Laguna Beach Magazine: July/August 2019
Photo courtesy of Montage Laguna Beach
Around Town
Facial Recognition
A new spa menu at Montage Laguna Beach includes a vast array of facial treatments that are sure to make your skin glow. The resort’s Spa Montage recently partnered with Valmont, a Swiss skin care company that is known for combining science and beauty, bringing in three new offerings using its products and techniques. These include the Hydration Ritual—Source of Bisses, The Majestic—Elixirs Des Glaciers, and The Masterpiece. The latter was designed specifically for Spa Montage and incorporates a dual cleansing process that removes impurities while infusing the skin with oxygen through six masks, including a collagen treatment down to the decollete as well as salicylic and glycolic acid peels. Other new treatments include a HydraFacial with Hydradermabrasion, a gentle peel and LED light therapy, as well as the Sapphire Oxylight Facial that incorporates diamond dermabrasion, a Biosonix ultrasound and Myolight microcurrent, among other elements. There are also mainstays still available, such as the signature Elements of Wellness treatments, as well as some other popular massages and wraps. (949-715-6010; montagehotels.com)
Photo courtesy of The Float Lounge
Adult Playground
The Float Lounge, which opened downtown in 2012, recently expanded its health and wellness services to include a retreat hub in the mountains of Idyllwild, Calif., which the owners have dubbed the Holistic Playground. This mountain getaway, which is located at 6,000 feet above sea level, is an ideal place to reconnect with yourself, nature and other people. Workshops will focus on specialty topics like holistic nutrition and organic farming, breathwork and meditation, subconscious coaching, quantum healing hypnosis (often used to facilitate introspection and past life regressions), barrel sauna and cold-water therapy, corrective exercise and nature workouts, plus much more. For the latter, the property has an outdoor exercise course, or “Mother Nature’s gym” as it’s affectionately called, which includes log carries, rope climbs, stump jumps, slacklining and more. And management practices what it preaches by using sustainable agricultural techniques, like collecting water for reuse and providing organic linens and toiletries for guests. (949-568-8024; thefloatlounge.com)
Photo by Aimee Nicolas
Passion for Fashion
Dress to impress with the recently launched summer collection from Lani the Label. Founded by Amanda Stanton, a Laguna Beach-based lifestyle influencer, fashion designer and author, who also appeared on “The Bachelor” television show, this clothing line caters to those with a feminine style who enjoy donning flirty and fashionable pieces. With Stanton’s own daughters in mind, this collection includes mini-me versions of select pieces so that mother-daughter duos can wear matching outfits. And, since traveling is a large part of Stanton’s life, she also wanted to ensure that her clothing is easy to pack, comfortable to wear and able to transition between day and night with ease. The styles, which were created based on feedback from the designer’s 1.2 million Instagram followers, incorporate details like ruffled hems and sweetheart necklines as well as fun pastels and basic neutrals. Best of all, everything is under $90, making this line both adorable and affordable. An upcoming fall collection will feature a jewel tone color scheme, including emerald green, Moroccan blue and champagne. (lanithelabel.com)
The Art of Literature
Two Laguna Beach locals have published books featuring their unique works of art. Molly Hyde English, owner of the Camps and Cottage furniture and home decor store in the north end of town, published her third book May 14, while longtime Festival of Arts exhibitor Scott Moore put out a retrospective book on his surreal paintings following his retirement from the show.
English’s publication, titled “Contemporary Cottages,” focuses on turning beach and mountain cottages into modern masterpieces without sacrificing their charm. Highlighting elements like magical entryways, open ceilings, unique lighting and custom floor plans, she covers everything from architecture to interior design in order to help readers create their perfect abode.
