Big Thalia Surf Contest (Take 2) - This weekend

I was once again reminded by my faithful reader Kim Thacker that the Surf contest from last weekend was postponed until this weekend and will be held down at Thalia. This will be held one on Saturday or Sunday...depending on wave conditions. Run on down and say hello to Kim and thank her for reminding me again!

Once again, have a great weekend, and if you see me wandering through Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi! Cole

Laguna Beach Weekend Events - Part 2

Hello again avid readers. I am here to update the weekend events! Yippee! Hope no one died from the anticipation.

Friday:

1. Sunset Serenades; Singer/songwriter Jason Feddy will perform on Main beach from 6:30pm to sunset. For more information, call (949) 497-0722.


2. Tea Party; Pure Light, 821 Laguna Canyon Road, will hold a Girls' Night Out Spiritual Tea party from 5 to 9pm. $75 includes a 15-minute tea leaf reading, 15-minute seated massage, music, candlemaking and refreshments. For information or to RSVP, call (949) 376-7200 or email info@purelightcelebrations.com.

Saturday:

1. Mr. LBHS; A "mangeant", a male beauty pageant will be held by the Laguna Beach High School at 7:30pm in the Dugger Gym. Tickets are $5 at the door; all proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.


2. Skim Celebration; Victoria Skimboards, 2955 Laguna Canyon Road, is holding a summer kickoff from 10am to 5pm. For information, call (949) 494-0059 or go to http://www.victoriaskimboards.com/.


3. Bali Party; Bali-themed party held by Pure Light, 821 Laguna Canyon Road, from 3 to 8pm. For information, call (949) 376-7200 or go to http://www.purelightcelebrations.com/.

Sunday:

1. Author Event; Elizabeth George, author of the Thomas Lynley mystery series, will read and sign at a free 2pm event at the Woman's Club of Laguna Beach, 286 St. Ann's Drive.


2. Open Mic Night; Hosted by No Square Theatre from 5:30 to 8:30pm at the Laguna Beach Woman's Club, 286 St. Ann's Drive. Free! For information, visit http://www.nosquare.org/.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and gets to enjoy this beautiful time of the year here in Laguna. Thanks for reading and if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi. Cole

Laguna Beach Weekend Events - Part 1

I will be in meetings from 8:30am to at least 12pm probably 1pm, so I am putting the weekend events in two sections like I had to last week, also. I apologize for the split.

Friday:

1. Rhythms of Life; This will be performed by the Lagunatunes, Gallimaufry Performing Arts' community chorus at 8pm at the Artists' Theatre, 625 Park Avenue. This is and eclectic mix of classical, jazz and Broadway tunes exploring rhythms throughout the ages. Tickets are $5 for reserved seats; general unreserved seats will be available at the door 15 minutes before the show. For information, visit www.gallimaufry.info/nowshowing.html or call (949) 499-5060.

Sunday:

1. Nix Nature Center First Weekend; Martin Espino, a master musician who creates traditional American Indian musical instruments, will lead a day of music and art from 1pm to 4pm. $5 materials fee allows you to design your own rhythm instrument or decorate your own percussion stick. Join in for a concert at 3pm. Meet at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Nix Nature Center, Little Sycamore Canyon Staging Area (west side of Laguna Canyon Road/SR-133, approximately 3.5 miles south of I-5/405). Reservations required, (949) 923-2235. Parking fee of $3. First Weekend programs are offered monthly. Please call for schedule.

Thanks for reading and I will update the weekend information as quickly as I get the new events in my hands. If you see me wandering through Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi! Cole

Laguna Beach Real Estate

Hello everyone out there in cyber land. I hope and like to believe that many people are reading these posts religiously, but I can also face reality. I do know that people are looking at the site and some are reading, but I can't determine exactly how many and it doesn't seem like a lot due to insufficient comments.

