LB Business Club presents Chief Garcia for June 17 Speaker Series
The Laguna Beach Business Club is proud to announce its June 17 speaker will be Mike Garcia, City of Laguna Beach Fire Chief. The LBBC holds a breakfast meeting the third Thursday of each month starting at 7:30 a.m., hosting speakers that discuss topics valuable to achieving success in your personal and professional lives.
Chief Garcia’s topic of discussion will be: “Laguna Beach Fire Safety Practices and Protocols: How Every Resident Can Help.”
Mike Garcia began his tenure as the Fire Chief for the City of Laguna Beach in April 2018. He came to Laguna after spending over 35 years in the Fire Service working for three different departments, most recently working for the City of Long Beach for 28 years.
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Photo by Mary Hurlbut
City of Laguna Beach Fire Chief Mike Garcia
While in Long Beach, he worked in Operations in all districts within the city, holding the ranks of Firefighter, Paramedic, Captain, Battalion Chief, Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, and also participating as a long-term acting Fire Chief. He has held many administrative assignments during his career: Public Information Officer, CERT Team Coordinator, Community Services Division Supervisor, and Director of Training (in-service and new firefighter training).
As a manager he has led the Bureaus of Support Services, which includes Dispatch, Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Fleet (design, maintenance, and acquisition), Training, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Program (PEER Support), Technology Services, Reports and Data, and Grants Management. He also led the Fire Prevention Bureau as the Fire Marshal, which included New Construction/Plan Review, High-Rise, State-Mandated Facilities, Underground Tank/Hazmat, Special Events and Filming, Harbor and Port Fire Prevention, Fire/Arson Investigations, and Code Enforcement.
As the Fire Chief for Laguna Beach, he is a member of the Orange County Fire Chief’s Association serving as the liaison to the county Training Officers Committee, which serves to better train, prepare, and coordinate local fire department members to ensure an effective and coordinated collaborative response. His goal as Fire Chief is to further support the excellent fire services the community receives and expects, while enhancing training, employee development, preparedness, prevention, community education, and overall department excellence.
Along with many Fire Service specific qualifications and certifications, Mike Garcia holds a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach.
The LBBC is a group of local business professionals and entrepreneurs that meet monthly to discuss current events, business opportunities, and share insights within the context of our community and our lives. The group’s goal is to build and maintain relationships with local professionals and businesses that its members are proud to recommend to clients and friends.
Club meetings begin with a buffet breakfast and brief networking roundtable. The June 17 meeting will be hosted at Nirvana Grille, 303 Broadway, Ste. 101. Non-members are welcome. The non-member guest fee is $30, payable in cash or check (payable to the Laguna Beach Business Club) the day of the meeting.
For more information about the LBBC or to register to attend a meeting, visit www.lagunabeachbusinessclub.com or email [email protected].
Walking for Water Virtual Walk features “Move Spring” app and silent auction June 19 and 20
Laguna Beach High School’s Walking for Water Club focuses on raising money to build wells and providing education to people living in West Africa (Burkina Faso, Kenya, Ghana) and India.
“As of this year, our clubs have raised enough money to build 35 wells in Burkina Faso, Ghana, and in India,” says Tess Brobeck. “To fund these wells, each year our club hosts a ‘walk’ to raise money. In the past, our walks have been held at the LBHS track where we have a silent auction, food, music, and games for children.”
However, 2020 changed everything.
Last year when COVID hit, they had to find another way to host their event virtually. “Our virtual event was very successful, so we are planning on hosting another virtual walk this year, but hope to make it even better!” Tess says.
“Originally, our project started on the East Coast in Leesburg, Virginia, by our youth project coordinator. The pandemic has allowed our club on the West Coast to connect online with the club on the East Coast. Both coasts have been working very hard to collaborate with each other on how to execute this year’s walk.”