As for Moore, whose publication titled “Moore Than Meets the Eye” was scheduled to be released July 23, features more than 150 of his works as well as anecdotes from his personal life, which were curated by an outsourced writer. “I’ve compiled images and worked with an amazing creative team to organize my paintings and the story of my life,” Moore explains. “… I won’t be in this summer’s Festival of Arts Fine Art Show, but the story of my life’s work will be in the Festival of Arts gift shop—a great ending to a wonderful journey.” A limited edition in a slipcase includes a signed print of one of his original works, “The Letterman.” (“Contemporary Cottages”: camps-cottages.com) (“Moore Than Meets the Eye”: scottmoorebook.com)
Photo courtesy of SchoolPower
Powering Our Schools
Local nonprofit SchoolPower is hard at work honoring those who support the organization itself as well as the students whom it aims to benefit. On May 28, the SchoolPower Endowment Fund distributed more than $111,000 in grants for 18 teachers in need of assistance. Educators from all four schools in the Laguna Beach Unified School District were invited to apply for these grants for the opportunity to introduce innovative teaching methods and tools to their classrooms. This year, the grant money is going toward requests for items like playground equipment and coding robots as well as curriculum programs and educational field trips.
Additionally, on June 2, the organization presented its Hall of Fame Award, which is also known as The Claes Award in honor of the late Claes Andersen, former owner of Hotel Laguna and the Claes Restaurant, due to his generous donations of both money and time. This year, the award was given to the Hexberg Family Foundation, which has given funds to the Laguna Beach High School athletics program totaling more than $335,000 over the course of seven years. This money has benefited student athletes on the schools’ various sports squads, allowing for a strength and conditioning program with professional trainers, the purchase of new hurdles for the track team, new bleachers for the pool and a new scoreboard for the playing field used by the football, soccer and lacrosse teams, plus more. (949-494-6811; lbschoolpower.org)
Photo by Doug Oyen
Forging a New Path
Local outdoor adventure company, La Vida Laguna, which offers daily activities like kayaking and paddleboard tours as well as surf lessons, recently launched a two-hour, guided electric bicycle tour. Participants will get to bypass the busy main streets of Laguna Beach, instead riding on back roads to discover the town from a new angle. Starting at the company’s office in central Laguna, the tour route goes through Bluebird Canyon and into the Mystic Hills neighborhood for stunning views of downtown, as well as other residential areas, including a ride past Pyne Castle. The tour also passes through Heisler Park to view the incredible public art on display as well as around Crescent Bay for panoramic views of the coast. Finally, cyclists will make their way back through the downtown area and the Craftsman neighborhoods and gardens of central Laguna. Combining history, art, nature, exercise and an eco-friendly means of transportation is the perfect way to explore this beach town and experience all that it has to offer. (949-275-7544; lavidalaguna.com)
Screenshot courtesy of the city of Laguna Beach
Parking Assistance
Regardless of your connection to Laguna Beach, everyone driving into town has one thing in common: the need to find parking. In an effort to smooth over this process for both locals and visitors, the city has developed the Laguna Beach Parking app. This will help users find open parking spaces and manage meters by allowing for payments to be made in the app as well as a way to track the time remaining and even add time to the meter remotely. The city recently released a public service announcement starring Lauren Conrad of “Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County” and “The Hills” fame, who was born and raised in town. The video shows Conrad on her way to film the announcement, but she ends up having to scour the streets of downtown for a parking spot, with no luck, making her late for the shoot. Actor Stephen Colletti, also of the “Laguna Beach” reality show, makes an appearance as he cruises by Conrad in a trolley, saying that she should have used the app to find parking. The free app is available for both iPhone and Android. (lagunabeachparking.net)
Photo by Monarch Beach Resort
Beachfront Bliss
Since rebranding over three years ago, Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point has slowly renovated its property and made changes to reflect the luxurious-yet-relaxed vibe on which it prides itself. The final installment of this multimillion dollar project was revitalizing the beach club, which reopened in early July. This exclusive setting, which is open to resort guests and members of The Club at Monarch Beach, is intended to be the quintessential California experience, featuring a completely redesigned building, menu and even a new name: the Monarch Bay Beach Club. The indoor-outdoor feel of the restaurant makes diners feel like they’re right on the sand as they gaze upon the ocean just beyond the expansive windows, making for the perfect setting to enjoy a meal of coastal cuisine. As a certified ocean-friendly restaurant (designated by the San Clemente-based Surfrider Foundation), the kitchen’s speciality is sustainably caught seafood, such as the lobster clambake or fresh fish sandwich. A beach lawn also offers fire pits for roasting s’mores as well as chairs and umbrellas to simply sit back and relax. The resort’s Ocean Adventure Program is offering some new experiences, too, including window-bottom stand-up paddleboards and a “no-fail” surf lesson that guarantees participants will stand up on a surfboard. (800-722-1543; monarchbeachresort.com)
Photo by Blue Sky's Studio
Community
3 Clubs Barefoot Canyon Classic
More than 75 golfers took to the green at The Ranch at Laguna Beach for a tournament with a twist: They were all barefoot. As participants in the fourth annual 3 Clubs Barefoot Canyon Classic, these golfers played a nine-hole, four-person scramble with a few unorthodox shots like teeing off with a softball bat, driving with clubs designed for the golfers’ nondominant hand and using a hockey stick instead of putters.