Well, I have poured my soul out many times and will continue in the future, but I also want to be informative. I am researching news feeds to add to the site and since I am...hopefully you can judge me differently than others have from my employment title...a real estate agent, I do have some cool information that I can pass on periodically. I don't want this to become a marketing site, but I will distribute information...real estate news can be as important to some as current events. Now that is all I have to say about updating...other than...if anyone has particular information or topics that they would like to see tackled, please let me know.

Now on to the reasons that I began this post...I recently dealt with a person who lied to me and then, when I called their bluff, they told me that they were going to deal with someone else because...now get this...because the other person was more straight forward with them! I guess dishonest individuals respect those who bad-mouth others more than the nice guys. As a licensed real estate agent and a Realtor, I have an obligation to act with honesty, respect and openness. If I were to fail to do so or even exaggerate slightly, I could not only lose my license, but I could be sued, also. Now if we as real estate agents are held to such standards, is the general public allowed to lie with no regard for us!!!

For those who actually do read this, I hope you see that I don't hold back much and I have also been told that I am too honest. My wife actually told me that I scared her on our first date because I was so honest...oh well. Anywho, I have vented for the day. And just to let you know, the person who led me down this road is not from Laguna and isn't looking to move here, either! I have now decided to fire any client who is dishonest with me. They aren't worth my time!

As for the day in Laguna. It looks beautiful as I sit looking out my window and I hope everyone has a wonderful time out there in our little piece of heaven! Thanks for reading and if you see me wandering around Laguna, please say hi! Cole

Laguna Art and Beaches

Hello and happy back to work day! Sorry! From my hidden lair, I get my updates on Laguna Beach. Needless to say, I didn't get any really exciting, cool or heartbreaking developments relayed to me from the weekend.

The only things that were of importance/interest to me was the fact that the 18th annual beach report card was released by the environmental group Heal the Bay. Laguna received good grades, due in part to the low rainfall that limited the amount of polluted urban runoff to reach the ocean via storm drains. Secondly, the "Art-To-Go" kick-off reception was held at the Laguna Design Center on May 15th. I hope everyone went...I missed it...I was working!!! But rejoice, the works are on display through July 2 at City Hall during business hours. They are donated works by exhibitors of "The Festival of Arts" and the proceeds benefit the Artists Fund, which provides financial aid to artists who suffer from economic hardship due to illness, personal injury or natural disaster...but we all know that virtually all artists suffer economic hardships until they die and then everyone starts appreciating their works!!! Anywho, new pieces will be added regularly and they will go up for sale at Tivoli Lane on the Festival grounds beginning July 5th. Then on August 15th from 1 to 3pm any remaining pieces will be sold at a lively auction. The auctioneer will be Mike Tauber during the festival's jazz day.

So I hope everyone had a fun, exciting and safe holiday weekend...like I told you to. Thanks for reading and if you see me wandering through Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi! Cole

Award Winning Laguna Beach Teacher

As I read the article about Steve Sogo, a Chemistry teacher at Laguna Beach High School, I think back to my days of schooling and wonder what fun it would have been to learn from experience the way he is teaching.

He was awarded one of the six 2008 Amgen Awards for Science Teaching Excellence that were given in California. Additionally only a couple dozen nationally will win this award. He earned the award by wondering away from the normal teaching curriculum to teach an Advanced Chemical Research class. The rare course allows students to conduct true scientific research! I did always dislike having my head in a book.

To think of all the fun I could've had accidentally blowing up the Chem Lab!!! I'm glad to say that it sounds like he has students that are better at chemistry than I was and we are lucky to have a teacher who thinks outside the box to create learning possibilities!!!

I would make a toast...to Steve Sogo...well done and I hope that when a child of mine is old enough to be there, they will have someone like you to keep them from blowing up the Chem Lab!

