Our city is losing its class and esteem. As an alumna of Laguna Beach High School, I grew up watching this quaint little artist village turn slowly and steadily into a booming tourist destination.
Soul to Sole, Mosun, Downtown Javier’s, Tippecanoe’s, Trashpretty, Wild Oats, Johnny Rockets, are all just memories now, the list truly goes on and it probably will continue to go on for my own children to witness themselves one day. I can only hope they get to experience the magic of the Sawdust Art Festival and the joy of music in the park.
I understand that as the world continues to turn, neighborhoods and cities will continue to change too, which is something I have grown to accept. One thing we can try to withhold is our town’s reputation. You would think with all the galleries and high end restaurants lining PCH, that a certain level of class would also be maintained.
Unfortunately, after moving back to my home town ready to settle down and start my own family here, I have noticed the refinement of Laguna has been steadily dropping. A recent stay at a beachfront hotel here in town solidified this notion.
After checking in, the neighbors to the left began dumping their trash (towels covered in vomit) in the hallway, and the neighbors to the right were smoking cigarettes in their non-smoking room… (in a non-smoking city?). Upon calling front desk, leaving for dinner and returning to see nothing was resolved, I thought who else do I contact? The non emergency police line of course? They responded stating nothing could be done as this was a private property, they suggest I contact the front desk and when I responded that I had already done so, the dispatcher snapped back, “And?”
It’s unfortunate that these types of people that trash our hotels, our beautiful town, are accommodated by the very people who are set to serve and protect this unique seaside village of ours, while me and my friends, all alumni and all whom plan to buy homes here and raise families here, are treated like the criminals, our concerns are tossed aside, just as the vintage relics that once dotted our streets.
Sophie Shane, Laguna Beach
