Empowered through training: Jaleesa Peluso and Laguna Beach Dojo

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

With deft precision, Jaleesa Peluso juggles many roles – wife, mother, Laguna Beach community leader, entrepreneur and REALTOR®. A Certified International Property Specialist, she has been recognized for her professional accomplishments, including Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ Leading Edge Society Award.

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Master Jeff Kash and Senpai Jaleesa Peluso co-hosted a one-day self-defense class for women at Laguna Beach Dojo

Beyond her professional life, Peluso is actively involved in the Laguna Beach community and served as co-president of the Laguna Beach Parents Club in 2024. Originally from the Netherlands, Peluso is now a firmly rooted Laguna resident.

Recently, Peluso assumed a new role – Senpai, which is a Japanese word meaning “senior” or “upperclassman.”

Realizing there was a real local need for well-rounded self-defense and prevention education for women, Senpai Jaleesa Peluso and Master Jeff Kash of Laguna Beach Dojo adapted the existing program into a one-day crash course.

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Master Kash and Senpai Peluso demonstrate that it’s all about knowing how to twist and move

“I co-hosted the class alongside Master Kash, who has been teaching self-defense for more than 20 years,” she said. The two of them came up with the idea of a one-day women’s intensive after hearing story after story from local women who had recently found themselves in uncomfortable situations – while dating, or simply out running errands – along with sobering statistics on assaults against college-aged women.

Senpai Peluso’s own training started for a very practical reason.

“I’m a real estate agent, and this job puts you in vulnerable positions more often than people realize,” she said. “You meet strangers alone at empty properties – you literally put signs out telling strangers where to find you, then sit in a vacant house and wait. After a few ‘sketchy’ situations that set off my instincts, I decided I never wanted to feel unprepared or put myself in that kind of vulnerable position again.”

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Students practicing punches

Her two kids were already training at Laguna Beach Dojo, so Peluso knew firsthand what a special place it is. “I’d been watching their classes – somewhat enviously – when Master Kash encouraged me to just step onto the mat and join one myself. I never looked back. I still can’t quite believe I’m a brown belt and assistant instructor today.”

However, the training brought even more benefits than she anticipated.

“I was stronger than I gave myself credit for, and I learned that most of self-defense happens before anything physical ever occurs,” Peluso said. “I walked in thinking I’d learn how to fight my way out of a bad situation. What I learned is how to recognize and avoid one in the first place. The goal is not to win the fight; it’s to avoid the fight entirely.”

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Folklore Studio brings handmade stories to the heart of Laguna Beach

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Founded by Kelly Dye, Folklore Studio showcases works by independent artists and makers whose creations reflect authenticity and a deep appreciation for the handmade. Through Folklore, Dye has built a welcoming space where every piece tells a story, inviting visitors to discover the people, traditions and inspiration behind the art.

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Folklore owner Kelly Dye is a curator and designer born and raised in Northern California. She currently splits her time between Santa Fe, New Mexico and Laguna Beach, where her studio opened in 2023

“I’m a conceptual curator – I love aesthetics, but I also want to go that layer deeper into imagination, histories and mythos. Folklore also speaks to things that are old and passed through generations. I’m drawn to traditional artistic mediums.” Dye said.

The name Folklore stems from her love of stories and visual storytelling. “The shows I curate and artists I represent are stories I want to tell. My roster disproportionately leans towards textile artists and earth pigment painters. I love craft. I love natural clays, dyes and colors. I love art practices that feel ancient and reverent,” she said.

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Dye believes that when guests drink her tea, they become more present. From this more grounded place, the art comes alive, and viewers engage with the art in a way that’s deeper and more personal.

One of the arts she practices in her studio is serving tea to her guests.

It’s an element, among many, that separates Folklore Studio from other galleries. “I started serving aged Chinese ceremonial tea to guests at the gallery about two years ago. I discovered tea ceremony and started meditating with tea regularly a little over three years ago and in that time, I’ve been lucky to learn from some wonderful teachers.”

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The studio has a meditative atmosphere

Dye opened the flagship Folklore in Santa Fe in 2019, bringing a perspective rooted in creative exploration, spiritual practice and global travels. She studied Feng Shui, sustainable design, textile arts, fashion marketing and visual communication and holds an AAS from Parsons the New School for Design and a BA from Furman University.

She chose Laguna for her next studio for love of the sea. “I like to say the ocean called me! I operate very intuitively,” she said. “I knew I wanted to open a second location of my business – ideally on a coast and near community. I also felt a kinship and deep alignment with Laguna Beach’s history, culture and appreciation for the arts.”

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A locally recognized figure in architectural macrame and fine art, Jim Olarte’s work appears in Folklore Studio

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Travel beneath the surface with Laguna free diver Paul Markovits

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Wearing only an open cell free diving wetsuit, mask, snorkel (all from Riffe international), long carbon-fiber free diving fins and a weight belt, free diver Paul Markovits immerses himself in another world –relying on only one breath until resurfacing.

Documenting his dives in Laguna’s Marine Sanctuary with either The GoPro, DJI action 6 or Ace Pro 2, Markovits creates stunning underwater reels/videos with musical scores.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Paul Markovits near the ocean he loves

Free diving is a rare and niche activity, practiced by a small percentage of water enthusiasts. Markovits’ enthusiasm for the water began early.

“I’ve always loved swimming and seeing how far I could swim in the pool without a breath, and I’ve always loved the ocean. When I came to Laguna Beach, I snorkeled and loved diving and swimming underwater,” he said.

Then he started identifying the fish he saw and watched videos on YouTube to see what others have seen here.

“I got the gear and eventually took a PADI free diving certification class,” he said.

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Courtesy of Paul Markovits

Markovits during a free dive

How does he prepare for a dive?

“I eat very little, stretch and do some breathing exercises. I start with a lot of shallow dives and gradually work my way to the kelp beds in deeper water. I take at least two to three minutes between dives.

To Markovits, it’s a form of meditation. “Free diving resets everything for me. You have to be very calm and still to preserve oxygen. It’s literally ‘immersion in another world.’ There is so much to see on clear day in the sea. What I realized about myself is how much I like the quiet retreat from the world. And the solitude. It’s a total escape.”

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Paul Markovits near the ocean he loves

Markovits, a 10-year Laguna resident, fell in love with Laguna Beach. “It’s the most beautiful coast of Southern California. There’s a love of and appreciation of the natural world, and a desire to conserve it. The sea life is rich and diverse. There are beautiful reefs and kelp forests and much of it is actually found in shallow water and accessible. I love the ocean culture. All the surfers, paddleboarders, skim boarders, snorkelers, divers, swimmers and waders. People just love the ocean, and I love that.”

Although Markovits free dives when he travels, what he likes about diving locally is that, “I can go frequently, get to know the environment and work on my photography. I can see the results and go back the next day and work on that shot.”

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Searching for sea life above the surface

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Bart Zandbergen explores the meaning of true wealth

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

For more than three decades, financial planner Bart A. Zandbergen has helped clients build and preserve their wealth. In his new book, True Wealth Defined: The 8 Pillars to Discovering Life’s Riches, the founder and CEO of The Zandbergen Group shares lessons learned far beyond balance sheets. A respected Certified Financial Planner^®, Zandbergen challenges conventional measures of success, arguing that true wealth is found not only in financial security, but also in purpose, relationships, health and personal fulfillment.

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The spark of Bart Zandbergen’s debut book goes back 18 years with his creation of the eight pillars to discovering life’s riches

“Eighteen years ago, I started developing the pillars of true wealth and thought that someday it would be a great book, but I just used it in my practice and tried to adhere to it in my own life,” Zandbergen said. Then one morning about two years ago he woke up at 2 a.m. with one of those “aha” moments, promising himself that he was finally going to do it. Now, with the launch of his book, his vision came to fruition.

A 20-year resident of Laguna, Zandbergen was born in San Diego and raised in Anaheim. He lives here with his wife, Tina, and 10-year-old daughter, Tehani. He also has two grown children (daughter, Nicole and son, Christian), two granddaughters, Lily and Wilder and a grandson, Oliver. In addition to spending time with his family, he’s a fitness enthusiast and has a passion for fine wine and dining. He’s a member of Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an exclusive wine and food organization, and is a Certified Sommelier. Zandbergen completed his sommelier training through the Wine & Spirits Education Trust of England and enjoys traveling to various vineyards in Central California.

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As outlined in the book, the eight pillars are: health, family & friends, faith, service to others, legacy, peace, the invisibles and finance

Although Zandbergen has been in the business for more than 30 years, when he attended college, financial planning wasn’t on his radar.

“I was a business major and became a computer programmer out of college,” he said. “I did that for three years and realized it didn’t feel right. I wasn’t enjoying it and thought, ‘well, I’m pretty good at computers’ so I got into computer system sales and did that for a few years.”

Zandbergen was so successful that he needed a financial advisor. “Right around age 30 I had all the definitions of success, I owned a home, had two kids and a good job with benefits, but I wasn’t fulfilled.” At one point, his financial advisor explained that what he did (as an advisor) changed lives, and Zandbergen decided to go to work for him (though he waited a year). Again, he woke in the middle of the night with an epiphany – he was going to it.

However, success didn’t happen overnight – he kept his day job, took night classes and got his securities and insurance license. “In the early ‘90s, I went to work (making phone calls) at my financial advisor’s firm and that’s where I stayed for 25 years.”

When he opened his office in Laguna in 2020, he and his wife were trying to stay in town and found the perfect location.

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In 2020, Zandbergen opened his office, impeccably designed by his wife, Tina

Throughout those years, his definition of success changed. “When

I first got in the business; success was about money and how much money you could earn and how much you could save,” he said. “But I saw that even my wealthiest clients weren’t always happy – they were having issues, saw therapists and weren’t fulfilled. That got me thinking about what makes someone happy.” He realized there are things beyond money that make someone wealthy and the concept of the eight pillars was born.

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The Laguna Beach Historical Society keeps Laguna’s past alive

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Nestled in the heart of town, the Murphy-Smith Bungalow – headquarters of the Laguna Beach Historical Society – has quietly watched a century of history unfold around it.

It’s an urban legend (or is it?) that bootleg liquor was stored in the cellar during prohibition. “It was used to store illegal contraband – the bootleggers would come up on Main Beach in the middle of the night,” said Tamara Campbell, president of the Laguna Beach Historical Society. “They would then deposit their booty in the cellar at the bungalow for their customers to pick up.”

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The Murphy-Smith Bungalow has just undergone a renovation. The Historical Society was established in 1991.

Built in 1923 for Vernon Murphy and later sold to Evaline “Lottie” Clapp, with the final owner being Blanche Clapp Smith (Evaline’s daughter) the cottage reflects the modest scale and architectural character of Laguna’s early homes. Over the decades, it survived periods of rapid development that transformed much of the town, and it became a rare reminder of the community’s origins.

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President of the Historical Society Tamara Campbell is a wealth of information on both the bungalow and the Historical Society

Today, the bungalow serves not only as a preserved historic structure but also as a center for collecting and safeguarding artifacts and sharing the stories that have shaped Laguna Beach’s unique identity. The society currently has 300 members.

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Trapdoor leading to the cellar where bootleggers stored liquor during prohibition

Now at the helm as president of the Historical Society, Campbell is a longtime Laguna Beach resident and former chair of the Planning Commission, where she served for 10 years. A dedicated community volunteer and civic leader, she has been active in local planning, environmental and neighborhood issues, helping guide policies that preserve Laguna Beach’s unique character while addressing the needs of residents and visitors.

She grew up in Fresno but gravitated toward San Francisco due to its rich history. “Throughout my career I’ve been able to work on historic preservation. It’s been wonderful. I got to work in Park City, Utah, and we started a preservation society there,” said Campbell, who moved with her family to Laguna in 1966. “When you could still afford to buy a house. It was the perfect time, Laguna was still a little town, everything closed on Sunday.”

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Skipper Carrillo memorabilia on display

Campbell described the renovation, “The entire exterior needed to be repainted, and we matched all the historical colors and redid the landscaping.” They took everything out of the interior and painted it white so they could be more methodical about the exhibitions, which will be on a rotating basis. They have yet to move everything back in.

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Guarding Paradise: Joanna Bear has a vision for sustainable tourism in Laguna Beach

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

For Joanna Bear, tourism is about more than attracting visitors – it is about protecting the very qualities that make Laguna Beach special. As president of Visit Laguna Beach, Bear is helping lead a narrative centered on stewardship of the city’s beaches, trails, arts and natural resources that are deeply impacted by tourism. Her approach emphasizes responsible travel, community collaboration and preserving Laguna Beach’s distinctive coastal character for future generations while continuing to welcome visitors from around the world.

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Joanna Bear took the helm of Visit Laguna Beach in September 2025

Bear took over the helm of Visit Laguna Beach in September 2025 after 22 years at the Surf & Sand Laguna Beach, most recently as general manager. A southern California native, she grew up in San Pedro and then made the trek to Arizona to attend Arizona State University.

That’s where she met her husband RJ, who is the assistant general manager at The Ranch. Although they stayed in Arizona for several years, they always knew they wanted to come back to Orange County to have a family – RJ’s family is in Orange County. The couple are parents to a daughter who is in high school and enjoys playing volleyball.

Bear and her daughter love to shop Downtown and admits that her favorite places to eat are at The Ranch. “If we have family coming, we’ll go to Harvest or the Porch with the live music.”

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Joanna visits the Chef’s Garden at The Ranch

“I started my career at Surf & Sand in 2003 which brought us out here,” Bear said. “My first position was director of the front office and then elevated my leadership role to rooms director and assistant general manager and ultimately the general manager, a role I enjoyed since 2011.”

Her tenure at Surf & Sand gave her rare insight into the market (and visitors to the city) and Bear was ready for a new challenge.

“I enjoyed 22 years at Surf welcoming many new and repeat guests,” she said. “It was very special building those relationships with the community and when this opportunity evolved – it was a great match.”

Although she thought she knew a lot of people in town, she’s loved having the opportunity to meet so many more people. “It’s been such a pleasure – we’re in the people business.”

Bear brings a new perspective at just the right time. “I knew the direction of Visit Laguna Beach was changing with the stewardship narrative and sustainable tourism,” she said. “I thought this would be a great opportunity and I’ve really enjoyed repositioning Visit Laguna Beach.” She admits it’s not a new concept; cities around the globe have adopted it. “When we work with the community and identify how we can help support it, it’s a better experience for residents and visitors alike.” To that end, she’s been working with the arts community and nonprofits and was initially surprised at how many nonprofits are in Laguna.

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Joanna enjoying Lost Pier at Aliso Creek Beach

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Half a century on the sand: Craig Lockwood’s life beyond the lifeguard tower

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

For 50 years, Craig Lockwood has been a familiar figure along the shoreline of Laguna Beach – watching the waves, protecting beachgoers and embracing the ocean-centered lifestyle that shaped his life. But Lockwood’s story extends far beyond the lifeguard tower. An author, journalist, screenwriter, photographer, paddleboarder, surfer, editor, historian and founder of a publishing company Pacific Noir Press, he has spent decades documenting coastal culture while helping tell the stories of others. His career reflects a rare blend of public service, creativity and enduring connection to the sea.

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Craig Lockwood grew up in the Golden Age of surfing surrounded by legends such as Hobie Alter, Peanuts Larson and Tom Morey

Lockwood was born in Pasadena to a creative family – his dad wrote screenplays in Hollywood, and his mother was a sculptor and ceramicist. He attended a Hollywood professional (boys) school run by a studio.

Even though they lived in Pasadena, Laguna is where his family came on the weekends and summers. “It was during the war,” he said, “and gas was tough to get so we took the train to Newport Beach where my mother had a car, and then we drove down to Laguna.

Although Lockwood’s roots run deep in Laguna (his father bought property here in 1914), his historic roots go back even further. “An ancestor was a fiery Revolutionary War Veteran named James Callender!” he said. That passion for life appears to have been inherited by Lockwood.

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Craig with his wife Mary Kathryn and Lucy

The family eventually moved to Laguna. “In the late 1950s, my stepdad opened a gallery on Coast Highway, and my mother did all her design work in a studio there,” he said.

A waterman through and through, he grew up surfing and has competed in the Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race several times.

Lockwood’s introduction to lifeguarding (which was very different back then) led to a career of five decades. At 17 years of age, he took the Laguna test and worked for the state. When he turned 18, he took the test again, was hired by the city of Laguna and stayed – and stayed.

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Lockwood’s editing workspace occupies a prominent place in the home

“There were two of us who were the first permanent lifeguards – Eugene DePaulis and me,” Lockwood said. “He was my senior, and the chief lifeguard was LaVern Duggar.” Dugger was the chief of the Laguna Beach Lifeguard Department from 1959-1972.

“Over the years, lifeguards develop a repertoire of reactions,” he said. “You build your lifesaving knowledge and capacity for spotting things before they ever become a problem, and that’s really when you achieved the level of skill and competence as a lifeguard – or a lifesaver as they say in Australia.”

According to Lockwood, back when he started as a lifeguard, there was a night shift from 7 p.m.-4 a.m. “It started under Laverne Dugger because there were so many incidents of tourists coming to town who didn’t have a hotel to stay in and they were skinny dipping.”

