Editor,
In years past, when we went on the Charm House Tour, organizing it looked like a picnic. Find a few nice houses, print up some flyers, and serve cold lemonade. How hard could it be?
This year, we were honored to have our house included, so we got a peek behind the curtain. What an eye opener! The work of planning the tour starts months in advance. No detail is overlooked. A couple hundred volunteers work tirelessly to make the tour run smoothly. And that’s why, superficially, running it looks like an easy gig.
Historic preservation is a hot button issue, but the tour invites us to put that debate aside, and just celebrate Laguna’s tradition of utterly unique houses. What other city this size offers such a diversity of outstanding residential architecture? From a Normandy revival jewel to a gloriously artistic barn, this year’s Charm House Tour reflected Laguna’s way of life; the six houses celebrated individual freedom of expression, each in its own way.
Nowhere is Laguna’s quirky, independent spirit more evident than in our homes and gardens. It’s a big part of what makes us unique. Thank you, Village Laguna, for working so hard to remind us of that.
Steve Judson & Andy Ruiz, Laguna Beach
