Letter from the Editor
“Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history,” wrote Abraham Lincoln. Of course, he was writing from a much different time and place, but I do believe we need to always understand our history. That same logic applies to local history when it comes to the character of a town. Laguna’s history tells us a story of where we’ve been and how we got to where we are now. In this issue of Laguna Beach Magazine, we look back at some of the people and events that have played key roles in shaping Laguna. Here are a few:
The Christmas Happening of 1970—three days of music, acid and hippies in the canyon. Some who were at The Happening still live in Laguna and recall the good, the bad and the ugly of the once-in-a-lifetime event that could only have happened in this time and place.
Then, we examine how the gay culture, once so predominant in Laguna, has changed over the years. We talk to locals about this evolution. Some say, bring back the gay bars, while another resident makes an interesting point: “Society has changed, and gay people now can go and be themselves anywhere.”
We also examine the recent past in our 2012 year-in-review feature—the facts, the figures, the silly and the downright bizarre. And, not to be missed, we celebrate 10 of the truly special residents—this year’s “most influential people”—who work hard to shape our town’s future. Most of these people aren’t rich or famous; that’s not what makes them notable. What makes them influential is the fact they’re on the ground in Laguna every day—championing the arts, the environment, children, our excellent culinary culture and more. We enjoyed speaking with them about their goals and look forward to your nominations for next year’s list. One thing is certain: Laguna is home to a wealth of human talent.
We had a great time creating this issue of Laguna Beach Magazine. I hope that’s a sign you will enjoy reading it.
Sincerely,
Micaela Myers, Group Editor
Micaela@firebrandmediainc.com
