A Galloping Trend!

By OCInSite Site Admin on January 19, 2012 5:58 PM

By Aleta Walther

Polo is fast, physical and furious. It’s a sport of noblemen and the social elite, fancy hats and sometimes spats. It has been played on elephants, horses, camels, bicycles and motorcycles. Polo has attained worldwide acceptance and acclaim, and is played regularly and religiously in Britain, Argentina, Dubai, India, Kenya and ... Orange County.

Amid the equestrian estates and multimillion- dollar homes of gated Coto de Caza, there are many who pursue a polo ball, including Dennis Geiler, the Orange County Polo Club’s president and staunchest supporter for 25 years.

Geiler and his wife, Joanne, own Newport Beach-based Polo Properties, which operates 14 self-storage facilities throughout SoCal. Their daughter, Shelley Allen, lives in Corona del Mar and shares her father’s passion for polo. Together, the family owns 12 polo ponies.

Although often referred to as the “king of sports,” Geiler says that at his club, polo is played only by “average folks” who get a rush from the speed, excitement and camaraderie of the sport. “The important thing about this club is that it is not the polo illusion,” says Geiler, 69, who has been playing polo for more than a quarter century. “We are all just regular people who have regular jobs, but who spend our leisure time playing polo.”

Club member Daniel Lak, an Irvine trial attorney by day and songwriter and musician by night, echoes Geiler’s sentiments, saying, “This club is like family. The environment is incredibly positive and even though we may compete against each other, we are friends first, always encouraging and supporting each other.”

Hockey on Horseback
A team sport, polo is often referred to as hockey on horseback because of the fast action that takes place while riders maneuver their steeds to block shots while hustling for scoring position.

Polo is traditionally played with two four-man teams over a grass field the size of nine football fields. The OC Polo Club, however, plays arena polo, which consists of two teams of three players confined to a 300- by-150-foot arena. Not as fast and feverish as grass polo, arena polo involves more maneuvering, jostling and shorter plays at lower speeds due to space limitations. It is, however, more accommodating than grass polo because it can be played indoors or outdoors, day or night, and pretty much year round in Southern California.

“We play arena polo in Orange County because it is too costly to have enough land for grass polo,” Geiler says. “Grass polo fields need time to recover after play, so a club needs at least three or four polo fields. To get that much land in Orange County is impossible.”

Sanctioned by the United States Polo Association (USPA) and a member of its Pacific Coast Circuit, the Club hosts a tournament on the first Friday of each month at the Coto Valley Equestrian Center, where the public is invited to attend for free. Spectators are encouraged to bring their own picnic fare or purchase a dinner on site. Other club activities include polo lessons, scrimmages, polo trips and after-practice barbecues. Each year, a contingent of club members travels to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to attend polo camp and watch the Argentina Open.

“We have such a blast,” says Bo Karp, who rides a custom-made saddle that allows him to play polo despite the loss of his right leg below the knee. “There is no pretentiousness, no drama. We are all good friends who play polo, trail ride and even go camping together.”

A former Newport Beach resident who now lives in Santiago Canyon, Karp says the club exists today because of Geiler’s passion for the horse sport. “If it wasn’t for Denny, none of this would be here for us to enjoy,” he adds, watching his wife Chris, 59, swing the mallet and whoosh the ball during a club scrimmage.

Polo in O.C. dates back to the 1930s, when ranchers and residents played on the grassy fields of Garden Grove. The first arena polo club opened in Anaheim in 1980 as the Winston Polo Club; it later moved to Huntington Beach and assumed the name Playa Grande Polo Club. It moved once again in 2005, to the El Toro Marine Base in Irvine, and changed its name to reflect its countywide appeal. The club, however, was homeless following the closing of the base’s equestrian center in 2007. Heavily invested in the sport, Geiler made it a personal quest to find a new home for the club within Orange County. It took more than three years to find and acquire the Coto de Caza property, but the club opened its new arena in 2010. In appreciation, club members named it Dennis Geiler Arena.

