Laguna Beach Weekend Events

Happy Friday to all! We have had a wonderful summer...knock on wood...so far. It's hard to believe that Labor Day weekend is upon us already!!! The Art-A-Fair and the Marvelous Wonderettes both finish this weekend and the SawDust Festival, Pageant of the Masters and the Festival of Arts all follow closely behind. The Farmers Market is still continuing on Saturday's though. So let us make the most of this holiday weekend!

Friday:

1. Back to School Party-The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce and Laguna Beach Resource Center, with No Square Theater, are sponsoring a Back to School party for children of low-income families in Laguna Beach at 5pm at 225 Forest Avenue (Formerly Crystal Image gallery. School supplies (spiral notebooks, pens and pencils, colored pencils, etc.), clothing, backpacks and other items are needed. Items may be dropped off beginning at 8am at the Chamber of Commerce, 357 Glenneyre St., or at 225 Forest Ave. For more information, call the Chamber at (949) 494-1018.

Saturday:

1. Art-A-Fair Closing Night Carnival-From 5 to 9pm, it's the final opportunity to bid on the silent auction items displayed all summer. There are also auction items including services at Ziba Day Spa, an BMW M6 child’s pedal car, and a necklace by designer Karen Larsen. Admittance to this evening’s festivities is open to all and ticket prices will be $3.50 all day. Swingsensations will be entertaining from 1 to 4pm and, strolling doo-wop darlings, Augie’s Side Effect from 6 to 9pm. Complimentary refreshments will be provided by the artists, and TivoliToo! will also be open for food, beverages and two-for-one margaritas from 5 to 6pm.
2. Smooth Jazz Series-The Festival of Arts continues an astounding line up of jazz musicians from 1 to 4pm at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For general information, call 949-494-1145 or visit the website at http://www.lagunafestivalofarts.org/.

Monday:

1. Labor Day Pancake Breakfast-The Laguna Beach Fire Department will once again be making pancakes! From 7 to 10:30am at Heisler Park (Cliff & Myrtle), we can all see them entertain us with their culinary skills!!! Cost is $5 and proceeds go toward child abuse prevention programs. The event is sponsored by the Laguna Beach Exchange Club.

The summer events are beginning to fade, so let's make the most and have a wonderful, fun and safe Labor Day weekend. Thanks for reading and if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi!!! Cole

Open House in Laguna this Weekend

Hello out there in cyberland. I have an open house here in Laguna this weekend. Please click on the link below to get the information.

I will have all of my material detailing the current listings and listings that have closed out in the last 3 months. If you want to find out information on every listing in Laguna, this is your chance!

Thanks again and if you see me wandering through Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please hi!!! Cole

Laguna Beach Weekend Events

Hello from Hesperia...yes, Hesperia. I am out of the neighborhood due to a passing in my family (good old grandma is in a better place), so this is delayed. The Marvelous Wonderettes, the SawDust Festival, Art-A-Fair, Pageant of the Masters and Festival of Arts are still showing strong each day and the Farmer's Market is supplying us on Saturday as usual.

Friday:

1. Cancer Benefit-Cause for the Cure benefit at Hennessey's Tavern, 213 Ocean Avenue begins at 8pm. A raffle to benefit the American Cancer Society. For more information, call (949) 494-2743.
2. Relay for Life-Will begin with an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. and continue for 24 hours continuously, to 6 p.m. Saturday at El Morro Elementary School. Registration: begins at 5 p.m. on Friday. Opening Ceremony: The festivities will begin at 6:00pm sharp. Survivor Lap: all cancer survivors are welcome to walk in the survivor lap (the first lap of Relay), which will begin immediately following the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. Luminaria Ceremony: the ceremony will take place at 9 p.m. on Friday night and will celebrate and honor the lives of past and present cancer patients. Luminaria are available for a purchase of $10 and may be purchased at the actual event. Kids Camp: the camp will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday night and will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. There will be food, crafts, a bounce house and more for kids to enjoy. Saturday BBQ: A BBQ lunch will take place Saturday afternoon from about 11 a.m. to 2p.m. People will be asked to make a $5 donation. Music: There will be several music acts, bands and performers throughout the 24 hours.

