Town Crier: Week of Feb. 17

Happenings in and around Laguna

Laguna Beach Historical Society Special Program: Dick Metz Presents

Surfing legend Dick Metz will present “Boyhood Adventures in Laguna” on Feb. 28 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Susi Q Community Center, Great Room. The event is hosted by the Laguna Beach Historical Society. 

Orgill to Speak at Village Laguna’s General meeting on Feb. 27

Village Laguna’s next general meeting will feature Councilmember Mark Orgill as its guest speaker. The meeting will be held Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. on Zoom to learn about the background and experience he brings to Laguna Beach City Council and how he sees our City’s future. Participants are welcome to submit questions and topic ideas by emailing [email protected].

South Laguna Community Garden Park Seeds 101 Workshop on Feb. 26

The South Laguna Community Garden Park will offer a seed starting class and workshop on Sunday, Feb. 26, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Carly Sciacca will lead the workshop that focuses on seed growing for beginners. Participants will be given a 40-cell seed tray, starting mix, and a selection of seeds that have been successful at the garden, (a $50 value). There will be a short lesson on selecting, starting, and caring for seeds and seedlings, followed by a hands-on workshop on properly planting and caring for a seed tray.

Topics will include how to read codes in a seed catalog or on a packet and select the right variety; how to know which seeds to start based on our zone; how to save seeds; how to prepare seeds for planting and the difference between heirlooms, hybrids, and GMOs and what it means when starting seeds.

The suggested donation is $25, and enrollment will be capped at 15 people. The class will be held at the garden on 31610 Coast Highway, Laguna Beach). Participants can reserve their spot by emailing Sciacca at [email protected]. 

Veterans Seek Veterans for Patriots Day Parade

The South Orange County Vietnam Veterans is looking for Vietnam veterans and other U.S. military service veterans to march in the Patriots Day Parade on March 4.

The South Orange County Vietnam Veterans have participated in this parade every year since 1985. All service branches are welcome to join. The group encourages all U.S. service veterans—World War II, Korea, Cold War, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria—to participate and be recognized for their service.

Veterans are encouraged to wear their uniforms or parts thereof. The group will form near Laguna Beach High School, located at 625 Park Avenue, between 9 and 10 a.m. Parking can be challenging, so the organization encourages participants to arrive as early as possible to ensure a parking spot on the street. Parade participants can check in at the booth on the corner of Park and Short streets for specifics on where the group will form. Most likely, the group will be in the school district parking lot across from Laguna Beach High School.

The parade will cover about six blocks, all downhill or level ground and will begin promptly at 11 a.m. The South Orange County Vietnam Veterans need a convertible automobile to accompany their group so that vets who need to ride rather than march may do so. After the parade, the veterans will have their traditional annual get-together at Hennessey’s Tavern at 213 Ocean Avenue.

Interested veterans may contact Patrick Freeman at [email protected] or (949) 497-7473. 

Catmosphere Laguna Foundation and LB Animal Shelter Adoption Events Tomorrow and Feb. 25

On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Catmosphere Laguna cats and kittens will be up for adoption at the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter, 20612 Laguna Canyon Road.

The following weekend, Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Catmosphere Laguna cats and kittens will be featured for adoption at Gelson’s Laguna Beach location, 30922 Pacific Coast Highway.

Catmosphere Laguna Foundation introduced Orange County’s first Cat Café & Lounge. Catmosphere Laguna Rescue is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit feline rescue that serves Laguna Beach and the surrounding communities every day of the week and is dedicated to finding forever homes for homeless, relinquished, abandoned and special-needs cats and kittens. Laguna Beach has long been known and loved for its artistic community and embrace of nature in all its forms. Catmosphere Laguna Foundation enhances and strengthens that reputation in its mission to prevent cruelty to animals by rescuing, fostering, and assisting in public adoptions and awareness of the plight of homeless felines. Our adoption events are fun for the whole family with snacks and giveaways for all – volunteer opportunities are available. 

Catmosphere Laguna Foundation may be contacted at (949) 619-MEOW (6369) or [email protected]. Adoption event dates continue monthly throughout 2023, including Feb. 18, April 15, June 17, Aug. 19, Oct. 21, and year-end holiday events. Gelson’s Laguna Beach and Catmosphere Laguna Adoption Event dates are Feb. 25, May 27, Aug. 26, Oct. 28, and year-end holiday events. 

Crystal Cove State Park “Arches and Caves” Hike Tomorrow

Wildlife enthusiasts are invited to join a park naturalist on Feb. 18 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. as they explain the origin of our coastline’s arches and caves of Crystal Cove State Park’s Little Treasure Cove. The hike meets at the bulletin board in parking lot #1 and will go around the headlands, so expect some moderate scrambling on sharp rocks. For balance, a walking stick or trekking poles could be useful. For directions, from PCH, turn coastward at the Newport Coast Drive stoplight, right at the kiosk, pass Parking Lot #2 and on to the end. There is a $15 day-use parking fee. It’s an adventurous and photogenic hike along a seldom-visited shoreline.