Horse and Rider
Cowboy, film star and humorist Will Rogers once said, “The Western cowboy has taken polo out of the Eastern drawing rooms and into the bunkhouse.” Such is the case with the OC Polo Club. Rather than kings, princes and elitists, the club’s members consist of lawyers, mortgage brokers, commodities traders, business owners and students sporting ball caps and cowboy hats. In fact, the 6’3”, silver-haired Geiler is prone to wearing a cowboy hat and knee-high cowboy boots around the polo grounds. On the sidelines, more cold beer is guzzled than Champagne sipped.

Although the club hosts multiple practices and games throughout the week, none of its members are professional polo players, so there is little prize money to support their hobby of attacking a little white ball with a bamboo mallet. The members play for trophies and prestige.

So what is the attraction of polo? According to Geiler, Lak and Karp, it is the adrenaline rush, the hard-charging play of the game, the formidable courage of the horses, the obsession to win. “It’s the feeling of being one with your horse; the trust between you and your horse, you and your teammates,” says Geiler, who was hooked after one polo lesson, which he received as a birthday present from his wife. “If you and your horse are not in sync, you are not going to get to the ball. In polo, 75 percent of the game is the horse and 25 percent is the rider. ”

Arena polo is ideal for the beginner polo player who usually feels more secure playing in a confined arena where the action is slower and the horses are more easily controlled. The club offers an introductory polo lesson for $125, which includes all of the essential equipment.

Following a classroom introduction, students mount up and knock the ball around the arena. Rather than buy a horse, some members lease a horse from the club for about $400 a month, which includes feed, care, exercise and tack. Many of the club’s members had never been on a horse prior to their first polo lesson. Today, some own multiple horses, and a passel of tack and horse trailers.

Now that the polo club has secured a permanent home here, Geiler is optimistic that the sport has a bright future in Orange County. “Now that we have such a great location, more and more people are learning about us, more are taking lessons and more are coming to watch the events,” says Geiler, who expects to play for at least another 10 years. “We have many spectators that have come out multiple times and are now bringing friends to watch us play.”

Miss Merritt Charles

By OCInSite Site Admin on January 12, 2012 2:51 PM

By Kelly Shannon & NBM Staff
Photo Jody Tiongco

Emanating a breezy, low-maintenance style that has become quintessential California cool, the Merritt Charles clothing brand (merrittcharles.com) fuses high-end fashion with ultimate comfort in loose cuts and earthy colors. It’s founder, Lacey Horning, a Newport Beach native who is now based in L.A., says she aims to “create closet staples that [her] customer can hold onto for life,”—the same way she assembles her own personal wardrobe. NBM recently met up with the young entrepreneur at Zinc Café & Market in Corona del Mar to discuss her label. Donning one of her own creations—a European-inspired lace cardigan—the always-stylish designer glowed with excitement while recounting her journey into the clothing industry.

NBM: Where does the name Merritt Charles come from?
LH: It’s a family name that belonged to my grandfather and has since been passed down to my father, brother and nephew.

NBM: What type of woman is the Merritt Charles brand designed for?
LH: The sophisticated, classic and desired woman.

NBM: From what do you draw artistic inspiration?
LH: My affinity for travel and nature, as well as my coastal roots. The vibe is perfectly transcribed to my collections and the relaxed feel of the pieces.

NBM: Top travel spots?
LH: Sardinia, Barcelona and Croatia.

NBM: You went from no experience in the fashion industry to developing your own brand—how did you manage that?
LH: I researched and asked a lot of questions. I was passionate about what I was doing, so that was definitely a driving force.

NB: You’ve said you’re also inspired by the ‘60s and ’70s—what, specifically, about this time inspires you?
LH: The free expression of art and style that developed during those times. These two decades have always been most inspirational to me; however, I have recently grown a strong fascination with the ’30s and ’40s.

NBM: Who in history do you relate to most?
LH: Bridget Bardot and Leslie Lawson

NBM: If you weren’t in fashion, what would you be doing?
LH: I think about that almost everyday—there are so many things that I want to do, although, currently, this is my main focus.

NBM: What’s your favorite piece from your line?
LH: The Charcot Cardigan.

NBM: One staple you can’t live without?
LH: My Tom Ford Sunnies.

NBM: Three items you always travel with? 
LH: My passport, sunglasses and cell phone.

NBM: Describe your personal style in one word. 
LH: Classic.