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Walking for Water Club pre-pandemic
This walk will be a bit different than last year’s walk. They will be hosting a virtual event on their website where people can participate in our silent auction, watch videos put together by club members, and directly donate to the cause.
They have decided to step up the silent auction items this year.
“In both the West and East Coast club, we have students who are very creative and love to express their creativity through art,” explains Tess. “These students each got a watering can/bucket to paint on to illustrate their creativity.
“The purpose of making the medium on the watering can is to tie their artwork back to the cause they are supporting. For the club in Laguna Beach, we have even gotten local artists to contribute and make artwork either on watering cans or on a different medium inspired by the cause of walking for water. All of these beautifully decorated pieces of artwork will be available to bid on during our virtual event that is set to take place from June 19-20th this year!”
This year, the club offers something new for participants.
Although these silent auction items already make this year’s walk unique, they didn’t want to stop there. They want people to be able to experience how they walk themselves.
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The money earned from the walk will go towards installing a pipeline to bring clean water to the Amboseli area in Southern Kenya
“To do this, club members from both coasts have been working on creating an app that will be available in the app store on May 15, 2021,” says Tess. “Our app is called Move Spring and it is for anyone who would like to physically participate in our walk. Once you download the app, you can start walking, hiking, or jogging and our app will count how many miles you have walked. The goal for all club members is to walk 20 miles over two days (June 19-20).”
Of course, not everyone has to walk the full 20 miles, but the club wants to encourage everyone to get outside and walk as much as possible for a good cause. The app will also show other participants and how far they have walked in comparison to others. Walkers will reach various checkpoints that could have either a fact about the club or a video from a club member that goes into detail on exactly what they are raising money for this year.
“Our app also will have a direct place for participants to donate to our cause,” says Tess. “We want to encourage everyone to get out of their houses, bring their families, and walk on June 19th to the 20th!”
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The Walking for Water event raises funds to continue to educate the children in the communities in which wells have already been established
“Along with me, all of my fellow club members are truly committed to making a difference and have been brainstorming ideas and working on this app since the beginning of this school year in September. As our virtual walk approaches, we want to reach out to others and spread the word.”
The money earned from this walk will go towards installing a pipeline to bring clean water to the Amboseli area in Southern Kenya. The pipeline is being installed to extend usage to seven Maasai villages, benefiting 7,000 people. The club is also looking to put two water wells in Northern India in a Tibetian Village and in Southern India.
“Additionally, the Walking for Water event raises funding to continue to educate the children in the communities in which we’ve already established wells,” says Tess. “All contributions from this year’s event will go towards these projects.”
For more information, go to www.lbhswalkingforwater.org.
You can also contact Tess at [email protected] or Susan Hough, the club’s youth project coordinator, at [email protected] or (703) 505-5152.
Do you know a Laguna Playhouse legend?
Stu News is thrilled to celebrate Laguna Playhouse’s legends. This weekly series recognizes those folks who over the years have been instrumental in making the Playhouse the world-class venue it is today.
Nellie Gail Moulton, whose gift in 1966 helped fund the Playhouse’s current building and Moulton Theatre, designed by the famed architect William L. Pereira, was the first legend recognized.
Great-great grandson Jared Mathis continued the tradition, and he and his family were also recognized for Jared’s commitment to the Playhouse’s Board of Trustees, and $1M to restore the building.
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Nellie Gail Moulton
And harking back to the beginning, actors Annie Gayne Peake and Isabel Frost were recognized for organizing the first meeting of the Laguna Beach Community Dramatic Club, which eventually led to the creation of the Laguna Playhouse.
Betsy and David Paul, whose reign lasted from their first stage appearance in 1937 into the 1990s, were recognized for both their on-stage and off-stage work.
Also recognized was the wonderfully talented Tom Shelton, who has been on the Playhouse stage more than any other actor to date, Kris and Becky Lythgoe and Lythgoe Family Panto, and Hershey Felder, who has brought his amazing composer series to Laguna both live and virtually!