Laguna Craft Guild Exhibit on Main Beach This Sunday

The Laguna Craft Guild will be exhibiting on the cobblestones at Main Beach on Feb. 19. The guild invites the public to find a treasure, enjoy our little town, and meet local artists.

The Great Love Club to Host Slow Market Pop-up Event on March 4

The Great Love Club will host its monthly Slow Market on March 4 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 345 N Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach. The Slow Market is a curated monthly pop-up event designed to encompass everything from shopping opportunities, bites to eat, live music, goodie bags, along with drop-in wellness sessions. SLOW stands for Sustainable, Local, Organic & Whole. By practicing slow living, attendees can mindfully embody those values into their shopping choices, ensuring they leave with products they love, are long lasting, of great quality, and will be beneficial to themselves and the planet. Every vendor has been selected for their effort to maintain the slow value system within their business production and product.

The Great Love Club is a social club on a mission to cultivate a community that values love, slow living, skill-building, and spiritual connection. Its goal is to provide a space where individuals can truly connect over a shared value system through curated events. More information can be found at greatloveclub.com or on Instagram at @thegreatloveclub.

GLBGOP Member’s Meeting Feb. 23 at Mozambique

Calling all conservatives –Greater Laguna Beach GOP – The GLBGOP’s Members’ Meeting is happening on Feb. 23 at Mozambique Restaurant. The event will start with a 5 pm social hour in the Shebeen Bar and the meeting will start at 6 pm in the Boma Room, with the speakers starting at 6:15 pm. Attendees can enjoy Mozambique’s wonderful food and beverages. We have two great speakers scheduled: Janet Nguyen – CA State Senator for the 36th District and Scott Baugh – Candidate for CA 47th Congressional District. The GLBGOP will discuss the 2022 election results and what worked and what didn’t. Please RSVP at www.glbgop.com/upcomingevents.

African American/Black History Events This Month

Rebecca Lindsey invites everyone to participate in upcoming African American History events. There is a gentle contribution taken at the door. All events will be held at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 428 Park Ave. Laguna Beach, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Feb. 24 – Expression through Celebration

Feb. 24 is set aside to celebrate the 97th year of African American history. All multi-ethnic art will be exhibited for your enjoyment, and Laguna Beach saxophonist Reggie will play music from the 70s to the 90s. He’ll have attendees tapping their feet, clapping hands, and moving to the groove to the sounds of his saxophone and Motown. 

  

American Association of University Women’s Annual Literary Luncheon Tickets Available 

Tickets are now on sale for the AAUW Laguna Beach’s 34th Annual Literary Luncheon. The event will be held at the Surf & Sand Hotel, 1555 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach on March 11. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m. for the silent auction, book sales, and book signings—followed by lunch and author talks. This year’s featured authors are Jennifer Coburn, Dori Jones Yang, and Maggie Shipstead.

Laguna Art Museum’s Tenth Annual Art & Nature Festival Announces New Public Programs

Laguna Art Museum’s tenth annual Art & Nature Festival is currently on view, featuring groundbreaking, immersive exhibitions, including The Sea Around Us by artist Rebeca Méndez, The Big One by artist Robert Young and Five Summer Stories: The Exhibition. The museum is pleased to announce new Art & Nature public programs, including innovative workshops, panel discussions, nature excursions, immersive yoga and an exhibition-closing celebration.

Five Summer Stories: The Exhibition, presented in partnership with MacGillivray Freeman Films and Coast Film Festival in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the iconic surf documentary, includes a sneak peek of the film and historic imagery, clothing and items from the era of the film. The exhibition is on view through Mar. 12, 2023.

The Art & Nature Festival is the museum’s largest public program of the year, bringing together tens of thousands of participants to foster an appreciation of nature, raise environmental awareness and discover cross-sections between nature and the arts.

Art & Nature Festival 2023 Events 

Sunday, Feb. 26 

Join historian Alison Rose Jefferson for a presentation where she will share stories about how African Americans from the 1900s to 1960s created recreational and relaxation spaces at Southern California beaches and other places. In the process, African Americans could form communities and create business projects at these sites. These stories are drawn from her recent book, Living the California Dream: African American Leisure Sites during the Jim Crow Era and other work. She will also share how some of these stories are being used in contemporary public history remembrance and public policy actions. The presentation starts at 1 pm.

For more information about the tenth annual Art & Nature and Laguna Art Museum exhibitions and programming, visit lagunaartmuseum.org. To stay connected and learn about upcoming events, follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.