NBM: One fashion trend that you refuse to follow? 
LH: Bling-y things. 

NBM: And one you most adore?
LH: Scrunchies.

NBM: An item every California girl should have?
LH: A good pair of classic Levis.

NBM: What’s next for M.C.?
LH:A greater focus on further East Coast and international expansion!

Why Not in Newport?

By OCInSite Site Admin on January 05, 2012 11:56 AM

San Francisco has its annual Polar Plunge, where hoards of hot-blooded swimmers brave the frigid waters to raise money for the Special Olympics. Several cities in Western Europe and South America celebrate Carnivale, a giant pre-Lent street masquerade. Gloucestershire residents go nuts for the annual Cheese Rolling Festival, where hundreds of turophiles risk their limbs and lives in a downhill race for a chunk of cheese. And then there are the bizarre Bastille Day celebrations across the U.S., to the joie de Francophiles all around (three-legged race in French maids costumes, anyone?).

What have you seen in other cities that you’d like to see in Newport Beach? Whether it’s a fun festival or something more civic-minded, like green roofs or trolleys, no idea is too far-fetched. Hit us with your wildest ideas and more practical plans for Newport Beach by e-mailing .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), and you might just see it happen—or at least talked about on the pages of an upcoming issue of Newport Beach Magazine.

Calling LB Bachelors!

By Ashley Breeding on December 01, 2011 12:56 PM

Have you ever attended the Brooks Street Surf Classic, hung out at the Saloon or wandered into a local art gallery and wondered, “Who is that fine specimen of a man, and is he single?” Let Laguna Beach Magazine answer that question for you. This spring, we will reveal Laguna’s 15 most eligible bachelors.

To make sure we don’t leave any key players out, nominate yourself, your friends, neighbors or coworkers (please, no bad ex-boyfriends). Everyone living or working in LB is eligible.

Please send the nominee’s name, a photo, his contact information, and a brief statement why you think he deserves to be featured to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) by Jan. 15, 2012.

Yogi Magnifique

By OCinSite At-Large on November 18, 2011 12:07 PM

By Somer Flaherty

Photos by Jody Tiongco

Almost 16 million Americans now practice yoga—a figure that isn’t surprising when you take into account that the 5,000-year-old discipline has an allure for almost anyone, whether it’s to stay in shape, beat stress or seek spirituality.

For Laguna Beach’s Cathy Cox, it was a debilitating car accident that introduced her to the lifestyle. With injuries that left her unable to continue her running and weight-lifting routine, she sought out an alternative. A nurse suggested she try yoga.

“My first class was through a community college,” she says. “We had to move all the desks to have floor space to practice, but when the class ended with Savasana (the final resting pose), I knew I’d found my practice.” More than 15 years later, Cathy practices and teaches at YogaWorks in Laguna Beach (across from the Montage resort) and is a teacher and director at several other YogaWorks studios in Orange County.

Laguna Beach Magazine took a moment to share a tree pose with the local yoga master.

Laguna Beach Magazine: You’re a student and teacher of yoga—do you have a favorite style?

Cathy Cox: Vinyasa flow. Years ago, in the wintertime in St. Louis, I was in a workshop taught by Saul David Raye where the lights were low and candles were in all the windows. He taught this vinyasa that went on and on. All you could do was follow his voice and move. It was the first time I really understood a moving meditation, and I was hooked.

LBM: Favorite pose?

CC: Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon) gives me the feeling of expanding in space.

LBM: What do you love about teaching?

CC: My students. Nothing is more fun than watching someone learn something new or experience something new on the mat or off.

LBM: Tips for beginners?

CC: Place yourself near the back of the room, so if you don’t understand what the teacher is saying, you can observe what other people are doing and have fun—that’s why I do yoga!

LBM: What about experienced yogis?

CC:  Go on a retreat. There is nothing that can deepen your practice more than taking it out of your daily schedule and putting it first for a week or so. Go somewhere that cell phones don’t work or television isn’t available. Really give yourself a chance to go deep into your practice, and therefore, yourself.

LBM: There are so many yoga clothing options; which do you recommend?

