Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [222]
EATING
Taco Mesa ( 948-642-0629; 647 W 19th St; mains under $10; lunch & dinner) Sister restaurant to Taco Rosa, this inexpensive Mexican hotspot is consistently named a local favourite.
Native Foods ( 714-751-2151; 2937 Bristol St, The Camp; mains $7-15; 11am-10pm; ) Lunch in a yurt? In Orange County? Them’s the digs at Native Foods, an inviting vegetarian spot smack in the middle of the Camp. Boasting a substantial non-meat menu – from organic salads to veggie burgers to rice bowls to six-topping pizzas – it’ll take some time to order.
Habana ( 714-556-0176; 2930 Bristol St, The Lab; mains $14-36; lunch & dinner; ) With its flickering votive candles, ivy-covered courtyard and spicy Cuban specialties, this sultry cantina whispers rendezvous. Mains include paella, ropa vieja (steak in tomato sauce) and a delicious salmon al parilla (grilled) with spicy tomato sauce. Plantains and black beans available with most dishes. On weekends, the bar gets jumpin’ late night.
DRINKING
Kitsch Bar ( 714-546-8580; 891 Baker St) You won’t find pink flamingos or Elvis bobbleheads at this not-so-kitschy watering hole. Just a low-key, dimly lit lounge where the vibe is upscale and decidedly hip. Enter between not-so-hip State Farm Insurance and Costa Mesa Dentistry.
Goat Hill Tavern ( 949-548-8428; 1830 Newport Blvd) Seriously divey, but some dudes swear by it.
ENTERTAINMENT
Orange County Performing Arts Center ( 714-556-2787; www.ocpac.org; 600 Town Center Dr) The Arts Center includes the acoustically stunning 3000-seat Segerstrom Hall, the 2000-seat Segerstrom Concert Hall and the smaller multifunctional Samueli Theater. Wide-ranging calendar.
South Coast Repertory ( 714-708-5555; www.scr.org; 655 Town Center Dr) Started by a band of plucky theater grads in the 1960s, the South Coast Repertory has evolved into an award-winning company that’s managed to hold true to its mission ‘to explore the most urgent human and social issues of our time.’ Stages its groundbreaking plays from fall through to spring.
Return to beginning of chapter
LAGUNA BEACH
pop 25,000
It’s easy to love Laguna: secluded coves, romantic cliffs, azure waves and waterfront parks imbue the city with a Riviera-like feel. But nature isn’t the only draw. From public sculptures and artist-friendly festivals to walking tours and free summer shuttles, the city’s taken thoughtful steps to promote culture and tourism while maintaining quality of life (though some may call support of MTV’s racy reality show Laguna Beach a troubling exception).
One of the earliest incorporated cities in California, Laguna has a strong tradition in the arts, starting with the ‘plein air’ impressionists in the early 1900s, and is the home of several renowned festivals (Click here). There are several dozen galleries, a well-known art museum and a popular art walking tour on the first Thursday evening of the month. Laguna swells with tourists on summer weekends, but away from the downtown village (the central business district) and Main Beach (where the downtown village meets the shore), there’s plenty of uncrowded sand and open water.
Bring quarters for the meters. Lots of quarters.
Orientation
Hwy 1 goes by several names in Laguna Beach. South of Broadway, downtown’s main street, it’s called South Coast Hwy; north of Broadway it’s North Coast Hwy. And you’ll hear locals call it both Pacific Coast Hwy and just PCH.
Laguna stretches for about 7 miles along PCH. Shops, restaurants and bars are concentrated along a 0.25-mile stretch in the Village, along three parallel streets: Broadway, Ocean Ave and Forest Ave.
Information
BOOKSTORES
Barnaby Rudge Bookseller ( 949-497-4079; www.barnabyrudge.com; 1445 Glenneyre St) Wonderful antiquarian book store. Sells maps and prints too.
Laguna Beach Books (