Mary Elena's place is in a fantastic location in La Jolla. Step out the back door and out of the yard and you're about a five minute walk to the ocean. Step out the front door and you're about a five minute walk to the village center with it's many shops and restaurants. It's a short drive to Torrey Pines State Recreation Area, the San Diego Zoo, Legoland (we were traveling with grandkids), and the border if you are interested in seeing what so many are talking about. My wife and I visited Friendship Park on what happened to be its 50th anniversary. Given the impressive security dedicated to keeping this literal corner of the country closed, the name seems somewhat ironic.
As far as the house goes, we felt that it was generally comfortable and functional, but a little rough around the edges. It's the small issues that make the difference between a good review and a great one in our experience. As luck would have it, we were in the area during a particularly cool and sometimes overcast period, which kept the August heat at bay. If it had been hot, the air conditioning set-up would have been very inconvenient and inefficient. It is basically one large floor unit nearly touching the dining area table. To cool the whole house with this and a series of fans would seemingly be quite loud, although we thankfully didn't need it. The landscaping and grounds (while comfortably spacious) could both use some care. Loose bricks and cracked and/or poorly repaired concrete and pavers could be a hazard. The propane fire pit was rusted and filled with debris. There were a couple of cracked windows and torn screens. We had to unscrew a lightbulb in one of the bedrooms, because the pull connecting it to the ceiling fan was broken. The kitchen was pretty well supplied for food preparation but somewhat chaotic, with lots of random foodstuffs crammed onto shelves in a cabinet. There were leftover tacos and some other perishables in the refrigerator.
On the positive side, the bedrooms were all very comfortable and well furnished; good mattresses, pillows and blankets; good storage spaces; television (2/3 bedrooms). All the appliances, with the exception of the garbage disposal, are in really good working order. The washer and dryer were great to have available. The living room furniture is comfortable. The outdoor spaces are large and have some beautiful plants. And again, the location is fantastic; quiet, but close to everything in La Jolla and not a long drive to many, many other attractions. All in all we all felt that Mary Elena's home was pretty good, if a little worn down.