At Home With John & Marci Cavanaugh

Morning clouds along the Del Mar coast clear just in time for our interview and photo shoot at the hilltop home of John and Marci Cavanaugh, a local power couple known for philanthropy and entrepreneurship. After days of June gloom and drizzle, the sun finally bursts out, casting a golden glow on the Cavanaughs’ backyard dotted with olive and cherry trees and a bonsai Torrey pine. The cliffside property overlooks a canyon across from the San Dieguito Lagoon, now being restored, and in the distance, a glimmer of shoreline at Torrey Pines State Reserve. 

The Cavanaughs moved to Del Mar from Minnesota more than three decades ago. “I like to joke that John followed me out to San Diego, as he never cared much for the cold weather,” says Marci. The couple bought an empty lot and worked with an architect to design and build the home in what has become a close-knit community. “My background was interior design,” notes Marci. “John and I worked together to create a home that would be informal and relaxed, where we could raise a family and entertain.” Married for 34 years, the Cavanaughs’ children, Ava and Cole, are now all grown up with successful careers of their own. 

Marci, a longtime board member and officer of The Country Friends, a Rancho Santa Fe-based nonprofit, and John, a passionate car collector and entrepreneur, renovated the backyard and pool two years ago. They worked with landscape architect Brian Stone of Stone + Grove Landscape Architects in Solana Beach “to create an open and airy space that extends beyond the walls of our home, allowing us to fully embrace the beauty of the California sunshine,” says Marci. 

They also converted the original pool and spa into one with an infinity edge to take advantage of the coastal views, with the help of Michael Medulla of San Dieguito Pool Construction Inc. The new pool includes a shallow Baja shelf for relaxing and two chaises planted in the pool offering the “best seats in the house.” The poolside deck includes a stone fountain and outdoor shower. 

The Cavanaughs added a 500-square-foot covered cabana, complete with a comfortable sofa and lounge chairs centered with a stainless steel Napoleon fireplace and concrete hearth for warmth on chilly nights. The LED LG TV offers entertainment year-round. The space includes an outdoor kitchen with a refrigerator and a versatile, easy-to-clean EVO grill from Pirch in the Cedros Design District. Marci sizzles eggs and sausage for breakfast; John grills steak for dinner. A long wooden table, bought years ago in Mexico and now topped with a slab of granite, can seat a crowd.

Another seating area surrounds a fire table just off the family room, now with sliding glass doors so the Cavanaughs can easily let the outdoors in. Marci especially likes swaying in the hammock on lazy summer afternoons.

She also loves to cook in the kitchen, remodeled several years ago while the couple “camped out” in the garage for the summer until the appliances were hooked up. The renovation, both functional and open to indoor/outdoor spaces, includes handsome cabinetry, quartz counters, and limestone floors. Appliances include a Wolf range and cooktop, Sub-Zero refrigerator, and Marci’s favorite, a built-in Miele coffeemaker that brews a cup — or a carafe — in no time.

John’s “newest obsession,” according to Marci, is the dining room, with an expansive custom table, credenza, and “Almont” chairs by Dragonette Limited on Palm Desert’s El Paseo. The chairs are upholstered in green velvet by Jab Anstoetz, with custom embroidery by Embroidery Palace in Los Angeles.

His passion for cars was ignited when, as a boy, he watched races with his father, who worked for a tire company. “At just ten years old, I began saving my paper route money to purchase mini-bikes and go-karts,” John recalls. Eventually, he owned several exotic cars, including a ’90s-era GT1 race car. “I’ve had the pleasure of running this car at the historic event in Monterey, California, and attending the car week in Pebble Beach for more than 25 years.”

John, who began his career brokering telecommunications equipment, now provides seed capital for early-stage companies and is involved in commercial real estate. “We have refurbished several commercial buildings on Cedros Avenue in Solana Beach,” he notes. John is also a partner in a boutique hotel in Point Loma called The Monsaraz. Named after a Portuguese settlement, the hotel is part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, located steps from Fisherman’s Landing and Point Loma Seafoods. 

Marci continues her 30-year-plus commitment to The Country Friends, the nonprofit that has provided nearly $15 million to San Diego County-based charities since it was founded in 1954 with an emphasis on women, children, the elderly, military families, and those with disabilities. She has served as president, chair of the Art of Fashion (the nonprofit’s largest fundraiser), and for the past four years, as director of human care funding.

“I can say with certainty that the experience has been both enriching and enlightening,” she reflects. “Instead of being limited to a single focus or cause, I have had the opportunity to work with a wide range of organizations, each dedicated to addressing critical issues in our community. From homelessness and hospice care to sexual abuse and foster care, my involvement with The Country Friends has exposed me to an array of pressing needs and causes.”

As longtime “Del Martians,” the Cavanaughs are experts when it comes to where to go and what to do in this coastal community. Favorite restaurants include Market on Via de la Valle, where they enjoy a casual dinner at the bar while watching sports; the teppanyaki table at Samurai in Solana Beach, a favorite birthday spot; and Poseidon, where they sit out on the deck to enjoy ocean views. “With so many options to explore, from new to old, and casual to upscale, Del Mar has the perfect restaurant for any occasion,” notes Marci. 

Other favorites high on their list: taking in a movie at Cinépolis in Del Mar Highlands, sipping a glass of wine on Del Mar Plaza’s rooftop terrace, riding their electric bikes, or watching the horses — and hats — at the Del Mar Race Track. “We also love taking a stroll on the beach, hiking Torrey Pines, shopping at Flower Hill Promenade or One Paseo, or attending the Del Mar Farmer’s Market,” says Marci. “This lively community has something for everyone.”