Laguna Beach Weekend Events

While the SawDust Festival, Art-A-Fair, The Festival of the Arts and the Pageant of The Masters march on daily, we also have other events to fill our weekends. Some may begin and run on throughout the summer. Others are just one time only hits.

Friday:

1. Preview of The Marvelous Wonderettes-This musical about 4 girls going to their 1958 prom will have a preview on the 11th and regular performances begin on Sunday the 13th at the Laguna Playhouse. For information and to purchase tickets, call 949-497-2787, and for group sales, 949-497-2787 ext. 229.

Saturday:

1. Summer Smooth Jazz Concert Series-Held at the Irvine Bowl Park, 650 Laguna Canyon Road from 1pm to 4pm.
2. Fundraiser for China earthquake victims-Being held at the Mardarin Fine Art Gallery, 1294 South Coast Hwy from 6:30 to 9:30pm. Call (949) 376-9608 for information.

Sunday:

1. Methodist Women's Carwash-From 11:30am to 1pm at the Laguna Beach United Methodist Church, 21632 Wesley Drive. Call (949) 338-6135 or email Judy Pettigrew at ltcmom@cox.net for more information.
2. "Art of Cooking" Seminar-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 www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org.
3. Blues Fest-The Sunday Blues Fest begins 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 www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org.
4. Beatles' Classics-The Sunday performances with Jason Freddy and Friends begins 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 www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org.

Thanks for reading and if anything needs to be added, please let me know. Have a great and safe weekend and if you see me wandering through Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi!!! Cole

Laguna Beach Real Estate

I have been accused of being a bit over analytical. But when it comes to this market of real estate, I keep having people come up to me for my opinion on homes.

I know that many homeowners are gloom and doom. I am one of the people who purchased during the last few years, so I theoretically have lost money...on paper. Since I am not selling or planning to sell my home, I actually haven't lost anything. I know that values have returned from the ether. We need to stop thinking that the real estate world is coming to an end! We haven't returned to values from the 1970's or 80's, we've returned to where we should have stopped in 2003-2004.

Some individuals, realtor's included, began to believe that values would never stop going up, or even slow down the increase. Well that has caused a lot of heartache and in the worst case, loss of home! Average prices have dropped, median prices have dropped, amount of homes for sale have increase, but for those who purchased for the right reason and with the truthful information about themselves are still holding on to their homes. The best place to invest, especially right now, is still real estate...as long as you are looking for LONG TERM investing! Whether we look into the crystal ball and it tells us that the market will go up or down in the immediate future, it doesn't matter for the long term. If you can TRUTHFULLY afford a piece of real estate to invest in for the long term, real estate won't let you down. I read all the doom and gloom in the paper...just as I did in the 1990's...and I know that those who understood bought! Those who didn't waited until the press, news and media told them to buy and then were upset that they had to fight for the property...not only that...they had to pay more for the privilege to fight for the property. I'm not saying to buy or sell because the market is at the bottom...I'm not saying to buy because you can turn an immediate profit...I'm saying to buy (or sell to buy up) to enjoy LONG TERM wealth...to have something of your own for the long haul. I look at flipping very much like day-trading on the stock market...unless you have a large sum of expendable money, you may want to jump out your window right after you threw your computer out the window!!!

Laguna Beach has been slightly insulated by it's proximity to the water, but that didn't last forever and we must be looking toward the future, not the past. The real estate is worth what it is today, not what it was worth in 1970, 1980, 1990 or even last year! I have seen areas where up to 80% of all properties for sale are because of financial troubles, but we only had 22 out of over 360 as of last week. That will change. But if we use our intellect and planning we can reduce the chances in the future.

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

Laguna Beach 4th of July Weekend Events

Happy 4th of July! This last week seems to be a vacation week for many, which would include my blogging. My old college buddy, Wright R.S. Block, has been out for the last week visiting and because of that, I couldn't think of a thing original to say or write! Now as to the weekend ahead of us, it's going to be a bang, right. Lot's of Firework shows, but no playing with them and getting ourselves in trouble. Theme for the weekend: Happy, Safe & Sane!

Friday (4th of July):

1. God Bless the USA-From 10:30am to Whenever/TBA the Laguna Community Concert Band will perform patriotic favorites at the SawDust Festival, 935 Laguna Canyon Road. Call (888) 308-8324 for information.
2. Wine Tasting Party-The Laguna Canyon Winery at 2133 Laguna Canyon Road is hosting the party. Enjoy wine with hot food, snacks, bread, crackers & cheeses in the Steel Tank/Wine Room. Drop in without reservations from 6 to 9pm. Cost is $30 and there will be live music. For information, call Marlowe Huber at (949) 715-9463 or email info@lagunacanyonwinery.com.

Saturday:

1. Farmers Market-Once again we can go stock up on natural foods in the parking lot next to City Hall on Forest from 7am.
2. Adopt Your Street/Beach Pick-up-This is the 1st Saturday of the month ritual held by Zero Trash Laguna from 8am to whenever at various streets and beaches in Laguna. After the parties that most likely brought people from out of the area into Laguna, we need to put our hands together and pick up whatever we can!

Sunday:

1. The Festival of the Arts!-Another piece of the Laguna Summer jigsaw puzzle falls into place on this day. From 10am to 11:30pm at the Irvine Bowl, 650 Laguna Canyon Road. Approximately 150 painters, sculptors, ceramists, jewelers, photographers and other artist will display and sell original works in this juried show. $7 for a season pass, $4 for seniors and students. Laguna residents and military are free with proper ID, as are children under 12 years of age. In honor of the 75th anniversary of the show, there is a special 75 cent admission fee after 7:50pm. There will be free workshops, tours & demonstrations throughout the days and some lessons for fees if interested.

Additionally the SawDust Festival and the Art-A-Fair are still going strong to make there lots of entertainment for the holiday weekend. Please enjoy yourself this weekend and be safe! Thanks for reading and if you see me wandering around Laguna in my little grey Subaru, please say hi!!! Cole