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The legacy of giving: Ann Quilter embodies the spirit of a generation

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Raised in Washington, D.C. during the era of President Kennedy’s famous 1961 inaugural address and Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech, Ann Quilter reflects a worldview shaped by service, optimism and a belief in collective responsibility. For Ann, those defining words were never just rhetoric – they became a lifelong call to action. Through decades of quiet generosity and steadfast community involvement, she has translated the ideals of her generation into meaningful impact for the community – and beyond.

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Ann Quilter

“I came of age during the ‘60s activism in Washington, D.C.,” she said. “I really took to heart JFK’s ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country’ quote. I’m part of the ‘ask not’ generation that felt it was our duty. It was extremely powerful and I felt it was an obligation. That quote defined me in high school, and that’s how I came into my adulthood. It was a great time to be young, in a generation of vision, and that was absolutely a part of my journey.”

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Charlie and Ann Quilter during the ceremony to renew their vows on their 50th anniversary last May – in the backyard where they were married

Growing up in a Marine Corps family that moved around the country, Ann’s geographical journey was fueled by frequent relocations. Eventually, she ended up working for the state department in the passport office in Seattle, Wash. Although her family was from the East Coast, “It was as if my heart and soul had found its home in the western part of the country,” she said.

It was there she met Charlie Quilter. “At a party, I met a woman who was a flight attendant for Western Airlines, and she said ‘I have a friend I fly with that I think that you would like, Charlie Quilter,’ and I said, ‘You know I’m pretty sure my parents know his parents but I don’t think I’ve met the kids.’”

Coincidentally, the Quilters (Charles and Elizabeth, parents to Charlie, Chris, Patrick and Matthew), who settled in Laguna in the 1960s, were also a military family and moved around a lot.

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Charlie and Ann with daughter Emily and son CJ

Through Charlie, Ann made Laguna Beach her hometown in 1976. They were married in the yard of a small house he bought in the canyon in 1975; however, she didn’t move down here until the following year. “I knew enough about his character that I’d better not come down from Seattle until I had a place to live because he only had one bedroom and no place for me to even hang a sweater. I told him we needed a proper bedroom.” So, they built the upper floor, and she (in typical Ann Quilter style) put up all the drywall.

After moving, and finally settling in her canyon home, Ann faced the dilemma of, “What do I do now?” That turned out to be going to UCI and getting a Master of Science and Administration. “At the time, Charlie was still flying for Western Airlines, and he was ferrying aircraft around the world. He was also in the Marine Corps reserves with a fighter pilot group and had a very busy life.”

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Charlie and Ann with Bonaventure and his wife, Laura Nader, M.D. and their daughter, Randa

Her first endeavor into community service was to join the League of Women Voters. “I used to carry Emily to the meetings in a basket,” she said.

Daughter Emily was born in 1979, and son CJ (Charles John Quilter, III) arrived in 1982. The Quilters also have an honorary/adopted son – Bonaventure, who is from Zimbabwe. An active member of the United Methodist Church of Laguna Beach, Ann has co-led work teams to Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, Cuba and Biloxi, Miss. Bonaventure was a guide during a trip she took to Zimbabwe.

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Echoes in the Canyon: Hob Childers brings music alive in a magical cave in Hidden Valley

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Tucked deep within the natural beauty of Hidden Valley, where sandstone walls rise and the air carries the hush of coastal wilderness, music takes on an entirely new dimension. In a cave shaped by time and tide, Hob Childers and a collective of fellow musicians gather to perform in a setting as raw and resonant as the songs themselves.

“This cave changed me from an observer to a musical participant,” said Childers, who has lived in Hidden Valley with his wife Lisa, former manager of Laguna Beach Books, since 2003.

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Hob Childers playing the harmonica during a recent jam session in the cave

Before Hidden Valley cave (unintentionally) became part of Laguna Beach’s long artistic tradition, Hidden Valley had its own rich – and intriguing – history. Originally, Harold Reed owned 160 acres in Hidden Valley. In 1950, he leased it to Robert Evans and William Hubler who envisioned it as a private recreational area (with tennis courts and putting greens), they named the Hidden Valley Sports Club. The natural caves were used for barbecues and “sings.” Reed, against city opposition, moved 14 one-room cottages onto the property, but the city refused to annex them, and Reed refused to move them. However, in 1954 he made them into 14 complete homes, each on its own lot. Eventually, in 1959, the city annexed Hidden Valley as part of the Canyon Hill annexation.

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Twilight in the cave conjures up a magical vibe

How music became a part of the cave’s legacy unfolded as a result of a Laguna disaster.

“Five of the homes burned in the 1993 fire,” Childers said. “So, a contractor, Robin Young, bought the whole Canyon and built five or six houses at the top of the street. We own the last one that was built.”

Young still lives in the Canyon. “He’s one of my pals, and I love the guy,” Childers said. “I’m the HOA president but he’s the emperor and I go to him anytime there’s a real problem.”

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Musicians gather for a recent jam session

When the Childers moved there in 2003 – they bought the house brand new – he didn’t think much of the cave at the top of the street. “There was nothing going on up there and every time it would rain the drain would plug and the street would flood,” Childers said. “I’d have to go up there with the shovel to clear the drain.”

That was his only interaction with the cave until 2005.

“I heard this really weird sound coming out of the cave, so I went up there to investigate,” Childers said. “There was a guy up there with a didgeridoo and he and his buddy were doing a hand pan. I couldn’t get over the acoustics of the cave; they were just wonderful.”

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Curt Dodd on keys

At that point, Childers wasn’t yet a musician. “I’m not really a musician now, I’m just a guy who plays harmonica, but I got this idea that we should get some friends up here to play guitar and run power up there, put a little fire pit in and enjoy it.” And that’s what he did.

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Zpizza remains a slice of Laguna Beach history for 40 years

By DIANNE RUSSELL

In a town where restaurants often come and go with the tides, Sid Fanarof has managed to keep the oven hot and the dough spinning for four decades at Zpizza. What began as a simple idea – to serve great pizza with the best quality ingredients – has grown into a local institution where generations of Laguna residents have lined up for a slice. Forty years later, the aroma of fresh pizza still drifts out the door, and Fanarof is still at the heart of the place that has become as much a part of the community as the coastline itself.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Sid Fanarof co-founded Zpizza in 1986

“The best tasting food starts with ingredients that are naturally better for you,” a belief he is so dedicated to that this Zpizza motto is written on the wall of the restaurant.

Their dough is made from non-GMO wheat flour, and other ingredients include award-winning skim mozzarella from Wisconsin, certified organic tomato sauce, nitrate–free pepperoni, additive–free sausage and fresh produce.

His passion for clean food led him to his cheese supplier in Wisconsin. “When I met him, I asked if he made cheese without RBST, and he said, ‘yes.’ They’re a little cooperative and we’ve been getting our cheese from the same place for 40 years,” he said. The same diligence was behind choosing his other suppliers.

“It started with the ingredients – and the story grew,” said. Fanarof.

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Photo by Doug Miller

(L-R) Jeff, the cashier and cook Pierre French with Sid Fanarof in 1988

Raised in East Los Angeles, Fanarof moved to Laguna after living in Huntington Harbour. For several years, he saw people from Huntington Harbour traveling to Costa Mesa to pick up pizza in the back of an alley. “I talked to some of my friends and they said it’s the only place for pizza. So, what I learned was that when pizza people like pizza, that’s their pizza place and they grow up with it,” Fanarof said.

Prior to the opening of Zpizza, Fanarof owned another Laguna institution – Spigot Liquor. He turned it into a beach store and brought in healthy eating alternatives by introducing Hansen’s soda, starting the Brown Bag Sandwich Company and stocking cookies from Laguna Cookies. (On a nostalgic note, he even sold Swatch watches there.)

Fanarof met his future Zpizza partner, Suzy Megroz, during the Spigot Liquor days.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Seth Simchowitz, Sid’s stepson, runs the Laguna location

Eventually, he wanted to do something different, and after he sold Spigot Liquor in 1986, he and Megroz opened up a 600–foot store in the same shopping plaza (which had housed Raw Pizza, a bake your own pizza shop.) He wanted Mexican food, and Megroz, who was raised in France, wanted French food, yet somehow, they settled on pizza (even though neither knew how to make it). Megroz brought in the French influence with ingredients like capers and anchovies, and Fanarof contributed pepperoni and the Mexican influence.

“There was enough room for two people to stand in the store, there was no seating, and we had two little tables outside,” he said.

The name Zpizza came about from Megroz’ French pronunciation of “zee pizza place” and it evolved into Zpizza.

Zpizza crust also has a unique origin story. Fanarof took a recipe out of a pizza cookbook, increased it times 10 and put it in a flattening machine – but it never came out. Luckily, a supplier came to the rescue. “He asked if I had any dough, so I took some of the dough from a shelf – he rolled it out into smaller pieces, we put it in the oven,” Fanarof said, and voilà, it’s the same recipe he’s been using for 40 years.

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Junior Citizen of the Year Zachary Menter sets course for Naval Academy

By DIANNE RUSSELL

From the cross-country trails of Laguna Beach to the classrooms of China and soon the halls of the U.S. Naval Academy, Zachary Menter is already charting a remarkable path of discipline and purpose. The Laguna Beach High School senior – fluent in Mandarin and driven by a global curiosity – was named one of the Junior Citizens of the Year for the Patriots Day Parade held on March 14. He also serves as a lifeguard at Crystal Cove, competes in triathlons, and was recognized not only for his academic and athletic achievements, but for a character rooted in service, perseverance and a vision that reaches well beyond the shoreline. It’s no surprise he was also named Valedictorian for his class.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Zachary Menter was chosen as Valedictorian for his senior class

During his high school career, Menter has experienced his share of unique adventures – one being a trip to Taiwan National Security Language Initiative for Youth to study Mandarin.

Of all the languages, why did Menter choose Mandarin, which is generally considered one of the more difficult languages for English speakers?

It came down to a process of elimination. In middle school, he had to choose a language, with the options being Mandarin, French and Spanish. “I chose Mandarin in 7th grade because I didn’t know how to do the rolling ‘r’ in Spanish and I didn’t want to take French. I had a bad experience with French in 6th grade,” Menter said. “That was my introduction to Mandarin, but I’ve since done it for different reasons. I really enjoy the language.”

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Courtesy of Zachary Menter

In Taiwan studying Mandarin

Through the National Security Language Initiative to study Mandarin last summer, Menter had the opportunity to go to Taiwan.

“It was a very steep learning curve,” he said. “You really have to be willing to fail before you get the hang of the language, and it takes a lot of effort. There were high expectations in this program. With a group of 20 participants, I lived at the university for six weeks, and we all went to class four hours a day (just for Mandarin), five days a week.”

He admits that writing the language was the hardest part. “They only did written exams, and it was probably the most I’ve studied in my life. There were about two to three hours of studying a day and when you went to your host family on weekends, they would speak Mandarin.”

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Menter takes a breather from his many activities

On the weekends, members of the group would go to their host families and practice the language. On his off time, Menter could do whatever he wanted in the city or county. “So, I walked six miles around campus or around the city exploring. I found a Costco with two levels, that was a fun. I walked four miles just to see it.”

One delicious bonus to the trip was the Chinese food. “You could get whatever you wanted for an insane price.”

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Math, mentorship and motivation – Estella Cuyler Newton leads by example

By DIANNE RUSSELL

When Estella Cuyler Newton heads to Harvard this fall, she’ll take with her more than a love of mathematics and research that has already taken her as far as Chile. The Laguna Beach High School (LBHS) senior – president of the school’s Coding Club, a mentor teaching computer science to younger students at the Boys & Girls Club and local middle schools and an active volunteer across campus organizations – has been named one of the 2026 Junior Citizens of the Year for the Patriots Day Parade held last Saturday, March 14. (Look for the article on the other Junior Citizen, Zach Menter, in next week’s Stu News.)

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Estella Newton – 2026 Junior Citizen of the Year will attend Harvard in the fall

The Junior Citizen of the Year honor is part of Laguna Beach’s annual Patriots Day Parade, launched in 1967 by the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce. Created to recognize outstanding young leaders – typically seniors at Laguna Beach High School – the award celebrates students who combine academic achievement with community service, leadership and civic engagement. The honoree is recognized during the parade each March alongside the city’s Citizen of the Year, continuing a tradition that highlights both community legacy and the next generation of leaders.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Newton’s love for math has been cultivated over the years

Newton is a wonderful choice to carry on this legacy. She has lived in Laguna since she was 6 months old and attended schools in the LBUSD (her sister is currently in the seventh grade). “It’s been a great experience,” Newton said. “I’m so grateful for my time here. I’ve had so many wonderful teachers, and everyone’s been so supportive of all of my interests. I made a lot of good friends, and I was very lucky to get to go through the system.”

Newton’s appreciation for math has grown over the years. “I’ve always been interested in math, but in high school I’ve seen how it can be used more in the real world, and that’s been very appealing. Harvard has a math/economics program that looks interesting so I might end up majoring in that,” she said. “I don’t have to choose until junior year.”

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Newton is currently reading “Why Nations Fail”

However, her passions extend far beyond math – she is a voracious reader.

“I’m reading, Why Nations Fail,” Newton said. “It’s an economics/political book about global politics. I’m also reading one of George Orwell’s books.” She also is a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby and reads a wide variety of books.

Outside of the classroom, she likes to hike. “I live up at Top of the World so the trails are close to my house, I can just walk there in a couple minutes. I love walking along the trails,” she said.

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Courtesy of Estella Newton

Newton with her mentor Charlie Hoff in Chile during her research project

In addition to math, Newton is equally committed to environmental science. Last summer she had the opportunity to go to Chile for part of a research project that she was doing.

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The Hall of Memories: Laguna Beach High alumni return to their 1984 portraits

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

More than four decades after they first posed for the artist, several Laguna Beach High School alumni returned to campus to stand beside their life-size portraits once again. The striking murals, created in 1984 by artist Megan Hart Jones, originally lined the school cafeteria walls and captured students of that era in vivid, full-scale detail. Now relocated to the Artists Theatre, the portraits found a new home – and last Tuesday, March 3, the former students depicted in them reunited with their painted counterparts, celebrating both the school’s artistic legacy and a unique snapshot of Laguna Beach history.

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Annamarie Reigel poses in front of her 1984 self

Sadly, the artist Megan Hart Jones, a graduate of LBHS and LCAD, died in 1987 at the age of 20. The daughter of Laguna Beach artist John Paul Jones, she once explained that the students are all painted in gray so “the shadows of the past would not overwhelm these people.”

“Laguna Beach is an absolutely awesome place to grow up and LBHS was the icing on the cake,” said Reigel. “Being back walking the halls and seeing ourselves represented by what quite possibly defined us during these years, through the artistic eye of Megan Jones, is something special.”

However, the portraits had an interesting history before they settled into their current spots.

Soon after the murals were painted on the cafeteria walls in 1984, the cafeteria was remodeled – and the space became what is now the library. Over the years, they were moved several times until they were relocated to the hallway of the Artists Theatre.

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Kim Bixler Leeds wearing the popular ‘80s leggings

When Megan Hart Jones’ mother found out the portraits were in danger of being destroyed, she asked for help from Annamarie Reigel.

“Megan’s mom was very upset that they were going to be destroyed,” Reigel said. “She asked me to come home from school for the weekend and help raise money for the process to peel the walls.” They hired an Italian professional muralist preservationist and Johann Jonas, whose son Chris was a portrait subject, was one of the donors.

“Chris, who couldn’t be at the event today, is in Bologna, Italy, performing and teaching a master class in jazz,” Johann said. “Megan was a girlfriend of my son and when she passed away, they asked him to help find a tree to plant in the garden and he wrote the music and played for the memorial. It was a pleasure to have known her. She was a lovely person.”

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Johann Jonas, mother of Chris Jonas, stands in front of his portrait. Now a musician living in Berlin, he was unable to attend the event.

For many years, the names of the students depicted in the portraits remained a mystery. How they came to be identified and then ultimately found is an intriguing story, one that the event organizer Claudia Redfern unraveled for the attendees at the event.

Both Redfern and her friend Angela Irish were passionate about the project. Thanks to some sleuthing, the students’ names and contact information were ultimately found.

Irish volunteered as a parent when her son, Michael, was attending LBUSD. Upon his graduation the district created a classified position for her to be paid. “Angela loves what she does,” said Redfern. Irish has been costume creator for 25+ years outfitting all the theater students at LBHS. Besides overseeing the costumes for all the plays, she washes and mends all costumes.

“My children graduated from Laguna Beach High School in 1991 and ‘93,” Redfern said. “The 15 students in the portraits graduated in 1984 and 1985. I knew about the 15 life-size murals when they were located in the Laguna Beach High School cafeteria. However, it wasn’t until years later I realized that thankfully the murals by Megan Hart Jones had carefully been removed, framed and relocated in the hallways around the Artist Theatre. For some 40 years no one really knew who the students were…there were no names or graduation years.”

