On a Mission
Ten local seventh-graders from Thurston Middle School have banded together in forming Ten Boys Who Care, a grassroots organization dedicated to raising $2,500 to fund scholarships for two students of Laguna Beach High School’s graduating class of 2014. The boys—who include co-presidents Mason Lebby and Enzo Sadler, treasurer Sammy Reynolds, fundraising co-chairs Blake Pivaroff and Noah Linder, social chairman Kent Cebreros, publicist Zack Bonnin, marketing and digital media specialist Gustav Morck, historian Ayrton Garcia and scholarship coordinator Sam Kluver—decided to form the philanthropic group in August. They were inspired by their own experiences as athletes, and have asked any scholarship hopefuls to detail in an essay how an embarrassing athletic moment improved their character. They’ll award the two scholarships to the male and female entrants who pen the best essays in June, and plan to raise money for the effort through fundraising and performing odd jobs around their neighborhoods. —T.E.
A Sparkling Addition
After announcing its partnership with the resort in July, Lugano Diamonds celebrated the grand opening of its new Salon at Montage Laguna Beach on Nov. 7. A leading fine jeweler based in Newport Beach, Lugano Diamonds specializes in crafting pieces that feature exquisitely rare stones and conflict-free diamonds. Additionally, the new location offers a selection of cuff links and other bespoke pieces designed exclusively for the Montage Laguna Beach. The Salon—which joins the Shops at Montage’s Art of Living, Art of Writing, Treasures and Spa Boutique—is also a participant in the resort’s Something Borrowed program, which allows Montage brides-to-be to borrow a complimentary Lugano piece for their special day. “Lugano Diamonds and Montage Laguna Beach share many of the same philosophies,” says Moti Ferder, president and design director of Lugano Diamonds, of the collaboration. “The experience, whether purchasing jewelry or spending time with cherished friends and family, should be exceptional and worthy of the occasion.” (luganodiamonds.com) —T.E.
The Goat Lady Needs You
Laguna Beach resident Rosalind Russell (known affectionately as “the goat lady”) has already enriched the lives of numerous women and children in Nepal through her charity organization, the R Star Foundation. In partnership with Nepal local Rabindra Situala, Rosalind has donated thousands of goats to women and families in small Nepali villages and, just three years ago, opened the Top of the World School in one of those villages to provide an education for children who would otherwise be unable to attend school. Her next goal is to raise $5,000 to provide the school with a generator and eventually a computer lab for the children. On Sunday, Sept. 29, 50 people gathered at supporter Ileana Gulmesoff’s home for an afternoon tea fundraiser that raised more than $2,000 for the cause. Another event hosted by Laguna Beach artist Amy Jackson was held Nov. 2, and Rosalind is hopeful for the outcome of the school and its students. (rstarfoundation.org) —B.B.
Music With Meaning
Local radio station KX 93.5 took over the Festival of Arts grounds Nov. 2 to host the first musical benefit held there in nearly 10 years, the KX 93.5 Festival of Music. Featuring California-based musicians Matt Costa, Carly Ritter, Trapdoor Social and Colin Hay of Men at Work, all proceeds from the festival benefitted four deserving causes: KX 93.5, the Mauli Ola Foundation, the Tony Hawk Foundation, and the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach. As a nonprofit, KX 93.5 is dedicated to supporting local artists and musicians. The Mauli Ola Foundation began by providing surfing instruction as a natural therapy to individuals with cystic fibrosis and has since expanded to support children with cancer and other health challenges. Meanwhile, both the Tony Hawk Foundation and the Boys & Girls Club offer support and guidance to at-risk youth through their programs and donations. Overall, the festival was a wonderful evening of entertainment and philanthropy. (kx935.com/festivalofmusic) —B.B.
No Ban on Electronic Cigarettes
The Laguna Beach City Council has made the decision to forgo banning electronic cigarettes in public spaces in Laguna Beach. City Manager John Pietig originally recommended that electronic cigarettes be added to the city municipal code that forbids smoking tobacco, weeds and plants in public spaces after encountering questions from city staff. “The [Food and Drug Administration] has done some tests to these cigarettes and found that they do contain carcinogens and other chemicals,” he stated at the Aug. 6 council meeting. However, his recommendation was met with opposition from locals like lifelong Laguna Beach resident Peter French, who argues that the electronic devices are harmless and even helpful to those who wish to quit using regular cigarettes.
“They are easy, effective and a safe nicotine delivery system,” he explained to city council members. A final decision was reached when council members agreed that there is not sufficient evidence that proves the smoking devices are harmful to the public on a secondhand basis. (lagunabeachcity.net) —B.B.
Flag Flying High
Laguna Beach will soon be the recipient of a brand new city flag, thanks to longtime resident Chad Cooper. After attempting to track down a flag to send to his father and failing, Chad mentioned the lack of a local identifier at a city council meeting. The council loved the idea of creating a Laguna flag and encouraged him to design a template. Now, after four years of tireless research and design, Chad’s flag has received the stamp of approval from Mayor Kelly Boyd, who put the banner on the docket for council approval. Public responses to the design have been positive, with several local businesses and even a few residents already flying the flags, which feature the iconic Main Beach lifeguard tower, a sunset and pelargoniums, the city flower. The banner also includes the slogan “artistic freedom,” an important addition according to Chad, who remarks, “The one thing that sets Laguna apart is the fact that we are an art town, and hopefully that never goes away.” —B.B.
New Menswear Shop Opens
Make way, Laguna ladies, the men of Laguna Beach might be stepping up their style as a new menswear retail store opened Nov. 7. North Menswear, located at 380 Glenneyre St., specializes in American-made apparel, footwear and accessories, and features clothing brands such as Taylor Stitch, Imogene + Willie and an eponymous line, among others. Pete Surprenant, the store’s owner, says that he wanted the clothes to be rugged and outdoorsy yet stylish—a true representation of American heritage mixed with Southern California culture.
“My goal was to open a store that serves the locals of Laguna and fill what I felt was a void in the local marketplace,” Pete says, adding that the aesthetic of tshe store was just as important as the clothes themselves. “I want everything in the shop to inspire a conversation or a story. For example, the display unit in the first window is made from Word War II gun crates. The portholes hanging on the wall were salvaged from sunken ships off the Channel Islands. [There is a] picture of my wife’s grandfather in the 1940s free diving for lobster at 9th Street. I want people to walk in and say, ‘Wow!’ I want everyone to come in and stay awhile.” (949-715-9873; northmenswear.com) —A.T.
