Diane Armitage
21-year Laguna Beach resident &
absolute devotee of this amazing town.
Here our thousands of insider tips and
recommendations
for all the best places
to dine, drink and play in
LAGUNA BEACH
Best Food & Drink
230 Forest – 26 Years and Still Going Strong
Chef Marc Cohen established his "California Cuisine" restaurant, 230 Forest in 1995 when very few people even knew what that kind of cuisine was. Chef Marc proved a trailblazer in the field and - 26 years later with a world of chefs scrabbling after his lead - he's...
Last Chance for Restaurant Reservations on Easter Sunday
Several additional restaurants have submitted their plans for Easter, so I’ve expanded my column from last week to help you make your Easter dinner decisions. Orange Tier: No Change For Restaurants Although we’ve recently graduated to Orange Tier, our restaurants are...
Upcoming Events & News
“Tuscany Beyond Expectations” Documentary Fills That Travel Yearning
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 Chef." Brian...
Sawdust Festival – Plenty of Shop Opps Thru Dec. 20th
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 just beautifully....
Get to Know OC & LA Chefs
Chef Peter Lai – The Blind Rabbit Speakeasy – Anaheim
Meet Chef Peter Lai, new Chef of the award-winning Blind Rabbit speakeasy in Anaheim. Chef Peter Lai wasn't even looking for a new job when he was invited to take a look at The Blind Rabbit … and then he couldn't even find the door when he showed up for his...
Chef Rich Mead – Farmhouse – Newport Beach
Meet Chef Rich Mead the unassuming chef of Farmhouse in Newport Beach at Roger's Gardens. Chef Mead has been cooking for GIANT tables of guests for years, so he's looking forward to his return to OC Chef's Table where he simply tends to 10 guests during the...
Best Food & Drink
Luck o’ the Irish is All Around Our Restaurants
Red Tier is officially in play and St. Patty's Day is just a day away. It's a blessed week, indeed. Red Tier & Longer Daylight Hours = Busier Restaurants On Sunday, our Laguna Beach restaurants moved from Purple Tier to Red Tier status, which allows for indoor...
OC Restaurant Week Begins Sunday, March 7th
Bless the OC Restaurant Week folks for staying the course with promotions throughout Orange County. While it's certainly a different kind of OC Restaurant Week this year, five Laguna restaurants will be participating with specialty discounted menus throughout the...
San Shi Go Calls it a Day
As much as we hoped that our restaurants and bars would be able to keep their heads above water, some have grown weary of treading water. After 32 years as one of Laguna's most loved sushi restaurants, San Shi Go was still operating on Saturday evening, Feb. 27th. On...
White House Laguna Renovations Begin
After our beloved White House (Laguna Beach) restaurant shuttered its doors in the fall of 2019, we all fell to wondering who would be next to move into the central downtown space. At one point Chef Reiner Schwarz (The Deck, Driftwood Kitchen, Hendrix) and his team...
Main Street Bar Throws Out an Anchor
Last week, cries of alarm sounded in the streets (and in my text messages) when the Main Street Bar's rainbow flag disappeared from the front window. Had the last bastion in Laguna's gay bars surrendered? Probably not. After all, Main Street has been a global icon for...
Best Margaritas in Laguna Beach, 2021
National Margarita Day is Monday Feb. 22nd, an as far as I'm concerned, this is the love holiday we really need to be paying attention to this month. So, it's time to roll out (once again), Diane's updated Annual "Best Margaritas of Laguna Beach." Here's how my search...
Upcoming Events & News
Sawdust Will Open Smaller Outdoor Marketplace on July 17th
Clearly, the above photo will NOT be happening at the Sawdust Art Festival this year. But they DO have a different solution! While the Festival of Arts, Pageant of the Masters and Art-A-Fair all cancelled their summer seasons this year, the Sawdust leadership worked...
Beaches in Laguna Beach – City vs. County Beaches in Laguna Beach
Thanks to all of its beautiful cove beaches, Laguna Beach has an extraordinary number of beaches in just an eight mile stretch. With all of the recent closures, many people have been confused on WHAT a CITY beach is and WHAT a COUNTY beach is as they're somewhat...
Update: Orange County Beach Closures Beginning May 1, 2020
As you probably know, Governor Newsom announced on Thursday a HARD CLOSE of all Orange County beaches. The Governor did not include other counties in California in his order. Beaches may be closed in OTHER counties and cities, based on the decision of their city and...
Who to Complain to About Beach and Traffic Chaos this Weekend in Laguna Beach
This week with warmer weather and impatient people who are tired of staying at home, South Laguna Beach (SoLag) was overrun with beach visitors. It's only going to get busier this weekend. Because the County has closed its parking lots but NOT its beaches, we have...
Laguna Beach Books Announces Virtual Best-Selling Author Events
Just when you thought our entire globe had relegated itself to Netflix binge watching and TikTok karaoke, I have refreshing news: People are ordering books. That's right – actual books that have covers and pages and smell like books! "I can't say that we're seeing as...
Phenom Musician Francois Dean Takes It Virtual
If you've followed me for any length of time, you know that I'm a giant fan of the great musician, Francois Dean. Here in town, he's primarily played at Skyloft and Mozambique, and also ran the "Laguna Voice" contest with me at Mozambique for over a year. This guy is...
Get to Know OC & LA Chefs
Chef Randy Gruspe – Duke’s – Huntington Beach
Meet Chef Randy Gruspe, new Chef of the renowned Duke's in Huntington Beach. Chef Randy Gruspe was born and raised a Hawaiian, which might make him the best possibly suited chef for the popular Duke's chain. Click to learn more about Chef Randy Gruspe and … The events...
Chef Jeff Moore – EATS Kitchen – Irvine
Meet Chef Jeff Moore, Owner and Chef of EATS in Irvine. Chef Moore started working in restaurants to stay alive in college and, after learning to make the best Philly Cheesesteak in the world, he was hooked on creating food that people love. Click to learn more about...