But it’s not only actors and benefactors who are responsible for the Playhouse’s success. Favorite patron Orville Marlett has been a supporter and subscriber since 1994, and still attends shows. He just turned 103!
Find out who else has been recognized at https://lagunaplayhouse.com/about-us/laguna-legends/ and let Laguna Playhouse know who you want to see recognized. And check back next week as we highlight some more Laguna Playhouse legends.
Laguna Jazz Band swings into action for the Fete De La Musique on June 19
The Laguna Jazz Band, a subgroup of the Laguna Community Concert Band, will perform its cool jazz and big band favorites on Saturday, June 19 for the 14th annual Fête de la Musique.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Laguna Jazz Band will perform at the Main Beach Cobblestones. Ginger Hatfield will sing from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. and Lisa Morrice will sing from 12-1 p.m. At 1 p.m. the Fête officially begins, as Morrice will sing “La Marseillaise” for the opening ceremony.
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Lisa Morrice and the Laguna Jazz Band kick off the 14th annual Fete de la Musique on Saturday, June 19 at Main Beach
The playlist mingles big band classics from the likes of Duke Ellington, jazz standards from George Gershwin and Carlos Jobim, and more contemporary tunes sung by pop artists like Sade.
The Fête de la Musique owes much of its local success to Laguna Community Concert Band co-founder and French horn player Carol Reynolds. After traveling to Menton, France, as part of a delegation to form a Sister City liaison, Reynolds agreed to produce the Fête de la Musique in Laguna Beach for several years.
The Laguna Jazz Band or the Laguna Community Concert Band have performed every year at the Fête de la Musique since its inception in 2007.
Laguna Hackers sponsor 21st Annual Bob Margolis Golf Tournament
The Laguna Hackers are happy to announce the 21st Annual Bob Margolis Memorial “Come Together” Golf Tournament to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach will take place on Monday, July 19 at the Aliso Viejo Country Club. The event will include a shotgun start, with 144 golfers, a silent auction, and an awards party.
One of the tournament highlights is the Helicopter Golf Ball Drop which has a grand prize of a Montage Staycation that includes a two-night stay in a one-bedroom ocean view suite, two 60-minute spa treatments, and a $60 daily breakfast credit. This package is valued at $5,500 and you can have a chance to win it for only $10. Tickets can be purchased at the Club’s Canyon and Bluebird sites.
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Event Chair Harry Bithell at 20th Annual Bob Margolis Golf Tournament in September 2020
Harry Bithell of Surterre Properties and longtime Laguna Hacker has chaired the tournament for the past 21 years and leads an incredible committee of fellow realtors who meet to play golf every Thursday on golf courses all over Orange County. Over the course of the past 21 years, the committee has raised over $370,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach youth.
For more information or to sign up for the tournament, visit www.bgclagunabeach.org, email Abby at [email protected], or call Harry at (949) 874-1742.
Crystal Cove State Park
Crystal Cove State Park is welcoming back visitors with their June program of events. For more information, visit
www.crystalcovestatepark.org
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Courtesy of Crystal Cove Conservancy Instagram
Love birds, but need help identifying them? Join a Crystal Cove State Park bird expert on a guided end-of-spring bird walk on Saturday, June 12 at 8 a.m. Tour both the inland and coastal areas of the park. Look for local species and Spring migrants on this loving early morning meander. Meet at the Berns Amphitheater. (PCH inland at the School-State Park stoplight and follow the signs to the campground.) $15 day-use fee. Among the birds, you might spot are Anna’s Hummingbird, American Kestrel, Black-Bellied Plover, Black Phoebe, Brown Pelican, and the Great Blue Heron. For a directory of birds, visit www.crystalcovestatepark.org/birds-of-crystal-cove/.
For a trail map, click here.