Thanks for reading and keep being safe and having fun this weekend. If you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi. Cole

Big Thalia Surf Contest - This weekend

I was reminded by my faithful reader Kim that the Surf contest will be held down at Thalia this weekend. This will be held one of the three days...Saturday, Sunday or Monday...depending on wave conditions. First Team Leasing will be down there on Saturday hoping the waves are great and with complimentary Hot Bagels!!! Run on down and say hello to Kim and thank her for reminding me...that gentle kick she gave me is still hurting...just kidding!

Once again, have a great and safe holiday weekend. And if you see me wandering through Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi! Cole

Laguna Beach Weekend Events - Part 2

Hello all! Here we are at 10am and the paper has just been delivered. I will put this in as quickly as possible for my avid readers...all 1 of them!!! Without further delay.

Friday:

1. Sunset Serenades; Guitarist Bob Hawkins will perform on Main Beach from 6:30pm to Sunset. Sponsored by the city of Laguna Beach. For more information, call (949) 497-0722.

Saturday:

1. Blood Pressure Screenings; All four Laguna Beach fire stations will provide free blood pressure screenings from 10am to 2pm as part of the annual Emergency Medical Services Month celebration. For more information, call (949) 497-0700.

Monday (Memorial Day):

1. Memorial Day Ceremony; Begins at 10:30am with patriotic music at Monument Point Park at Heisler Park. The ceremony starts promptly at 11am with keynote speaker Marine Sgt. Casey McCullar, Iraq war veteran. Celebration sponsored by the American Legion, Laguna Beach Post 222. Note: No community picnic due to renovations at the park. For more information, call Richard Moore, (949) 376-6340 or Dave Connell, (949) 494-2065.

Thanks for reading and have a fun, wonderful and safe holiday weekend. If you see me wandering through Laguna (in the rain, possibly) in my little grey Subaru, please say hi! Cole

Laguna Beach Weekend Events - Part 1

Hello and welcome to Friday. We have a holiday weekend upon us!!! The papers seem to have started the weekend early and have failed to deliver yet. There is an event that I can include here and then have a "part 2" come out later. So thanks to our OC Register we have:

Saturday:

1. Wildflower hike; The Laguna Canyon Foundation naturalist Dick Newell will be leading a hike to see late-spring bloomers from 8am to 11:30am. 3.5 miles with some steep climbs. Meet at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Willow Canyon Staging Area, 20101 Laguna Canyon Road, west side, just south of El Toro Road intersection. Reservations are suggested and parking is $3. Call (949) 923-2235

As soon as possible, I will have the additional weekend events that come in the other papers. Thanks for reading and if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi! Cole

Life and Living it

I just finished reading an email sent to me by my mother. It has been forwarded around. I don't know if the story that I will include is true or not...I hope it was, but it's meaning is very true and fits wonderfully with all the ideas of enjoying what we have around us. The contents of the email are as follows:

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said, 'Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?' I laughed and enthusiastically responded, 'Of course you may!' and she gave me a giant squeeze. 'Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?' I asked. She jokingly replied, 'I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids...'
'No seriously,' I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age. 'I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!' she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this 'time machine' as she shared her wisdom and experience with me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, 'I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.' As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, ' We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it! There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.' She concluded her speech by courageously singing 'The Rose.' She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they'll really enjoy it! These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.
REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a Living by what we get. We make a Life by what we give.

Thanks for reading and as always if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi! Cole

I love this town Laguna!

Recently I had the pleasure of looking at some videos on "YouTube". While searching around, I found this montage of Laguna. As I have stated in the past, sometimes we forget the wonder of our own little local areas. I plan on remembering and watching this every once in a while will help.



I hope you are enjoying Laguna as much as those in the video. I know I will try to every day! Have a wonderful day out there and if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hello! Cole

Love, Lies and Ordinary Lives

We live somewhere, that is , at least I hope that we do. Where ever that place is we hope that we love that place. Sometimes we seem to forget that the place where we live is a wonderful awe inspiring place. Not only have we tamed the forces of nature (sometimes, that is), inhabited a wonderful continent, built communities and societies and small quaint area like our beautiful little corner of the world, Laguna Beach. We have many luxuries, natural and man-made.