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Mark Bithell, number 84, looks back 40 years

Coincidentally, the subject came up in conversation when Redfern was playing pickleball.

Redfern said. “We have a couple of young ladies here, Annamarie Reigel and Raquelle Willett Basto, (at the event) because I met them playing pickleball. I asked them where they went to high school. They said LBHS and then I asked if they knew anything about the students in the artwork.” To Redfern’s surprise, Reigel said, “Yeah, I’m one of them.”

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Riding the endless wave: Laguna’s Dick Metz returns to where it all started

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos By Mary Hurlbut

As Grand Marshal of the 2026 Patriots Day Parade on March 14, Dick Metz has a lot to celebrate. At 96, Metz is still riding the momentum of a life shaped by saltwater and serendipity. Raised in Laguna Beach, Metz came of age alongside the pioneers of modern surfing, forging a lifelong friendship with Hobie Alter and eventually owning 22 Hobie surf/sports shops. Widely regarded as the real-life inspiration behind Bruce Brown’s 1966 film The Endless Summer, Metz helped define the golden era of the sport.

Even now, this local icon continues to shape the story of surfing. As founder of the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center (SHACC), Metz is eagerly anticipating the re-opening of the museum in its permanent location on Broadway Avenue. (It was previously in San Clemente.)

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Dick Metz wears polarized sunglasses designed by Hobie Alter

In a staggering collaboration of Laguna legends, Metz, along with SHACC Board Members Mark Christy, Jeff Alter, Greg MacGillivray, Paul Naude, Patti Paniccia, Randy Hild, Dan McInerny and Royce Cansler brought a dream to fruition by securing the former Downtown Laguna Beach location of Laguna Drugs.

Returning to the place it all started – the SHACC is a mere half a block from Main Beach boardwalk where his dad owned the Laguna Diner housed in an old railroad car and then the Broiler restaurant – Metz has come full circle.

Raised in Laguna Beach during surfing’s formative years, Metz grew up in a tight-knit coastal fraternity that included close friend and fellow Laguna standout Peanuts Larson. Together they were part of the small but adventurous cadre of postwar surfers who helped define Orange County’s early surf culture. Metz also forged a lifelong friendship with Hobie Alter and moved within the same circles as innovators like Dale Velzy and stylist Phil Edwards. As his travels took him to Hawaii in the 1950s, Metz formed bonds with legendary watermen including Peter Cole and later crossed paths with big-wave charger Greg Noll.

That generation’s shared exploration – from Laguna’s reefs to Hawaiian swells – helped shape not only Metz’s legendary wanderlust, but the golden era of California surfing itself.

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Metz and his three-year journey around the world from 1958-1961 inspired the film “Endless Summer”

Few are left to tell the story of early Laguna, and Metz is a revered and precise memory keeper. He was born in 1929 – just two years after the city was incorporated and on the brink of the Great Depression. “There was no hospital here, so I was born in Pomona, and then came right back here.”

By an earlier twist of fate, an unpaid meat bill prompted his parents move to Laguna.

“My parents (Carl and Edna May) went to high school together, then to Pomona Jr. College and both got teaching degrees (which back then took two years). My mom became a teacher in Big Bear, and my dad ran the Safeway store.” But his dad wanted to have his own business and through his meat salesman, the senior Metz found out a restaurant in Laguna could be bought by paying their overdue meat bill. “So, my dad went to L.A., paid $137 and got the restaurant,” he said. “My mother was an elementary school teacher here in Laguna for years.”

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The Broiler, with a bar, restaurant and dance floor, was on the boardwalk. Later it was taken down by the city since the row of buildings blocked the “window to the sea.”

As time went on, Metz became part of the burgeoning surf scene. “The local surfers built a shack on the sand from the wood salvaged from the destroyed pier, and we hung out there,” he said.

At a young age (12), he learned bartending at his dad’s restaurant while the senior Metz was out doing errands. As the years went on, this skill served Metz well – he surfed during the day and tended bar around town at night.

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Metz is a prolific storyteller and respected keeper of Laguna’s early history

Metz recalls the day WW II started: “As a young teenager living on El Camino Del Mar, I was riding my bike at the corner of Legion and Glenneyre streets when people suddenly ran out of the nearby church shouting that the country was at war and that Pearl Harbor had been bombed,” he said. Not fully understanding what Pearl Harbor even was at the time, he rode home to ask his mother, who confirmed the news – it was December 7. In the days that followed, he recalls that everyone enlisted in the military, including his father. The upheaval deeply affected his family as well; shortly afterward, his mother filed for divorce.

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From local pool to Ivy League: Logan McCarroll’s homegrown rise to Division I MVP

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Long before he was named MVP of the Northeast Water Polo Conference at Princeton University, Logan McCarroll was a nine-year-old kid diving into the pool with the Laguna Beach Water Polo Club. Raised in a town where athletics and community are deeply intertwined, McCarroll’s journey from Laguna’s shores to Division I competition is more than a personal achievement – it’s a testament to the coaches, mentors and culture that shaped him. His success is not just a collegiate milestone; it’s a hometown story about what can happen when talent, discipline and community support grow up together.

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Courtesy of Princeton Athletics

Logan McCarroll is a senior at Princeton University, competing at the Division I level with the men’s water polo program

“Growing up in Laguna and being immersed in its strong athletic and community culture shaped not only my development as an athlete but also my values and perspective,” McCarroll said.

Laguna Beach’s role in developing student athletes who carry those values far beyond the city is not to be underestimated.

This season, he was honored to be named MVP of the Northeast Water Polo Conference.

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Photo by Kathy Swart

Logan and Princeton teammates shaking hands post-game

“As I reflect on that milestone, it is clear how much of that success traces directly back to Laguna Beach, from the coaches and mentors who invested in me early on to the culture of discipline, balance and excellence that defines the community,” he said.

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Photo by Kathy Swart

Princeton teammates celebrating their Northeast Water Polo Conference win

From the Princeton campus, McCarroll offered some insights into his athletic journey:

Q: You started water polo at just nine years old with the Laguna Beach Water Polo Club – what first drew you to the sport?

A: I actually grew up in sports before I ever touched a water polo ball. My twin sister Lela and I started skiing when we were about 20 months old, and for several years, my siblings and I were on the Mammoth Ski Team. I also played soccer for a while, so being competitive and active was just part of our lifestyle from the beginning.

Water polo came into my life through my older brother Larsen. After he tore his ACL skiing, he shifted into water polo, and I would sit and watch his practices. I remember being drawn to the intensity of it. The physicality, the speed, the team aspect. It was different from anything I had done before. Not long after, Lela and I joined the 10-and-under co-ed team with the Laguna Beach Water Polo Club, coached by Albie Beeler and Rob Carver.

From the very beginning, those coaches made the sport exciting. They taught us the fundamentals, but they also built confidence. They saw potential in me early on and pushed me to compete. What started as watching my brother quickly turned into something I loved for myself. The competitiveness, the teamwork and the challenge of mastering something new are what first drew me in, and it never really let go.

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Artist of the Year David Nelson – a life in silver and Sawdust

By DIANNE RUSSELL

In Sawdust Art Festival lore, some names are spoken with reverence – and David Nelson is one of them. A master of silver whose hands have shaped metal into story for more than half a century, Nelson isn’t just a jeweler; he’s one of the Festival’s founding spirits.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

David Nelson, one of the Sawdust founders, has watched its evolution over the past 56 years

His specialty is silversmithing, a traditional form of jewelry fabrication that transforms raw materials like wire and sheet metal laboriously by hand with an arsenal of tools and fire. He’s also very skilled at stone inlay – he grinds gemstones into fine grain before embedding them into grooved silver.

Silversmithing, a craft steeped in history, traces its origins to ancient times when artisans began fashioning silver into ornate objects, symbolizing wealth and cultural significance. Over the centuries, this art evolved, with each era contributing new techniques and styles. This craft’s journey from ancient handcrafting to the dawn of mechanization is a fascinating tale of creativity, ingenuity and craftsmanship – enduring qualities reflected in Nelson’s work.

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Courtesy of David Nelson

One of Nelson’s signature “Wave” styles with stonework

For 56 consecutive years, his booth has been part of the heartbeat of summer in Laguna Beach, where generations of locals and visitors alike have paused to admire his handcrafted silver. This summer is his 57th, and he will approach it with the same dedication as in decades past.

Beyond his own artistry, Nelson, along with a few other Sawdust exhibitors, founded what would become the Sawdust Benevolence Fund – a discreet but powerful safety net that has helped fellow artists weather illness, hardship and life’s unexpected turns, reflecting the same generosity of spirit that defines his work and his part in the Sawdust community.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Water wheel housing built in the 70s. It needed help by the 1980s, so David became custodian and brought in all the antiques to give it character.

Nelson’s connection to the Sawdust began in 1968, when, at age 15, he traveled from Texas to visit his brother. He was immediately captivated by the artists and their work.

Although he went back to Texas to go to high school, he returned to Laguna in 1970 at the age of 17 and began by helping Tracey Moscaritolo manage her booth at the Sawdust. He hung a few of his drawings and watercolors and then started making jewelry.

Self-taught, crafting silver quickly became his primary creative endeavor. From ‘69-71 he shared Moscaritolo’s booth and then in 1972, he got his own.

He’s also been doing the Craft Guild at Main Beach since 1972 and was one of the seven artists who started the Winter Guild as a pop-up show. Over the years, he was the Snow Wizard in charge of the snow.

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Courtesy of David Nelson

Rings crafted by Nelson

Nelson joined the show a year after it officially became the Sawdust Festival. In its former iteration, it was called the Rejects (named after the artists who didn’t make it into the Festival of Arts).

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The golf cart that started it all – Dr. John Micha and a Laguna Beach first

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Long before golf carts dotted Laguna Beach streets, one belonged to a doctor whose vision would reach far beyond the city (and carts) –into global women’s health and the award-winning restoration of a historic hotel in Montana.

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Vicki, Noodles and John Micha in their second golf cart

Turns out that Dr. John Micha, an oncology specialist, and his wife Vicki, a (retired) psychotherapist, are innovators down to the core.

Dr. Micha is the founder and chairman of Women’s Cancer Research Foundation (WCRF). Since 1985, the physicians and researchers at the WCRF have been at the forefront of pioneering clinical research, aimed at enhancing cure rates among women diagnosed with breast, ovarian, uterine and cervical cancers. WCRF actively engages in designing, conducting and disseminating groundbreaking research focused on cutting-edge medical treatments.

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Dr. Micha discussing his Women’s Cancer Research Foundation

“The Research Foundation hired a Ph.D., Bram Goldstein, just to write papers and organize all the research data for the doctors,” John said. “We went from where it would take a doctor 200 hours to do a project and write a paper to where it would take two hours.”

Prior to that, Dr. Micha was affiliated with Hoag Hospital in his specialized field and then opened a comprehensive medical practice for women. The practice included all aspects of care, so the patient could visit one location for a full spectrum of procedures and care and not have to visit multiple doctors.

“In the beginning, I basically lived at the hospital and slept there until I could get a partner. I traveled all over the state, USC, Cedars, UCSF. I would fly in and do surgeries. It was great for a long time, but I felt like I was driving a dynamite truck. It was a very stressful job, and I had a heart attack at 54. I knew I could no longer do 14-hour surgeries,” he said.

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Vicki is now retired but works in the foundation and is an artist

Forty-one-year residents of Laguna, the Michas grew up in upstate New York.

“I met John when I was 16. We went to the same high school,” Vicki said, “but he was off at college. I was friends with the people he had been friends with, so he came to my Sweet 16 birthday party.” She attended graduate school in New York City – while he was at Cornell, she was at Columbia (graduating in the top 10 in her class) – and they married in his third year of medical school.

“I came out from Cornell and finished up over at UCI which had one of the best human oncology services in the country at that point,” John explained. “Then I was supposed to go back to Cornell to be director. I had offers from all over the country, but one day, we were walking on the beach in Newport, and Vicki and I had the conversation, ‘do you really want to go back, no me neither.’”

They built their home here in Laguna in 1985.

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The Michas up in the hills with a magnificent view of the coast

“I worked in emergency psychiatry at UCI; I was a psychiatric social worker and in my private practice I worked a lot with teens. I love working with teens and it was always my passion,” Vicki said.

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Frank Aronoff: Meet the man behind the LBHS sports stats

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Frank Aronoff has spent the last 32 years as athletic historian for the Laguna Beach High School Breakers and has recently taken over the role of Stu News Laguna’s sports editor. “The first project I did for Laguna High School sports was the 1994 Football Record Book celebrating 60 years of the sport at Laguna.” He was asked to recreate the statistics when many of the records were lost in the October 1993 fire. At the time, the high school athletics office was being repainted, and the records were stored at Thurston and destroyed in the fire.

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Frank Aronoff came over to Stu News as sports editor last fall

Recreating the extensive stats seems like an arduous task, and it would have been for anyone without Aronoff’s background – and passion for sports.

“I’d done the same kind of research for San Diego State back in the ‘70s,” Aronoff said. “So, I got the microfilm and put it back together, and that got me started. I built the first record book for the high school in 1994 for the football team. Then my daughter started high school in ‘95, and I had already been doing the football record book for two years, so I did girls volleyball and then she also played soccer, so I picked up girls soccer.”

Those first record books evolved into the overall stats that Aronoff compiles for LBHS. Aronoff credits Stu Saffer, founder of Stu News, for the direction Aronoff’s recordkeeping took. “Stu was a big push to have me do what I do now,” Aronoff said. “Beginning in the late 1990s, he asked me to write weekly notes on the high school teams.”

After Saffer left the Coastline, Aronoff was at the Indy. “Stu and I never saw eye to eye when we were involved in youth sports back in the ‘90s, but when it came to getting the kids’ information in the papers, we were on the same page,” Aronoff said.

When changes were made at the Indy last fall, and Stu News needed a sports editor, Aronoff came over after 23 years at the Indy.

Of course, one wonders how he covers all the sports. How many places can you be at once?

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Aronoff at LBHS football field, where he has spent many days and nights watching games

“I go to every football game,” he said. “If I miss a girls volleyball game, it’s because I’m at a football game, and I usually have somebody take the camera and film the game. I see every game and then in the wintertime I do girls water polo and, in the spring, I do boys volleyball.” Now technology, in the form of a live camera system, has made it a lot easier keeping track of everything else, Aronoff explained.

“For example, I was at a fall football game at Chino and at the same time we had a girls volleyball match against JSerra Catholic High School. I can control the camera and was able to log on and monitor the game to the end and send the film to a stat service to get started for me while I was still at the football game.” When Aranoff got home from the football game, the stats were there.

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By taking the path less traveled, Julie Sandler has been making it happen in the mortgage industry for 50 years

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Julie Sandler has inhabited many roles during her 50 years as a mortgage broker. One role that continues to define her is owner of Laguna Beach Lending Group, Inc. However, that’s just one facet of her story, one that has been filled with opportunities, challenges and hard work. Aptly described as “Fit, Fab and 70,” she still has a passion for the mortgage lending business – and for a vibrant life that has taken her down many unconventional paths.

Sandler started her business at an age (21) during an era in which both her age and being a female would have seemed defeating elements. “Entering a male-dominated field appealed to my determination to not be boxed in by expectations, gender norms or age,” Sandler said.

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Julie Sandler visited Laguna Beach when she was young and later decided to open her business here

“I graduated from Canoga Park High School in the San Fernando Valley at 18,” she said. “My father handed me $500 and said, ‘Have a great life. I know you will.’ I was clueless, and wondered how I would afford college, living and eating. Well, lo and behold, I figured it out.”

In the process of working and going to school, people saw Sandler’s hunger to live life to its fullest and 50 years later, she still has that hunger. She was determined to have a career that directly translated work into results, income and autonomy – something few traditional paths offered at that young age.

Surprisingly, her age turned into an asset.

“The mortgage brokering offers scalability, entrepreneurship and influence over my financial trajectory – something especially compelling when starting young. It gave me agency, growth and the ability to refuse to wait for permission,” she said.

As a result of her tenacity, she started in the mortgage business in the San Fernando Valley, and after five years, formed her own corporation in 1980. She stayed in the Valley for 15 plus years before coming to Laguna, where she’s been for 20 years.

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Julie Sandler at one of her properties in Laguna

“Being young (and likely underestimated) can fuel a strong desire to show competence, credibility and resilience – both to others and to yourself,” Sandler said. “I felt the combination of being young and mortgage brokering rewarded communication, trust-building and emotional intelligence – areas where many women excel and recognize their strength early.”

Coming to Laguna

Eventually, Sandler chose Laguna to live and started her business here, which proved to be fortunate for the city.

“I visited Laguna Beach when I was young and always knew it was in my future,” she said. The place left a lasting impression on her – the creativity, coastal beauty and sense of community stayed with her over the years. “When the time came to open my own business, Laguna Beach felt like a natural choice – a place that had inspired me early in life and continues to align with my values and vision today.”

For Sandler, Laguna Beach doesn’t just feel like a place to live. “It feels like a place that holds you. Hellos turn into conversations, and conversations turn into connections.”

And those connections account for her staying power.

