Marisi restaurant appoints new executive chef
La Jolla-based Marisi restaurant recently announced the appointment of Kaitlyn Smith as its executive chef.
Smith most recently was chef de cuisine at Wildland and brings more than 10 years’ experience in Italian-influenced cuisine. Her career highlights include roles at Pitfire Artisan Pizza, Scopa Italian Roots and Rose Café, plus time as executive chef of Salt Fish House.
Her vision for Marisi is to introduce gradual seasonal menu updates, especially in antipasti and hearth-cooked entrées and emphasize thoughtful sourcing, restraint and a warm, collaborative kitchen culture, according to a news release.
Marisi is at 1044 Wall St. Find out more at marisilajolla.com.
Proposed Nautilus condo project to get second DPR hearing
A project that would convert two units on one property into condominiums and add a unit to the lot on Nautilus Street had a preliminary hearing before the La Jolla Development Permit Review Committee on March 10 and is scheduled to return at 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, online.
The agenda is available at bit.ly/4bsx2T0.
Applicant Marengo Morton Architects is seeking a map waiver to convert two residential units to condos and add an additional unit for a total of three condos on a 10,191-square-foot lot at 636 Nautilus. The existing units would not change, and the new unit would be toward the rear of the property and confined to the lot.
During the preliminary hearing, DPR members had questions about the landscaping, and they requested clearer renderings to help differentiate hardscape and plantings. They also requested more information about which trees are on whose property and what would remain.
The committee also wanted additional drawings depicting the proposed new unit, how it relates to the other units on the lot and how it sits among its neighbors.
San Diego hearing officer to review three La Jolla projects
A city of San Diego hearing officer will review a trio of La Jolla development projects during a meeting scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 25, online.
One of the developments would build a new two-story, 9,480-square-foot house with a basement, pool, spa and main- and lower-level garages and associated site improvements on an empty lot at 2545 Ruette Nice.
A second project would build a two-story, 6,562-square-foot house with an attached garage and a two-story, 967-square-foot detached accessory dwelling unit on a vacant lot west of and adjacent to 2975 Woodford Drive.
Another project would remodel a one-story, 3,574-square-foot house into a two-story, 14,265-square-foot home with a basement at 1720 Torrey Pines Road.
The decisions of the hearing officer will be final unless appealed to the San Diego Planning Commission.
Kiwanis Club of La Jolla awards funds to five schools
The Kiwanis Club of La Jolla awarded a total of more than $60,000 to five schools at its March 13 meeting.
The funds were distributed as follows:
• La Jolla High School Foundation: $20,000 to support graduating seniors attending college
• The School of Creative and Performing Arts: $12,000 scholarship grant and $7,000 to fund the Advanced String Orchestra’s participation in a music festival in Chicago
• The Preuss School at UC San Diego: $10,000 to support graduating seniors attending college
• San Diego French-American School: $9,000 to support the music program
• The Elementary Institute of Science: $3,000 grant
Humane Society encourages coexistence with coyotes
The San Diego Humane Society is recognizing Coyote Awareness Week in mid-March by encouraging residents to learn more about the role coyotes play in the ecosystem and how communities can safely coexist with them.
A coyote dines on an avocado that fell on the lawn in a La Jolla backyard. (Kraig Kristofferson)
The recognition week, established by Project Coyote, is timed to coincide with coyote pupping season (March to May), when coyotes are more active in foraging for food and can be more visible to humans.
Coyotes help maintain ecological balance by controlling rodent populations, limiting disease transmission and removing carrion from the environment, advocates say. They have been seen throughout La Jolla.
Coyotes generally avoid people but may become more comfortable in neighborhoods where food sources are available.
The Humane Society encourages residents to take the following steps to help reduce conflicts with coyotes:
• Protect your pets: Walk dogs on a leash and supervise pets when they’re outside.
• Remove things that attract coyotes: Secure trash, put pet food and water indoors and pick up any fallen fruit or birdseed.
• Practice humane hazing: If you see a coyote behaving boldly, stand tall, wave your arms, make noise and encourage it to move along.
To learn more, visit sdhumane.org/coexist.
Jack McGrory joins La Jolla cityhood effort
La Jolla resident and area philanthropist Jack McGrory, a former San Diego city manager, has joined the effort to establish La Jolla as an independent city. He will serve as the Association for the City of La Jolla’s chief negotiator and strategic adviser, helping to guide the organization through the next phase of the cityhood process.
Jack McGrory (left) attends the Charity Ball in 2025 to benefit the pediatric intensive care program at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. (Vincent Andrunas)
As San Diego’s city manager from 1991 to 1997, McGrory oversaw municipal initiatives and developed a reputation for “thoughtful leadership, fiscal responsibility and the ability to navigate complex governmental processes,” according to ACLJ.
“My love of San Diego runs deep, and La Jolla becoming its own city makes perfect sense for residents across the region,” McGrory said. “I’m excited to help guide this initiative and ensure the outcome works for all San Diegans.”
McGrory will assist in negotiations and strategic planning as the cityhood proposal advances through the Local Agency Formation Commission process. He also will provide guidance on fundraising and community engagement efforts.
For more information, visit cityoflajolla.org.
Scripps Cancer Center to hold free virtual support group
With April being National Head and Neck Cancer Month, the Scripps Cancer Center will present a free virtual support group for people who have been impacted by those cancers.
The support group is scheduled for 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, April 9. Registration is required. Call 858-626-5059 or email fidler-johnson.christina@scrippshealth.org. ♦