Date Night in Laguna Beach

There’s always fantastic food and entertainment to be found in Laguna Beach! After a long week, my husband and I headed out for a date night in Laguna. We drove down the canyon right at twilight and watched the last glow of the sun drip back behind the hills. The drive into Laguna Beach never gets old for this Southern California girl. Tonight we decided to see the award-winning show ‘Chapter Two,’ at Laguna Playhouse but beforehand, we headed to the Lumberyard  for dinner and drinks.  The Lumberyard opened its doors in 2008, after a complete remodel. It is named after the original company occupying the site, The Laguna Lumber Company, which was the longest running company in Laguna Beach, and in business from 1910 to 1985. Owner, Cary Redfearn wanted to stay true to the original integrity of the 1912 building so he left the office of Joe Jahraus, owner of The Laguna Lumber Company, intact as part of the restaurant. Inside no detail has been left to chance with custom booths, a horseshoe-shaped bar, artisan woodwork throughout, and a beautiful 12,000-piece mesquite wood floor entrance. The only thing that upstages the elegant décor is the food.

We began our date, as is our tradition, with drinks and a toast. I chose the Ri Mist and the Mister went with the Margarita. We toasted to a quiet night out, free from the worries of kids and work. Next we enjoyed the zucchini planks, a Lumberyard signature dish. The zucchini is presented like a Lincoln log tower and topped with parmesan. Each plank is thinly sliced and covered in panko crumbs and fried. These planks are absolutely perfect with a crispy outer layer and a hot tender inside with an aioli sauce for dipping. We had to stop ourselves from over eating this tasty appetizer so we could leave room for the main course.

Before opening Lumberyard, Cary owned the beloved Oysters in Corona Del Mar, famous for their fresh fish. The executive chef from Oysters, Armando Ortega, went with Cary to the Lumberyard, as well as  some of his famous dishes. With this knowledge how could we pass up an opportunity to try them? So I chose the pan seared Pacific Sea Bass and the Mister, the cedar-planked mahogany King Salmon.

The Sea Bass is served over whipped truffled potatoes with edamame and corn ragout,  wild mushrooms, tomatoes and a beurre blanc. The Sea Bass is a staff favorite and I can taste why! This was a deeply flavorful dish made with the simplest of ingredients and the perfect blend of texture and seasoning that brought out rich, bold flavors. The vegetables are a twist on the American favorite succotash, but replacing the lima beans for edamame and making a combination that was absolutely delicious.

The cedar King Salmon was recommended by Cary himself after he heard how much my husband loves salmon. It is covered in a soy-mustard glaze and served with applewood smoked bacon and Yukon gold potatoes. The cedar flavored penetrated the salmon without drying out the fish. It was sweet without being overwhelming.

After dinner we couldn’t pass up the opportunity for dessert. In fact, Lumberyard is running a special right now if you are going to see a play at The Laguna Playhouse. When you purchase two entrees, you receive a FREE dessert! We did not hesitate to jump on that special. Normally we lean towards a chocolate dessert, but tonight we went with the Cherry Ciabatta Bread Pudding and we were very happy we did. Topped with vanilla ice cream this was heaven in a dish and I had to fight the Mister for every bite.

With our bellies satisfied we stepped outside into the crisp air and took the short walk down to the Playhouse to see ‘Chapter Two,’ Neil Simon’s most autobiographical play. It is the story of a divorcee and a recently widowed novelist finding their second chance at love and happiness. It’s a smart, dialogue-heavy play that keeps you on your toes as you watch the story unfold. Each character is dealing with their own personal loneliness that at times is painful to see, but Simon peppers the dialog with witty quips making you laugh your way to hoping that these lonely lovers succeed.

As the Mister and I walked out of the Playhouse hand-in-hand, we smiled, feeling refueled by a fun date night in Laguna.

LumberyardRestaurant 

384 Forest Avenue

949.715.3900

Like them on Facebook 

LagunaPlayhouse 

606 Laguna Canyon Road

949.497.2787

Chapter Two playing now thru February 3^rd

Like them on Facebook 

By Anne-Marie S.