Following play, golfers and other guests were treated to a cocktail reception, which included a Nosotros tequila tasting and the musical stylings of blues guitarist Shawn Jones. The Peace, Love & BBQ theme came to light during dinner, for which Santa Maria-style barbecue was served. After the meal, a live auction gave attendees the chance to bid on items like a glamping trip at the resort’s Scout Camp; dinner for four at the on-property restaurant, Harvest; a custom-made Hobie surfboard and more. Green Day founder and bassist Mike Dirnt also made a surprise appearance, performing for the crowd and auctioning off a signed bass guitar.
The event, which took place May 13, was underwritten by The Ranch at Laguna Beach and Hobie, with the more than $60,000 raised benefiting Laguna Beach schools through the SchoolPower nonprofit. (lbschoolpower.org)
Photo courtesy of Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach
Art of Giving Gala
Guests of the 19th annual Art of Giving Gala partied under the sea to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach on May 13. Around 250 attendees filled the Montage Laguna Beach ballroom, which was transformed into an underwater kingdom complete with sea life decor and coral flower arrangements adorning the dinner tables. The evening included a live auction, with bidders vying for items like jewelry, gift baskets, two custom storyline panels from Kelsey Irvin of Kelsey Michaels Fine Art in north Laguna, other pieces of art and more, as well as a delicious dinner and dancing to live music. Guests were also given the opportunity to donate directly to the local Boys & Girls Club by making monetary donations to go toward specific needs like supplies for the Laguna chapter’s art and athletic programs, items and experiences to benefit tween and teen members of the club, and more. This fundraiser, which raised $445,000, is the biggest one of the year for the club, with proceeds benefiting its various programs and, in turn, our local youth by helping them achieve their social, emotional and academic goals. (bgclagunabeach.org)
Jessalyn Ward, a dancer at the event | Photo by Kip Roof
Laguna Dance Festival Spring Soiree
As the Laguna Dance Festival prepares for its 15th season this fall, its annual Spring Soiree took place May 17 at seven-degrees, where more than 200 guests were treated to wine, dinner, dancing and intimate performances by renowned dancers, including three who received scholarships from the organization last year. Other performers included Oksana and Jonathan Platero, both of “So You Think You Can Dance” fame, as well as students from the likes of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, Orange County School of the Arts, Laguna Beach High School and more. The gala also honored longtime board Chairman Karen Wilson and festival benefactor William J. Gillespie. All proceeds from the event, which totaled nearly $100,000, will help fund the organization’s mission to provide Orange County with world-class performances as well as dance education. This year’s festival is slated to include shows featuring the likes of New York-based Parsons Dance Co., Canadian group Rubberbandance and Ballet West from Salt Lake City, as well as lectures, master classes and other workshops led by these professionals. (lagunadancefestival.org)
Executive Director Ellen Richard and Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham | Photo by Doug Gifford
Laguna Playhouse Gala
To kick of its 99th season, Laguna Playhouse held its annual gala May 18 at Fashion Island Hotel in Newport Beach. The intimate event honored a longtime supporter of the organization: Hershey Felder, who has performed at the playhouse on numerous occasions. Nearly 300 attendees were invited to sing along with Felder, as well as actors French and Vanessa Stewart, before participating in an ongoing fundraiser challenge and a live auction of a dining room table and chandelier previously owned by the late actor Rock Hudson, which sold for $10,000. Additionally, a Raise the Paddle fundraiser took place and garnered a record amount of donations totaling $200,000. Those who contributed $5,000 or more will have a tile dedicated to them that will be placed on the theater’s new patio, to be unveiled after renovations to the physical space are complete. In the end, the gala met its fundraising goal with more than $330,000 to be put toward the playhouse and its ability to bring in world-renowned talents to the stage here in town. (lagunaplayhouse.com)
Exotic birds in front of Mozambique | Photo by Dondee Quincena
Taste of the Town
Dine Feature: Exotic Eats
Mozambique offers rooftop views paired with South African-inspired fare.
