If you can only see one place, that should be Crystal Cove State Park, located about halfway between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach.

Crystal Cove Historic Cottages

There are 3.2 miles of completely unspoiled beaches along with shrub-covered bluffs that provide spectacular views of the coastline.

The hike down to the beach is well worth it and there are tide pools, great bodyboarding waves, rocky reefs for snorkeling and scuba, and tons of mostly empty sand.

While exploring Crystal Cove, grab a snack or a meal at Ruby’s Shake Shack on Pacific Coast Highway—locals have been going there for milkshakes and sandwiches for decades.

For more nature adventures, the backcountry of Crystal Cove State Park has lots of hikes and mountain biking trails heading up from El Moro and Emerald Canyon. Only a couple of miles further down the coast away from Newport is Laguna Canyon Road, which heads inland and passes three trailheads offering access to Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, which is operated by OC Parks.

Within Crystal Cove State Park is the Crystal Cove Historic District, a 12.3-acre coastal section with 46 historic beach cottages.  An insider’s tour of Crystal Cove takes place the first Saturday of every month, from10 a.m. to noon, led by yours truly. Among other local tales, you’ll learn the story behind the Crystal Cove Beach Cottages and how our local efforts saved them from being turned into a luxury resort.

Today, 21 of these cottages have been restored and are open to the public (you can even book an overnight stay) and another 24 are slated for restoration when enough funds are raised.

Follow it up with a leisurely 3.2-mile walk along the pristine beach. Once you’ve built up an appetite, head to The Beachcomber Café which is right on the water.

If it’s breakfast time, grab some hot beignets and a latte; later in the day, order some ahi tacos and a specialty cocktail and watch the sun set. (Tip: Put your name on the list before you take your walk!)

The park is open 7 a.m. to sunset, seven days a week and has a wide variety of hikes ranging from easy family walks to strenuous uphill climbs.  The reward is spectacular ocean views (many days, Catalina Island is visible 22 miles offshore). Sunsets from the ridges are some of the best in California.

By Ken Ludwig, based on the novel by Robert Lewis Stevenson
Directed by Donna Inglima

Treasure Island is a stunning tale of pirates and buried gold. The adventure begins at an Inn on the Devon coast of England in 1775 and quickly becomes an unforgettable adventure of treachery and mayhem as young Jim Hawkins, a 14 year old boy, goes on a quest to find the notorious Captain Flint’s treasure. Featuring the legendary characters; dangerous Billie Bones, two-timing Israel Hands, the famous woman pirate, Anne Bonney, the evil, murderous Blind Pew and the unscrupulous, buccaneer – rogue, Long John Silver.

For additional information, please visit www.LagunaPlayhouse.com

The Laguna Beach Alliance for the Arts (LBaa) announces the nominees for the 5th Annual Art Star Awards to be held on Friday, April 1, 2011 at 6:00pm and generously hosted by [seven-degrees] in Laguna Beach.

Organizations, business and individuals who have contributed and shaped the arts and culture of the community and the county will be honored. “The 5th Annual Art Star Awards promises to be a 5-star celebration, with an after-party and dancing to follow dinner and the awards,” said event Chair Lisa Mansour. LBaa members from more than 20 Laguna Beach arts organizations submitted nominees in five categories. The categories and the nominees are:

• Best New Arts Program: Artist Open Studios, Marine Mammal Studios, Musical Theatre University.
  
• Arts Patron of the Year: Robert Hayden III, The James Irvine Foundation, Wells Fargo Bank.
  
• Outstanding Arts Collaboration: Festival of Arts, The PIMCO Foundation and Orange County Department of Education – Junior Art Exhibit and Award Ceremony, Laguna College of Art & Design and Hurley – Action Sports Track, Sawdust Art Festival and Laguna Beach Visitors Bureau – Studio Art Classes.
  
• Innovation and Arts Leadership: Bolton Colburn (Laguna Art Museum); Dennis Power (Laguna College of Art & Design), Karen Wood (Laguna Playhouse).
  
• Laguna Beach Artist of the Year: Beth Fitchet Wood, Scott Moore, Mike Tauber.

The winner in each category will be announced during the Art Stars Awards event where they will be presented with a custom designed bronze sculpture created by local artist Louis Longi.

New this year, a Laguna Beach Artist will be announced as the recipient of the $5,000 [seven-degrees] of Inspiration Grant. The goal of the grant is to provide support for an emerging or established Laguna Beach artist to develop and present an innovative arts project or program that advances recognition of Laguna Beach as a progressive arts city.

The evening’s entertainment will feature local musician Dan Reckard. Dan is a saxophonist, pianist, and composer who recently graduated from the University of Southern California. Though Dan is a jazz musician first and foremost, he has worked professionally in a variety of music styles, from classical to musical theater to popular music. Fellow USC colleagues Jeff Stein and Jose Gurrias fill out the group on guitar and percussion. Dan grew up in Laguna Beach, attending El Morro Elementary and Thurston Middle School, before going to the Orange County High School of the Arts and USC.

To purchase tickets to attend the 5th Annual Art Star Awards, please contact: information@lagunabeacharts.com

The Laguna Beach Alliance for the Arts was established in 2002 as the result of an exciting partnership among more than 20 Laguna Beach organizations. The mission is to serve as an advocate for the arts, promote collaboration and networking among the arts organizations of Laguna Beach, and to serve as a united voice for the arts in the city. Members of the Alliance for the Arts include Art-A-Fair Festival, CaDance, Chamber of Commerce, City of Laguna Beach Arts Commission, Community Art Project, Festival of Arts, First Thursdays Art Walk, Gallimaufry Performing Arts, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach Chorale, Laguna Beach Craft Guild, Laguna Beach Film Society, Laguna Beach Live!, Laguna Beach Sister Cities Association, Laguna Beach Visitors and Conference Bureau, Laguna College of Art & Design, Laguna Community Concert Band, Laguna Outreach Community Arts, Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, Lagunatunes Community Chorus, No Square Theater, Sawdust Art Festival, and [seven-degrees].

Drama teacher and director Mark Dressler is excited about the remake of the ’80s film because it gives the kids a taste of a rock ‘n’ roll musical, compared to other classics they’ve done in the past such as “Anything Goes.”

“It’s just loaded with great songs that our kids’ parents listened to when they were young,” Dressler said. “When you look at the educational experience that the kids are getting, not just the kids on stage but the kids in the orchestra too, they’re getting the chance to learn all different styles.”

Around 75 students are involved in the production, from acting to behind the scenes and the orchestra. Dressler said this production has the most seniors he’s had in a while, totaling almost half the cast.

For more information, call the Artists Theatre at (949) 497-7769 or visit http://www.lagunabeachschools.org. Performances will continue until March 27.

Laguna’s pooches get expanded beach time

Dog owners will now be permitted to bring their pooches to the beach an hour earlier and three weeks longer thanks to a City Council decision Tuesday night.

Currently, dogs are prohibited from the beach from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from June 1 to Sept 16. The new ordinance will prohibit the beach hours from 9-6 between June 15 and September 10.

A resident requested that the Council extend the hours and last November the Recreation Committee was directed to make a recommendation back to the Council. It was that recommendation that the Council adopted this week.

To read more about the city ordinance, check out this article in the Laguna Beach Independent.