Laguna Beach a la Carte – A Food & Wine Experience, March 7-10, 2013

The Laguna Beach Visitors & Conference Bureau will embark on the 3rd annual Laguna Beach a la Carte – A Food & Wine Experience, March 7-10, 2013. Guests will experience world-class cuisine, prix-fixe menus, food & wine pairings, daily events and special offers by local restaurateurs…taking place at various restaurants over four special days.

As part of Laguna Beach a la Carte, the Laguna Beach Visitors Bureau will host a signature event, Laguna Beach Uncorked! – An International Wine & Food Fest, on Saturday, March 9, 2013, on the Festival of Arts grounds from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy tastings from 20 Laguna Beach restaurants and 30 wineries from around the world. A portion of the ticket sales benefits CHOC Children’s Hospital. General admission and VIP tickets for this event can be purchased at http://lagunabeachuncorked.eventbrite.com/.

“It’s exciting to showcase our culinary offerings with a four-day celebration, by bringing people together to enjoy inventive cuisine paired with superb wine offerings," said Karyn Philippsen, event Committee Co-Chair.

In its third year, Laguna Beach a la Carte has expanded its offerings and new partners have stepped up in support of this year’s culinary happening. “Events such as Laguna Beach a la Carte would not be possible without the partnership of companies like Fiat, Waste Management, American Express, Smart Water and Rohl,” said Judith Bijlani, President & CEO of the Laguna Beach Visitors & Conference Bureau. Media sponsors include Laguna Beach Magazine, Laguna Beach Independent, Coastline Pilot, Dining Out, KOST 103.5 and KX 93.5.

A Sampling of the Daily Events:

Visit www.LagunaBeachAlaCarte.com to view all of the events happening over the four days.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Winemaker Dinner at Las Brisas

6:30 p.m.

Price: $75 (an additional 20% service charge and 8% sales tax will be added)

Call (949) 497-5434 for reservations.

Featuring wines from Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.

More Info & Tickets

Wine Dinner at TheLoft at Montage

Reception at 6:00 p.m.; Dinner at 7 p.m.

Price: $125 per person (plus 22% service charge and tax, or $165.00 inclusive)

Reservations are required; call (949) 715-6420 (indicate “Laguna Beach a la Carte Winemaker Dinner”)

Guests will enjoy a 3 course prix fixe dinner and wine pairings. This will be a dining experience for 30 guests.

More Info 

Friday, March 8, 2013

Etude Wine Dinner at Hotel Laguna

Reception at 6:30 p.m.; Dinner at 7 p.m.

Price: $125 per person (plus tax and gratuity)

Call (949) 494-1151 for reservations.

Five-course matched dinner featuring the fine wines of Etude with Certified Sommelier Margaux Pierog.

A Celebration of Burgundy at Laguna Culinary Arts

Price: 6:30 p.m.

$85 per person, plus tax & tip

Reservations required; call (949) 494-0745

More Info & Tickets

Sunset & Savor: Beer vs. Wine at Surf & Sand Resort’s Pool Deck

5:30-8:30 p.m.

Price: $65

Call (949) 376-2761 to make a reservation or email veng@jcresorts.com

Mix and mingle poolside at five stations with specially paired wines and beers from our partners.

More Info

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Laguna BeachUncorked! An International Wine & Food Fest*

Enjoy tastings from 20 Laguna Beach restaurants and 30 wineries from around the world.

The event takes place on the Festival of Arts grounds from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. A VIP ticket includes a 9:30 a.m. wine seminar with Michael A. Jordan, Master Sommelier, and an early 11:30 a.m. entrance to the Laguna Beach Uncorked tastings. General admission ticketholders will gain entry from 12:30-3:30 p.m. A portion of the proceeds benefits CHOC Children's Hospital. Ticket Information: General Admission: $90; VIP Admission (limited to 250 tickets): $145 through March 8). 

Visit http://lagunabeachuncorked.eventbrite.com/ to purchase tickets. For event information, call (949) 497-9229/(800) 877-1115.

*All event attendees must be at least 21 years of age. ID will be checked at the door.

Participating Laguna Beach restaurants include: 230 Forest Avenue, The Beach House, Broadway by Amar Santana, The Deck at Pacific Edge Hotel, Dizz’s As Is, House of Big Fish & Ice Cold Beer, K’ya Bistro Bar, Las Brisas, Mosaic Bar & Grille at Montage Laguna Beach, Mozambique Steakhouse, Nirvana Grille, OceanView Bar & Grill, ReMark’s, Sapphire Restaurant & Pantry, Splashes Restaurant, Starfish Laguna, Sundried Tomato, Tabu Grill, Three Seventy Common Kitchen + Drink, Tommy Bahama and Watermarc Restaurant