Sandler explained, “It’s not a one-and-done process. Longevity in mortgage brokering is built on repeat clients and referrals, and it feels like you’re building something lasting. Staying honest, transparent and client-first keeps people coming back across generations. Experience has given me pattern recognition. I have seen cycles repeat and learned when to be cautious and when to move. Fifty years in this business teaches you what works – and what doesn’t. That knowledge is my advantage.”

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Fiona Petersen and Tony Zentil keep Laguna Canyon Riders in motion

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Given our vast network of Laguna wilderness trails, it’s no surprise that mountain biking is popular here. The sport experienced a recent surge in new participants, especially after the pandemic, which led to significant increases in sales and trail usage. While this initial boom for casual riders may have leveled off, the number of people engaging in the sport continues to grow, with more than 9.2 million Americans participating in off-pavement biking in 2023.

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(L-R) Sponsor Troy Lee with Tony Zentil before the LCR’s big event Dirt Fondo on November 8

Tony Zentil, Laguna Canyon Riders (LCR) founder, and Fiona Petersen, who joined the program about a year after launch, have made sure mountain biking is alive and within the reach of Laguna Beach kids in grades 6-12. Before Zentil initiated LCR, there was no organized youth mountain biking program in the city.

“We started this idea of Laguna Canyon Riders about 12 years ago,” said Zentil. “My daughter was entering the 6th grade at middle school, and we were aware that there were other schools in Southern California – and nationwide – with mountain bike programs that were part of the school athletic program.”

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Fiona Petersen on Dartmoor trail during group ride

Zentil was surprised that even though this is one of the best places in the world for mountain biking, we didn’t have mountain biking programs. “We had surf teams, swim clubs and other sports teams, but nothing centered around mountain biking, and I wondered why we didn’t have a program.” So, he started researching how it can be done and found Corona del Mar at the time had one. (They don’t have one now but they’re trying to revive it). “I talked to one of their faculty members and he said there was a nationally accredited program that you could take to your school and launch it.” Zentil tinkered with the model and launched the youth mountain bike program Laguna Canyon Riders 12 years ago.

The team is registered with USA Cycling. All coaching and volunteers are subject to USAC accreditation and rules.

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LCR team on the Laguna trails

Zentil used to work for Oakley and that’s where he met Petersen, who joined him in LCR about a year after it was launched.

Zentil was already well entrenched in the sports world through his company FIX Manufacturing. “It’s a tool company focused on action and adventure sports. I make tools for bikes, for surfing, for snowboarding – the sports that use specialty equipment that requires specialty tools.” His customers run the gamut from REI to Troy Lee Cyclery in town, and from a corner surf shop to a national big box sporting goods store.

Petersen is LCR’s organizer, schedule maker and all-around wrangler.

“I used to work for Oakley, the sunglasses company, and Fiona and I had a mutual connection there,” Zentil said.

Zentil pulled her into LCR and then later realized she’s a wonderful writer, great with the kids and fun to be around. “She’s really organized,” he said. “We realized we needed a secretary and somebody who’s better behind the scenes than I was because running the program was very time consuming.”

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Petersen and team mascot Leilani on Dartmoor trail

“I was showing up for practice three days a week at 3:30 p.m., trying to herd 30 kids and pulling in all my friends to help with coaching. It was hard to do,” Zentil admitted.

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Moya Living of North End Design – where style meets steel

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Moya O’Neill, CEO and founder of Moya Living and managing partner of North End Design, calls her new space in North Laguna a fantasy come true. A 30-year Laguna resident, O’Neill said, “I drove by this building every day on my way to work and thought, ‘it would be a dream to be in that window.’” Her vision came to fruition in March of this year.

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Moya O’Neill, founder and CEO of Moya Living

Previously occupied by Von Hemert Furniture – which closed in 2020 – North End Design is now a shared showroom featuring collections of Moya Living’s custom luxury, powder-coated, hand-crafted steel cabinetry for both residential and commercial spaces – and Aranelli Design which specializes in creating kitchen spaces by utilizing the latest design concepts. This showroom collaboration seems a perfect fit for the elegant North Laguna structure.

“We’re both cabinet makers, but their primary focus is kitchens,” said O’Neill. “We do powder rooms, kitchens, offices and outdoor spaces.”

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Some examples of the jewel-toned custom cabinets

Steel cabinets may bring to mind the sterile styleless boxes in 1950s kitchens or the oatmeal-colored filing cabinets one finds in offices. Wipe that picture out of your mind and instead visualize jewel-tone colors and exquisite design.

Strange as it seems, the creation of Moya Living did originate from O’Neill’s experience designing laboratory furniture for Genie Scientific (she is majority owner). “We build labs as a family business called Genie Scientific. We started selling reconditioned lab cabinets, and I worked for them for 15 years. As time went on, we couldn’t find enough cabinets, but I was in love with metal cabinets because you can repurpose them.” In addition, they are easy to clean and because the cabinets are welded, there are no harmful glues.

O’Neill spotted a gap in the market for luxury steel cabinetry and Moya Living was born. Her manufacturing facility is in Fountain Valley where she has 40 on staff.

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O’Neill welcoming visitors. She’s wearing a belt by Diana Garreau, who designed the wallpaper in the window.

How did working for Genie Scientific evolve into O’Neill founding Moya Living and her artistic nature coming into play? “I’d been in business more than 40 years, and I was dealing with scientists and engineers all day,” she said. “My friends who are artists said, ‘it’s killing you.’ This business started slowly and it’s just really blowing up.”

Moya Living cabinets feature the rare intersection of steel and style, integrating the durability of steel and robust engineering with a strong sense of design. “Our designs are custom – we work closely with architects and designers across the U.S., and we’ve done projects like The Dakota Building in NYC and Apple’s campus in Cupertino,” O’Neill said.

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One of the kitchen vignettes in North End Design

“I’m not a designer,” she said. Although she clearly is as evidenced by her design of the showroom. “I work with designers to create for their clients and oversee the manufacturing at Moya Living.”

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Amy Calvert represents the sale of the Waymakers iconic property

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

If walls could talk, the ones in the Waymakers house on Catalina Street in Laguna would have a lot to say. In operation for 46 years, it has served as a haven for 6,700 children, and within its confines, holds the stories of those young lives.

Most residents are aware of the Waymakers non-profit facility and its history. Offering short-term crisis intervention and shelter for runaway, homeless and at-risk youth ages 12-17, Waymakers has been a refuge for children for almost five decades. Many know that the property is being sold and has been on the market for almost 30 days.

When state funding was cut in January, Waymakers could no longer maintain the Catalina Street building, and those six beds were relocated to the Tustin shelter.

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Amy Calvert welcomes visitors at the door of the Waymakers property

Local Amy Calvert, listing & sales partner to Tim Smith, the Tim Smith Real Estate Group, is handling the sale.

“I received a call from Carol Carlson, Waymakers director of shelter programs, asking if we would be interested in meeting regarding the property. I think she contacted us because we have such a big presence in Laguna,” Calvert said. “My partner Tim Smith and I sell a lot of houses here.”

Calvert was more than interested – for a couple of reasons – it was an iconic property, and she lives in the neighborhood (with her husband Chief of Police Jeff Calvert). “I’ve driven by the property 1,000 times. I’ve always been so curious about it because of its quintessential Laguna charm with its green and white trim, and I love the curb appeal. When I got the call, I was so excited and wanted to be part of it.”

Calvert went a step further. As evidence of her dedication to the project, she is handling the sale without charging an agent’s fee.

“I’m blessed to have a lot of business and wherever I can help, I’m all for it,” she said. “I want to give back to them because they need it, and hopefully, I’ll meet some great people along the way.” She admitted that’s already happened.

“It seemed like the right thing to do. They have since relocated the six kids from the property – they have three other shelters in Orange County – but this is the one they own, and it has been a big blessing for them.”

Initially launched in Laguna, Waymakers expanded to include the three other locations.

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The Waymakers home was founded in 1979

What initially appeared to be an unfortunate situation, because the shelter was forced to move and sell the property, turned out to be beneficial. Even though they lost funding, the house is an asset. “This sale is going to help save more children,” Calvert said.

Providing safe shelter in a positive home-like setting, Waymakers has a 97% success rate of kids in securing jobs and having a good life. “This house and the staff here were instrumental in leading the children in the right direction, and connecting them with education and employment,” said Calvert. Many of those who were once residents return to tell the staff that Waymakers was the determining factor in their lives.

Despite the Waymakers move from its longtime location on Catalina Street to the Tustin facility, the nonprofit remains dedicated to providing the same services it has offered in the past.

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Crazy for cars – the story behind a few classic cars and their Laguna owners

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

On Sunday, Oct. 5, car aficionados gathered to showcase their treasures at the 21st Laguna Beach Classic Car Show and Oktoberfest hosted by the Rotary Club of Laguna Beach. For 20 years, Harry Bithell held an instrumental role in creating and leading the Laguna Beach Classic Car Show.

Currently George Nelson, owner of Fawn Memories, and Rudy Campos are behind the spectacular day of festivities and Oktoberfest celebrations. The annual invitational event featured the finest classic cars – from antiques and vintage beauties to hot rods and muscle cars.

The car show is one of the Rotary Club’s two main fundraisers supporting their many charities, the other being Grapes for Grads, which raises money for Laguna Beach High School and Laguna College of Art + Design scholarships.

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George Nelson’s 1966 Volkswagen Van. It’s the second year he’s shown it, and sometimes he brings other cars from his collection.

This year, the lot across from the Festival of Arts was packed with 115 head-turning autos in dazzling gem-colored tones and subtle pastels. The proud owners had much to say about their vehicles, and yes, there are nicknames for people who are crazy about cars. The common names include gearhead (American English), petrolhead (British English) and car enthusiast. Other terms are motorhead, auto aficionado and car geek.

Whatever you want to call them, the owners offered up the stories behind their cars, some with multi-generational histories. The day also held a bit of nostalgia – just the sight of a particular car can evoke a flood of memories from a particular time – the smell of leather and current tunes playing on the radio.

Here are just a few of the stories.

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Suzanne Barber with her dad’s 1959 Corvette. She wore her dad’s Snap On Tool shirt and cap the day of the show. He had been top producer for Snap On Tools in L.A. County for more than 30 years when he retired. The car won the “People’s Choice” award.

Local Suzanne Barber – author, artist, gallerist – brought her 1959 red and white Corvette convertible, which has been in the family for more than 40 years.

“My dad was the second owner,” she said. “It had not been taken care of, so he stripped it down to the frame and had it rebuilt. His passion was restoring cars. We would go to the car swap meet and he’d hand me a door handle from a 1965 Mustang and say, ‘now go find me another one just like this’ and I would!”

Barber acquired it just over six years ago when her dad passed away.

“It has been my dream to show this car since the first day I ever saw it,” she said. “I was about 20 years old the first time my dad took me for a ride in it. He, being the excellent driver that he was, handled what could have been a bad situation like a pro. A motor home ran a red light and would have hit us on our right side but my dad, the quick thinker, gassed it and got around the motor home. I was speechless and he just laughed! I learned that if you hit the brakes, there will be a crash, gas it and get out of the way. He was all about cars and tools, yet he had four girls. I was very proud to drive his car to the Laguna Beach car show. He was with me.”

On Sunday, there was a surprise in store for Barber.

“I was so shocked that I won the ‘People’s Choice’ award. It brought me to tears and Dad would have loved that! It was my dream – to show the Corvette, and then it won!”

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Alex Anderson is dedicated to her role as gatekeeper of our natural resources

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

In her role as PORTS (Parks Online Resource for Teachers and Students) Interpreter for California State Parks, technically, Alex Anderson’s classroom is outside of Cottage #13 at the southernmost point in Crystal Cove State Beach. With her back to the ocean and Crystal Cove’s mysterious and magical tidepools, Anderson describes it as a “living museum.”

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Alex Anderson has been a PORT Interpreter for three years

For someone who once considered being a librarian, this seems world’s away from that occupation – or maybe not. In much the same way as librarians serve as liaisons of knowledge, Anderson serves as a bridge to understanding the natural environment.

“I think you have to understand something to love it, and that love translates into protecting it,” she said.

Anderson started with California State Parks 10 years ago and credits her mentor Crystal Cove State Park’s Interpretative Naturalist Winter Bonnin for supporting and nurturing her passion.

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As a PORTS Interpreter, Alex Anderson educates the public about the natural and cultural resources in the park

“Our job as interpreters is to bring meaning to the natural and cultural resources in the park,” Anderson said, “so that hopefully people make connections and create memories – and that’s how they’re going to learn to love these resources and want to protect them.”

To that end – along with several other projects – Anderson presents 45-minute online programs to students, grades K-12. “I love where I teach,” she said. “It’s Cottage #13 in Crystal Cove. I set my equipment up on the deck, right in front of one of our tidepool locations. During the presentation, students have a live view of the ocean and tidepools. It’s a great resource for kids who can’t get to the beach. I’ve been thinking lately about access to the park and ocean and focusing on reaching people virtually who don’t have access. It’s a way for landlocked schools to get a live view of the coastline and make a connection.”

Anderson brings the diversity of State Parks directly into the classroom no matter where the students are. “I do virtual field trips for K through 12 and I do two programs that offer tidepool animal adaptations. I just recently created a program solely on octopuses. I’m obsessed with them.”

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Alex Anderson in her office with artifacts from the area

She also has a partnership with CHOC, Children’s Hospital of Orange County. “I deliver PORTS virtual field trips to patients in CHOC’s Cherese Mari Laulhere’s youth inpatient psychiatric facility,” she said. “It’s a very meaningful partnership to me. The patients are ages 3-17 and they have a classroom in the hospital.” Anderson works with their education staff to offer a live view of the coastline for the students. The goal is to let the students know that when they leave the hospital there is an accepting and enriching world waiting for them to explore in California State Parks.

“I love that partnership with CHOC, which I do every Tuesday, and then on Thursdays I do my programs for K through 12 schools for any teacher who’s signed up (via the PORTS website ports.parks.ca.gov),” Anderson said.

They have a new blended program which includes both digital and in-park experiences.

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Outside Cottage #13

“I’m also a member of the Orange County Marine Protected Area Council OC, our local branch of the people who work with marine protected areas within the county, so we have different teams within OCMPAC.”

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Julie Perlin Lee brings her passion for museums full circle at LAM

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

At age 13, a trip to the East Coast ignited Laguna Art Museum’s Executive Director Julie Perlin Lee’s love for museums. “I had an epiphany when my grandmother took me traveling to the East Coast and we visited the Smithsonian. I grew up in Orange County, and it was the first time I’d been vacationing to that extent.”

The variety of exhibitions from so many places – housed under one roof – was intoxicating. “All that creativity hit me like a bolt of lightning. It was an exciting and enticing moment for me,” she said.

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Julie Perlin Lee started at LAM in May 2021

That revelation influenced the trajectory of her life. “I knew I wanted to bring art alive in a museum setting – for people to visit,” she said.

To that end, she accumulated numerous degrees and a wealth of experience before landing at LAM. Perlin Lee holds a BA in Art History, MFA in Exhibition Design and Certificate in Museum Studies from California State University, Fullerton.

Her career has included roles at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, the Catalina Museum and ultimately as executive director at the Laguna Art Museum (LAM).

Art is a family affair. The other half of this talented couple is David Michael Lee, an artist, professor and gallery curator at Coastline Community College in Newport Beach. They have a son, Alistair (16) who goes to Laguna Beach High School and a daughter Amzonette (11), a student at Thurston Middle School. “My kids have grown up in museums which is really amazing,” said Perlin Lee.

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“Latest and Greatest” exhibition, nearly 50 of LAM’s roughly 6,000 pieces of their permanent collection are on display in a rotating exhibition

Starting out as a volunteer at Bowers Museum in the collections room, Perlin Lee attributes her first museum job to good fortune. “I got super lucky because one of the gals I worked with went on maternity leave, so I got a part-time job that was my first museum job and then over time I was able to continue there in a full-time role. It was a fantastic job I was there for eight years.”

Over time, she became the vice president of Collections and Exhibition Development at the Bowers Museum where she worked from 2008-2016 to grow the permanent collection, direct research and preservation, organize exhibitions and contribute to museum publications.

“I was traveling a lot and then I had a family,” she said. “I was leaving my husband alone with two little kids while I was away for 10 days (sometimes with no cell phone reception) in places like east China.” It was time for a change.

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Perlin Lee behind the scenes at the “Eternal Construction: Photographic Perspectives” exhibition, which opened on September 20

Hence the move to Catalina Island in 2016 when Perlin Lee was offered the position at the Catalina Museum. In a strange twist of fate, she recalled, “Just six months earlier, my husband and I had been sitting on the beach in Catalina looking at the mainland and daydreaming about what changing our perspective might look like.”

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After 23 years, Mary Kate Saunders passes the torch on to new owners of her physical therapy practice

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

In a March 2021 interview with Stu News, Mary Kate Saunders, owner of Mary Kate Saunders Physical Therapy, said, “I’ve never had a day when I didn’t want to come to work. I wish I could find something that I love as much as working.”