CC: Just make sure what you are wearing will move with you and keep you covered. If you’re not sure, bend over and look at yourself in the mirror—really, think about downward facing dog pose, where your tail is in the air most of the time. Hang upside down to see if your top stays in place. I’ve seen too many people completely distracted by wardrobe malfunctions while they are learning yoga.

LBM: You’re a fixture in the local yoga community—any great memories?

CC: When people heard I was being “painted” for the art walk demo, the first thing they asked was, “Are you wearing clothes?” To think people really thought I’d do yoga in the window of an art gallery nude still makes me laugh.

Habitat: Temple Hills in Laguna

By OCinSite At-Large on November 11, 2011 10:09 AM

Illustration by Ken Harris

By Laura Gosselin

The winding canyons of Laguna Beach are distinctly Laguna—cliff-side roads overlooking the great Pacific with hidden mansions modestly shrouded by brush. The central Temple Hills community is located above the heart of Laguna Village, perched atop rolling hills with the magnificent ocean below, making for panoramic sunset views. The typically larger homes of this sought-after neighborhood are an eclectic mix of architecturally unique craftsman cottages, modern mansions and Mediterranean-style villas.

Laguna Beach architect Mark Abel, who spent two years working on a home off Donna Drive says, “What sets this area apart is—in a town where most neighborhoods have high densities of homes—this area breathes with steep, virgin hillsides of open space with striking views framing Catalina Island. I’ve seen hawks riding the wind, floating along the hillsides.”

Tropical Paradise

When she was 7 years old, Lisa Ansell, who at that time lived in the Laguna village area, would spend afternoons on San Remo Drive off Temple Hill playing with her best friend Kathy along with the many other children who lived there in the early 1970s. Little did she know that she would meet her future husband, Tim Black, at Kathy’s house some 23 years later and that by happenstance, they would purchase the house next door.

Now, even though the Blacks have owned the house for 12 years, they are still the new kids on the block. Most of the Black’s closest neighbors have lived on San Remo for 35 years or more, as few families move away from San Remo Drive.

Built in 1962, the Black’s unusual home is a modern post-and-beam structure, which they have recently renovated. It is situated above a canyon with expansive views of waves crashing along Main Beach, Catalina Island and Laguna’s north coast. The 3,500-square-foot house has an Asian/Zen feel and has kept the original walls of glass, which allow for astounding ocean views from every major room in the house. The home is modern, open and warm, with exposed wood ceilings, expansive decks and a large patio entry. 

Though the house has been renovated with many modern features, the true luxury is the quiet location and the beautiful views of the ocean, as well as the canyon below, which is a home to all sorts of wildlife, including deer, rabbits and the occasional bobcat.

“The street itself is very quiet, with plenty of parking and few of the hassles that many Laguna Beach residents have to deal with,” Tim Black explains. “The location is convenient to beaches, hiking and downtown. The street is also ideal for families, as it is very quiet and safe, and just a short distance from Top of the World Elementary School, Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School.”

Although the inside of the home itself is spectacular, the Blacks really know how to make the most of their 2,000 square feet of outdoor space with ocean view decks and travertine tile patio space that houses a gas fire pit as well as a barbecue island.

FAMILY FACTS:

TIM, LISA, CLAIRE (12), DANIEL (13), ABBY (A CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL) AND SASHA (A RESCUED BEAGLE/HUSKY). DAY JOB: Tim Black is an attorney who specializes in representing victims of serious personal injury and wrongful death and is a partner at Black & Machtinger LLP in Newport Beach. Lisa is an active mother and also helps Tim with his law practice. SPACE: 3,200 square feet; four bedrooms, three baths. HOUSE TIMELINE: Built 1962, purchased in 1999, remodeled in 2006. FABULOUS FEATURE: The walls of glass that look out to the ocean.

Circular Contemporary

Just below the Blacks on Temple Hills Drive is a cool contemporary house designed by architect Lamont Langworthy, who told current owners Bruce and Ginger Virga that he sat on this hillside for days to get a feel for the property before he came up with the idea of building a round house. Langworthy told the Virgas that this home is his tribute to the circle—and he believes that each of his projects has its own character—a blending of function and environment.