Saturday:

1. Summer Nights at the Great Park-Continues with HAPA at the Irvine Great Park
2. Bargain Festival-Neighborhood Congregational Church will hold the 58th annual Bargain Festival from 8am to 3pm at 340 St. Ann's Drive. For more information, call (949) 494-8061
3. Grand Opening of "I Want Lovely Hair"-Grand opening celebration from 4pm to 7pm at 1075 North Coast Hwy. For more information, email Jacqueline Dull.
4. Special Pageant Gala Benefit-Begins at 8:30pm at the Irvine Bowl, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. Gala tickets: $50-350. For more information, call (800) 487-3378 or go to www.lagunafestivalofarts.org.

Sunday:

1. "Art of Cooking" Seminar-Continues from 1 to 2pm at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For general information, call (949) 494-1145 or visit www.lagunafestivalofarts.org.
2. Blues Fest-The Sunday Blues Fest continues at 2pm to 4pm at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For general information, call (949) 494-1145 or visit www.lagunafestivalofarts.org.
3. Beatles' Classics-The Sunday performances with Jason Freddy and Friends continues at 6pm to 8pm at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For general information, call (949) 494-1145 or visit www.lagunafestivalofarts.org.
4. Jane Egly Campaign Kickoff-The mayor will kickoff her campaign for re-election at Madison Square Garden, 320 North Coast Hwy at 4 to 6pm. A donation of $20 is requested.

Have a wonderful, fun and safe weekend. Thanks for reading and if you see me wandering through Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi!!! Cole

Laguna Real Estate Market Update

Hello all and welcome to a philosophical journey through the real estate market...no not really. I just don't have any idea how to make an opening sentence "feel" right for this.

Anywho...the real estates market here in Laguna has seen some resent increased activity. Throughout this year we were averaging about 15 home sales closing per month, but June and July were 21 and 20, respectively. August has started quickly, closing over a half dozen in the first week. On top of that the number of homes going into escrow has also increase...so what is the cause. From heavily researching, following pricing trends, speaking with buyers & sellers and following the advertising, the main reasons that I have found are that sellers have adjusted their pricing structures to be in alignment with the market and that buyers are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I am constantly speaking with real estate investors, who are very actively searching for more places to plant their money. They don't ask me if the market has turned, they tell me they want to buy before the general populous joins the rush. I don't know about where the bottom of this market was/is/will be, but I know that people who purchased 8 or more years ago almost certainly have equity. It is the false equity that built up from 2003 to 2006/07 that is becoming just that...false. So we have traveled back in time to 2003/04 pricing, which is where we should have been in 2005. The real estates market has long revolved around a 10 year cycle of 7-8 year of growth and 2-3 years of lag and because of the government and lenders trying to make that 7 to 8 period go on forever, we have had to go through this last couple years of "fun".

Let's learn our lesson and RESEARCH before making any purchases. I have stated before that if you are trying to buy to flip homes, I wouldn't do it. There are some out there doing it and making money, but I believe that real HOMEOWNERS, the long term, live in the home individuals, are the real winners. They now have a chance to get into homes that were unavailable. Their incomes have increased since 2003 and now they can afford the home priced at 2003 levels! I love giving a new homeowner the keys to that home!!! I wish I could do it every day...I guess that makes me work hard and keep working hard.

Well, I do believe that this did turn out to be a bit of a philosophical journey! Thanks for reading and as always...if you see me wandering through Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hello!!! Cole

Laguna Beach Weekend Events

As the summer rolls on and we seem to be in the Tropics with this humidity, so do all the usual events like the Pageant of Masters, Festival of Arts, Art-A-Fair, The SawDust Festival. The Marvelous Wonderettes continue singing away and the Saturday morning Farmer's Market is still supplying us with nutrients.

Saturday:

1. The Festival of Arts Auction-A silent and live auction of the work featured in the 75th Pageant Program display; "Art-to-Go:" an exhibition benefiting The Artists Fund. Located at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road.
2. Summer Nights at the Great Park-Continues with Vagabond Opera. For information please check http://vagabondopera.com.
3. Smooth Jazz Series-The Festival of Arts presents an astounding line up of jazz musicians from 1 to 4pm at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For general information, call 949-494-1145 or visit the website at http://www.lagunafestivalofarts.org/.

Sunday:

1. Save Trestles Demonstration-Surfrider Foundation activists, surfers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts will stage a demonstration from 10:30am to whenever needed to raise awareness about the harmful impacts of the proposed Foothill South toll road and the need for the Secretary of Commerce to reschedule the public hearing they canceled earlier this summer.
2. "Art of Cooking" Seminar-Continues from 1 to 2pm at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For general information, call 949-494-1145 or visit the website at http://www.lagunafestivalofarts.org/.
3. Blues Fest-The Sunday Blues Fest continues at 2pm to 4pm at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For general information, call 949-494-1145 or visit the website at http://www.lagunafestivalofarts.org/.
4. Comeback Kids Book signing-Penelope Dyan will be at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center beginning at 2pm. For more information, contact Bellissima Publishing at (619) 669-1918.
5. Beatles' Classics-The Sunday performances with Jason Freddy and Friends continues at 6pm to 8pm at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For general information, call 949-494-1145 or visit the website at http://www.lagunafestivalofarts.org/.

