COASTING IN LAGUNA; ESCAPE FOR A DAY OR MORE TO IDYLLIC SEASIDE TOWN.Byline: Natalie Haughton Daily News Travel Editor If the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. grind is getting to you and you're daydreaming of a quick escape, pack a bag and grab the car keys. Salvation is little more than an hour's drive away. With its deep bays, beaches and coves, jagged bluffs and rock formations, Laguna Beach Laguna Beach (ləg  `nə), city (1990 pop. 23,170), Orange co., S Calif., on the Pacific coast; founded 1887, inc. 1927. is a picturesque sight reminiscent of the Mediterranean. In this city long known as an artist colony, there's plenty to take in - surf, sand, art galleries, shopping, restaurants - and through the end of August, live performances nightly of the Pageant of the Masters The Pageant of the Masters is an annual festival held by the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach, California. The event is known for the "living pictures" wherein classical and contemporary works of art are recreated by real people posing in almost exact detail to the work of art they . Laguna is about 75 miles from the Valley or Los Angeles, depending on where you live - and an hour and a half drive on a good traffic day. Traffic congestion The condition of a network when there is not enough bandwidth to support the current traffic load. congestion - When the offered load of a data communication path exceeds the capacity. can add considerably to the drive, so on a weekday plan to leave either after the morning rush-hour traffic or around noon before the afternoon congestion. On weekends, the earlier start you get the better - so you can find parking. On a Tuesday afternoon a few weeks ago, we found the beach town sheer pleasure. It wasn't swarming swarming 1. a phenomenon observed in cultures of Proteus spp. on solid media in which there is progressive surface spreading from the parent colony. 2. the periodic bee migration of the old queen and accompanying workers and drones from a full original hive which is and crowded with tourists and beach-goers like we've experienced on summer weekends in the past - and it was even easy to find parking spots, although you'll need plenty of quarters to feed the meters; a quarter buys only 15 minutes in the city meters. Although we've been to Laguna numerous times during the last 20 years, on the way into town from the Pacific Coast Highway Pacific Coast Highway may refer to:
Lookout in the form of a turret, cupola (small, lanternlike dome), or garden house set on a height to give an extensive view. Few late-18th- and 19th-century rustic gazebos survive, but 17th-century turrets built up in an angle of the garden wall are not uncommon. on the cliff, eating his lunch. He was quick to note that this site offered ``the best views in the city.'' It's no wonder artists are attracted to this area. (Entrances to Crescent Bay beach are located near the intersection of Cliff Drive and Circle Way). After you've indulged in the scenery, return to Coast Highway, turn right and continue south a few more blocks, and then turn right again on either Fairview Street or Wave Street, and left onto Cliff Drive. Park along Cliff Drive, get out and take in the pretty stretch of shoreline that is along the clifftop in Heisler Park with its trees and grassy areas. The views were peaceful and awesome. Drive or walk south on Cliff Drive until you almost reach Las Brisas Las Brisas is a town in the state of Miranda, Venezuela. restaurant. Then head past the back of the restaurant down the path to the Main Beach, where you'll find beach-goers soaking up the sun and others playing volleyball or basketball. Across Coast Highway, you'll find the main village shopping areas. There are plenty of shops, art galleries and specialty boutiques to visit along Forest Avenue, Ocean Avenue, Laguna Avenue and Main Steet. And you'll find plenty of restaurants sprinkled in between. If you like Italian and Greek majolica majolica (məjŏl`ĭkə, məyŏl`–) or maiolica (məyŏl`ĭkə) [from Majorca], type of faience usually associated with wares produced in Spain, Italy, and Mexico. , be sure to stop by Fiori at 214 S. Coast Highway, with its ceramic imports ranging from huge containers and pots to dishes, canister sets, cups, mugs and more. There are also many shops scattered south along Coast Highway. If the weather is nice, the walk is invigorating in·vig·or·ate tr.v. in·vig·or·at·ed, in·vig·or·at·ing, in·vig·or·ates To impart vigor, strength, or vitality to; animate: "A few whiffs of the raw, strong scent of phlox invigorated her" . One of our favorite galleries with quality originals is the Esther Wells Collection at 1390 S. Coast Highway. Exhibitions change often, and it's always interesting to see what's new. At one point, we picked up our car and drove south on Coast Highway, turning right on several streets such as Oak, Brooks and Cress to get a glimpse of the beach and some wonderful views. For a fabulous view, turn right just south of the Surf and Sand Hotel on Agate Street, then turn left on Ocean and exit on Pearl or Diamond streets. Stop and get out and you'll get a view of the hidden Wood's Cove. Of course, if you feel so inclined, you can spend some time walking on the beach. Don't miss the Festival of the Arts