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Mary Kate Saunders retires from her practice as of October 16

That something could very well be retirement. After four decades as a physical therapist – 23 of them as owner of Mary Kate Saunders Physical Therapy – Saunders is retiring and handing over the keys to new owners. Before starting her own practice in 2002 on the corner of Glenneyre and Cress streets, Saunders worked as an independent contractor for Laguna Beach Physical Therapy. In March 2020, she moved her practice to the present location.

Taking over the helm from Saunders are Dr. David Enfinger and Dr. Patrick Le in their new practice – MobilityRX Physical Therapy.

Enfinger and Le bring a wealth of knowledge and experience with them. Dr. Enfinger earned both his Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and his Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of Southern California, one of the nation’s top-ranked physical therapy programs. He is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, fellowship trained in musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging and Certified in TPI golf screening.

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Saunders hands key over to Dr. David Enfinger

Dr. Le brings a strong background in post-surgical rehab, strength and conditioning and athletic recovery. He earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from the University of St. Augustine in 2023. He holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in clinical movement science from California State University, Fullerton. His educational background has prepared him to deliver evidence-based physical therapy for a wide range of musculoskeletal and neurological conditions.

Together they provide personalized one-on-one care focused on movement, strength and long-term wellness. Soon, they will be hiring a female physical therapist to join their team.

“They started in March,” Saunders said. “It’s been a great transition. Working for me for the past six months, they’ve seen how we treat and interaction with patients – how we hug. We have such an interesting and loving rapport with our patients.”

Saunder’s practice offers one-on-one treatment, so patients are only seeing a therapist, not an aide, and this is what she wanted to continue with the new owners. “It’s the quality of care and being seen by a therapist. I feel very blessed to have found people who wanted to do it the way that we have done it for so long,” she said.

In addition to Saunders, the women who populated this unique practice were Office Manager Lisa Gallas (who has been with Saunders for 17 years and will continue with the new practice) and Physical Therapist Mimi Bialek along with Physical Therapy Assistant Cindy Maul, who have already moved on. “In March, Cindy retired and then Mimi followed suit,” Saunders said.

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Lisa Gallas will continue as office manager

Gallas is an extraordinary asset that, in this case, will come along with the practice. She knows everyone by name and is usually the instigator of the previously mentioned “hugs.” “Lisa will offer wonderful continuity,” Saunders said.

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Stephen and Tommy Davy preserve the magic and legacy of violins, guitars and gypsy jazz

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

There’s something extraordinary about the two businesses housed at 1390 S. Coast Highway – Stephen R. Davy Violins. Perhaps “businesses” doesn’t properly describe them. Part museum and part workshop, the space is shared by Stephen Davy and Tommy Davy, a father and son duo dedicated to preserving the legacies of violins and guitars.

Stephen, a violin specialist, not only builds violins he provides services that include restoration, adjustments, instrument rentals, bow rehair, appraisals and valuations.

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(L-R) Stephen and Tommy among their musical artifacts

DjangoGuitars USA, Tommy’s endeavor, is home to the largest private collection of posters, records and instruments related to Django Reinhardt and gypsy music. He maintains an archive of original parts, tooling and artifacts from the Selmer-Maccaferri workshop, 1932-1951. A professional gypsy guitar player, Tommy has a passion for carrying on the legacy of gypsy music.

“We wanted to create a place that felt like a shop in Europe, a meeting place of musicians and professionals who really loved the music,” Tommy said. “Of course, there’s the work that has to be done, but there are places my dad and I visited in France with almost nothing for sale, the guitar makers lived upstairs, and they were gathering places.”

Tommy named his showroom after Belgian-born Romani jazz guitarist and composer Django Reinhardt who lived most of his life in France. Widely known for playing the guitar with only two fingers (he suffered burns over half his body in an accident); he was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most significant exponents. Reinhardt’s most popular compositions have become standards within gypsy jazz.

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Historic building on South Coast Highway

Even the building, which the Davys took over two years ago as their shop, has an intriguing history and has been in the family since 1946.

“After coming here to take care of an elderly relative, my grandfather, Richard Challis, decided to start a business with the money he brought over from England. He fought in World War II in Africa and London,” Tommy said. Having had enough of Europe after he contracted malaria and experienced the bombing blitz – among other things – Challis moved to Laguna Beach.

Roughly three years after arriving in California from England, Challis purchased a building at 1390 S. Coast Highway which became Laguna Studio Gallery. It was built in 1920, and in its early days was a church. The gallery officially opened its doors in 1950 as the first commercial art gallery in Laguna and was renamed Challis Galleries in 1966.

The name Challis may sound familiar, Tommy’s mother is Diane Challis-Davy, long-time director/producer of the Pageant of the Masters.

Challis Galleries showcased the work of California watercolorists and regional artists. The gallery held regular exhibitions with Richard Challis as the director until his retirement in 1984.

It’s fitting that it was an art gallery, since it now houses musical works of art.

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Stephen busy in his workshop

Stephen comes from the East Coast and owned Stephen R. Davy Violins in D.C. “I’m from Washington, D.C. – originally from upstate New York,” he said.

One of his early musical influences was seeing Charlie Byrd play in Washington, D.C.

“I came here to Laguna in 1981 for the first time to visit a friend from the military, Rick Lang of Lang Photography. I went to Vietnam and after Vietnam I met Rick.” Some 11 years later Stephen came to visit and see what life was like in Laguna. He loved it and soon returned to D.C. to close his violin business and settle in Laguna. “I came here with almost nothing and worked for Warren Imports.”

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Enich Harris and Ben Warner of CFMF believe in the transformative power of film and storytelling

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world,” said well-known story mentor Robert McKee. Storytelling is as old as humanity itself and is said to date back 17,000 years.

The co-founders of the Coast Film & Music Festival (CFMF), Enich Harris and Ben Warner, are passionate about the power of storytelling in film and its capacity to unite viewers. “We believe exceptional films possess the transformative ability to reshape the world.”

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(L-R) Enich Harris and Ben Warner take a breather from their busy schedules

For the seventh year, from November 1-9, the CFMF will be celebrating the outdoor spirit, adventure, conservation, personal triumph and iconic musical performers (and for the first time, CFMF will present live concerts at the iconic Irvine Bowl, entertainment TBA).

“Visitors come to the CFMF, which covers a wide variety of outdoor sports – surfing, skiing, mountain biking, snowboarding – to be entertained, but that’s just part of it,” Warner said. CFMF’s mission is to use film and story to unify people through their love for nature and the outdoors.

“We want to leave visitors with a lasting message – taking care of these places that are so beautiful and give us the opportunity to do these amazing things, whether it’s getting dropped off in a helicopter on top of a mountain or snowboarding, or going to some remote place on the planet,” said Harris. “As stewards of our planet, we need to take care of those places.”

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Cooling off on a hot day

Although both Harris and Warner live in Laguna and have long been into outdoor activities, how they came to create the Coast Film & Music Festival is a serendipitous tale.

Harris worked for Arnette, Billabong, Fox and is co-founder of Caddis Eye Wear and executive producer of Surf Madness and Kissed by God.

After moving here from Colorado and spending his entire career in the publishing industry, Warner started Firebrand Media and Laguna Magazine with Steve Zepezauer. “Steve and I partnered together to build that, and I was selling ads to local businesses. I was also a sponsor of the Newport Beach Film Festival because I was owner of Newport Beach Magazine.” He was trying to get various events started here and dabbled in a few endeavors such as the Green Festival.

“Enich works in the surf industry,” Warner said. “He grew up here and I grew up in the mountains. We have very different tribes, but we agreed on the idea of coming together through story and using the power of film as a vehicle for change.”

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Boys just gotta have fun

Warner and Harris had met casually but never really connected until they were both working on a project in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

“A long time ago, we worked in a similar industry and first met each other when he worked at Arnette and I worked at Snowboarder Magazine,” Warner said. “It turns out many years later we were in Jackson Hole at the same time. I had a business relationship with a company called Teton Gravity Research based there. Enich was producing a film with them – the movie Kissed by God – and I had been working with them on other projects.”

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Ben Young, an artist free of time and boundaries

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Local artist Ben Young’s journeys around the globe have given him a rare perspective for creating art – one that balances tradition and realism with experimentation.

“There’s a lot of inspiration in traveling,” Young said. “It’s easier to create when you have the stimulation of different cities, visuals, cultures and ways of living.”

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Ben Young divides his time between New Jersey and Laguna

As described, in his Power Animals series (currently at Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art), he reimagines the essence of wildlife through a blend of realism and abstraction. Each painting celebrates the strength, spirit and symbolism of animals.

Using color blocking, distinct sections of a canvas are filled with flat, bold colors, often with contrasting or complementary hues. This approach emphasizes shapes and forms through color rather than subtle gradations or detailed shading, bringing the subjects to life.

“This series is somehow driven by it [color blocking],” he said. “It started with a cat and evolved into many other things. With the shark the colors in front are complementary to what block is in the back. I just delivered a larger one to the VFA Gallery in New York.”

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The Shark is part of Young’s Power Animals series on display at the Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art (LGOCA)

Although he’s lived in Laguna for 34 years – his three boys (twins Sam and Jake, 26, and youngest son Jude, 19) went through the LBUSD system – Young isn’t rooted in one place all the time. (His wife Kimberly is here in Laguna with Jake; Sam and Jude live in L.A.) Young currently divides his time between the East Coast and the West Coast – three weeks there, one week here. He has studios in New Jersey and Laguna Beach, and exhibits his work locally at Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art (LGOCA), at VFA Gallery in New York and the Covet Gallery in San Diego (on a show-by-show basis).

Young has nothing but praise for Bridgette Shaw, owner of LGOCA, and the way she curated her gallery.

According to Shaw, “I grew up in this town and have gone to all of our fine schools. I have owned this gallery nine years, but I represented artists prior to that time.” Shaw admitted that she used to paint (and even participated in the Sawdust), but her real passion is supporting artists.

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The colors in the Jaguar painting seem to vibrate off each other and elicit the feeling of being stalked

“My artists are not only ‘top of the line talented,’ they are truly kind individuals. It is important since there is trust involved in this business,” she said. “I support them 100% and they return that support. The artists who are within driving distance make it to Art Walk night to speak to people visiting, to share artist trade secrets with each other or play guitar! It is a true artist family with new artists added to the mix. I love what I do and bringing artists and clients together is why I do it.”

Young came from a long line of artists – his father, grandmother and grandfather. Born in New York City, Young carried on the tradition and has spent his lifetime immersed in art. After graduating from Otis College of Art & Design, he developed a practice rooted in realism, composition and color theory, while pushing into abstraction with bold color and personal techniques.

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Hedy Buzan and the alchemy of making art

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Longtime Sawdust Art Festival and previous Festival of Arts exhibitor Hedy Buzan was once asked to describe her art in one sentence – her reply was, “I make abstracted landscapes where the colors talk to one another.”

Add to that discourse the viewer’s emotional reaction to the painting and the result is a magical conversation in which the observer is a participant.

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Artist Hedy Buzan has exhibited 35 years at the Sawdust

If you’ve seen one of Buzan’s landscapes, it’s evident her assessment is true – there’s an inherent narrative – but her work has recently evolved into producing I Ching drawings, an ancient Chinese divination text that is among the oldest of the Chinese classics.

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A few of Buzan’s landscapes in her booth at the Sawdust

Buzan is currently working on the two-year city grant (2024-2025) Creating Pathways: Codifying New Approaches to Abstraction which combines her own creative work and the development of a curriculum for teaching abstract image making. That prompted research into I Ching, and thus far, she’s completed half of the 64. “Part of my grant was to expand my own research, but the other part was to develop some sort of methodology,” she said.

“It will be the drawings, but I’ve also been doing painting as part of the grant,” she said. “I’m trying to transition from artwork that has a sort of mid-century feel to artwork more postmodern. One of the things that’s interesting is that I work from high to low art.” (By definition, working from “high to low” in art, often refers to a methodical approach to creating artwork, particularly in visual arts like painting and drawing. It involves establishing the overall structure and feel of the piece before delving into intricate details.)

As part of the grant, Buzan is also giving a human-interest general education lecture on abstraction at the Susi Q on October 23.

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Two of Buzan’s I Ching drawings in black and white

“One of the books I read for my grant compared art making to alchemy,” said Buzan. “I love that metaphor because you’re taking these materials and transmuting them. You’re doing something almost magical and mystical which brings me back to the I Ching drawings. On the surface a solid line or a broken line can have meaning that doesn’t make any sense, but it’s the alchemy of bringing the human experience into it. I always tell people when I talk that anything you look at – the most photo real realistic painting that you see – is highly abstract because it’s just one surface and it’s got paint on it and it’s just a bunch of clues. Because we’re so forgiving as viewers, we will say that’s Main Beach but it’s not Main Beach, it’s a colored surface.”

Buzan is intrigued by watercolors and how many factors affect the outcome. “Watercolor is so interesting because it’s how you hold your brush, how much water is on your brush, the angle that you interact with the brush. Even the quality of one cobalt blue versus another manufacturer’s cobalt blue – it’s very interesting.”

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Doug Schulein offers a smorgasbord of services in newly expanded Laguna Health Club

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Laguna Health Club owner and exercise physiologist, Doug Schulein, described the recent expansion of his gym as an opportunity to be imaginative again. “I want it to be a soup to nuts facility,” he said.

Schulein – who started as a trapeze artist with Club Med at the age of 19 and at one point owned four gyms – knows a bit about creativity. Having weathered the effects of the 2008 recession and the pandemic on personal training and gym membership, he’s had to be resilient and resourceful.

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Doug Schulein has owned Laguna Health Club for 20 years

Serving the community for more than 55 years, Laguna Health Club, the oldest gym in Laguna Beach, recently doubled their original space. The expansion, which was finished over the 4th of July weekend, allowed Schulein to offer additional services and amenities.

Cultivating a demographic that runs from 13 years old to 90 years old – and everywhere in between – is no easy task. As a result, this isn’t the only renovation Schulein has done.

“I redesigned the existing gym 10 years ago,” he said. “The space had to be multifunctional with as few single-use pieces of equipment as possible. Then five years ago during COVID, we redid the flooring,” he said. They also pulled out three pieces of equipment because it was too congested for COVID guidelines. “After the pandemic, I left them out because the flow was so much better. There’s always a battle between too much equipment and better flow – and right now the flow is good.”

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Expansion allows for private workout spaces

In addition to being the oldest gym in Laguna, the facility is unique in other ways; members (over 18 years of age) have 24/7 access – great for night owls, early risers and travelers who can’t sleep. Members also have access to personal trainers, a stretch lab (Stretch 101) with stretch therapists, massage therapists and small group classes.

“Before this recent expansion, the goal was to keep the gym as functional as possible (with the limited area). We didn’t have a dedicated floor space to be creative,” Schulein said. However, now, with the addition of space equal to the original gym, he can initiate innovative ideas. “We’re doing small classes and trying to hybridize services. We’re going to play around with combinations of classes everyone loves, for example a blend of Pilates and yoga.”

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The original space is filled with multipurpose equipment

How did Schulein translate his skill as a trapeze artist into a fitness club owner in Laguna?

“I’ve owned gyms since 1995, first House of Fitness in Corona del Mar which is still there. I bought Body Tone, our competition in Corona del Mar. Then I opened Body Tone in Anaheim Hills,” Schulein said, explaining his first wave of gym ownership. “But I was sort of burning out and I was going to leave the business and try to figure out what I was doing next.”

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Q Terrace brings the quality and quintessence of Europe to Laguna

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Now that Q Terrace is open, no need to travel overseas for authentic European cuisine. Saida Sehmi, along with her Ukrainian business partner Volodymyr Shapenko, recently opened Q Terrace and it’s been receiving rave reviews. According to Saida’s husband Sandip, the “Q” stands for quality and quintessence – a fitting name for a restaurant that embodies the purity of European fine dining – with an American flare.

Q Terrace’s counterpart is in Kyiv, Ukraine, “But this is our first restaurant in the U.S.,” said Saida.

Both restaurants are rooted in the same mission: To represent the essence of casual going out – elevated, easy and unforgettable.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Saida and Sandip Sehmi in the front patio of Q Terrace

Married since 2017, Saida and Sandip met through a friend. Although they come from very different backgrounds, they agree on their love for Laguna.

Saida, who is from the Ukraine and has family there, brings an extensive background in hospitality to this business endeavor – she owned a hotel, and her father owned multiple restaurants. Sandip graduated from University of California, Irvine in 1997, and as a long-time financial advisor, he owns a wealth management firm. He’s been all over the world and readily admits he loves international food.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Saida brings a wealth of experience to Q Terrace

The couple has high praise for Q Terrace’s chef Tigran Petrosyn, who was born in Armenia. He’s responsible for some of their most popular dishes – beef bourguignon, lamb chops and sea bass with tomato and olives. To achieve the quality of European dishes, he uses local sources, always gravitating to premium products.

“We’ve traveled extensively. I was born in Kenya and moved here when I was 2 years old. We’ve been everywhere – Italy, London, France,” said Sandip. “I really love food, and I’m blown away every single time I taste one of Tigran’s dishes. He’s passionate about what he does, and we couldn’t be luckier to have him. He makes everything from scratch.”

