Tonight's artwalk celebrates it's 13th year!

Laguna Beach is an artists paradise known for it's art festivals and art galleries. Tonight at our First Thursday's Artwalk, you can stroll or hop on the city-wide shuttle service to canvas some of Laguna's finest galleries and dispays of art. Celebrating it's 13th anniversary tonight, there are planned festivities throughout Laguna. Over 40 galleries will be joining in the celebration, with artist demonstrations, music and dance. So, be sure to bundle up, and come on out and join the party!

Here Comes the Sun

Rick Conkey, the man behind Help Blue Water, has put together a concert to help the recent flood survivors. Beginning today at 4pm at the Artists Theater, some of Laguna's best known talent will perform to benefit those affected in December's disaster. Here Comes the Sun will feature local folk legends Beth and Steve Wood, formerly of Honk, Jason Feddy, Nick I, from Common Sense, Sasha Evans with Douglas Miller accompanying on violin, and poet John Gardiner as the event MC. Come on out and enjoy Laguna's finest talent, and help our neighbors and friends who were devastated by the flood!

Here Comes the Sun-A vital Flood Relief Concert 

Today, January 30, 4 - 7pm

Artists Theater

625 Park Avenue

Laguna Beach, CA  92651

Tickets still available - $20.00

online or call the concert hotline at: 949-734-5485

Come out and play! The Piano Experiment

Local pianist Ed Merrilees finds an audience
Photo by: Sean Lara, OC Register

Have you noticed anything different at Main Beach lately? A hand painted piano has been placed at the south end of Main Beach Park! Our own local No Square Theatre has generously donated the piano and have teamed up with Pacific Symphony to invite the public to play their hearts out during "OC Can You Play?", January 16th - February 6th. A total of 20 pianos have been placed throughout Orange County for three music filled weeks.

Lisa Zieper of Moorpark, CA plays for an ardent listener
Photo by: Mark Rightmire, OC Register

"OC Can You Play?" will be offering a variety of contests too. One of the contests is a "Piano Scavenger Hunt", the fun of this one is, if you visit all 20 pianos, you can have a chance at winning season tickets to the Pacific Symphony! Or visit three pianos for 20 percent off a ticket purchase. Then there's "Best Video" for those who enjoy the art of filming. If you capture a performance on video, you can win tickets to an upcoming concert. Keep up with all of the contests, scheduled performances and activities at www.pacificsymphony.org/OCCanUPlay where you can also see what is scheduled at the No Square piano, or sign up to play at a particular time.

Nynke Van Derwerf, left, alon with Femke Van Derwerf, of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Cayden Muellerieile of Irvine drop their toys to tickle the ivories.
Photo by: Mark Rightmire, OC Register

If your more of a fly by the seat of your pants kind of person, just show up and play! From students to musicians, all are encouraged to sit down and play. Shoot a video or take a picture and share it on YouTube and the Symphony's Facebook page.

What's the point of this experiment? Just to come on out to play!

More ways to help flood victims

Anneliese Willowbrook Campus the day of the flood
Photo by: Andrea Huber Photography

So, What are you doing tomorrow? All are welcome to join in on a huge community flood relief work party! Anybody who is able-bodied and willing to get a little dirty is being asked to show up at Anneliese's Willowbrook Campus tomorrow, January 15th from 9 am until 2 pm. But you don't have to stay the entire time. Even if you have an hour or less to spare, every little bit helps. Wear boots or old shoes, clothes that can get dirty and gloves.

Anneliese School Willowbrook Campus
20062 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA  92651

Anneliese staffers will provide a free lunch for all of the volunteers. Park on Laguna Canyon Road or in the campus lot, and be sure to check in with Elise or Terri when you get there. If you bring your own shovels or other tools, don't forget to write your name on them, and take them with you when you leave...

The aftermath
Photo by: Andrea Huber Photography

 For those of you who want to help, but can't get out to the campus tomorrow, gift cards and cash donations are very much welcome, too. The Laguna Relief and Resource Center will be heading up those donations.

LRRC
3305 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA  92651
949-497-7121

The Assistance League and the LRRC are coordinating efforts for clothing donations and distribution, so if you can clean out your closets, bring any gently worn clothing to the Assistance League Turnabout Thrift Store, and make sure they know that they are for the flood victims.

The Assistance League Thrift Store
526 Glenneyre Street
Laguna Beach, CA  92651

Nirvana Grille supports the flood victims

Hi all!

Most of you know that Laguna Beach was hard hit by the recent floods. Some of our artists, neighbors and businesses lost pretty much everything in that torrent of rain, mud and water in the early morning hours on December 22nd.

Lots of folks in our great city are banding together to help out our friends whose lives were disrupted, but today I wanted to let you know about what Nirvana Grille, is doing to help.

Chef/Owner Lindsay Smith-Rosales

Laguna born Chef/Owner Lindsay Smith-Rosales and her husband Luis are pitching in by donating ALL proceeds to the flood victims between January 11th - 16th! Wow! That is true community spirit!

Nirvana Grille is one of Laguna's more progressive restaurants, with a seasonal menu that specializes in organics, local sourcing, wild fish, along with natural and hormone free meats. They even offer vegan and gluten free options for those of us who are constantly on the search for these types of menus.

The more people who dine at Nirvana next week, the faster our friends and neighbors can get their lives back to normal! These generous folks at Nirvana are really stepping up to help our whole community! A huge Thank you to Nirvana Grille!

Nirvana Grille
303 Broadway, Ste 101
Laguna Beach, CA  92651
949-497-0027
Reservations Recommended

www.nirvanagrille.com

Reading rocks!

Ah, winter! The perfect time for curling up next to the roaring fire with your favorite books. If your list of must have books is on the short side, you can go to Laguna Beach Books today through Friday for 30% off selected biographies and memoirs! I wonder if the new autobiography called Life by Keith Richards is on sale? That's the one I want to sink my teeth into!

Dizzying deals at Vertigo Home!

Welcome to the new year! Hope you all had a happy holiday, and are ready to start bargain hunting again!

Have you stopped in to say hello to the folks at Vertigo Home in Laguna Beach yet? If not, it's definitely time to drop in. And I can't tell you how much I absolutely LOVE their aesthetic! It is a wonderful combination of Scandinavian mod with Laguna Beach cottage charm. What  could be better than that? Nothing, I say!  Vertigo is now offering a great deal to begin the new year -- 20% - 50% off of select items throughout their charming store!

The enticingly fun storefront

Some colorful fabric choices

Whether you have a reupholstering project and need the perfect mod fabric, or you need a perfect gift for a best friend, the ecclectic mix of merchandise is such a treat to browse through. Hurry to find that perfect trinquet, the deal is only good until the merchandise lasts!

I desperately want these!

Vertigo Home
1854 South Coast Highway
Bungalow 5
Laguna Beach, CA  92651

949-494-7547