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Courtesy of Crystal Cove Conservancy
Crystal Cove State Park is hosting a geology tour where a geologist will crack the mystery about those hamburger bun-shaped rocks dotting the shoreline and explain how sea level used to be as high as the cliffs on Saturday, June 19 from 10 a.m.-12 pm. Visit several diverse and geologically outstanding sites which all display a story from a different geologic time. Meet at Los Trancos lot at the trailer. (PCH turn inland at the Los Trancos stoplight.) Day-use fee: $5/per hour (max. $15).
Enjoy the setting sun and the rising full moon on this guided blufftop walk at Crystal Cove State Park on Thursday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m. Join a park naturalist and search for dolphins and seabirds, while watching the sunset. Meet at the Los Trancos lot at the trailer. (PCH turn inland at the Los Trancos stoplight.) Day-use fee: $5/per hour.
Crystal Cove is a great spot to look for resident dolphins, migrating gray whales and birds just passing by the coastline. Join a park naturalist for a Whale & Wildlife “Twalk” on Saturday, June 26 at 9 a.m. and learn some fun facts about the coastal creatures while walking the bluff trail and scanning the ocean at each overlook. Meet at Pelican Point lot #4. (PCH coastward at Newport Coast and left at the kiosk to the last lot.) $15 day-use fee.
Note: For all events, activities are free (unless a cost is listed). Day-use fee: $5/per hour (max. $15).
LOCA Arts challenge celebrates Summer Sea-Sun
LOCA Arts Education invites everyone to engage in seasonal arts challenges on Instagram. Creative types can get inspired by sharing their photos, and photos of their artwork, that follows fun and easy themes.
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Courtesy of LOCA Arts
Sandy Toes by Wendy Wirth
“We want every type of artist to be involved,” said artist and LOCA board member Lisa Mansour, “From first-timers to professional artists, we love seeing everyone’s creativity shine through.”
The newest challenge is Summer Sea-Sun, featuring images of summer surf throughout June, summer sunsets in July, and summer sea life in August.
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Courtesy of LOCA Arts
Mint box painting by Lisa Mansour
All mediums are invited including collage, drawing, printmaking, painting, photography, and sculpture. To participate in June, post photos or images of your summer surf artworks to Instagram and be sure to tag @locaarts and use the hashtag #locaartschallenge.
For more information, go to www.LOCAarts.org, follow @locaarts on Instagram, or call (949) 363-4700.
Vanessa Rothe Fine Art presents L’EAU: A Summer Exhibition from June 12 to July 30
Gallery owner Vanessa Rothe invites everyone to delve into art as a respite – specifically her new summer exhibition celebrating water in all its forms, from glimmering ice, to flowing waterways, to vast seascapes of ocean.
“The exhibition is guaranteed to make a splash!” she says. “It’ll be both in person and online from June 12 to July 30.”
The gallery is located at 418 Forest Ave and the exhibition will be available online by clicking here.
L’EAU celebrates water (L’eau in French) in all its forms and interpretations through some of the finest, globally-renowned Realism and Impressionism artworks.
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Danil Volkov’s “In the Port”
Rothe explains: “As an element, water symbolizes a cleansing and compassionate panacea for the turbulent times of our human experience. If we can mimic water, and go with the flow rather than against it, we find ourselves renewed with a sense of gratitude, acceptance, and tranquility.
“As we emerge from this deeply challenging time, water is invaluable in its grace, granting us a calm repose. Perhaps a work by Sergey Kovalanko or John Cosby in your home or office, with luminous blues resounding with the light, will bring an embodied sense of peace into your space.”
Works in the exhibition range from classical realism to a new contemporary realism that may, for example, present a finely rendered area or main subject coupled with blurred edges or abstract backgrounds.
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Jim Wodark’s “Cloudscape with Ocean”
VRFA presents a range of styles from bold brushwork to finely fit details on behalf of Russian schools of Realism in St. Petersburg, as well as the vibrant, loose, Impressionist brushwork of Ukrainian works, and the stunning oeuvres of some of the top Realists in America. Each artist explores the theme of water and what it means to them, from conceptual backgrounds with abstract blues behind a figure, to literal vast and lustrous ocean scenes.
