Editor,
I never write letters to the editor of any newspaper but there is so much to say this week….
We have lived in Laguna Beach for over 30 years and love it; it is our home forever. However, like all things in this world, things change for better or worse. Thank God the owners of Urth Caffe saw the beauty and relevance in the former Cottage restaurant. Before we lived here, we would drive to Laguna Beach and the first thing that reminded us that we were “here” was The Cottage. It just reeked of a special era and we were enchanted. Thank you for preserving this special place and restoring it with care and authenticity. We are thrilled!
In regards to the painted murals in North Laguna by the artist who didn’t pull any permits – yay! They are wonderful and colorful and inject some life and joy into our city – thank you! They remind me of the late Margaret Kilgallen’s old-timey hand-lettered paintings. Me, I have to pull a permit to change out my toilet so I’m super stoked that you just went for it – keep going! If you want to paint a mural on the south-facing wall of our house, which is in need of something, contact me. We will pay you and let you stay in our home free while you are doing it – no money will be exchanged so we can avoid the dreaded short-term rental situation.
While on the subject of public art, who approves the weird abstract sculptures in town and the embarrassing (and permanent) Festival of Arts facade remodel? It seems like they had two ideas but couldn’t decide which to choose so they built both of them and it looks like a dog’s dinner.
There is absolutely nothing that speaks to the heritage of the Festival or the Pageant of the Masters. Why wasn’t that celebrated and honored?
We lived in Denver, Colo., for a few years and saw many concerts at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. In the “basement,” which is really like a shrine to Red Rocks and it’s history, they have a hallway that winds around and along the beautiful red granite wall they carved the names of each performer for each year beginning in 1922. It was amazing to see the names of the people and groups who performed there, like a time capsule for each musical phase.
I don’t really have a better solution to what was approved at the festival grounds but jeez, can’t you guys put some thinking into this? Call me old-fashioned but a hand-carved sign and some of the critters from the old Pottery Shack would have looked better and represented our town’s roots.
Jeannie Richardson, South Laguna