Built from bare bones after the original owners’ funding ran out, the property fell into the hands of another architect, Louis Wiehle, who bought the home and made it what it is today. From there, everything is original, including the handcrafted front door and stairway. Bruce and Ginger Virga have called circular property home since moving there in 1993.

“This is our first house,” Bruce explains, “Ginger spent two years looking at everything available in Laguna before finding this house—it was love at first sight. We walked in, said ‘Wow’ and just bought it. Our 7-year-old son Vincent loves having a round bedroom, and I love my round kitchen. We love the view, the privacy and the seamless indoor-outdoor living, which is great for enjoying family and friends.”

According to Bruce, depending upon how you look at it, there are between two and four bedrooms. There’s a free-floating loft that could be a bedroom, which Ginger uses as her design studio, and there’s a room that the original owners used to sleep their four boys that the Virgas now use as their library.
“It’s not a typical house,” Bruce explains. “So normal descriptions don’t apply.”

The Virga family averted near tragedy when, just six months after they bought their dream home, fires ravaged the Laguna canyons.

“We thought the house was going to burn,” Bruce recalls. “The fire was literally across the street when a plane dropped fire retardant and the wind shifted.”

FAMILY FACTS:

BRUCE, GINGER AND VINCENT (7) DAY JOB: Bruce is a software executive, a culinary director, leader of the Zuni Riders (YMCA Adventure Guides), and a Laguna Beach Little League commissioner and board member; Ginger is a freelance designer and is active in the Community Learning Center (CLC) at Top of the World Elementary School. SPACE: 2,400 square feet; number of bedrooms is open to interpretation, two baths. HOUSE TIMELINE: Built in 1962, purchased in 1993. FABULOUS FEATURE: It’s not uncommon to see deer, coyotes, bobcats, snakes, owls, raccoons, rabbits, hawks and vultures right outside the house.

Canyon Kingdom

Brad and Stacy Barlow’s Canyon View Drive home is a modern eclectic house with breathtaking ocean views, high ceilings and generous light. Before the recent remodel, it was a French country home, but since then the Barlows have completely transformed the home into a warm, modern house. The rooms are open-concept in design, with a loft-like feel on the main living floor, while the walls of the family room and living rooms slide open for the duality of indoor-outdoor living.

Brad Barlow explains, “We bought the French country house because it had great bones, views, with a ton of light and space, knowing it would be really great after a remodel. Nothing was touched until we did a major remodel last year. We lived with a moldy kitchen, pink toilets and hideous wall-to-wall carpet (even in the bathrooms) for about four years. We purchased the home in 2005, moving from another Temple Hills home located on Temple Hills Drive. We had planned to remodel right away but then got pregnant with our third child, Addison. I always joked that we got a new baby instead of a new kitchen!”

Working with construction contractors Weeks and Falcone, the Barlows began their home remodel in 2009 and endured 13 months of construction. After interviewing three designers, Stacy decided to take on all the design work herself, making this their third Laguna Beach family home she has redesigned.
“I love the kitchen and great room area,” Stacy notes. “The Heath tile backsplash in the kitchen is one of my favorite design features in the house. I also love the blend of different styles in the house. We lived in a North Laguna cottage for years, and I have mixed some of that furniture with new modern pieces. Sometimes a modern home can look cold, but our home is eclectic and inviting. It is a fantastic family house.”

As for the kids, it seems like growing up in a beach town like Laguna can’t be beat.

“Kennedy and Benton love the proximity to Anita Street beach for the surfing, skimming and boogie boarding,” Stacy says. “They can be found in the waves most weekends.”

FAMILY FACTS:

STACY, BRAD, KENNEDY (9), BENTON (7) and ADDISON (4). DAY JOB: Brad is a managing partner in a private equity firm. Stacy taught elementary school for eight years and is now a stay-at-home mom with a love for design who hopes to remodel another home in the near future. HOUSE TIMELINE: Built in 1979, bought 2005, remodeled in 2009. SPACE: 3,900 square feet with two large outdoor decks; four bedrooms, 3.5 baths. FABULOUS FEATURE: The kids love the low-ceiling playroom, a storage room that was turned it into a large playroom.

What’s your favorite neighborhood in Laguna? Share the secret on Facebook!