Since beginning to post here, I have begun to look at this world we live in differently...as if from the outside looking in. I have learned to slow down and look at the all the wonders. I have a great life. My home is perfect for me. I am married to the woman of my dreams and have a lovable wiener dog named Lola! I love my friends and enjoy working with people every day. Prior to this I was one of those people that I see out the window honking at each other at the stop sign.

I wish that every person can do the same thing. The next best thing in my book is to try and spread the feeling. I'm in sales and I have come to see that we sales people seem to be looked down upon by those out of sales. I work extremely hard and only try to help those that want me to. But that isn't why I started writing this evening, so I will get back to waxing on Laguna.

I find myself down in Laguna at 5am and love to hear the silence that fills the air. The time spent with no one around allows for me to really appreciate the beauty that is all around us and we tend to overlook. We are running around and working so hard that our vision becomes tunnel like. My best friend has been dreaming of the perfect home and now that vision is flirting with becoming reality. I haven't heard the pleasure level that he has right now in a long time. He has described the home to me before, but now that it is so close, it takes a new clarity. That is the same type of feeling I have during those early mornings!

Those are the feelings and experiences that make life worth living! Someone asked me recently what I saw as my legacy. I immediately answered that I want to leave every person I meet happier then they were prior. This has always been a deeply rooted hope of mine, most probably since I am quite insecure. The love that I have found from slowing down and taking a new viewpoint on life over the past few weeks of these posts has allowed this true mission be envisioned.

So join me in stopping and watching the sunrises and sunsets that we have the pleasure of experiencing. Then we will walk around town and see all the wonderful shops. After that we will take some time to paint the next masterpiece. And finally, we will make sure all those in our lives how much they truly mean to us!

I promise that I will work very hard at practicing what I preach. So enjoy the wonderful place we call Laguna with me. Thanks for reading and if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi and I will send some love! Cole

Beauty and the Beach

Hello from what seems like the hottest days, but at least it's not as hot as it is inland. The fog this morning allowed for the heat to stay away a little longer. It seems that summer has hit with a vengeance. I have had the pleasure of greeting many visitors to Laguna while holding open houses and we must have a great place here, considering we have a lot of people looking for vacation/weekend homes here. I have discussed the beauties of Laguna with many and also the wonders of the waters.

What I am trying to create here is a comprehensive story of life in Laguna. The good, the bad and the ugly as they say. We have beautiful sunsets and beaches, quaint areas and marketplaces, but there is always a flip side to the coin. I have always believed that with more honest information, even more people would come to appreciate what there is to offer. I know, from a marketing standpoint, you don't want to talk about the "less favorable" aspects of life here, but if you bring them out in the open then the beauty far outshines them.

Life in Laguna in different!

1. There are streets that remind me of some of my European travels...having a road too narrow for cars to pass...for example. Those European streets were created when the horse was the mode of travel, what excuse does the planners of Laguna have? I believe that is easily viewed as the narrow passes of a hillside road...we are nestled against the hills here, aren't we!
2. Traffic is never as bad as the 91 Freeway, but we do have some not so fun traffic, like Laguna Canyon Road in and out during "rush hour". We have this problem due to only a few entrances and exits to Laguna.
3. Now back to those roads, as I've noted before, they are quite confusing to the unsuspecting visitor. Wandering up into the hills requires a very good navigator or navigation unit or you could end up calling for "search and rescue" units.
4. If you can't handle the attitude or should we say "free spirited" ways of the artsy folks that abound throughout Laguna, then they could drive you crazy. First of all, take a deep breath and relax as you enter. Slow down and Chill!!!

Once you have "chilled", you can start to enjoy the wonders of Laguna.