Evidently authentic risotto is much different than our American version, and Petrosyn has perfected it.

Saida added, “He studied in France, he’s so talented and for the last two years, he worked in a Michelin star restaurant.”

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Chef Tigran Petrosyn on the rooftop level with a stunning view

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Courtesy of Q Terrace

The rooftop at sunset

Why did Saida pick Laguna to open the second Q Terrace?

Prior to the restaurant launch, they visited here quite often. “I’ve lived in Orange County since 1991,” said Sandip. “I went to UC Irvine, and I never left Orange County, so I’ve been coming here to Laguna for the last 30 plus years. The culture is a lot like Europe.

“When we found this location, we just loved it, and we figured we could really do something special here for the community.”

Granted, there’s an abundance of restaurants in Laguna, but some of the older ones lack the space to sit comfortably and enjoy a leisurely meal.

Saida expressed her frustration at some dining experiences, which were contrary to the European way of dining. “When we moved here, it was the hurry up and finish to turn tables and they would bring the check before you asked for it.”

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Artist Kelsey Irvin: A hillside dream home protected

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Although local artist and gallery owner Kelsey Irvin (of Kelsey Michaels Fine Art) has garnered much attention for her art, on Monday, July 7, she was in the spotlight for another reason. Kelsey and her husband Michael’s hillside home was directly in the path of the Rancho Fire.

A 4.6-acre brush fire – which local police have reported was started by illegal fireworks – swept through the hills of Laguna Beach on Monday afternoon, prompting four street evacuations, multiple emergency alerts and a quick response from firefighting teams. Firefighters used helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to drop water and retardant on the fire, while ground crews worked to protect homes.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Kelsey Irvin on her balcony, two days after the fire

On most days, Kelsey works in her studio located on the ground floor of her home. On Monday, July 7, she was taking a rare lunch break on the second floor at around 2 p.m. – and talking to her husband on the phone – when she heard a loud noise of a firework and ran out to the deck. The sound had originated from the pump track below her house. The smoke was visible, and a crackling noise was loud and clear as it echoed up to their home, but a tiny fire starting 10-15 feet away from the smoke was barely even noticeable, although extremely alarming. Kelsey called it in on the city’s emergency line while Michael simultaneously called the Laguna Beach Police Department. “I’m sure many people called it in. The emergency response time was incredible,” she said. “In the meantime, Michael was able to get up the hill.”

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Courtesy of Kelsey Irvin

Smoke and black area on the bare dirt where fireworks were lit – 2:02 p.m.

Their three children were not home that afternoon. At the time, sons Azure (13) and Jasper (11) were attending a six-day camp near Big Bear, and their 6-year-old daughter Druzy was at the Boys & Girls Club Laguna Beach Bluebird Canyon site.

“I was surprised at how quickly the fire traveled up the hill,” Kelsey said. “The stamp date on the first photo is 2:02 p.m. and at 2:13 p.m., the fire was already up the hill.”

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Courtesy of Florian Deuschl

View from a friend’s home as flames started up the hillside at 2:10 p.m.

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Courtesy of Kelsey Irvin

Flames and smoke at the bottom of the steep hillside at 2:13 p.m.

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Courtesy of Kelsey Irvin

Firemen working on the lawn at 2:26 p.m.

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Courtesy of Florian Deuschl

Fire traveling up the hill at 2:30 p.m.

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Courtesy of Florian Deuschl

Fire approaching the house at 2:42 p.m.

When fire department personnel announced the evacuation, Kelsey had to round up their three cats to put in carriers (not an easy task when the cats are terrified of the noises and commotion and she has the scratches to prove it!), two tortoises and a bearded dragon. “I was headed out of the house with the last pets, while Michael was next door helping load up an elderly neighbor in his truck,” she said. “Fire Engineer Chris Ornelas was so helpful and calm during the evacuation. He helped me locate and carry up one of our cats while I found the others.”

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Royce Rumsey turns photographing vintage and classic automobiles into an artform

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Every classic car has a history, and sometimes a fascinating story to tell. Imagine what Royce Rumsey’s 1956 Colonial White Thunderbird, previously owned by actor Kirk Douglas (and later by actor Telly Savalas), might say – it would no doubt be a provocative – and priceless – narrative.

For Rumsey, a world-renowned photographer, purchasing the Thunderbird at a 1997 auction was a dream come true. “I was 4 years old back in Lima, Ohio, and on a summer evening I was walking down the street with my dad when a white ‘56 Thunderbird went by. From then on, I always wanted to have one.”

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Royce Rumsey blends his two passions – cars and photography

What sparked his love for photographing cars was a movie. “It was a result of seeing a film released in 1966 called Grand Prix. Directed by John Frankenheimer, it broke new ground in cinematography particularly in auto photography. Seeing that film inspired me to become an automotive photographer.”

Melding Rumsey’s passion for cars with his love of photography has resulted in a successful career capturing the essence of classic automobiles.

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This is the 1915 Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix car that won both the French Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500. (Probably the only car to ever do so). It was shot for Mercedes-Benz at the 100th anniversary of the Indy win at the 2015 Indianapolis 500.

His credentials include digital creator, photographer/publicist at Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Owners Group, photographer/ journalist at OPTIMA Batteries, editorial position at World Magazine, photographer at Mercedes-Benz, official photographer at Lyon Air Museum, founder of Legacy Cars and Coffee, photographer and journalist at Rolls-Royce SGA, former IP developer in the motion picture industry and served as former VP Product Design at Pyng Medical.

Rumsey has been cultivating his interest in photography since he was a child. “My family wasn’t artistic, they were teachers and business executives, but nonetheless photography always fascinated me – particularly automotive photography. I was fortunate to get my degree in industrial design at the University of Cincinnati; and they had two years of photography and cinematography as part of their curriculum.”

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This Polaroid camera, the PDC-2000 (c. 1995-6), has an internal 60mb hard drive which was unheard of at the time and cost $8,000 in today’s money. It has two interchangeable lenses and manual controls. It uses SONAR focusing (like their famous SX-70) and it also has tethering control.

Over the years, he translated that knowledge into teaching.

“I taught design and lectured around the country at a number of universities – Art Center College in Pasadena, Michigan State University and my alma mater, University of Cincinnati,” he said.

Even though he taught design, Rumsey believes there is a connection to his current line of work. “I had an ongoing lecture on subjective and objective aesthetics and that very much applies to photography, particularly when it comes to composition.”

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Chance Gaul’s life reflects the power of community – and Brooks Street

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

“There’s something magical about this building,” Chance Gaul said of his multigenerational family compound just up from Brooks Street beach. “It was built in the 1930s and then added onto in the ‘70s. It’s one of the many buildings here in Laguna that has a rich history.”

His life and history – if you can say a 28-year-old has history – have involved a bit of magic as well.

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Chance, his wife Sophia and son Walker (who is 1 1/2 years old) outside the door of their compound

If you haven’t heard the name Chance Gaul, then you must not be a fan of surfing, skateboarding, skimboarding, motorbiking, mountain biking and synthetic surfing destinations such as Palm Springs Surf Club, where he’s served as director of surf operations since 2019. “James Dunlop approached me and said, ‘I have something you would be perfect for you.’”

“I started surfing and skimboarding when I was Walker’s age,” he said. “And I used to stand between my dad’s legs when he’d skateboard.” His dad, Aaron Gaul and uncle Chris Rudolph were professional skimboarders. “I was about 4 when I competed in the Victoria Skimboarding Contest and won my age group.” Eventually, his talents led to travels around the world.

As appealing as this seems, there were years that weren’t so idyllic.

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Brooks Street Surf Classic, warming up before the contest started

Born and raised in Laguna, Gaul admits that without the support of the community, his life could have been the perfect storm for disaster. Much like a perfect storm, a combination of events produced a powerful result, however, in his case, the outcome was favorable – and formidable. Through a mixture of kindness and support from community members who helped and mentored him, his life is now one filled with endless possibilities, and fortunately, he has the talent and energy to pursue all of them.

He took what might be considered a disadvantage – having ADHD – and turned it into an asset. Admitting that he needs to constantly stay busy, that necessity has led him to undertake multiple endeavors and acquire numerous skills. “If I’m only doing one thing, I feel stressed,” he said. “As a kid, I didn’t have access to video games like some my age, so I was always into physical activities.”

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Chance, Sophia, Walker and cattle dog Birdie, who thinks she’s Walker’s mother

That drive to be busy has served him well. He has a beautiful family, is a real estate agent at Livel, is studying to get his contractor’s license so he can remodel houses, and after six years as operational manager for Palm Springs Surf Club, he will be assisting in the design and development of future Wavepools.

“It’s going to grow the surf industry and make it more accessible to people who don’t live by the ocean.”

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Walker loves skateboarding with his dad

Fortunately, Sophia is a leveling force in their marriage – the yin to his yang – but it wasn’t love at first sight.

“She didn’t like me when we first met at a concert I went to with a friend,” Gaul said.

One wonders why? “My sister told me not to like him,” Sophia said, but she didn’t listen to that advice.

“We’re opposites – she keeps me grounded. If I say I want to jump off a building, she’ll say, ‘no you’re not,’” he explained.

That’s probably good advice for someone who has been known to skate down Park Avenue at 60 mph.

“I’ve been to the ER with him more times than you can count,” Sophia said.

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Playtime in the garden – Gaul just built a mud station for Walker

Not to be overshadowed by Gaul’s many roles, Sophia is equally talented. Born and raised in San Juan Capistrano, she’s an accomplished equestrian and visits her horses daily in SJC.

“Walker even has his own pony,” Gaul said, “and I’m becoming a cowboy.”

Sophia also heads her own interior design firm – Gaul Studios which was launched in 2017. She graduated from high school at 16 and attended NY Institute of Art and Design. She recently redesigned spaces in their compound.

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Milena Dujakovich brings Wild Strawberry Café to Laguna Beach

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Milena Dujakovich, owner of Wild Strawberry Café, wants to dispel the idea that her establishment is merely another of Laguna’s coffee shops. Once you enter the inviting space and peek at the menu, it’s obvious it’s so much more. “We use organic Intelligentsia Coffee, but we also provide good quality food, made with the best of ingredients – sandwiches, crepes, salads and quesadillas,” Dujakovich said. “We’re a full café.”

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Owner of Wild Strawberry Café Milena Dujakovich welcoming visitors to her enchanting space

Not only is there a wide variety of nutritious and enticing menu items to choose from, but the welcoming atmosphere also beckons you to sit (either inside or on the patio), relax and enjoy. From the beautiful white hydrangea and roses flower arrangements on the tables to the cozy blankets provided for visitors dining in the breezeway, Dujakovich proves “love is in the details.”

Although Wild Strawberry Café has only been open since January 22, Dujakovich has already attracted a local following, and of course, Laguna visitors walking by can’t help but be intrigued.

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The welcoming exterior beckons passersby to stop and wander in

Dujakovich comes by her entrepreneurial spirit naturally. Fourteen years after her mother, Natasha Kazic-Perisic opened the first Wild Strawberry Café in Newport Beach (there are now four locations in the Fashion Island area), Dujakovich expanded the family business with her own café in Laguna. She brings a serious trifecta of assets to her new endeavor – charm, cuisine and customer service, with emphasis on the cuisine.

“We’re very health conscious, and we’ve always said we won’t serve anything that we wouldn’t eat,” she said. “And we like to throw in some things from our background (Serbian, Montenegro).”

Raised in Escondido and Newport Beach, Dujakovich grew up working in her mom’s café, and was exposed early in life to the “hard work” ethic. “I was young, and my mom would say, ‘you need money,’ take a shift.”

Since she’s no stranger to hard work, Dujakovich, 24, has always been determined to live her life without boundaries. In just three years, she earned a bachelor’s degree in business at San Diego State and became a senior financial analyst. Yet, despite her successes, she was continually looking for new challenges, adventures and insights into the world at large.

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The food case is packed with delicious choices. Avocado toast and Nutella crepes are two popular items. Most of the pastries are made in house – one customer favorite is chocolate banana bread.

“I worked for a nonprofit in San Diego in a remote job, but I’ve always been someone who seeks growth outside my comfort zone,” she said. “So, I decided to just go explore.” Since she could take her computer and work from anywhere, the decision was a no-brainer.

After college, she moved to Dallas, Hawaii and Europe, to broaden her horizons. At the time, her brother Nick was living in Dallas, so the move there seemed right.

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Kayleigh Thomas scores a first for Laguna Beach High School

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Kayleigh Thomas has a lot to celebrate – she’s soon to become a Warner University Royal. Thomas is the first girl in the history of Laguna Beach High School to receive a scholarship for girls flag football. In the fall, she’ll be moving across country to Florida (where she was born) to go to Warner University, which is highly ranked nationally in girls flag football. Thomas had originally planned to go to community college, but then she got the congratulatory email from Warner that she was awarded full tuition.

“I still have to pay for room and board which is going to be my biggest challenge right now, so I’m going to work two or three jobs in the summer,” Thomas said. She’s also applied for several local scholarships.

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Kayleigh Thomas received five offers from the colleges where she applied

Girls flag football is growing by leaps and bounds. More than a dozen states have officially sanctioned girls flag football as a high school varsity sport, with many more running pilot programs. States like Florida, California and New York are leading the way, proving that flag football is here to stay. Additionally, the National Football League (NFL) supports the growth of women’s flag football through initiatives like the Women’s Flag Football Scholarship Program, further highlighting the sport’s increasing recognition.

“It started in other schools in the early 2000s, and in California only three or four years ago,” Thomas said. “We started here two years ago and now it’s just taken off and it’s going be in the Olympics in 2028.”

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Kayleigh has committed to attending Warner University in the fall

Although Thomas was born in Florida, she moved to Laguna when she was 3 years old because her uncle (Andy Thomas, the boys soccer coach at LBHS) lived here.

Thomas began playing last year in powder puff and during a junior versus senior game, she fell in love with the game. “It was so fun. Everything about it was awesome, so I decided to join the team in August, and I had the best time with the teammates and coaches, they’re amazing. My younger sister Cameron, a sophomore, is also on the team. I played soccer last year with my sister, and it was so much fun playing another sport with her,” Thomas said.

Thomas credits her training as a soccer player for valuable skills she translated to flag football. “In soccer, we did a lot with footwork and speed drills, and I think that helped with running and defense in flag football.”

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A versatile player, Kayleigh (pictured during a practice session) admits catching is her specialty

A versatile player, Thomas does a bit of everything in flag football. She served as wide receiver, safety and linebacker but admitted that catching is her specialty.

Not new to the world of soccer, she has a close connection to the game due to her family; in addition to her uncle, her dad Mike also coaches soccer. Both her dad and mother Allison are teachers. (Her older brother is a junior at University of California, Santa Cruz.)

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Fine Art Photographer Taylor O’Sullivan beckons us to slow down and reconnect with nature

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Taylor O’Sullivan is crazy about photography – and mushrooms – and she’s been able to combine the two in a stunning way. Although the fantastic fungi aren’t always her subjects, she has an affinity for them – one that’s rooted in her love of nature. Her photographs capture the exquisite details of her subjects, whether it be the frilly underside of a mushroom, the bottomless aqua blue of the ocean or flower-like lichens.

O’Sullivan has even foraged for wild shiitake mushrooms (something she’d only dreamed of), and mushrooms often find their way into her cooking – “I’m Italian and I love to cook,” she said.

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Taylor O’Sullivan’s work is on display at Pure Design at 427 North Coast Highway. Deanna Duffek, CEO and principal designer, invited O’Sullivan to show her pieces at the shop.

How O’Sullivan ended up in Laguna is quite a story. She admitted that the year 2020 was the best year of her life – which isn’t something you often hear. That’s the year she met her future husband. “I’ve been in Laguna for about four years. I lived in Costa Mesa for many years before that, and I grew up in Southern California. I came here as a kid, and I always had an attraction for Laguna. I don’t think I had the language to fully describe the feeling, but I loved it so much. I was drawn to it like a magnet. I met my future husband via a dating site. He had previously been in New York City and just happened to be living in Laguna for a year while he was waiting for the pandemic to end, and then we never left. I adopted a dog (a German Shepherd/Corgi mix named Bella) that year too, so basically 2020 was the best year of my entire life.”

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“Lichen” by Taylor O’Sullivan. The lichen was found in Italy.

Becoming a fine art photographer wasn’t a career she initially sought out. O’Sullivan happened onto photography by a fluke. “I was 14 and accidentally enrolled in the wrong class in high school – a video production/filmmaking class,” she said. “Thank God it happened because it was very clearly my life plan. I learned how to shoot, how to edit and how to light – principles similar to photography.”

The skills she learned in the film class translated seamlessly to photography. “They’re so interconnected and that’s when the seed was planted. I fell in love with it and just poured myself into it. I started taking film classes at the local community college while I was in high school. I was 100% invested. Then I went to film school at Chapman University, and I had an unbelievable education there.”

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“Halcyon” was taken in Laguna Beach using a drone. Sometimes O’Sullivan uses drones to capture a specific feeling in her photograph.