Winter Fantasy 2012

As the warm summer heat slowly cools to crisp winter temperatures, the Sawdust Festival grounds prepare their own transformation of a Winter Fantasy wonderland. We have been attending the Sawdust Art Festival Winter Fantasy for the last four years. On the third weekend of November we loaded our gaggle of spunky kids in the car and headed out to the canyon to see Santa on his special visit to Laguna Beach. Adorned in our warm winter coats (warm enough for the not-so-cold Southern California temperatures) we make a beeline for Santa's house in the Towne Square. The front entry of the grounds is designed to look like Santa’s town square in the North Pole including Santa’s house, his sleigh, the reindeer barn and decorated Christmas Trees (all decorated by different non-profit community organizations). After we finished telling Santa what we wanted for Christmas (I asked for a day off) and grabbed a few photos in the Towne Square we meandered down the aisles of the festival to see what we could find for the people on our holiday list. You never know what unique treasures you’ll find.

First up was a booth featuring a mother, daughter and son-in-law team of artists. Jane and Patty work with fused glass making tea light candle holders, star ornaments, serving plates, earrings and much more. The brightly-colored glass danced in the sunlight and grabbed my attention. I am a sucker for the use of color in creating a visual treat and I certainly was seeing that here with the Slowsky’s work. Jane and Patty have been working in fused glass since 1981 and have shown at the Sawdust Festival for 43 years! If you are looking for the perfect stocking suffers for Mom, be sure to stop by and see the earrings, ornaments and candle holders here. 

Jane moved from Denver to Laguna Beach in the late 1940s after visiting family and falling head over heels in love with Laguna. Patty, her daughter, was born and raised here and also met her husband, Laguna Beach native, John Enfield. John is also an artist and you can often find him in the booth whittling away at his latest creation. Clearly John is a wood worker and his specialty is carving and shaping beautiful cutting boards, chopsticks and other items. I thought the cutting boards with inlayed designs were ideal for the foodies and chefs on my list.

Jane and Patty Slowsky

sloweskyglassart@cox.net

949.494.6601

John B. Enfield

949.338.6899

Next we wandered into Steve Dennis' booth where the tall walls were lined with brightly-colored birdhouses. Don't get the wrong idea, these aren't your ordinary birdhouses, these are made from repurposed wood, garden tools and other trinkets. Much of the wood is 100 years old and carries with it all the character of that time. Steve crafts all of the houses by hand and each one is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. These are perfect for not just the garden enthusiast on your list but also for the home decorator who values pieces with turn of the century and mid-century sensibilities. Steve does not show at the summer festival, so be sure to catch him at this year's Winter Fantasy.

Steve Dennis

323.934.7665

Over at Alex Fritz's booth we fell in love with his intricate lamp work glass. He has a wide selection of bottle stoppers ranging from swirl and spiral designs to tidepool and critter-inspired ones topped with frogs and geckos. He also has a collection of custom wine glasses featuring his detailed glasswork on the stems. If you think you might recognize Alex’s work you are probably correct, he has exhibited at Art-a-Fair for the last three years, and this is his second year at Sawdust Winter Fantasy.

As you make your way through the festival grounds you’ll hear live music from strolling carolers or from one of the three outdoor stages.

Andrew Corradini

There really is something for everyone at the Sawdust Art Festival Winter Fantasy so load up your kids or grab a friend or two and head out this weekend to the Sawdust Festival.

Sawdust Winter Fantasy

Open weekends through December 9^th

10am to 6pm

Tickets: $6 Adults, $5 Seniors, $3 Children (6-12)

For a full listing of daily events click HERE 

Bring an unwrapped gift for Toys for Tots on Sunday November 25, December 2 or December 9 and receive free admission.

By Anne-Marie S.

14th Annual Plein Air Invitational

For the past 13 years, the nation’s top plein air painters have been welcomed to Laguna Beach for a weeklong landscape painting festival.  They will be competing for prestigious prizes and participating in  public paint outs, environmental awareness activities and educational events.

The week kicked off with the highly popular Quick Draw event in Heisler Park. Last Sunday, the 40 artists had two hours to complete a painting. The works were immediately taken to the Laguna Art Museum where they were displayed, still wet, and available for auction.

Greg LaRock

Billyo O'Donnell

There are many more opportunities for you to watch these talented artists in action this week:

LCAD Next Generation Paint Out- Wednesday,October 17, 2012

11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Heisler Park, Laguna Beach. Open to the public for viewing. The LCAD Next Generation Paint Out is designed to cultivate the next generation of plein air painters. This event also aims to deepen Laguna Beach’s reputation as an arts destination by giving the community and guests the opportunity to view the work of young artists from Laguna College of Art + Design.  Participating students will have just three hours to create a work of art at Heisler Park in Laguna Beach. These works will then be hung at Laguna Art Museum and judged by Mr. Jean Stern, Executive Director of The Irvine Museum. The paintings will be on display at the October 20 Collectors’ Soirée, and the top three winners will be invited to attend the celebration where they will be presented with scholarship awards sponsored by LCAD.