The Festival of the Arts, or simply Festival is a three day arts festival in Grand Rapids held on the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of June. Pageant of the Masters, an extravagant two-hour show of living pictures or re-creations of classic and contemporary works of art (paintings, sculptures, bronzes, etc.) - with local residents dressed, made up and posed (remaining motionless) to resemble their counterparts in the original art pieces. Accompanied by a full pit orchestra A pit orchestra is a type of orchestra that accompanies performers in musicals, operas, and other shows involving music. Pit refers to the orchestra pit, the usually lowered area in front of a stage. , live vocals, live narration, intricate sets and special lighting, this year's nightly show in the tree-lined amphitheater set in Laguna Canyon is themed ``Metropolis: Art of the World's Great Capitals.'' The show is truly a labor of love for the team of 500 volunteers who will have donated by the season's end Season's End are a British band based in Hampshire. They describe themselves as playing Progressive symphonic metal[1], although they are often tagged as a gothic metal band by reviewers and reference sources[2][3]. an estimated 60,000 hours of collective time to the pageant. Two casts, which perform on alternating weeks during the two-month run (July and August), consist of about 300 members. Rome's fountains At this year's pageant, you'll take an artistic tour of the world, visiting Rome, Paris, Bangkok, Vienna and Washington, D.C. The opening masterpiece in Act 1 replicates the marble Fountains of Rome, including Neptune Fountain (Giovanni Ceccarina, 19th century) and Fountain of the Four Rivers (Gian Lorenzo Bernini Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini (Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini; December 7, 1598 – November 28, 1680) was a pre-eminent Baroque sculptor and architect of 17th century Rome. , 1651) each one nestled in the hills on each side of the stage, followed by the awesome re-creation of the Trevi Fountain The Trevi Fountain (Italian: Fontana di Trevi) is the largest — standing 25.9 meters (85 feet) high and 19.8 meters (65 feet) wide — and most ambitious of the Baroque fountains of Rome. It is located in the rione of Trevi. (Nicola Salvi Nicola Salvi or Niccolò Salvi (August 6, 1697-February 8, 1751) was an Italian architect most famous for the Trevi Fountain in Rome. His work is in the late Roman Baroque style. , 1762) on center stage. That is followed by a presentation of Claude Monet's 1867 oil painting ``Women in the Garden.'' Other standouts in the first act include Edvard Eriksen's bronze of ``The Little Mermaid'' statue (1913) in Copenhagen, which evokes a moonlit moon·lit adj. Lighted by moonlight. moonlit Adjective illuminated by the moon Adj. 1. night ambience; Michelangelo's marble, ``The Pieta'' (1499); and ``Our Nation's Capital,'' with re-creations of the bronze ``Freedom''; the oil on canvas ``Washington Crossing Washington Crossing may refer to:
In the second part of the program, your eyes will feast on living copies of such works as Winslow Homer's wood engraving wood engraving n. 1. a. A block of wood on whose surface a design for printing is engraved across the end grain. b. A print made from a wood engraving. 2. The art or process of making wood engravings. ``Art Students and Copyists in the Louvre'' (1868); the marble ``Venus de Milo'' (artist unknown, 200 B.C); the oil on canvas ``At the Moulin Rouge At the Moulin Rouge is an oil-on-canvas painting by French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It was painted between 1892 and 1895. It is one of a number of works by Toulouse-Lautrec depicting the Moulin Rouge cabaret built in Paris in 1889. : The Dance'' (Toulouse-Lautrec, 1890) and works of Music City U.S.A., including Thomas Hart Thomas Hart or Tom Hart may refer to:
Sensational in their display and depiction are the re-creations of the marble ``Mozart Memorial,'' the bronze ``Beethoven Memorial'' and the gilt bronze/marble ``Strauss Memorial.'' As has been the case in the numerous times I've attended over the years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time program again closes with a living re-creation of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous fresco fresco (frĕs`kō) [Ital.,=fresh], in its pure form the art of painting upon damp, fresh, lime plaster. In Renaissance Italy it was called buon fresco to distinguish it from fresco secco, , ``The Last Supper Last Supper, in the New Testament, meal taken by Jesus and his disciples on the eve of the passion. Jesus broke bread and passed a cup of wine among the disciples, identifying himself with the bread and the wine and linking the meal to his impending death on the .'' Wherever your seats, be sure to take binoculars so you can see the incredible details of all of the works presented. Treat yourself if you've never been to the pageant before. It's an experience of a lifetime, and one you'll not soon forget. The professional caliber of the program is truly amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. - but then again, when you have top-notch artists working on such a venture, you expect nothing short of spectacular - and it is once again this year. Pageant director Diane Challis chal·lis n. A soft, lightweight, usually printed fabric made of wool, cotton, or rayon. [Possibly from the surname Challis.] Noun 1. Davy, now in her third season, hopes that this year's pageant-goers will take away with them a new interest in the excitement that art can bring to one's life. ``I want them to have a new appreciation for art, not only in the capital cities, but all around them in their own cities and communities,'' she said. Each year, more than 200,000 people attend the annual pageant, which started in the 1930s and has been going strong ever since (except 1942-45 during World War II). Be sure to spend some time prior to the pageant perusing the exhibits and juried show of some 160 artists in the Festival of Arts displayed on the festival grounds. The show - open from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily - includes only original works. All of the items are for sale. You'll be admitted free with your pageant tickets. However if you're not attending the pageant, you can view the exhibits (an admission fee of $3 to $5 is charged). We arrived around 5:30 p.m. to allow plenty of time to peruse pe·ruse tr.v. pe·rused, pe·rus·ing, pe·rus·es To read or examine, typically with great care. [Middle English perusen, to use up : Latin per-, per- the interesting works - ranging from jewelry and glass to acrylics, sculpture, furniture, mixed media, oil paintings, photography and more. Our timing was great as we avoided any crowds - and could see the exhibits close-up without jostling for space or enduring any wait. If you feel like getting a snack, Ruby's in a food court on the grounds offers quick fare such as burgers and fries. Tivoli Terrace, a restaurant in a garden-setting overlooking the exhibits, offers more leisurely dining. Rather than eat on the grounds, we opted to walk to the Laguna Beach Brewing Co. on South Coast Highway for a few appetizer snacks prior to the show. The really informal second-floor dining room offers a good ocean view if you can get a seat next to the window. The fare is rather mundane, but the brews were good. Sawdust sawdust used as litter for chickens and bedding for horses. Sawdust made from treated timber may cause pentachlorophenol and other wood preservative poisoning. Fungi growing in sawdust litter in poultry houses may cause poisoning in the birds. Festival Art and craft fans also might enjoy visiting the Sawdust Festival at 935 Laguna Canyon Road, and the Art-A-Fair at 777 Laguna Canyon Road. Be sure to make time for a visit to the glass-facade Laguna Art Museum The Laguna Art Museum is a museum located in Laguna Beach, California. Laguna Art Museum represents the core California art scene. It places the aesthetics of the west coast within a national and international context and develops scholarship on the art history of California. (by Las Brisas at the corner of Cliff Drive and Coast Highway). Dining choices in Laguna are numerous and varied - ranging from casual to more elegant. Las Brisas, 361 Cliff Drive, is the place to stop for a margarita Margarita (märgärē`tä), island, 444 sq mi (1,150 sq km), in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela. With many smaller islands it constitutes the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta (1990 pop. 263,748). . The outside patio offers spectacular cliff-top views. You also can sit in the window-lined interior. Splashes in the Surf and Sand