heard by the DPR last month, property owner Mariola Stojic said her home sits on three lots, which “is really causing us havoc,” including having to pay three tax bills. Thus, she wants to consolidate the lots into one. No new construction is planned, she said.
La Jolla Community Center seeks candidates for board
The La Jolla Community Center is looking for qualified community members to join its board of directors.
Chief Executive Ruth Yansick said the center hopes to find candidates with backgrounds in finance, fundraising, community leadership and entrepreneurship, plus experience on a nonprofit board.
Potential candidates can email a brief statement of interest and a resumé to info@ljcommunitycenter.org.
Salk study looks at impact of nature and nurture in immunity
New evidence indicates that the classic question of nature vs. nurture extends to the body’s immune response, showcasing how both genetic inheritance (nature) and life experiences (nurture) have an impact on how a person fights disease, according a study by the La Jolla-based Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
The study created the first catalog showing the distinct influences of genetic inheritance and life experience on immune cells. Researchers determined that a range of genetic variations, as well as exposure or lack of exposure to common pathogens, play a role in the body’s response to infections and/or treatments.
The findings help explain why people respond differently to the same infections and treatments, researchers said, and could be the first step toward future personalized therapies that can prevent disorders or expedite recovery.
UC San Diego introduces student-led Disability Resource Hub
A student-led effort to centralize disability-related resources, advocacy and support at UC San Diego in La Jolla is up and running in the form of a Disability Resource Hub.
The project, headed by Associated Students at UCSD, was formally approved by the university administration.
The hub was developed “in direct response to student-identified gaps in accessibility, visibility and coordination of disability resources on campus” and aims to uplift disabled students’ voices and offer them practical support, according to Camila Gutierrez, executive assistant of the Associated Students’ president’s office.
UCSD welcomes doctor for new endowed chair position
The first holder of a new endowed chair position at UC San Diego established by business leader and UCSD Health patient Julie St. John is Dr. Ramez Eskander, who previously was St. John’s physician.
Eskander was praised for his “compassionate, patient-centered approach” in helping St. John on the path to being cancer-free.
Eskander is a professor of gynecologic oncology in the UCSD Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences and medical director of Moores Cancer Center’s clinical trials office.
The new position was formed to aid UCSD faculty members in obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences. ♦