Paint Out at Crystal Cove- Thursday,October 18, 2012

Sponsored by the Crystal Cove Alliance Art Council - 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  Crystal Cove State Park; Open to the public for viewing, $15.00 parking fee. At the north end of Laguna Beach lies the magnificent Crystal Cove State Park, which boasts 3.2 miles of beach and 2,400 acres of pristine coastal habitat. The participating plein air artists will be at the Park’s famous Historic District on Thursday, October 18 to paint the beautiful landscape and cottages, and bring awareness to the Park’s protected environment. Spend the day at the park, watch these master painters in action, and then head on over to the Shake Shack or Beachcomber Café for a leisurely lunch. Other activities at Crystal Cove State Park include exploring tidepools and sandy covers, hiking, mountain biking, scuba diving, swimming, surfing, tours, and more.  This event is sponsored by the Crystal Cove Alliance Art Council, a part of the Crystal Cove Alliance which is the non-profit Cooperating Association partner with Crystal Cove State Park dedicated to education, conservation, and restoration.

Collectors’ Soirée-Saturday, October 20,2012

6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Laguna Art Museum-Museum members $125.00 | Non-members $150.00, Dressy casual attire | Complimentary valet parking. Nearly 400 guests attend the Collectors’ Soirée annually at Laguna Art Museum. Join us for this exciting party where you will have the exclusive opportunity to view and purchase, in advance of the general public, the artworks created throughout the week by forty of the nation’s top plein air artists.  The evening’s highlights include delicious food courtesy of 24 Carrots Catering, lively cocktails, wine by 14 Hands Vineyard, gorgeous flowers by Laguna Nursery, and live music by the Dan Reckard Trio. The prestigious artist awards will be announced, and works created during the Kids’ Paint Out and LCAD Next Generation Paint Out will be on display during the evening. New this year! Enter for the chance to win a gift basket courtesy of St. Regis, which includes a two night stay at the St. Regis, Monarch Beach, golf for two, and spa treatments. Valued at $2,730. Each raffle ticket is $25.00 and can be purchased at the event. Reserve your Soirée tickets now as this party sells out quickly!

For a full listing of events: HERE 

For a full list of participating artist: HERE

Three Cheers, Old Chap, for 39 Steps

Laguna Playhouse  presents the Olivier & Tony Award-winning play; Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps. With a four-person cast playing over 150 characters, the show is a mix of comedy and suspense that will thrill you up to the closing dramatic moments.

“The original 39 Steps was not funny. The 1915 novel by John Buchan is a thriller, and the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film is a noteworthy precursor to the psychological suspense genre known as film noir. However, when Patrick Barlow re-imagines Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps for the stage, he made it a farce—a style of comedy based on inane plots, mistaken identities, linguistic acrobatics and easily identifiable characters,” says Lauren Simon, Artistic/Literary Manager at the Laguna Playhouse.

The set is minimalistic and as the first character is introduced on stage you know you are watching a heavily-influenced Hitchcock production. It’s the over dramatic back lit silhouettes, over pronounced accents, and long pregnant pauses punctuated by synchronized movements across the stage that make this film-noir for the stage. You can’t help but laugh at the way in which the main character, the boring Richard Hannay, is thrust into a whirlwind spy/murder mystery when a woman is killed in his flat. As he runs from the law in pursuit of the truth, he encounters a plethora of characters along the way (played by the other three cast members). One of my favorite scenes was one when Hannay is running from the law by jumping from train car to train car in the dead of night. But there was no train on stage here, only large trunks, fog, dramatic lighting, sound effects and superbly choreographed movement and acting.

Of course the play pays tribute to the great Hitchcock. You’ll notice references to North by Northwest, Rear Window (listen carefully or you may miss this slyly placed one), The Birds, Vertigo, Psycho and more. In fact, if you are a Hitchcock aficionado you’ll notice that verbatim dialog from Hitchcock’s 39 Steps is kept in the play. This was by far one of the most enjoyable and unique plays I have seen come to the Laguna Playhouse. I grew up on Hitchcock films and enjoyed the pithy physical humor and witty dialogue of the play. It was impressive to see four actors work as one well-oiled machine to bring the film-noir to life on the stage.

Alfred Hitchcock’s 39 Steps

Now playing thru October 21^st

For Tickets 

By Anne-Marie S.