Outside the Roxiticus Valley: Best of Laguna Beach, California

I don't have time to post everything tonight, but we just got back from a great vacation in Southern California.


Art Galleries in Laguna Beach, California:

Pacific Edge Gallery has been a favorite since we bought our first Tom Swimm painting almost ten years ago. We just bought Oyster Bar (below) by Susan Cox and Rex hung it today.

Across the street is the William Merrill Gallery: http://www.williammerrillgallery.com/, which I find to be a more "sophisticated," New-York-style gallery. We don't own any of their artists, but perhaps it is just a matter of time (and wall space).

I hope to take the girls to California one year in late July or August, in order to attend the Pageant of the Masters, a really cool event in Laguna Beach that I haven't been to in years, since we started our annual February break trips. The web site describes it as "ninety minutes of living pictures - incredibly faithful art re-creations of classical and contemporary works with real people posing to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces. An outdoor amphitheater, professional orchestra, original score, live narration, intricate sets, sophisticated lighting, expert staff, and hundreds of dedicated volunteers have won recognition for the Pageant as the best presentation of its kind." The first time I went, over 10 years ago, I was skeptical. I was picturing an Edward Hopper "painting" with a couple of actors hanging around a pool table, but the way to think about it is people as the pixels of the painting.



Restaurants in Laguna Beach, California:

Dinner at Sorrento Grille: http://www.culinaryadventures.com/restaurants/sorrento/. Way too big delicious appetizers. The girls love the rack of lamb. We never save enough room for the Tin Roof Sundae dessert.

Sunday Brunch at Savannah Chop House: http://www.culinaryadventures.com/restaurants/savannah/laguna_niguel/

The Studio and The Loft at the Montage.






Where to Stay in Laguna Beach, CA:
Despite the fabulous restaurants at the Montage, the Montage is actually away from town, in Laguna Niguel, so our favorite hotel is the Surf and Sand in Laguna Beach. Visit Luxury Link and get a nice low rate for a room in the tower with a full ocean view. Perhaps most importantly, it is right across the street from Koffee Klatch.