With more than 30 internationally acclaimed artists in the genres of Realism and Impressionism, VRFA gallery’s new show curates the very best from each artist’s studio. Often combining Realism, Impressionism, and a bit of abstraction, the works are arriving from all around the globe.
Participating artists from around the globe include: CW Mundy, Derek Penix, Kyle Ma, Kyle Stuckey, Michelle Dunaway, John Cosby, Jesse Powell, Alexander Kremer, Ingrid Christensen, Sergey Kovalanko, Nicolas Martin, Ray Roberts, Peggi Kroll-Roberts, Rodolfo Rivadelamar, Vanessa Rothe, Megan Euell, Valery Schmatko, Olga Kuzmina, Jim Wodark, Danil Volkov, and more.
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John Cosby’s “Rockledge Morning”
For the past 10 years, Rothe has meticulously curated her fine art collection with many of the top American Realist and Impressionist artists, contemporary Russian, Ukrainian, and French Impressionism, as well as fine historical California and Russian Impressionism. The collection ranges at any given time from 150 to over 200 works, from large-scale, masterful, museum-quality work to small, colorful, on-location studies, watercolors, and drawings.
In addition to owning her own gallery, Rothe has curated unique high-quality exhibitions for such venues as The California Museum of Fine Art, the LA Art Show 2015, and galleries such as Arcadia Contemporary LA and NYC, Abend Gallery in Denver, and the Salmagundi Club in New York. She is a native of Laguna Beach and currently resides here, three minutes from her gallery storefront, with her husband Tommy and her two sons Logan and Perry.
VRFA gallery is celebrating its 10th anniversary at this location and has been in the fine art business for 25 years. For more information, visit www.vanessarothefineart.com.
LPAPA’s 23rd Annual Plein Air Painting Invitational is recharged, will take place October 2-10
The Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) and the Laguna Beach community continue celebrating our town’s plein air legacy. LPAPA faced the obstacles of 2020 and survived. The nonprofit found creative ways to sustain itself and help its artists care for themselves and their families.
“We believed that through the challenging times, we all needed to stand together to support one another. Together we got through it. Together we kept LPAPA strong,” says Executive Director Rosemary Swimm.
“With our ‘show must go on’ attitude, LPAPA learned to conquer the virtual world and now LPAPA is excited to present a ‘Recharged and Revitalized’ Invitational, combining both physical and virtual elements.
“We will continue to support our artists and our collectors by presenting LPAPA’s 23rd Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational from October 2-10.”
The plein air event is a tradition that was started in 1999. This year the Invitational in-person events will have all COVID protocols in place, as well as simultaneous virtual live-streamed events enabling all near and far to enjoy the many choices.
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Don Demers, “Laguna Breakers”
The 2021 Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational features 35 of the nation’s top award-winning plein air artists who are dedicated to painting the landscape and preserving Laguna’s plein air painting legacy and tradition. During the nine-day plein air art festival, the invited artists will paint in and around Laguna Beach and the surrounding communities, coastlines, and canyons.
There will be opportunities to purchase original paintings created during the week, as well as the chance to meet and greet the artists. The artists will submit what they consider to be their best paintings at the end of the week for the awards judging and the Collectors Gala exhibition.
“LPAPA’s mission, as a nonprofit art organization, is dedicated to preserving Laguna’s rich artistic legacy established by these early plein air artists – who we honor today with our mission and dedication to the plein air painting tradition in Laguna Beach, across the nation, and around the world,” adds Swimm.