O’Sullivan credits her experience at Chapman as the foundation for many positive things in her life. “What they do at Chapman, they do very well. They let film students create their own experiences. When I was 18, I was part of a scholarship program that was paid for by a donor. The program took a group of film students to Africa for several weeks to make short documentaries for in-service for nonprofits. That was the first time I went out into the field to work on a team and create a documentary.”

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Jay Grant is still moving forward after 55 years in Laguna

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

“Being a pastor doesn’t mean you’re secluded in a spiritual life and in an office all the time,” said Jay Grant, a pastor at Laguna Beach Net-Works. At 82 years of age, Grant says he’s still moving forward – and doing all the things he loves.

During the last five and a half decades, Grant has occupied many roles – journalist, author, Little League coach, manager, board member and president of the Sawdust Festival, husband to Sawdust jewelry artist Nikki, father to sons Dustin and Micah, and grandfather to six – and a friend to many.

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Jay Grant pursues his passions in the city he loves

“This city is my life,” said Grant. “As a follower of Jesus, I’ve been called to be a light – as best as I can – and to love the people in the community, whether I’m coaching their kids, working at the Sawdust or pastoring at Net-Works. I love every minute of it.”

That dedication is evident in Grant’s ready smile and welcoming manner.

“I believe a good pastor should be involved in the community, and so I’ve spent 50 years at the Sawdust Art Festival with my wife Nikki who is the last founding member of the Sawdust,” he said.

Nikki, who is also a ballroom dancer and plays several instruments, began exhibiting at the Sawdust in 1968. “She’s only missed one year during that whole time and that was when she broke her ankle,” he said.

At her suggestion, Grant spent 35 years as sales manager for the Sawdust. “Then the economy blew up in 2008, and I thought it was time to move on, so I left the position and then served six years on the board. I was president of the Sawdust for two years – including their 50th anniversary in 2016 which was a great year.”

He is also the author of two books about the Sawdust Festival’s history, one of which is the Sawdust Art Festival’s 50th anniversary book.

“Without Nikki, my life wouldn’t be the same,” Grant said. “I never would have been in the Sawdust. When I married her, she was already an artist and during a meeting there she said that I could be the sales manager. It was a part-time summer job, but back in those early days as a young pastor, I didn’t make much money. I think it’s good for pastors to have a regular job besides the ministry and to be married. I feel that a 51-year marriage is a good example to people in my church that marriage can work.”

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Nikki and Jay have been married 51 years

However, the Sawdust is only one facet of his life, which began not too far from here.

“I had a great childhood being raised in Cowan Heights,” Grant said. “My aunt and uncle owned a lot of property up there, and my dad built a house there in 1951. My whole life was riding horses through the orange and avocado groves. My dad started the first Little League, and my mom was a third-grade schoolteacher there for 20 years at Mildred Morrow elementary.”

Even back then, he was into baseball, and he passed that on to his boys. Along with his son Micah, Grant traveled around the country to visit several Major League Baseball stadiums.

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Artist Jorg Dubin debuts new sculpture Tempest at the redesigned Surf & Sand Resort

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Laguna artist Jorg Dubin is no stranger to the realm of public art – he has designed and fabricated more than 10 public art works. Perhaps Dubin is most widely known for his September 11th memorial Semper Memento (Always Remember) at Monument Point, but he also designed Aliso at The Ranch, Trio in Heisler Park, Viking Studio and the 60-foot Mercury Falling at Skyloft in Irvine – to name a few.

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Jorg Dubin during a recent visit to the lobby of Surf & Sand Resort

A working artist for more than 50 years, Dubin started as a ceramicist, later adding painting, sculpture, design work, public art installation, art directing and production design to his repertoire. His paintings are often politically and socially charged, reflecting what’s happening in the world.

For those not familiar with Dubin’s backstory, he studied painting at the Art Institute of Southern California with L.A.-based painter Stephen Douglas, and sculpture and design with Kris Cox and Richard White. Dubin is currently a mentor and advisor in the MFA program at the Laguna College of Art + Design, where he formerly taught advanced figure painting.

Dubin also hosts the radio show, Art Matters, on Laguna’s radio station KXFM from 1-2 p.m. on Tuesdays. A couple of things readers might not know is that his creative endeavors include playing drums in a jazz quartet and serving on the Planning Commission for the city of Laguna Beach.

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“Tempest” is made of 316 L polished stainless steel

In a previous interview with Stu News Laguna, Dubin readily admitted that his work is not for everyone – certainly, there’s no denying it evokes strong emotions, both favorable and unfavorable. However, his most recent public art installation will no doubt garner nothing but accolades – it’s stunning.

His sculpture Tempest was recently unveiled at the newly renovated Surf & Sand Resort, in the previous location of Water Wall by DeWain Valentine, which was installed in 1992.

This project began a year and a half ago. “The initial reason I was onboard was to see if I could repair Water Wall, which was in disrepair. DeWain Valentine is no longer with us, but he was a well-known Los Angeles-based artist. In his sculpture, the water is supposed to come up through the center of the glass and then trickle down to the surface, but it had sprung some leaks,” Dubin said. Then an attempt to repair it with silicone made it worse. “The water was shut off altogether. After spending a couple of hours analyzing it, I said, ‘I won’t touch it.’ The original fabricator agreed.”

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Strong reflections appear in the photos of “Tempest”

The city’s Municipal Code mandates that developers of new commercial and industrial developments, residential developments of more than four lots or units, and remodeling, repair, or reconstruction of buildings in those areas, contribute to the city’s public art collection.

“Obviously they knew they were required to do a new piece of public art,” Dubin said. “We spent a lot of time looking at different locations on the property once they made the decision about moving the glass sculpture Water Wall. They found a nice home for it on the property.”

At that point, Dubin worked up several designs. “I wanted to see if any of them resonated, and they liked this one,” he said. “One of the big things that they wanted to try to achieve was to have a piece that not only was significant, but it would also be something that people would want to get their picture taken next to. Water Wall was quite a bit smaller, so we wanted to make sure the new sculpture had a presence.”

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David Vanderveen – entrepreneur and adventurer extraordinaire

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

If one imagines life’s endeavors as crossroads or paths taken – or not taken – precisely at the junction of entrepreneur and adventure, you’ll find David Vanderveen. That intersection is where the passion ignites, fueling both his career and lifestyle. Add into that mix a massive dose of ethics and values, and life tends to be full of pivots and disruptions, although he described them as “disruptions with a purpose.”

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David Vanderveen has had many roles in his career

From being kicked out of Wheaton College for protesting the firing of a teacher, to launching XS, an energy drink, in Japan after the 2011 tsunami, and in March 2014 in Ukraine right after the revolution, it’s been a bumpy ride. “We launched after two cataclysmic events,” Vanderveen said.

His website describes his career as a roller-coaster ride and life as an adventure, and his backstory affirms this assessment.

“I started a publication at Wheaton College called the Ice Cream Socialist, an underground newspaper that got me kicked out for a poem, but it also got me on national news,” he said. “It resulted in a very competitive internship at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. doing fact checking for a book on scandal. I’ve been a writer, even though it got me in trouble, and I’ve had a lot of fun with it over the years.” (To read his articles, click here.)

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David and Sarah, who have been married almost 32 years, were introduced by David’s sister, Sara. They were both from a Dutch immigrant community in Michigan. Sarah’s grandfather and David’s grandmother were in the same class at Calvin College.

“We lived in Munich together as a family when we were launching XS in all the Euro markets, and we had a lot of really amazing experiences,” he said. “We launched Ukraine in March of 2014 right after the February revolution – there was no government and no police.”

Vanderveen holds degrees in philosophy and political science, and throughout his various careers has been an editor, writer, model and co-founder of XS, a global energy drink brand that was the first to use mega doses of B12. He’s currently the Executive Director and President of Americas, Prenetics. David Beckham partnered with Prenetics to co-found IM8, a new health and wellness brand.

From editor to entrepreneur

Just out of college, Vanderveen served as editor for a French company in Japan called EIGS and a biotech Daily News service back when they would translate the top news stories then fax them to Western interests that wanted to know what the Japanese news was before it hit the Western wire service. “I went to Tokyo never having had Japanese food, not knowing the language, culture or anyone there,” he said. Having modeled during college, while in Japan, as a side gig, he was a hand model. “It was good money for the time. I’d studied in the Middle East and Europe and so I was pretty comfortable navigating different cultures, but I’d never been to an Asian culture. It was an amazing learning experience.”

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Architect Horst Noppenberger brings the poetics of space to his designs

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

In the 1980s, as a recent graduate from architectural school, Horst Noppenberger moved to London. “I fell in love with it,” he said. “It was such an exciting place even on a student’s budget. I was also a saxophone player, and I was making money in London by busking with a couple of musicians to see if we could make a few quid every night. I knew then that music was going to be my hobby, and architecture was going to be my passion.”

Now after more than 30 years at the helm of Horst Architects, Inc., Noppenberger estimates he has designed 150-200 homes here in Laguna. Along with his team of eight, he is currently working on 25 projects.

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Horst Noppenberger founded his architectural firm 30 years ago

As described, Noppenberger’s architectural designs embody the spirit of modernism, characterized by the sculptural interplay of light, material and form – culminating in the term “poetics of space.”

In the way that imagination fills a space with spirit and meaning, a home designed by Noppenberger evokes feelings of memory, fantasy and serenity.

“The common thread in early modernism/minimalism is the contemplative meditative aspect to the designs,” he said.

Although he primarily focuses on local projects, they aren’t confined to Laguna – there’s a 20,000-square-foot house in Dallas currently under construction (for eight years), and they’re finishing up a house in Malibu.

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Horst Architects, Inc., occupies a spectacular upstairs space overlooking the Forest Avenue Promenade

How Noppenberger landed in Laguna is nothing less than serendipitous.

As it happens, while in London, he was looking through an architectural book, and for the first time, spotted mid-century houses designed by Fred Briggs, a well-known Laguna architect. “His style was mostly modern – very modern – it’s pretty much all that he did, but it was kind of eclectic modernism,” Noppenberger said. Inspired by Briggs’ designs, Noppenberger wrote him a letter.

“There were architects in town who were doing great work,” noted Noppenberger. “At the time it was Fred Briggs, Mark Singer and J. Lamont Langworthy. They were doing modern architecture, and the community seemed very open minded. I think it had a lot to do with the history of originally being an art colony.”

Evidently, the correspondence made an impression – Noppenberger worked for Briggs for six years when his office was located at St. Ann’s and Glenneyre. As time passed, Briggs occasionally gave Noppenberger small design jobs. “I moved downstairs in 1992 and opened up my own office,” he said.

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Noppenberger still plays the saxophone

Briggs proved to be an incredible mentor. “I was in my early 20s and still playing music and getting into surfing a little bit,” said Noppenberger. “With Fred it was more than just a job, it was a lifestyle. He got me excited about traveling – he was spending a lot of time in Asia, and he would come back with these incredible artifacts and images of architecture. We would sit around and share ideas.”

Noppenberger has created a similar atmosphere with his staff. “There are a lot of young people here in the office – some of them are living in Laguna. We work on these interesting projects, but we also do other things together – we hike and paddleboard in the ocean and so it’s a lifestyle.”

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Zach Churchill – the power of music in storytelling

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Singer-songwriter Zach Churchill’s music reaches a wide variety of listeners in Laguna – and beyond. The classics he performs tell the stories of the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and current times, but his original music often reveals his own story.

His name and talent are well-known around town. Every Friday he performs at The Ranch, sings for visitors at the Sawdust Festival (summer and winter for over 12 years) and frequently appears on the Stage at the Promenade. Even little music aficionados get to sing along with him at the Laguna Beach Library every Tuesday morning courtesy of Laguna Live! For the more mature set, he hosts two weekly “Untethered Radio” shows at KXFM – Mondays, noon to 2 p.m., and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

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Zach Churchill and his son Leland, who is also musically inclined, get ready for Churchill’s performance at The Ranch

Director of Programming and Production at KXFM Radio Jason Feddy said of Churchill, “I’ve known Zach for a long time; he’s an asset to the station.”

“The program is untethered so it’s free form and I can take the show wherever I want,” Churchill said. “I play a lot of global music, but it can go anywhere. One thing I really try to do is play local music as well as live music. I also like to have live in-studio sessions with singers and songwriters. So, it’s a mixture of playing the music I love and requests. I love requests and guests.”

There’s no doubt that it can be challenging to support yourself as an artist. Before he made the leap to full-time musician, he was bartending and serving in town at places like Brussels Bistro.

“I’ve been performing live as a full-time job for a little over 10 years,” Churchill said. “I started playing in Laguna Beach at the Sawdust Festival (10-15 years ago) thanks to Diane Valentino. I was playing guitar in Greg Thorne’s booth a lot, he’s an artist there, and she was one of the bookers for the live music at the festival.” Fortunately, she heard him and gave him a shot.

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At The Ranch before a performance

Churchill’s interest in music started as a child growing up in Mission Viejo.

“I started singing when I was really young,” he said. “The inspiration I always cite is my grandparents. My grandmother is from France, and they would sing in French to me when I was growing up. I believe that inspired a love of music.”

He admits he was constantly singing in plays musicals, choirs and whatnot in school. “I picked up guitar when I was 13 and started getting into classic rock. Then I got into the songwriter movement and started writing my own songs in high school.”

His musical influences include Jeff Buckley, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Chet Baker and Porcupine Tree.

“When performing I do a lot of classics and popular music from the ‘60s, ‘70s, 80s, ‘90s and some contemporary music, but I also write and release original music as well, so I’ll throw that in too,” he said.

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Performing at The Ranch

For a time, he attended Saddleback College and then graduated from Cal State Northridge with a bachelor’s degree in Music Industry Studies. “I actually did my Capstone internship to get my degree here at the radio station in 2016,” he said. “I met Jason. I knew he was a performer around town and then I saw him for the first time at the brewery on Ocean Avenue performing one of his CDs. I became obsessed with it and would go see him at the Hotel Laguna on Fridays.”

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Blakehaus: an impeccable blend of art, architecture and design

By DIANNE RUSSELL

After vacating their latest Blakehaus due to recent fires, Peter Blake, his wife Stephanie and their dog Perriand – named after French architect and designer Charlotte Perriand – have returned to the Blakehaus | Beverly Hills: Richard Neutra | Levit House. It’s the fourth in the series of Blakehaus installations, which meld art, architecture and design to create a site-specific exhibition. The first two were in Palm Springs and the third was The Hunt House in Malibu.

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Submitted photos

Blakehaus / Beverly Hills, Richard Neutra completed the home in 1961

Blakehaus | Beverly Hills at Richard Neutra’s iconic William H. Levit House is open for tours (by appointment only) throughout February. (Thursday-Sunday, Monday-Wednesday).

Completed in 1961, this late Neutra embodies California modernist architecture. Currently on the market, the home was restored in 2012 by Ronnie Sassoon, (hair-care magnate Vidal Sassoon’s widow) after a previous restoration by Mark Radnizer.

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“Breakout” by Ed Moses, 2008, Acrylic on canvas, (chair on right) by Kem Weber, Chromium Plated Steel, Sandra Jordan Alpaca Suri, Ubald Klug for De Sede, Terrazza Couch, 1973

“This is the first time that we’re working with a property that’s for sale,” Blake said, “and also the first time that we didn’t have to empty the house out and store all of the persons’ belongings and then recreate the house.” The Blakes reside at the Blakehaus homes during the exhibition, guiding tours of four to six visitors every 20 minutes between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The previous Blakehaus | Malibu (in November 2024) was at The Hunt House, designed and built by Craig Ellwood in 1957. “People just kept coming by to see the house,” Blake said. “We’ve somehow tapped into a group of influencers who shoot architecture, so they range from architects to architectural photographers to real estate influencers. It’s kind of interesting how the whole thing is happening. Some of these people have thousands of followers.”

After a video was posted by Brian Linder, founder of the site, The Value of Architecture, the Malibu house had 500 reservations in three days.

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Writing Desk, 1970s, designed by Marzio Cecchi and “Surface Stain #37,” 2014, oil and pigment on canvas by Dean Levin

Immediately after Malibu, the Blakes moved to the Sassoon property.

“Our clothes went straight from Malibu to the Beverly Hills house,” Blake said. “Malibu was over, and I missed Laguna and the gallery, but we were aware we’re going back. It’s as if we were in a brand-new house and then we were in another new house. It’s like starting all over again. Because of the amount of effort and love we put into them; they feel like forever homes for us. If you strive to make the house right and you’re successful, then you’ve made it feel like a forever home. It doesn’t feel like a home that’s a real estate house or an art show for the gallery or it’s something that you’re touring collectors through. But the problem with that is we become attached to them. It’s been hard to leave every one of the four houses, they have all been very special.”

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Judy Baker and Christine Brewer have plenty of reasons to celebrate Susi Q’s 50th anniversary

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Laguna Beach Seniors’ Finance Manager and Arts Coordinator Judy Baker remembers the early days volunteering for the nonprofit, a couple of years before she became an employee. At the time, LBS operated out of Legion Hall. Baker and Ann Quilter shared an “office,” which was originally a closet opposite the bathroom downstairs.