Participating Wineries include: Archery Summit, Oregon - Willamette Valley; Bichi Borghesi, Italy - Tuscany; Camparo, Italy - Piedmont; Canoe Ridge, Washington - Columbia Valley; Clos Pegas, California - Napa Valley; Cono Sur, Chile - Casablanca Valley; Domaine Carneros, California - Carneros; Domaine des Baumard, France - Loire Valley; Domaine Prieur-Brunet, France - Burgundy; Domaine Rene Mure, France - Alsace; Domaine Santa Duc, France - Rhone Valley; Ernesto Catena, Argentina - Mendoza; Etude, California - Carneros; Foley, California - Central Coast; Giol, Italy - Veneto; Mahua, New Zealand - Marlborough; Mas d'en Compte, Spain - Priorat; Nickle & Nickle, California - Napa Valley; Nisia, Spain - Rueda; O. Fournier, Spain - Ribera del Duero; Peregrine, New Zealand - Central Otago; Ponzi, Oregon - Willamette Valley; Purple Hands, Oregon - Willamette Valley; Ridge, California - Santa Cruz; Tablas Creek Vineyards, California - Paso Robles; TintaNegra, Argentina - Mendoza; Townley, California - various; and Warres - Duoro Valley, Portugal.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Gospel & Champagne Brunch at Tivoli Too!

Brunch: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.; Gospel Show begins at 11:30 a.m.

Price: $45 per person

For more information, call (949) 715-9713. Guests can purchase tickets at http://lagunabeachlive.tix.com/Event.aspx?EventCode=528404

Headlining the event is the versatile Yve Evans who brings her very talented quartet and three amazing singers. A two-time winner of the Monterey Jazz Festival's Musicians of the Year Award, Yve is equally at home performing Gospel, having started performing at age three in church in front of 1,500 people. Tivoli Too! is dishing up a delicious brunch of hot and cold dishes, a carving station, fruits, and pastries and free flowing champagne, plus a fun champagne tasting to start off the morning.

More Info & Tickets

Snack, Sip, and Surf at Pacific Edge Hotel

2:00-5:00 p.m.

Price: $45

Please call (949) 281-5711 for more information.

Enjoy a cocktail competition with some of our favorite local bartenders. Snack on beach fare with a neighborhood chef challenge and appetizers from The Deck. All this while feasting your eyes on a friendly paddle competition. Proceeds will benefit charity.

More Info

Sustain Local Art & Cuisine by Sawdust Art Festival

3:00-7:00 p.m.

Price: $195 per person (space is limited to 50 seats)

Call (949) 494-3030 or visit www.sawdustartfestival.org/fundraiser to reserve your spot today.

Don't miss out on this very unique artful dining experience on the magical Sawdust Art Festival grounds. Executive Chef and owner of Three Seventy Common, Ryan Adams, will create and cater a three-course sustainable meal, which will be served on handcrafted dining sets individually made by a team of talented Sawdust artists. These local Laguna Beach artists will attend this whimsical dining occasion to "meet and greet" and share their creative processes during this exciting event. Twenty Sawdust artists will create the stemware, dinnerware, serving-ware and centerpieces especially for this one-time event. Three one-of-a-kind art pieces will be yours to take home! Additional art pieces will be available for sale prior to and during the March 10 event. A portion of the proceeds from this event will directly benefit the Sawdust's art educational video project. The Sawdust Art Festival is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public and promoting art created in Laguna Beach.

More Info & Tickets

Tablas Creek Vineyard Wine Dinner at Studio at Montage

Reception: 6:00 p.m.; Dinner: 7:00 p.m.

Price: $175.00 per person (plus 22% service charge and tax, or $230.00 inclusive)

Reservations Required. Call (949) 715-6420 (indicate “Laguna Beach a la Carte Winemaker Dinner”)

At Studio, guests will start the evening with a champagne reception and Chef Strong's signature hors d'oeuvres prior to enjoying a four course menu complete with wine pairings from Tablas Creek. This will be a dining experience for up to 50 guests.

More Info

Montage Laguna Beach Celebrates 10 Years With A Five-Star Award

It’s a big year for Montage Laguna Beach. Not only does 2013 mark its 10th anniversary, but Montage Laguna Beach is now part of an exclusive group of properties: those that received Five-Star ratings for their hotels, spas and restaurants.
What makes this newly minted Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel stand out is its location—it sits on 30 lush acres atop a 50-foot bluff in Laguna Beach (between Los Angeles and San Diego). It evokes the days when the seaside town was an artists’ colony. The Craftsman-style building features classic wood and stone architecture, crown moldings, copper gutters and a shingle-style roof.

View the full list of award winners at Forbes Travel Guide’s online home, Startle.com.

Each of Montage Laguna Beach’s 248 rooms—60 suites and 37 beach bungalow-style rooms—includes floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Pacific, early California plein air landscapes and neutral color palettes. During a stay here, you could spend all of your time soaking up the sun on the beach or in a private cabana by the striking Mosaic Pool, but then you’d miss Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Spa Montage Laguna Beach. The oceanfront spa features 21 treatment rooms, indoor/outdoor relaxation areas and a menu full of ocean-inspired therapies to help you rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit.

