by Diane | Nov 30, 2020 | Best Restaurants
While it seems that winter may never arrive in Laguna Beach this year, two of our restaurants are certainly ready with their own homemade versions of Chicken Pot Pie. My longtime favorite, The Lumberyard Chicken Pot Pie, has been on the menu since the restaurant...
by Diane | Nov 20, 2020 | Best Restaurants
This is an updated article from the one I first published a couple weeks ago on Thanksgiving dining options in Laguna Beach. Last week’s announcement of the dreaded return of “COVID’s purple tier” created its share of chaos in restaurants...
by Diane | Oct 28, 2020 | Best Activities
Did you miss your trip to Tuscany this year? I have a solution for you. Three years ago, a friend introduced me to Brian Gendece. My friend was a giant foodie fan, and Brian had recently retired with the idea to expand his cooking hobby as “The Showbiz...
by Diane | Oct 22, 2020 | Best Restaurants
As we all scream around the curve that is October and head for the straightaway of November, it has suddenly occurred to me that this is high-season pumpkin time. This week’s gentle reminder of Wednesday’s “National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day”...
by Diane | Oct 20, 2020 | Best Restaurants
Dining out for breakfast on the weekends is one of my favorite treats. Recently, I finally ventured out to Harvest at The Ranch Laguna Beach and GG’s Bistro for the first sit-down experience I’ve had in many months. A Peaceful Sojourn at Harvest Prior to...
by Diane | Oct 18, 2020 | Best Activities
After a thwarted attempt to open at the end of July this year, our famed Sawdust Festival chose to wait it out a few more weeks They finally opened on Sept. 19th to a scaled back “Outdoor Marketplace” on weekends only. And so far, it’s moving along...
by Diane | Oct 9, 2020 | Best Restaurants
Last month was my birthday month, and it seems my friends know only one thing to do with me – take me to a restaurant. It proved a delightful, busy and caloric month, as those of you who follow my social media can attest. For today’s column, I just had to...
by Diane | Oct 4, 2020 | Best Restaurants
For years now, I’ve been extolling the cooking virtues of Chef Josh at our locals’ favorite Wine Gallery. While most folks are more than happy to partake in his wings or various creatives pizzas, I always like to try something from the “real”...
by Diane | Sep 29, 2020 | Best Restaurants
Last week, I decided it was time for a field trip. Never one to stray far from home, however, I chose a restaurant less than a mile out of Laguna Beach’s northernmost city limits – The Beachcomber Cafe. A very popular restaurant with visitors, the...
by Diane | Sep 16, 2020 | Best Restaurants
It’s assuring to know that, even in the midst of a global pandemic, we’re all still very willing to celebrate National Cheeseburger Day. Yep! It’s coming up in two days – Sept, 18 2020 – so I thought I’d republishe my latest...
by Diane | Sep 8, 2020 | Best Restaurants
If you’ve been reading my columns this summer, you know that I’ve begun to lean somewhat heavily on our great restaurants in town whenever I have a small dinner party to pull off. A couple weeks ago, it was a special birthday dinner party for a neighbor. I...
by Diane | Sep 3, 2020 | OC & LA Chef Interviews
Fourteen years ago, I decided I’d make a hobby out of covering all the “best of Laguna Beach.” Initially, it was just a few lonely blogs that – just as the movie Julie & Julie reported – seemed to only attract my Mom’s attention and...