“I started out because of Ann,” Baker said. “Our kids went to school together and Ann said one day, ‘Judy, you’re a tax counselor and like working with numbers, can you help me?’ I helped with the capital campaign and raising money for the new building.”

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(L-R) Director of Programs and Events Christine Brewer, Marketing/Communications Director Lynette Brasfield and Finance Manager and Art Coordinator of Gallery Q Judy Baker stand beneath the original Senior Citizens Club sign

Many locals may not realize that Laguna Beach Seniors (LBS) has been around for a lot longer than the Susi Q Center itself, which opened in 2009. The privately funded nonprofit was founded back in 1975 by Virginia Schott. Schott wanted to ensure that seniors continued to feel socially connected with and supported by the community. It was a small operation, dependent on a few determined volunteers to meet their goals, including working with Meals on Wheels as a priority. At first, just two programs were offered, Bingo and dancing.

Fifty years later, that mission continues. These days, the bright, bustling Susi Q Center, in the heart of Downtown, serves more than 6,000 older adults in our community. They offer between 50-80 programs each year. In 2024, the Care Management Department provided more than 1,400 households with access to legal, financial and health-related resources through partnerships with more than 70 organizations and NGOs.

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Bingo attracts a consistent group of players. The winners receive gift cards.

And, of course, Susi Q still offers regular Bingo and occasional belly dancing, along with their more high-profile events such as the Evening with an Author series, Gallery Q receptions and opera evenings, which draw up to 100 attendees of all ages.

“I’ve developed so many friendships with our wonderful volunteers,” said Christine Brewer, who started working for the organization 15 years ago and is now program and events director.

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Christine Brewer chatting with volunteer Warren Haines in her office

“There are volunteers who have been here since I’ve been here – Warren Haines, Jheri St. James and Phyllis Wilson,” Brewer said. “They just keep on coming back. We couldn’t offer our programs without the help of the volunteers.”

A dedication to the aging population drew Brewer to Susi Q, born out of her close bond with her grandparents and strong desire to help seniors.

“I’ve always had a deep respect for the older generation and recognize the wealth of knowledge and life experiences they bring. Working at a senior center offers the unique opportunity to build meaningful connections, provide support, and create a positive environment were seniors feel valued and engaged,” Brewer said.

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Strike a pose. Susi Q’s Standing Yoga Instructor Wayne Lawrence demonstrates what aging can look like. His class has a consistent attendance of 40+ participants.

Wayne Lawrence’s Standing Yoga class is one of the most popular activities with up to 40 participants three times a week, Brewer said. Attendees exchange phone numbers and, as with many of the activities, they develop friendships outside of class.

“That’s so important. I’m passionate about contributing to programs and activities that promote physical, emotional and social well-being,” Brewer added.

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Anesha Rose strikes just the right chord with her audiences

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

If you’ve been to the Marine Room, The Cliff or the Sawdust Art Festival – or any of singer/songwriter Anesha Rose’s local residencies – you don’t need to be told she’s a powerhouse performer. Her dynamic and soulful voice – combined with her deft guitar playing – make for an electrifying stage presence. Reminiscent of Janis Joplin’s raw energy, Rose has a similar raspy voice, but her style is all her own. Her performances include original songs and moving covers of Janis Joplin (who inspired Rose), Stevie Nicks and Adele. Every show is different; audiences won’t hear the same version of a song every time.

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Anesha Rose has local residencies up and down the coast

“I don’t ever perform a song the same way twice,” Rose said. “In 2010, I had only 10 songs in my repertoire. Now I have 800 on my iPad, and I play around 400 of them.” It’s not a surprise that her favorite is “Me & Bobby McGee” by Kris Kristofferson which was on Janis Joplin’s album Pearl.

“In the ‘90s there were so many acoustic guitar players, and there’s so much great music to play from – Melissa Etheridge, Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty,” she added.

By both nature and nurture, music is in her blood and background.

My dad and stepdad were both musicians,” she explained. “I just remember being a very shy kid, but when my parents would go grocery shopping, I’d turn on Cindi Lauper in the garage and dance and do this whole show. In my heart I felt confident, but I wasn’t willing to share that with anyone. My parents always joked about it, that at age 6 or 7, I would just sit in the back of the car singing nonsense.” (Rose has two younger siblings, sister Cassandra Rose and brother Brian and often spends her free nights at her mother’s place.)

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Anesha Rose at the entrance to the Sawdust Art Festival, where she’s been playing for 13 years

Rose admits that in her younger years she might have dabbled in karaoke in restaurants in the early ‘90s when the familiar machines were tucked away in a corner.

Music was different back then. “When I was a kid, it was whatever my parents played on their record player or cassette tape, or I heard on the radio or MTV. It was very old school with a lot of different music genres,” she said.

Although at one time she may have been hidden away in a corner singing karaoke, now her performances are anything but tucked away. In addition to the Marine Room and the Cliff, she has local residencies at several restaurants in Laguna and further south along the coast – Evan’s Gourmet and Nirvana Kitchen + Pantry here in town, Trevors on the Tracks in San Juan Capistrano, Rancho Capistrano Winery and Scarlett’s Kitchen on Ortega Highway (to name a few).

One of her favorites is the Sawdust Art Festival during both the summer and winter festivals, which she visited for years before becoming a performer. “I lived in Mission Viejo and would come down to the Sawdust every summer for more than 20 years to get ear clips,” Rose said. “It was always my dream to play there. I love the Sawdust; it’s one of my favorite gigs and was in the top 10 venues in the world I wanted to play. I was given that opportunity in 2011 by a woman named Bella V who played the flute at the Sawdust. She got me the gig.”

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Rose has a passion for music and this town

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Donna McNutt, The Cancer Fashionista

By NANCY CARPENTER

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

Looking back over my stories for 2024, it was difficult to choose just one favorite. However, I selected my story on Donna McNutt. As a cancer survivor, she is an inspiration for all of us during this holiday season. –Nancy Carpenter

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Jack and Donna McNutt relaxing at their home

Two challenges when planning to interview Donna McNutt, a fashion maven diagnosed with cancer. First, where to start. The medical angle seemed logical. A diagnosis of any serious illness is one of those before-and-after events that changes our trajectory, our identity, our decisions. But jumping into the very private matters of health isn’t always easy.

The bigger concern:  She’s a fashionista. What do I wear?

“Cancer” and “fashionista” seem opposing forces, the necessary “hook.” Brought together, might this be a pioneering medical clothing line with a fashion sensibility, yet suited to the business of accommodating the aftermath of an illness? A mash-up of form and function? Wrong, or at least not entirely right, which still left me in that quandary, where to begin. And what to wear.

Within five minutes of meeting McNutt, problem solved. Sitting on my sofa with her bottled water, she wanted to talk about the role of fashion throughout her life. “Back in the ‘60s my family moved from New Jersey to California. I was 6, and everything and everyone in California, all of it was strange. My older sister was a big reader and got her bearings, reinvented who she was through books. My path was different. Even then I loved getting dressed up.”

Her path was through the one pair of sandals she owned. There isn’t a girl out there who hasn’t felt awkward, hasn’t experienced the sting of “being outside.” During those awkward early years, we often believed how we looked, how we dressed, that’s the ticket. Childhood into teen years, a balancing act of fitting in while establishing our own unique voices. This made sense to me: Once dressed and out the door, minus a mirror, all that we can see is our feet. Shoes quite literally ground us.

Not that she turned her passion for fashion into a career. She fell in love with Jack McNutt, they married, raised three children (two sons Corbin and Hunter, followed by a daughter Tatum). A familiar path, both ordinary and extraordinary. I didn’t ask but am certain every parent/child, mother/daughter, Sunday barbecue, beach outing, holiday dance, she was smartly turned out. Not in a designer label way, though a label or two works, the salt on caramel ice cream.

And then…

McNutt is elegantly tall to my five feet. She walks with purpose. In equal parts she owns her space and lets others in. She doesn’t demur. And so, when not quite feeling physically right in early 2015, she gives those apprehensive thoughts some sort of inner test, a timeline. “This will go away, this has nothing to do with me, because I am busy.”

Except the pain didn’t go away, she did have something wrong. Her family insisted on Easter Sunday in 2015, that she go to an emergency room. She didn’t have enough stamina to challenge them. She needed more than sandals to guide her.

She had four broken ribs. No wonder the basic act of breathing was compromised. But a fall was not the cause. Lab tests revealed her kidneys were functioning at 20% capacity, and if possible, something far more serious was coursing through her body: multiple myeloma, one of the most severe forms of cancer with a show-stopping prognosis, not that anything is gained when ranking disease.

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Sally Anne and Don Sheridan: long story short

By DIANNE RUSSELL

I chose this story as a 2024 favorite, because, as a couple, the Sheridans epitomize the zest for life that is part of Laguna’s culture. Their history (and love story) is full of fun and mutual respect. They truly reflect the definition of vital: Approaching life with excitement and energy; not doing things halfway or halfheartedly and living life as an adventure. –Dianne Russell

“You want the long version or the short version?” said Sally Anne Sheridan when asked about her spectacular Easter Garden. Every aspect of Don and Sally Anne’s time together – this year they will be married 46 years – has either a lengthy or abbreviated version.

The stories unfold in rapid succession – as told by the Sheridans in a sort of loving sparring match – each filling in details of a long and combined history. It’s soon evident their collaboration in life is one filled with adventures and accomplishments.

The partnership is also a tale of unexpected encounters, resilience and traditions, lots of them. “People said the marriage would never last,” Sally Anne said, and explained the reasons. Don is younger than Sally Anne and at the time they met, she was a single mother of three. (Cindy, Laurie and William).

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

Sally Anne and Don at their front door

But back to the garden, which is a fitting example of their devoted and enduring relationship. “Each year Don creates a new Easter Garden for me,” Sally Anne said. “It’s our tradition.”

“I start planting new flowers about a month before Easter. I pick what’s hardy and survives,” he said. By the looks of the lush garden, much has remained. (They also have a memorial garden in their backyard.)

This annual gesture doesn’t come as a surprise for a couple who starts each day at 5:30 a.m. with coffee, prayers, a list of “shitty” tasks to do before the fun begins, and most importantly by asking each other, “What could I do for you that would make this the best day possible?”

The early years

Although they described their childhoods as parallel, “We were free range kids,” Sally said. Don was raised in Southern California and Sally Anne grew up in Pleasantville, N.Y.

In the years leading up to their chance encounter, Sally Anne graduated from Columbia with a nursing degree and during her career was part of an open-heart surgery team at Boston Children’s Hospital. The move to California came about when her then husband, a physician, got a position at UCI. She soon became involved in the HOA at University Park, her first foray into community and government services.

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Photo by Mary Hurlbut

On the porch overlooking the Easter Garden

In 1971, Sally Anne’s community involvement went into high gear. “Irvine was incorporated, and I was asked to be on the Community Services Commission,” she said. “I served on the commission from 1971-1984, much of the time as chair.” In 1974, as part of the Community Service Master plan, she got $18,000,000 to develop the park system. “We wrote a park plan and then went out and passed a bond issue to get the parks built: Turtle Rock Park and Nature Center, first public zip line, Harvard Avenue ballpark, Heritage Park with Olympic Swimming Pool, Fine Arts Center, Childcare Center, Teen Center, Senior Center and many others.” However, one dream of Sally Anne’s did not come to fruition, a performing arts theater.

During this time, she was approached by a group made up of members of the Hobie skateboard team, and they wanted a skateboard park. “They said you build all these parks for little kids, and you don’t like teenagers. They wanted a skatepark,” Sally Anne said. “The park attracted a lot of attention from skateboard manufacturers.” She was asked to head up a new international organization to govern skateboarding (ISA). “We established a rule book, and we hosted competitions.”

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Arnold Geis and Oriana Falla Geis bring the magic of Opera Laguna to the community

By DIANNE RUSSELL

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

It’s been said that “Opera is a strong form of magic.” It weaves a spell of breathtaking music, passionate drama and high theatrics that strikes a deep emotional cord. However, it’s often viewed as an antiquity – and as such, inaccessible to the average person.

Through Opera Laguna, opera singers Arnold Geis and Oriana Falla Geis hope to change all that by bringing it to life right here in Laguna – and they’re well on their way. However, these two intense performers harbor some surprising talents outside of the operatic world – Arnold is a worldclass whistler and Oriana can lift more weight at the gym than Arnold.

“I’ve actually whistled in film soundtracks before,” Arnold said. “That’s one of my other jobs, singing for film and TV soundtracks.”

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Arnold Geis and Oriana Falla Geis (who married in the fall)

Since its inception in 2022, Opera Laguna has now performed an inaugural concert with Laguna Live! in the Neighborhood Congregational Church, with Pacific Opera Project in Heisler Park for Sunset Serenades, an exclusive member event in the Hortense Miller Gardens, in a featured lecture “The Voice as an Instrument” at the Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach and “A Night at the Opera” at the Laguna Festival of the Arts, the first time in 20 years opera had been performed at FOA. Most recently, they performed “Ghost of Laguna” at the Rivian South Coast Theater.

In early 2022, Arnold and Oriana met Christopher Reed. “We brainstormed around town to find out if there would even be any interest in presenting opera,” Oriana said. Reed introduced them to the founder of Laguna Beach Live, Cindy Prewitt and board member Danny Melita, which developed into a partnership with Laguna Live!

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Soprano Oriana met Arnold, a tenor, during a production at UCLA

Although they come from very different backgrounds, this couple seemed destined to meet.

“My parents immigrated from Columbia to the states,” said Oriana. “They came here when my sister was 2 1/2 and I was born here.” Oriana grew up in West Los Angeles and played the piano as a child long before she started singing at age 15 or 16. “My mom told me, ‘you’re not a singer.’”

She admits she was horrible. “I’ve seen the videos,” Oriana said. “But I just loved singing. Everyone said, ‘you might not become a professional but there’s no reason that you can’t learn how to sing and sing well.’”

While at Community College at Santa Monica (studying to be a musical education middle school teacher), she received a full scholarship to UCLA to study voice.

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Arnold and Oriana love taking long walks around town

In a production, a cast member’s misfortune led to Oriana meeting Arnold. “In my undergrad at UCLA in 2015, the tenor who was singing the lead role broke his arm a week before the show, so Arnold got called in to learn the role in a week. He took over as tenor, and I was just in the chorus.”

In 2020, they did their first opera together. Since there was not much happening during the pandemic, they performed it outdoors in a church parking lot.

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Alan Kaufmann of the Laguna Canyon Foundation believes in protecting what you love

By NANCY CARPENTER

Photos by Mary Hurlbut

The morning of my interview with Alan Kaufmann, interim deputy director for the Laguna Canyon Foundation (LCF), California delivered its requisite beautiful weather. Which is to say, most days are perfect for a visit to the foundation headquarters where the commotion of urban Orange County is left at the curb. A short drive up a slow incline, three-point turn to work my way into a parking spot, and I’ve arrived.

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Alan Kaufmann surrounded by mostly coyote brush

The foundation’s physical building suits their mission: a bi-level low-profile wood structure tucked into the curve of the hill plus plenty of windows for viewing nature at its best. Nothing intrusive here. The cement patio is imprinted with various animal tracks, definitely deer, maybe coyote, whether put there intentionally or not is less clear. They brought back childhood memories of neighborhood kids pressing our hands into still-pliable grit, whether adult-sanctioned or not. I would like to think that somewhere out there is proof we existed.

The foundation’s very being is for and about the endurance of wildlife that is integral to our own survival. Laguna Canyon as we know it today would have been little more than a memory if not for citizens who in 1989 marched quite literally its entire length to protest and ultimately prevent the development of thousands of homes, requisite shopping centers and a golf course or two.

As with most success stories, these concerned citizens weren’t allowed to just go away. They were approached to assist in the protection of more open spaces facing similar risks of bulldozing and building. Trail and conservation programs came into being during the foundation’s initial 20-year period.

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West Ridge from Phillips Road – a good example of the coastal sage scrub habitat type

Today, the foundation oversees 22,000 acres of protected land. What started as a staff of five has grown 25. While conservation is the largest department, they could not accomplish any of it without the administration, tours and education departments. While Kaufmann and I were talking underneath the watchful eyes of The Owl of Accountability (huge painting of a formidable snowy-white bird in one of the offices) a staff member returned from a presentation at a local school. Too many Orange County children have few if any opportunities to experience open spaces. The foundation wants to change that trend.

Kaufmann is also senior director of conservation, and so naturally, our conversation revolved around what it takes to conserve. Let’s start with restoration and preservation of the land that supports plants and animals that are either at risk or shouldn’t be there at all. I often pair the concepts of “invasive species” and “extinction” with animals, but that is often the byproduct of invasion of plants that threaten extinction of native plants that they rely on.

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California fuchsia

Invasive plants? Except for the annoying weeds in our gardens and an occasional horror movie featuring man-eating pods, how bad can a plant be? Case in point: the common dandelion. They were brought here by settlers in the 1600s as a source of food and medicine, two urgent and worthy reasons harboring one long-term unintended consequence. Now by most standards, dandelions are weeds that have a reputation of not always coexisting with otherwise pristine lawns.

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