Victoria Beach

Surfing down at Pearl Street beach yesterday, the very beach I grew up on, I couldn’t help but relive so many of the great memories I have had there. A beach that became my best friend and a sport — surfing — that changed my life. I’m not sure where I would be without the two. But I can tell you it is the very reason that I fight every day to preserve our oceans and beaches. Because I want the next generations of surfers to have the same dreams and the same opportunity to live those dreams as I did growing up on the beaches of Laguna.

Eleven private gardens above Victoria Beach will be open on Friday, May 1 from ll a.m. to 4 p.m. exclusively for ticket holders to the Gate and Garden Walking Tour of Victoria Beach sponsored by the Laguna Beach Garden Club. “The self guided walking tour will showcase gardens ranging in size from tiny pockets of creativity to acres of sprawling oceanfront majesty,” says Nancy Englund, chairperson of the annual fundraiser for the Laguna Beach Garden Club. Englund notes that several of the gardens in this “venerable” neighborhood -- one of the oldest in Laguna Beach -- have been tended by the same families for generations.

Every now and then in our everyday lives, we come across a person with an everlasting, infectious smile. Take Joey Petrovich. He absolutely walked life like he talked it. Perhaps better said, he sang it. I admired Joey for that very quality. He was real from head to toe. He sang about his life and his interests, good or bad, and unlike in today's overproduced, gimmick-flavored bubble gum music, Joey not only wrote his own music, but he was out there living it. One needs to look no further than in the quick-witted classic "Cocktails for One."

Suzie Harrison Skimboarders from all over will gather at Aliso Creek Beach Saturday and Sunday for the Victoria Pro/Am Skim Contest. Because of its international attention a lot of skimmers come from around the globe including Japan, Australia, Canada, Cabo San Lucas and Hawaii. "All the guys who are best in the world, every single one of them are from Laguna," said Victoria Skimboard manager Sumner Miller. The sport was actually born in Laguna years ago with its root at Victoria Beach.

New Year?s damage closes restaurant A New Year?s Eve incident has forced Blue Laguna restaurant to close until Jan. 15 due to water damage, according to restaurant spokeswoman Stefanee Freedman. ?Someone on New Year?s Eve was hanging on the water pipe, and it busted,? Freedman said. ?We are now working on renovations that we had put off for a while, and the club should be back up and running on Friday, Jan. 15.? Blue Laguna is at the Holiday Inn, 696 S. Coast Hwy. For more information, visit www.bluelagunaoc.

I've met a lot of people from all walks of life, but few have left me with an everlasting impression of one simple aspect ? a smile. Perhaps one's greatest gifts to others in life may just be that, the gift of a smile. A smile so electric it could light up any room, any time. A smile that was honest and true. A smile that burns so bright it could add sunshine to your day at Victoria Beach where a happy-go-lucky girl known as Wendy embraced each day as if it were her last. Few people are popular enough to get through life on a first name basis alone, and Wendy was one who shared that honor ?

The California Coastal Commission's Adopt-a-Beach program will take place at four locations throughout Laguna this Saturday. Urging more local students to participate, event organizer and Clean Water Now! founder Roger Butow addressed the school board meeting Tuesday. More students are coming from outside the city than from within to help out, Butow claimed. By offering community-service credits, Butow hopes to attract more participants this year. Last year's spring cleanup attracted some 225 volunteers, Butow said.

Don't be afraid to go near the water — at least in Laguna Beach. That's the message of Heal the Bay's recently released 2006 Summer Beach Report Card. Beaches all along the Orange County coastline garnered A's — with the exception of six locations that received a grade of C or lower, including one F in San Clemente — while beaches in Los Angeles County had the worst water quality in the state. Water samples were analyzed for bacteria that indicate pollution from various sources, include fecal waste.

HIP District sizzles in September The HIP District, on South Coast Highway between Anita Street and Bluebird Canyon Drive, is celebrating the end of summer with Labor Day specials and events. •Laguna Coffee Company is honoring both the holiday and the dog days of summer by offering their Panama coffee for only $10 per pound from Sept. 4 through Sept. 6. • Studio Arts Gallery, 1200 S. Coast Hwy., will be holding an exclusive lecture and discussion from 4 to 5 p.m. Sept.

Do not nimble responses tell you that you are OK? I am not just trying to make pleasant conversation. I mean look around, connect to the environment and be there. Now you are OK, you are in Laguna. Try to understand why you are here, while you are here. Establish an intimate relationship with nature. Let the give and take of this relationship shape your life. Live the moment let the experience unfold. First unplugged, notice your separation with the natural world and open your senses.

Caltrans Stimulus Paving Project in Laguna Beach Pollutes Air and Sea "Oh, Mr. Caltrans: Thank you sir, may I have another?" or "Christmas in November: Thank You Santa Caltrans!" The federally funded Obama stimulus paving project by State highway agency Caltrans in Laguna Beach constitutes cruel and unusual environmental punishment. This fiasco of this pitiful paving effort by the ironically-named All-American Asphalt has slipped into Twilight Zone mode: (1)

The 25th Anniversary of California Coastal Cleanup Day, now a simultaneous international effort that takes place in dozens of countries the same day, will be on Saturday, September 19, 2009, 9am to noon this year. The larger global effort is coordinated by the The Ocean Conservancy. Included will be cleanups of coastal waters plus inland parks, streams and lakes throughout the USA to remove debris from our fragile ecosystems. You can help turn the tide against trash in your OC neighborhood by checking the OC Parks website (below)

Brandon Rothe is so smooth on a skimboard, he might not even get all the credit he deserves. He’s the kind of rider who might not overly impress some in person, but go home and check out his clips on YouTube and jaws might start to drop. Technically, he’s tight with his craft. Rothe takes it seriously, which is not to say he doesn’t have fun, but the time in the water is time for business. “Some people, big competitors, have told me that maybe flailing your arms around will get you extra points,” said Rothe, 24. “I’m really big on just skimming the way I do. Everyone’s got their own style, so it’s cool.

Eleven private gardens above Victoria Beach will be open on Friday, May 1 from ll a.m. to 4 p.m. exclusively for ticket holders to the Gate and Garden Walking Tour of Victoria Beach sponsored by the Laguna Beach Garden Club. “The self guided walking tour will showcase gardens ranging in size from tiny pockets of creativity to acres of sprawling oceanfront majesty,” says Nancy Englund, chairperson of the annual fundraiser for the Laguna Beach Garden Club. Englund notes that several of the gardens in this “venerable” neighborhood -- one of the oldest in Laguna Beach -- have been tended by the same families for generations.

Business committee seeks new ideas Laguna Beach City Councilwomen Elizabeth Pearson and Toni Iseman are inviting local business owners and residents to participate on a planning committee to develop ideas to help retain and attract businesses in Laguna Beach — and to help Laguna’s businesses to become more successful in challenging economic times. The committee will focus on long-term ideas and solutions to help Laguna’s business owners. The meetings are “open” and anyone who owns or works at a Laguna business — or lives in Laguna Beach — may participate.