1. The relaxed environment will seep into your heart as you enjoy walking around the shops in downtown.
2. There is always a beach to visit...especially if you are a diver or surfer...and a sunset to watch.
3. The events and restaurants to visits are vast and have a wide variety to choose from. Those include the Sawdust Festival and the Festival of the Arts...to name a few.

Due to time constraints, I am only listing some of "wonderful" things there are about Laguna, so I ask that those of you out there reading who are from Laguna, to please add your favorites or least favorite things about our lovely little town!

Thanks for reading and look forward to all the newcomers coming and visiting. If you see me wandering through Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi and feel free to ask directions if you are lost!

Laguna Weekend

We have made it through half of the weekend. The Saturday "scorcher" is done. I hope there aren't too many sunburns from yesterday!

After reading the post by Corinthia, I began to think about how we (the royal we...as in me, myself and I) tend to forget the wonders that are in our own backyard. Sometimes it takes a fresh set of eyes to remind us of it. I haven't spent the time that I would like to watching the sunsets, sitting in front of the waves as they crash on the rocks, strolling along the sand with nowhere in particular to go or of course jumping into the water and frolicking like a child. The childhood wonder of the beach is something that can keep us young and I know that I haven't taken advantage of it in a long time...too long!

While I sit working, I have my friends emailing me about doing a dive (SCUBA) and I haven't even had the time to service my gear. I have 4 or more friends who are instructors, so they seem to be in the water more than out of it. That seems to be a great way to have a reason to swim out and drop down. If you haven't seen the giant fish tank, which most people call the ocean, from within, you are missing one of the wonders of the world. I had always dreamed of going diving and watched the programs on the Discovery Channel, TLC and all the others, but once I went under the first time, I was hooked (pardon the fish pun, it wasn't on purpose). For anyone who has owned a fish tank and obviously fish, the thrill of being in the fish tank is unmatched. You feel worries melt away and become part of something much bigger.

Now, we in Laguna have some of the great local diving around. My friends from other cities make their plans to dive here! There are dive destinations, with their warm water (no wetsuits needed), but they require a large commitment of time and money. We have wonderful waters and sights that rival those and all we have to do is don a wetsuit...no big deal with the right one! If anyone out there wants to learn, I have some of the best instructors as friends! For the conditions which are excellent check out this link: http://www.lagunaseasports.com/conditions/conditions.asp.

Enjoy the day out there. I will be hanging out at a open house down in South Laguna...I don't like to plug in here. So if want to visit, let me know and I will give the location.

Well, thanks for reading and if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi!

Laguna Beach - Nature's Concupiscent Heaven

Have you ever sat at Shaw’s Cove with your eyes closed and let the cool sigh of the Goddess Pacifica breathe down your neck? Or have you seen the dance of the yellow mustard plants as they jitterbug together through the canyons behind Alta Laguna?

Living in Laguna Beach offers these delicacies from Mother Nature at our doorstep. Where else can you surf with the chattering dolphins at sunrise and then relax with an evening picnic in Laguna’s desert-like backcountry? There isn’t anywhere else like it.

The other day I took my mother visiting from rural Pennsylvania (I mean Amish rural!) down to the tide pools at Shaw’s cove. I observed her personality change from that of a 60 year old grown-up, down to a childlike 11 year old when she spotted some type of drifting sea creature dawdling its way down the cove. With no regard for her own safety, she barreled down the coastline armed with a camera in hopes of snapping a horrible, blurry picture of the creature to show her friends back home. In fact, she has collected several horrible, blurry pictures of Laguna’s wildlife. Her friends back in rural Pennsylvania must think even the animals out here live a fast-paced life!

If I could bottle up the wonderful day my mother had and sell it, I would make a fortune. On second though, I doubt Dior would market a perfume called ‘Crazy 60 Year Old Lady on Vacation’. I guess we should stick to the pictures.

