Discovering Dr. Seuss in San Diego
There are two cities synonymous with Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss: Springfield, Massachusetts, where he was born, and San Diego, where he perfected his craft as a children's book author and artist. Seuss lived in La Jolla from 1948 until his death in 1991. From the University of California to the Hotel del Coronado, take a Seussian trek all over town.
Dr. Seuss' Life History
Somewhere right now, a child is learning to read, thanks to a copy of "The Cat in the Hat." Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote the book in response to a national debate about literacy, namely, how to hold children's interest when competing with television. Working with just 236 words, Geisel produced one of the world's most-loved, best-selling primers. In all, he wrote more than 60 books under four pen names, along with television specials, feature films, political cartoons and hundreds of advertisements.
There's no definitive statistic on the number of Seuss books sold, but estimates run well over 600 million. He received multiple awards, including three Caldecott Honors, two Emmy Awards, an Academy Award, a Grammy and a Pulitzer Prize. In 2010, Life Books published "100 People Who Changed the World." Geisel was cited for his role as a cultural icon, and he was the only children's author on the list.
He visited San Diego as early as 1928 with his first wife, Helen Palmer Geisel, an author herself and his best collaborator. According to the biography, "Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel," by Judith and Neil Morgan, "the mild climate and crinkled coves reminded the Geisels of the Riviera." The couple spent time at La Jolla's La Valencia Hotel where Ted — how he was addressed by family and friends — sketched eucalyptus trees and nasturtiums.
Moving to La Jolla became a goal. In 1948, they bought an old observation tower on Mount Soledad's Encelia Drive and built a house around it. It's still there, a landmark that can be seen from many spots along the coast. High up in his studio, with a view spanning 60 miles of sea and sky, Geisel wrote lines like this:
I'm king of the butterflies! King of the air!
Ah, me! What a throne! What a wonderful chair!
I'm Yertle the Turtle! Oh, marvelous me!
For I am the ruler of all that I see!
- From "Yertle the Turtle" (1950)
Both Geisels became active members of the community, serving on the boards of the San Diego Fine Arts Museum and La Jolla Museum of Art, forerunner to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. They threw elegant dinner parties with guests such as Raymond Chandler, and went to Tijuana to bet on jai alai. With his friend Chuck Jones, the animator and filmmaker, Ted wrote the television version of "The Grinch." The show required approximately 25,000 drawings at a time when most daytime cartoon shows were produced with 2,000.
After Helen died in 1967, Geisel married Audrey Stone Dimond. These were busy years: more books, more trips, more dinner parties. As royalties mounted, local organizations benefited from the Geisels' philanthropy. If you visit the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, San Diego Museum of Art, The San Diego Zoo, The Old Globe or La Jolla Playhouse, chances are you'll see the Geisel name on a donor wall.
Ted Geisel died on September 24, 1991, but his spirit lives on in San Diego. Here are a few distinctly Seussian spots.
Geisel Library
Geisel Library
As a creator and lover of books, it's only fitting that Geisel would be remembered with a library. The stunning form rises from the grounds of the University of California, San Diego, drawing comparisons to a spaceship. Architect William Pereira designed the Brutalist/Futurist building, which opened in 1970 as the Central Library. It was renamed Geisel Library in 1995 and houses 7 million volumes on eight floors. An archive of his material, "The Dr. Seuss Collection," contains more than 15,000 items such as drawings, manuscript drafts, photographs and memorabilia. Many of the materials are fragile, so the collection is only available to pre-approved researchers.
On the west side of the library is a life-size bronze statue of Geisel and his most famous character, The Cat in the Hat. It was created by Audrey's daughter, sculptor Lark Grey Dimond-Cates. On the main floor you'll find Audrey's Café.
The library welcomes visitors on the first and second floors; upper floors are reserved for students. Paid visitor parking is available throughout campus.
Where: The University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093
Legends Gallery
Legends Gallery
In downtown La Jolla, not far from Geisel's home, is one of three local authorized galleries selling Seuss artwork — the others are Exclusive Collections Gallery in the Gaslamp Quarter and Chuck Jones Gallery in Seaport Village. Visitors often mistake Legends Gallery for a museum, but all the works are limited-edition reproductions and they're for sale. There are bronze sculptures, casual sketches and iconic illustrations, with their precise line and minimal color palette.