And you must top off your stay at Montage Laguna Beach with dinner at the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Studio, where Chef Craig Strong serves up modern French cuisine with California flair. The restaurant boasts a stellar wine list and impressive views of the Pacific Ocean and the seaside cliffs, and has maintained is Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating since 2009.

By:

Hayley Bosch, Contributor

Link to article here

Laguna Beach named as one of the Top Ten Beaches in the U.S.!

We are excited to announce that TripAdvisor has awarded Laguna Beach the U.S. Travelers’ Choice Award for one of the Top Ten Beaches in the U.S.!

 

This award is shared by the entire community of Laguna Beach and is valuable to the Laguna Beach tourism industry as a whole.

TripAdvisor^®, the world’s largest travel site, announced the winners of its 2013 Travelers’ Choice Beaches Awards. Based entirely on feedback from millions of TripAdvisor travelers, 276 winning beaches were named around the world. 

“For those planning their summer vacations, spring break trips, or just looking for a weekend escape from the winter doldrums, take inspiration from TripAdvisor travelers that have visited these beaches and given them the highest levels of praise,” said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. “These beaches provide some of the finest spots around the globe to enjoy water activities, sun and sand.”

Top 10 Beaches in the U.S.:
1.   Ka’anapali Beach, Lahaina, Hawaii
2.   Siesta Key Public Beach, Sarasota, Florida
3.   Gulf Islands National Seashore, Pensacola, Florida
4.   Fort De Soto Park, Tierra Verde, Florida
5.   Lanikai Beach, Kailua, Hawaii
6.   Wailea Beach, Wailea, Hawaii
7.   Assateague Beach, Assateague Island, Virginia
8.   La Jolla Cove, La Jolla, California
9.   Laguna Beach, Laguna Beach, California
10. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Honolulu, Hawaii


For more information on planning your next vacation in Laguna Beach visit our website.

 

Congratulations to Casa Laguna Inn & Spa who was honored in the 2013 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Hotels Awards

Casa LagunaInn & Spa  announced that it was chosen as one of the top ten hotels in the United States in the Romance category by TripAdvisor in its 2013 Travelers’ Choice® awards.
Five California hotels were listed in the Top Ten for this category. Four of those hotels are in Northern California, with Casa Laguna listed in 7^th place as the sole Southern California top ten winner in the romance category.

Operating as a small boutique hotel with service in the bed & breakfast style, Casa Laguna is currently ranked number one in Laguna Beach and number one in Orange County based on Trip Advisor reviews for hotels. Just last month, Casa Laguna was chosen by Travelers’ Choice as one of the top 25 small hotels in the United States.

Long-time Casa Laguna General Manager, Kathryn Mace, stated she was very excited about being chosen as a top ten romantic hotel, but was not really surprised because the inn has become widely-known as a romantic getaway for couples, as well as a tranquil escape for individual travelers. “Our pristine grounds, historic architecture, and dedication to guest-first service make us a unique destination for travelers seeking to avoid the hustle-bustle of family style resorts,” Mace said. “And with an award-winning gourmet breakfast, and the availability of togetherness massage and an ocean view therapeutic soak with champagne, you can see why couples choose us as their romantic hideaway.”

Now in its eleventh year, the annual TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards honor the world’s best hotels, earning their distinction from those who know them best – real travelers. Unlike any other hotel honors, TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners are based on millions of valuable reviews and opinions from travelers around the world.

“TripAdvisor is once again thrilled to recognize the world’s most outstanding hotels with the help of more than 75 million reviews and opinions from travelers around the globe,” said Christine Petersen, president, TripAdvisor for Business. “From the best bargain hotels to top luxury properties, outstanding service, value and quality are the hallmarks of our Travelers’ Choice winners.”

Casa Laguna Inn & Spa

2511 South Coast Highway

949.494.2996

800.233.0449

Online reviews  

Full list of 2013 Travelers’ Choice winners 

11th annual Laguna Beach Music Festival February 5-10, 2013

Co-presented by Laguna Beach Live! and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County

 this five day festival will feature music from Argentina, Brazil, Peru and beyond, as they explore the sounds of South America.  Featured guest artists are pianist-composer Pablo Ziegler, formerly of the great Astor Piazzolla’s tango ensemble, and bandoneónist Hector del Curto, also heir to the tango masters who elevated dance hall music to concert hall repertoire.  Joining are guest artists from various South American musical traditions, for a lively and colorful musical adventure. 
As always, the Festival features emerging artists on the cusp of greatness: this year, the Colburn Conservatory presents top-flight students and their mentors – along with the return of the award-winning Calidore Quartet – in an evening of chamber music from South America’s rich classical tradition.

There are a variety of concerts and events to choose from all around Laguna Beach.

For Tickets 

Also follow the festivities on Facebook and Twitter.