Laguna Beach Weekend Events

Hello and Happy Friday to all. I hope everyone has saved some energy from the week to enjoy the weekend. So with that said, away we go!

Friday/Today:

1. "Our Town"; Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" will be performed tonight and Saturday at 7:30pm by the Laguna Beach High School drama department at the Artists' Theatre, 625 Park Avenue. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (949) 497-7769.
2. Sunset Serenades; A free romantic classical music performance by Jessica Haddy and Deborah Glass on Main Beach from 6:30pm to sunset is sponsored by the city of Laguna Beach. For more information, call (949) 497-0722.
3. Jazz Dinner Dance; "Dining and Dancing Under the Stars" will be held at 7pm at Tivoli Terrace, 650 Laguna Canyon Road by the Laguna Beach High School music department. $45 per person. For more information, call Julie Stevens (949) 497-5857.
4. Youth Theatre; "The Sleeping Beauty" is presented by Laguna Playhouse Youth Theatre at 2pm and 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday and Sunday at 1pm and 5pm at the Playhouse. For more information or tickets, visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com.

Saturday:

1. Charm House Tour; 36th annual Tour of interesting homes in Laguna Beach with shuttle service from the Festival of Arts grounds, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, from Noon to 3:30pm. $45 per person on the day of the event. For information, visit www.villagelaguna.org or call (949) 472-7503.
2. Self-Discovery Through Writing; Trina Belanger will offer a free Self-Discovery through Writing workshop from 9am to 11am on Main Beach by the lifeguard tower. Bring a journal. For more information, e-mail trina.belanger@cox.net.

Sunday:

1. Belly Dance Party; A belly dance party will be hosted by the Veterans Memorial Community Center, 384 Legion Street from 1pm to 6pm. Learn how to belly dance in a free class taught by award-winning local instructor Jheri St. James from 12pm to 1pm.

I know that there are other events going on out there that I don't know about yet. I invite everyone to update me about them and I will update this as I learn of more!

Thanks for reading and if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi! Cole

Wandering through Laguna Beach (as seen through an office window)

Hello out there in cyber-land. I am sitting here in my office, which means that I get to look out the window and think. While doing that, I inevitably end up watching all the cars drive by and the people walk by. I seem to be seeing a trend out there on the roads.

1. People appear to be so focused on themselves that they don't acknowledge the world or other people around them. It seems to be a "me first" mentality. (As I wrote that last sentence, a car honked at another, because they didn't wait their turn at the stop sign) I think we can learn a lot about ourselves and others by how we interact at a busy intersection that has a 4-way stop. It has definitely made me change my outlook. I take more time and let others, who look like they're in a hurry, go first. It is sad to look at myself and see that I have and still do (a little less now then before) fall into the "stop sign" trap!
2. People aren't enjoying their travels! Let's face it, when was the last time you went out and wandered around aimlessly for no reason. And, guess what, going downtown to walk around and just look is more of a tourist thing, so that leaves us with a reason. The reason always seems to drive us! Why can't we drive and have the reason just be a result. I don't know how DEEP that was, but it made me think just now. This little community of ours needs some good vibes. So if we are all in a rush to reach the final destination, we can't enjoy the trip and share it with others.
3. I also wonder how many of the vehicles I see passing by are needed or for show. The Range Rover's, Viper's, Maserati's, Lamborghini's and so forth (please forgive me if I didn't name the luxury vehicle that you drive to show your status). I have one of those cars that could be in this class, but it was an employee, "I'd be stupid to pass up", deal on a Jaguar. My past life in the auto world. It's a great car to drive and enjoy, but I don't get to enjoy it enough, because I always have someplace to go!!!

Well, that's my philosophical wanders of the day. It may be that this was caused by the overcast weather, I don't know. I hope that this will lead one person to change their driving (as a Ferrari screams by) habits, styles and attitudes. I am thankful that we in Laguna have a more "relaxed and mellow" attitude that other areas, but I am still here in Laguna watching it all go by.