For nearly 15 years, Mozambique has served as a local watering hole for the Laguna Beach community. An homage to the South African country of the same name, this eatery transports diners to another part of the world—especially when you pay a visit to the exotic birds near the first-floor entrance on your way in. The building itself quite literally takes the dining experience to a new level, with three floors and six different rooms available to guests. From The Durban Room with a bar, patio and fireplace or The Shebeen Lounge for an indoor-outdoor feel to The Garden Patio for bright and airy outdoor seating, plus other private areas, everyone is guaranteed to find a spot that suits their needs.
That being said, our personal preference is The Veranda rooftop, which is ideal for drinking in gorgeous panoramic views of the ocean and downtown Laguna Beach especially during summer—because nothing beats having dinner with the sunset as your picturesque backdrop. This is the ideal setting for a meal and a cocktail or two, such as house favorites like the Green Side Up, a tequila-based concoction with crushed jalapenos, cucumber and lime, or the African mojito. The latter is a reimagined version of the classic drink made using citrus vodka instead of rum as well as raspberry liqueur, freshly squeezed lemon, muddled grapes and lemon-lime soda to create a light sip with strong fruit flavors that balance well with the citrus notes.
The African mojito | Photo by Dondee Quincena
When it comes to food, South African fare takes center stage, with other global influences peppered throughout the menu. One quintessential ingredient is the house-made peri peri: This marinade and dipping sauce has origins in Portuguese and South African cultures, with Mozambicans staking the claim to creating this staple (though Angolans will argue the same). At the Mozambique restaurant here in town, the peri peri combines bird’s eye chile pepper, citrus juices, roasted tomatoes, butter, garlic and herbs, and is incorporated into or served alongside various dishes. Diners can also purchase bottles of the sauce to take home with them.
But first, be sure to try a taste in chef-prepared dishes like the peri peri prawns, which are wood grilled to give them a nice smoky flavor that pairs with the slight spice from the peri peri sauce. Other plates that include the signature sauce are the peri peri chicken pops and fried calamari appetizers as well as the Atlantic lobster tail, shrimp scampi and, of course, the peri peri chicken dinner plates. The latter includes half an organic chicken, basmati rice and mixed vegetables that are sauteed to perfection.
Though it doesn’t automatically come with a side of peri peri, you can certainly order one to go with the freshly fried samosas. Diners would be remiss not to try these light and flaky triangle-shaped pastries, which are stuffed with hearty meat (ground beef and onion) or vegetable (mashed potatoes and peas) fillings that make for a delicious, shareable starter.
For entrees, the Moroccan-style Chilean sea bass is out of this world. Served with an artichoke, tomato and fennel salad as well as asparagus and pesto mashed potatoes, this thick cut of fish is plump and buttery—the perfect combination of crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Or opt to tackle the seafood platter for two, which includes two grilled Atlantic lobster tails, grilled prawns and mahi mahi, seared scallops, fried calamari steak and sauteed shrimp scampi, all served with rice, garlic butter, saffron-white wine sauce and, of course, peri peri sauce.