Hotel with ocean views is another choice, but it's more pricey. Although it doesn't have a view, Romeo Cucina on Broadway is one of my favorite My Favorite is an independent synthpop band from Long Island, New York. They released two CDs: Love at Absolute Zero and Happiest Days of Our Lives. My Favorite broke up on September 14, 2005, when singer Andrea Vaughn left the band. casual places offering Mediterranean/Italian fare. Cafe Zinc and Anastasia Cafe are good quick lunch spots I'd recommend, too. Take a break - and take in Laguna Beach for a day or two. The scenery is breathtaking, and you'll feel like you've been in another world - and away much longer than you really were. IF YOU GO: Everything you'll need to know about Laguna Beach Getting to Laguna Beach: Take the 405 Freeway south to the 73 Freeway south and exit at Jamboree Road. Go west until you reach Pacific Coast Highway and then take a left (south) into Laguna Beach. Or take the 405 Freeway south and exit on Highway 133 west and wind your way down Laguna Canyon Road to Laguna Beach. You'll pass by the Festival of Arts grounds, and it'll drop you into the center of the Laguna Beach shops and restaurants and the beach. Pageant of the Masters and Festival of Arts: The Pageant and Festival are at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach (near downtown, a five- to 10-minute walk from the ocean) through Aug. 30. Pageant staged nightly at 8:30 p.m. Pageant tickets are $10 to $50, depending on location and night of the week. Pageant tickets include entry to the festival anytime during the summer (save your tickets if you want to stroll through the art exhibits at additional times other than the day you see the pageant). Entrance to the Festival of the Arts (exhibits) only is $5 for a season pass; $3 seniors and students; free for children 12 and under. The exhibit is open 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily. City shuttle buses run continuously, 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. from Laguna Canyon lots and downtown parking areas to the festival. General festival information: (714) 494-1145; pageant tickets (714) 497-6582 or (800) 487-3378; entertainment hotline (714) 494-9765. Web site: www.foapom.com. Laguna Art Museum: Features historical and contemporary California arts, 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach; (714) 494-6531. The museum offers First Thursdays, a free monthly art walk through Laguna Beach's leading art galleries, 6 to 9 p.m. the first Thursday of every month. The museum is also open free of charge during that time. A shuttle bus circles the city's galleries throughout the evening starting at 6:30 p.m. For more information on the Laguna Beach Art Walk, call (714) 497-0722. Art-A-Fair Festival: Noted for arts and crafts arts and crafts, term for that general field of applied design in which hand fabrication is dominant. The term was coined in England in the late 19th cent. as a label for the then-current movement directed toward the revivifying of the decorative arts. at 777 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. $5 for season pass; $3.50 adults; $2.50 seniors and auto club members; free for children under 12 with adult; (714) 494-4514. Open through Aug. 30. Sawdust Festival: This art and craft exhibition is celebrating its 32nd anniversary this summer at 935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. $6 for adult season pass; $4 for senior pass; $1 for children 6-12 years; free for children 5 and under; (714) 494-3030. Open through Aug. 30. Passport to Laguna: For $16 ($24 value), you can purchase a Passport to Laguna that includes entry to the Laguna Art Museum, the Sawdust Festival, the Art-A-Fair and the Festival of Arts (but not the Pageant of the Masters). Available at the Visitors Bureau (see address below) and each of the places included in the ticket. Dining: Laguna Beach has a variety of restaurants offering a wide range of cuisines from French and Italian to Greek and Mexican. Here are some possibilities you might try. Anastasia Cafe-Bakery-Boutique, 460-470 Ocean Ave., (714) 497-1212. Very casual, offering Mediterranean-style salads. You order at a counter, and the food is delivered to your table. The breast of chicken and aubergine (jargon) aubergine - A secret term used to refer to computers in the presence of computerphobic third parties. sandwiches were delicious. Romeo Cucina, 249 Broadway, (714) 497-6627. This is one of my favorite dining spots, with terrific Mediterranean/Italian creations. It gets busy in the evenings, so go early. It's also a good spot for lunch. I prefer the ambience inside the restaurant rather than on