Thanks for letting me vent and as usual...if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru (my wife has custody of the Jaguar), please say hello!!! Cole

Laguna Weekend Events

For those of us that don't read the newspaper and only read internet news, I have decided to post information from the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot's Calendar. This will be posted on a weekly basis as soon as the hardcopy is dropped and I can transfer the information into digital form. So, without further ado...The Laguna Weekend Events:

Friday:

1. Garden Club: The Laguna Beach Garden Club will meet at 9:30am at the Neighborhood Congregational Church, 340 St. Ann's Drive. Business meeting starts at 10am. Free for 1st time guests. For more info, visit http://www.lagunabeachgardenclub.com/.
2. Sunset Serenades: A free acoustic performance by jazz musician Evan Stone on Main Beach from 6:30pm to sunset. Sponsored by the City of Laguna Beach. For more info, call (949)497-0722.

Saturday:

1. Lawn Bowling: "Visitors Day" from 10am to 3pm. Includes instructional video, $1 hot dog lunch and free lessons. Sign up for a membership there and receive a $50 discount. Flat-soled shoes required. For more info, call Frank (949)494-0125.
2. Historic Walk: A walk of downtown Laguna Beach from 10am to noon. Meet at the Laguna Beach Library, 363 Glenneyre St. Admission Free.
3. Aliso Open House: The open house to allow the public to view the property proposed for redevelopment. It's from 2pm to 5pm at the Aliso Creek Inn and Golf Course, 31106 Coast Hwy. For more information, call Kathy Lottes (949) 553-1427 or visit http://www.lagunabeachcity.net/.
4. Compost Giveaway: Free compost from 8am to noon at the Forest Avenue and Laguna Canyon Road parking lot. First come, first serve for Laguna Beach residents only. Brought to you by Tierra Verde Industries and West Management of Orange County. For more info, call Liz Vazquez-Avila (949) 497-0344 or e-mail lavila@lagunabeachcity.net.
5. Art & Sea Workshop: Treasure Island Park will have a Art & Sea workshop on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 1pm with tide pool exploration with the Ocean Laguna Foundation docents and a hands-on watercolor project taught by local artists. $65 per adult and $35 per child includes a watercolor journal, art supplies, postcards, tote bag, refreshments and more. Call (949) 363-4700.
6. Crystal Cove tour: Tour the historic Crystal Cove district beginning at 10am. Learn the history of the cottages and view a plein air painting demonstration. Meet at the Los Trancos parking lot at the trailer. $10 day-use fee. For info visit, crystalcovealliance.org.

Sunday:

1. Practice nature photography: A 3-mile hike in the El Moro backcountry with Andre Torng. Bring a camera and meet at the El Moro visitor center. $10 day-use parking fee.

That's what I have for this weekends list. If there is anything not listed here, please update with a comment and I will update from there.

Thanks for reading, have a great weekend and as usual, if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi!!!

Aliso Canyon open house May 10th update

Hello again. This post is to update the location of the open house for May 10th. The address is 31106 Coast Hwy. If you need further information, please contact Kathy Lottes at (949) 553-1427. Thanks again, and see you there!

Aliso Canyon open house May 10th

Hello all. Hope everyone out there has been doing well. I want to make sure anyone and everyone who cares about Laguna will take the time to go to Aliso Canyon for the open house that Athens Group has agreed to hold. It is on Saturday, May 10th from 2pm to 5pm. They are proposing developing and in essence re-engineering the Canyon. We have to make sure that we are all aware of their plans. We can't allow them to assume they can just develop without regard to the consiquencies. We are all proud of Laguna and if their plans will over-crowd, over-develop, over-burden, alter the environment or charm and feel of Laguna, we need to speak out against that. I don't know what their plans are...yet...but I will be there to take a look! I hope to see you all there. Thanks for reading and as usual if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi!!!