Sea bass at Mozambique | Photo by Dondee Quincena
Wood-grilled entrees from the land abound, too, such as the New York steak with au gratin potatoes, asparagus and cipollini-red wine demi glace, which has a bit of char that encrusts the juicy interior, with the demi-glace adding an extra robust layer. Another must-try, traditional South African dish is the boerewors and mash, a farmer-style beef sausage served with mashed potatoes, asparagus and a tomato-onion saute. Both plates pair well with the Kanonkop pinotage, a full-bodied South African red wine with complex fruit flavors and elegant tannins.
Dessert is all about the pudding: Dig in to the macadamia, banana and white chocolate bread pudding topped with Amarula cinnamon creme anglaise and vanilla ice cream or the Portuguese hot butter pudding, a baked sponge cake caramelized with butter, brown sugar and brandy that is presented in a martini glass with a caramel rim, whipped cream and fresh berries. Similar to a souffle, this fluffy and moist treat is South Africa’s answer to British sticky toffee pudding.
Mozambique is also the perfect place to catch some live music with entertainment in The Shebeen Bar on select Mondays and every Wednesday through Sunday as well as in The Durban Room every Thursday through Sunday. Themed nights include reggae Sundays starting at 5 p.m.; blues Wednesdays at 8 p.m.; pop Thursdays featuring Andrew Bloom from “American Idol” and “The Voice” fame, also at 8 p.m.; and live bands with a range of musical stylings on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 9 p.m. So, have your fill of food and then dance the night away for a truly memorable experience.
Tip: Every day after 5 p.m., Mozambique offers its guests a complimentary ride service for those traveling within a 10-mile radius, while larger groups of up to 45 people can go up to 15 miles when they book through the restaurant’s events department.
Executive chef-partner Paul Gstrein (right) and his son, sous chef Nick Gstrein | Photo by Dondee Quincena
Dine Sides
Dinner and a Show
A new restaurant and entertainment space is coming soon to south Laguna, where the former Tabu Grill once stood. The Drake, which is scheduled to open in mid-August, will feature modern Californian fare with global influences as well as daily, live performances by jazz, R&B and blues musicians. The venue will include a stylish dining room, chef’s counter, intimate piano bar lounge and a cozy, enclosed patio complete with a fire wall. A seasonal menu will be presented by executive chef-partner Paul Gstrein and his son, sous chef Nick Gstrein. Starters will include the likes of a Hawaiian yellowtail hamachi tartare, ahi tuna ceviche and a beet salad with honey goat cheese, strawberries, pistachios and balsamic pearls. Entrees from the land and sea will also grace the menu, which features a whole roasted Mediterranean branzino, salmon and scallops as well as short rib ragu, venison Diane or a 32-ounce bone-in rib-eye, among other proteins. Whether you go for a delicious meal, incredible music or a bit of both, this is sure to be the new hot spot in town. (949-376-1000; thedrakelaguna.com)
Watermelon margarita at Splashes | Courtesy of Surf & Sand Resort
Melon Mania
Surf & Sand Resort has a plethora of watermelon-themed offerings available through Sept. 2, with the sweet and juicy summertime fruit making an appearance both at the on-property restaurant, Splashes, as well as the intimate Aquaterra Spa. Melon-inspired tastes at the eatery include a margarita, which comprises fresh watermelon and pineapple juice plus lime and Maestro Dobel Diamante tequila for the perfect summer sip, as well as a compressed watermelon salad that is plated with wild arugula, feta cheese, mint, black pepper and dollops of strawberry meringue. If you’re looking to relax, as opposed to indulge, head into the resort’s spa for the 80-minute Watermelon and Lime Summer Aromablend Treatment. Starting with a full-body exfoliation using watermelon and lime, the experience also includes a coconut oil massage and wrap and, finally, a scalp massage using warm mint oil. Watermelon seed oil is also utilized during this treatment to hydrate and strengthen the hair and skin. (877-741-5908; surfandsandresort.com)