The 35 artists participating include: Suzie Baker, Richard Boyer, Carl Bretzke, John Budicin, Saim Caglayan, Rick J. Delanty, Gil Dellinger, Don Demers, Jed Dorsey, Bill Farnsworth, Mark Fehlman, Tatyana Fogarty, Kathleen Hudson, Jane Hunt, Debra Huse, Ryan Jensen, Paul Kratter, Shuang Li, Calvin Liang, Daniel Marshal, David Marty, Jim McVicker, Fernando Micheli, Terry Miura, Dan Mondloch, Ned Mueller, Michael Obermeyer, Scott W. Prior, Anthony Salvo, Aaron Schuerr, Jeff Sewell, Mark Shasha, Michael Situ, Barbara Tapp, and Jove Wang.
“We invite you to join us (physically or virtually) and enjoy art exhibitions, sales, and auctions, watch our nationally recognized artists at work, hear Plein Talks, and participate in special activities,” adds Swimm.
Event highlights Include: Sunday, Oct 3 – Quick Draw Competition; Monday, Oct 4 – Plein Talk with the Artists (Live & Online Art Talk and Q&A’s); Wednesday, Oct 7 – Plein Talk with the Experts (Live & Online Art Talk & Q&A’s); Saturday, Oct 9 – 23rd Annual Collectors Virtual Gala & Art Show Sale/Auction; and Sunday, Oct 10 – Invitational Art Show & Online Sale/Auction.
For additional information about the events or LPAPA, contact Rosemary Swimm, LPAPA’s executive director, at (949) 376-3635 or [email protected], or visit the website at www.lpapa.org.
Community invited to weekly Well-Shell Meditations
Lido Paddle Project, Laguna Beach’s new nonprofit promoting wellness for first responders and veterans, welcomes the community to join together for complimentary Well-Shell Meditations every Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. out of Heisler Park on the green just south of Diver’s Cove.
The Well-Shell, created by the Lido Paddle Project team, is the “happy cousin” of the worry rock. Volunteers have sanded, primed, and painted the exteriors of recycled mussel shells, allowing the smooth abalone interiors to remain.
Lido Paddle Project has been presenting these to our protectors after they participate in paddle/kayak sessions. Veteran Will Romero carries one with him in his pocket. He reaches for it when the need for peace arises during his intense workdays.
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Well-Shells, painted by volunteers on recycled mussel shells
Laguna Beach’s Michelle Highberg, CDO Consultant for LPP, states: “When we share the shells with our protectors, we remind them of why we chose the Well-Shell. Like our everyday heroes, each shell is an individual with character and a smooth interior. These strong shells joined with their partners to protect a life. Additionally, for some good energy, each Well-Shell is painted with love by those who care to say thank you.”
According to the theory of acupressure, specific points on one’s hands activate corresponding energy meridian points in the body. The thumb and pointer finger used to rub the Well-Shell are responsible for reducing fear and worry. According to the principles of cognitive behavior therapy, these shells represent a self-soothing exercise to counteract negative comforting habits including addictions, plus they promote endorphin production to help calm the mind.
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Veteran Will Romero carries a Well-Shell with him in his pocket
In the meditations, Lido Paddle Project’s holistic healer and CMO, Evelina Pentcheva, helps guests activate the shells by intention setting during meditation so that the memory of the uplifting experience remains with the bearer.
Lido Paddle Project’s Lead Therapist, Laguna Beach resident Brooke Bergman Parr, MFT, states, “Well-Shells serve as a tangible reminder of participants’ experience with us – a transitional object for them to touch and feel. Objects like these assist in internalizing the feelings of support, love, and belonging we want participants to have. Research indicates that feeling connected to a community is an integral part of the healing process for many health conditions. It is what makes life meaningful. We are hoping to build a supportive community around our veterans and first responders centered around play and community: Well-Shells are part of the community-building process.”
Well-Shells will be distributed complimentary to any first responders, veterans, or family members. Others may obtain one by a nominal donation.
To learn more about Lido Paddle Project and its offerings, visit www.lidopaddleproject.org. To learn more about volunteering, including joining for a Well-Shell painting event, email [email protected].