the patio in front. Cafe Zinc, 350 Ocean Ave., (714) 494-6302. Order at a walk-up counter and food is delivered to your table on the patio. Great sandwiches, salads, pizzas, soup, etc. Popular with locals. Don't miss the double chocolate cookies - they're fabulous! The Laguna Beach Brewing Co., 422 S. Coast Highway (second floor), (714) 499-2337. You'll find a selection of hand-crafted ales and lagers here. If you can get a table by the window, you'll get an ocean view. Food is American and basic. The Cajun lamb chop appetizer and buffalo chicken strip appetizers were good. Las Brisas, 361 Cliff Drive, (714) 497-5434. Stop here for a margarita on the patio and enjoy the fabulous view. Or have breakfast, lunch or dinner in this lovely setting. 230 Forest Ave., 230 Forest Ave., (714) 494-2545. Nestled in the heart of downtown Laguna, this sidewalk cafe is known for its desserts and good food. Cedar Creek Cedar Creek, small tributary of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, N of Strasburg, N Va. It was the scene of a Civil War battle (Oct. 19, 1864) in which Union general P. H. Sheridan defeated J. A. Early. Inn, 384 Forest Ave., (714) 497-8696. A cozy See COSE. French country atmosphere with basic American-style food. Sorrento Grille, 370 Glenneyre, (714) 494-8686. Eclectic California cuisine For the local cuisine of California, see cuisine of California. California Cuisine is a style of cuisine marked by an interest in "fusion"— integrating disparate cooking styles and ingredients— and is freshly prepared using local ingredients. featured in a stylish setting. The White House, 340 S. Coast Highway, (714) 494-8088. This restaurant and nightclub combination offers classic comfort foods and local ambience. Taco Loco, 640 S. Coast Highway, (714) 497-1635. A casual sidewalk cafe. Beach House, 19 Sleepy Hollow Sleepy Hollow out-of-the-way, old-world village on Hudson. [Am. Lit.: “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” in Benét, 575] See : Isolation Lane, (714) 494-9707. Enjoy breathtaking ocean views while you dine here. Partners Bistro and Terrace, 448 S. Coast Highway, ((714) 497-4441. Located in the charming Peppertree Lane, this place has European charm. Aegean Cafe, 540 S. Coast Highway (upper level), (714) 494-5001. Take a short trip to Greece when you dine here on the Greek specialties. Lodging: Most of the lodging in Laguna Beach is located within a mile of the village core along or just off Coast Highway. Although I haven't stayed in Laguna Beach recently, here's a sampling of some of the options available. Call for rates. Best Western Laguna Brisas Spa Hotel, 1600 S. Coast Highway, (800) 624-4442. By the Sea Inn, 475 N. Coast Highway, (800) 297-0007. Hotel Laguna, 425 S. Coast Highway, (800) 524-2927. Inn at Laguna Beach, 211 N. Coast Highway, (800) 544-4479. Surf & Sand Hotel, 1555 S. Coast Highway, (800) 524-8621. The Seacliff, 1661 S. Coast Highway, (800) 500-2164. For more information or a lodging brochure, call the Laguna Beach Visitors Bureau at (800) 877-1115. For room reservations, call California Riviera Reservation and Accommodation Service, (800) 621-0500. Other options include vacation rentals. Contact the following for information: Laguna's Castles & Cottages, (714) 494-4397. Sunset Cove Villas, (714) 494-7313, (888) 845-5271. First Team Nolan Real Estate, (714) 494-8110. Visitor Information: Stop by the Laguna Beach Visitors Bureau at 252 Broadway to pick up information on restaurants, hotels and other activities in Laguna. For reservations and information, call the Visitors Bureau at (800) 877-11115 or (714) 497-9229. - Natalie Haughton CAPTION(S): 7 Photos, Map, Box Photo: (1--Color) With homes perched on curving cliffs, the shoreline vistas in Laguna Beach are magnificent. (2--4--Color) Top left, visitors enjoy displays of artists' works at the Festival of Arts in Irvine Bowl. Above left, the glass-facade Laguna Art Museum makes an architecturally interesting stop. When you visit Laguna, take time to browse through the local shops and art galleries, above right. (5--Color) Don't miss the Pageant of the Masters. This year's production features the incredible re-creation of Rome's Trevi Fountain - the largest single set the Pageant has ever attempted. (6) Enjoy the beach scene at Main Beach in Laguna Beach or just take in the gorgeous scenery. (7) eruse the varied original works, such as these vases, of 160 artists displayed at this year's Festival of Arts. Natalie Haughton/Daily News Map: (Color) Laguna Beach Dionisio Munoz/Daily News Box: IF YOU GO: Everything you'll need to know about Laguna Beach (See Text) |
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