On the entry wall are resin casts of Geisel's "Unorthodox Taxidermy" series. Years before he began writing, Geisel fashioned whimsical animals from antlers, horns and bits of fur supplied to him by his father, T.R. Geisel, who was superintendent of parks in Springfield, Mass. When zoo animals died of natural causes, T.R. would send along a toucan beak or sawfish bill, which eventually became an "Andulovian Grackler" or "Two Horned Drouberhannis."
Before you leave, take a close look at the painting, "I Dreamed I Was a Doorman at the Hotel del Coronado," as this will come up later in your tour.
Where: 1205 Prospect St, La Jolla, CA 92037
Exclusive Collections Gallery
Exclusive Collections Gallery
You can find more pieces from The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection at this gallery in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter, which is housed next door to the historic Yuma Building (built in 1886). Alongside 60th anniversary prints of “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” and The Sneetches are limited-edition replications of the treasured “Midnight Paintings,” which Geisel created in his free time in the evenings and were released posthumously.
These paintings have artistic styles that break away from his signature illustrations with darker backdrops and dreamlike states, where you can see influences such as Salvador Dali’s surrealism and M.C. Escher’s complex geometry. One standout piece is the “Cat in Obsolete Shower Bath,” which depicts an orange cat standing upright under an old shower head and encircled by a frayed shower curtain, said to reflect Geisel’s post-college days living in a meager studio apartment in New York City.
The gallery also has unique prints from a variety of animated Disney films and works by Tom Everhart and Native American artist Jeremy Salazar.
Where: 621 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
> Find out more about The Gaslamp Quarter
The Old Globe
The Old Globe
In the summer of 2018, The Old Globe held the U.S. premiere of Dr. Seuss's The Lorax . Based on the book by Dr. Seuss, adapted for the stage, this musical was originally produced at The Old Vic theatre in London.
If your travel plans bring you to San Diego during the holidays, be sure to get tickets for The Old Globe's production of "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" This annual favorite is beloved by children of all ages.
Where: 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego, CA 92101
> Find out more about The Old Globe
Hotel del Coronado
Hotel del Coronado
Coronado is a visitor's playground, and it's all there in Geisel's painting, "I Dreamed I Was a Doorman at the Hotel del Coronado," from sun-drenched beaches to colorful ship's flags snapping in the breeze. He captured the elaborate Victorian architecture of "the Del," with its pretty courtyard and beachfront cottages; even the stained glass "Woman in Window" artwork that appears above the lobby entrance. Geisel took some liberties in portraying the door attendants — they don't really wear hats topped with feathers — but he captured the feeling when the doors swing open and you sweep into the magnificent oak-paneled lobby.
Where: 1500 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118
> Find out more about the Hotel Del Coronado
Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Park
Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Park
This seaside park in La Jolla anchors the picturesque coastal walk between La Jolla Cove and the Children’s Pool, and is one of the most photographed places in San Diego. With an expansive grassy lawn lined by palm trees, not only is the park a top spot for a photo op or picnic, its environs are said to have inspired Geisel when he created “The Lorax.” The park was once home to a lone Monterey Cyprus tree, which seemed to resemble the Truffula trees depicted in the book and it was affectionately known as "The Lorax Tree." Although the century-old tree fell years ago and is no longer at the park, visitors can still take in the same landscapes and views that Geisel once enjoyed.
Where: 1100 Coast Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037
> Find out more about La Jolla
The Whaling Bar, La Valencia Hotel
The Whaling Bar, La Valencia Hotel
Cap off your Seussian tour with a meal and sip at one of Geisel’s favorite hangouts, The Whaling Bar. The landmark lounge inside La Valencia Hotel, an iconic 100-year-old property affectionately called “The Pink Lady,” has been a La Jolla staple for more than 70 years and Geisel was one of the bar’s notable regulars. In the 1950s, he swapped stories here with friend Raymond Chandler and years later the lounge became a favorite place for him and Audrey. The bar honored his legacy with a commemorative plaque above his favorite table.
Tuck into one of the plush booths in the dimly lit space for martini hour or a dinner designed by chef Brian Redzikowski, who also leads the kitchen at Kettner Exchange in Little Italy. While green eggs and ham may not be on the menu, you’ll find some whimsical things to eat: a Caesar salad featuring “Twinkie” croutons stuffed with mascarpone and garlic, and a caramel cake that cleverly mimics a burger on a sesame seed bun.
Where: 1132 Prospect St, La Jolla, CA 92037