Thanks again and have a wonderful and safe weekend. If you see me wandering through Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi!!! Cole

Laguna Beach Weekend Events

The Olympics are under way and the opening cerimonies take place this evening, but that is on the opposite side of the planet and here in Laguna we have our own "Annual entertaining olympics of sorts". The SawDust Festival, the Festival of Arts, Art-A-Fair and The Pageant of The Masters are still running strong! The spectacle that is the Marvelous Wonderette's are still sing at full voice! And the Saturday Farmer's market is still feeding us some good stuff. So now we have the new additions to the mix.

Saturday:

1. "Spirit of the Master" parade-In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Pageant of the Masters, the Pageant will sponsor a parade similar to the “Spirit of the Masters” parade in 1933. The parade will start near the Laguna Art Museum, the Festival’s site location in 1935. The route will include stops at some of the Festival’s early locations before moving to its permanent home in 1941. The parade will end on the Festival of Arts grounds with a presentation on Center Green immediately following. Parade route: 11:00 a.m. Parade beginsFestival of Arts/Pageant of the Masters President Wayne Baglin begins parade with the ringing of a bell.Parade route: 1) Laguna Art Museum, North Coast Highway at Cliff Drive: (The Festival's site in 1935) south on Coast Highway to: 2) Ocean Avenue (The Festival's site in 1934) to: 3) Hotel Laguna (The Festival's site in 1932, 1933 and 1936) - back to Forest Avenue to: 4) City Hall (The Festival's site in 1937 through 1940) to: 5) Festival of Arts permanent home site (1941 - to present) After the parade arrives at the Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, there will be a Center Green Presentation with Laguna Beach Mayor Jane Egly.
2. Jaipur Kawa Brass Band-Marching band, party band, Hollywood wedding band “the newest craze in world music" performs at the Irvine Great Park. The escape-velocity hands of percussionist Hameed Khan Kawa (of worldpop music label Musafir) and his seven musicians result in an intoxicating blend of traditional Rajasthani rhythms, timeless brass band melodies, Hollywood film. There is no limit to their musical imagination and riotous energy. Don't miss them on the final performance of their US debut tour. More information: www.artways.com
3. Childrens book Author reading and benefit-At 4 p.m. Laguna Beach Books at the Old Pottery Place, 1200 S. Coast Hwy will host an event for author James Hunt, who will read from his book "I Have a New Puppy! Now What?". This will be a special afternoon, as Hunt will be donating all proceeds to Laguna Beach Fire Department and the Fallen Fire Fighters Relief Fund. For more information, please call (949) 494-4997.

Sunday:

1. "Art of Cooking" Seminar-Continues from 1 to 2pm at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For general information, call 949-494-1145 or visit the website at http://www.lagunafestivalofarts.org/.
2. Blues Fest-The Sunday Blues Fest continues at 2pm to 4pm at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For general information, call 949-494-1145 or visit the website at http://www.lagunafestivalofarts.org/.
3. Beatles' Classics-The Sunday performances with Jason Freddy and Friends continues at 6pm to 8pm at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. For general information, call 949-494-1145 or visit the website at http://www.lagunafestivalofarts.org/.

Hazy Dayz Here in Laguna

For those of you who have had the pleasure of spending the last few days in Laguna and haven't ventured toward Laguna Hills via the canyon or anywhere else away from the coast, I needed to tell you that the sun has been making an appearance! The haze along the coast has been staying strong here in Laguna and it seemed to me that the sun would be gone everywhere...until I approached El Toro Road on Laguna Canyon! Then I suddenly realized that the sun was out and the sky was virtually cloudless. Imagine that! The mugginess that I felt in Laguna now became that of a sauna. The temperature in Laguna felt in the 70's this weekend, but outside, just a bit inland, it was 15-20 degrees warmer. So thank you haze! I personally like the 70's much more than the possibility of 90's!!!

Keep enjoying the beauty and pleasures of Laguna and as usual be safe. Thanks for reading and if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi!!! Cole