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
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...
Upcoming Events & News
Locals’ Parties & Pub Crawls Popping Up Everywhere
As much as we love our tourists for their economic boost, we locals can't help but feel a bit of happy-happy joy when Labor Day creates that invisible cut off day. While our city remains much busier year-round now, it's still a welcome relief to be able to drive from...
New Dog Beach Hours + Dog-Friendly Restaurants Updated List
Laguna Beach is extremely dog-friendly and it gets even friendlier in the fall and winter months. Starting on September 10th (my birthday, thank you very much. I'm sure all the dogs voted for this day) … dogs are allowed on the beaches anytime of the day as long as...
Get to Know OC & LA Chefs
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Best Food & Drink
South of Nicks Opens in Laguna Beach
It’s said that nature abhors a vacuum, which definitely proves the case this week. Taverna closed just hours before the South of Nick’s official opening last night (Monday, July 2nd). This concept is one we locals have been looking forward to seeing for a long, long...
Taverna Closes, Montage’s Chef Craig Strong Steps In
As the Laguna culinary world turns in Laguna Beach, I can say one thing for sure: July has debuted with a rockin’ and rollin’ kind of attitude. Taverna Closes For starters, Taverna on Ocean Avenue closed Sunday night after its final service. The Dallas-based Lombardi...
Two Restaurants in the Local Hood
With growing summer crowds upon us, we locals need to be reminded of those few more tucked away, local-welcoming restaurants that will help get us through the next 10 weeks. I asked my dear buddies, Ruben and Nelson, to join me at two “local” spots this weekend, both...
Pearl Street’s Tiny Coffeeshop a Prized Find
About a year ago, the small Pearl St. General Store opened the "Seahorse" in salute to its 1946 predecessor, The Seahorse Bar, which was Laguna's first gay bar. As you can probably imagine in the 1940s, the bar was a word-of-mouth-only speakeasy. Its counterpart...
Top 50 Restaurants in the World: Have You Been?
Yesterday, the winners of the Top 50 Restaurants in the World were announced from Bilbao, Spain. Just six U.S. eateries made it to the list, many of whom are repeat winners. For years, this "award" system has had its critics, primarily because female chefs rarely make...
Garden Fusions Dinner Hosts Famed Sandcastle Sculptor
This Thursday, June 21st, Cafe Jardin at Sherman Gardens in Corona del Mar is hosting another Garden Fusions gourmet dining experience. And, it's even more "summery" in nature this lovely June eve with a "Fusions Sandcastle Lounge" created by famed Chris Crosson ("Mr....
Upcoming Events & News
Disney Makes PMMC Happiest Place on Earth
How awesome is this? Last week, the PMMC (Pacific Marine Mammal Center) sent out a rare cry for help - they are early in the season and absolutely at maximum capacity already with sick seals and sea lions. They needed help from donors, and badly. While many people...
Celebrity Cruises Sails NB Film Fest to New Horizon
There is no greater fun for me than being invited to review restaurants and resorts - I absolutely love the innovation and passion these people pour into their worlds. I have to say, though, that yesterday's invite to a "cuisine oriented film viewing" is one of the...
Best Mother’s Day Buffets and Dining in Laguna Beach
If you love your Mom, you need to treat her to Mother’s Day Brunch in Laguna Beach! (Where else would she want to be?) Here's my lineup from Chefs who have reported in to me so far . . . alphabetical, to be fair! I'll keep notifying in my Facebook page of added...
Rare Studio Tour Provides One-on-One with Great Artists
Three years ago, amid all the buzzy arts and culture events we have in this town, one small movement was born – the Art Along the Coast Studio Tour. Founded by four artists – Paul Bond, Carolyn Machado, Mia Moore and Sherry Salito-Forsen – this particular studio tour...
Film Fest Sets Sail with Fantastic “Taste of Film” Event
Given that my real world is all about creating unique marketing strategy, I have to hand it to Celebrity Cruises and the Newport Beach Film Festival for coming up with a classic winner. On Sunday, in honor of the NBFF's annual event, Celebrity Cruises has come ashore...
Popular LOCA “Circus Extravaganza” Honors 2 Laguna Ringleaders
Our LOCA folks seem to be taking their B vitamins these last few months, as they seem to have an even greater amount of creative energy than usual. LOCA (Laguna Outreach for Community Arts) was founded more than 20 years ago to both celebrate artistic innovation and...
Get to Know OC & LA Chefs
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