New Wave Newport!

By OCinSite on November 08, 2011 1:16 PM

Photography by Mike Moir

In 1980 Surfer magazine called the short stretch of sand and surf between the 52nd and 56th street jetties “The Hottest 100 Yards.”  Known as Echo Beach, it’s where brash young men like Danny Kwock, John Gothard, Preston Murray and Jeff Parker brought creativity, color and bold expression (think pink wetsuits and polka dot boards!) to what by the late ’70s had become a bland, black-and-white surfing world. Echo Beach wasn’t just a place, it was an attitude that would influence fashion, media, design and pop culture and lead to the creation of companies like Volcom and Stussy and the evolution of Quiksilver into a mega brand. Photographer Mike Moir captured the scene, and was part of it as well. His images are at the heart of The Eighties at Echo Beach, a new book written by Jamie Brisick and Joel Patterson about now-legendary Newport Beach break.

The Eighties at Echo Beach, by Michael Moir and Jamie Brisick

Mike Estrada

Rob Colby, Greg Ryan, Nicolai Glazer and Ryan Simmons at a 1987 Quiksilver party

Kelly Slater, age 10

Preston Murray, Jeff Parker and Danny Kwock

The early days of Team Volcom

Richard Wolcott in 1984

54th Street, 1978

All Decked Out

By OCinSite At-Large on November 02, 2011 12:31 PM

By Somer Flaherty

Photos by Robert Hansen

On most days, Californians are inseparable from the outdoors. Those fortunate enough to have a deck or balcony off their abode take advantage of the ample afternoon sunshine, cool evening breezes and copious barbecuing opportunities. Distinct from the typical patio, porch or courtyard, a deck or balcony offers a raised platform—where views of the Pacific or the local canyons can be captured. In the following local homes, designers incorporated a bevy of architectural and design elements, including color, texture and furniture to transform staid outdoor areas into unique entertaining (and relaxing) spaces for homeowners and their lucky guests to enjoy. If you’ve been contemplating your own outdoor oasis, step outside and see how the experts kick it up a notch.

Inside Out

Kit Lietzow has readily absorbed the Californian fascination with deck life. A veteran of the local design scene (Kit is well-known for designing the interiors and poolside lounge areas of Dana Point’s The Strand at Headlands), he finished his own property in the Temple Hills neighborhood of Laguna Beach in 2005.

The custom home, which is tucked into a hillside overlooking Main Beach, was the union of Kit’s design background and the work of architect Geoff Sumich. “My talents took me to knowing how I wanted the rooms to lay out and what the flow would be, so I was able to put on paper the floor plans for all three levels, but I had limitations,” Kit says. “It took Geoff to introduce ideas I hadn’t even thought of.” The design union between the two produced what can only be called an awe-inspiring home with an equally impressive 60-foot deck.

Sparing all manner of hardwoods, Kit opted to make the deck out of a deep sand color-infused concrete. While a massive sliding glass door allows the common space to transform into a spectacular outdoor living room in a matter of minutes. “It’s just the coolest thing,” Kit comments. “Because of the opening—that’s probably 20 feet wide—it feels like the interior is a cabana for the outdoor space.” With the sliding door open, the house welcomes the enviable Laguna Beach climate, and the beach views are no longer an abstraction seen through a glass door or window from the climate-controlled interior.

“Getting an indoor-outdoor space was an absolute must for this environment,” he says of the hillside lot. Kit infused that environment with custom design touches like the McGuire teak dining table he shortened the legs on to use as a cocktail table on the deck. He also added a variety of seating possibilities including a sofa, chairs and double chaises the size of a bed.

“It’s a great place for gathering. We’ll get 20 people gathered around the deck for cocktail hour.”

Smart design elements like the glass railing help to maximize the stellar view. “I’ve had decks with horizontal bar railings, and they always seem to make you bob up and down to see the view,” he says. “When you’re sitting there, there’s always a bar hitting the wrong spot.” The use of glass easily eliminates this issue, and allows one of the very best features of the property to shine. 

Paradise Found

Architect Chris LeTourneau is accustomed to creating beautiful homes in extraordinary places, but being born and raised in Laguna Beach, he has a special appreciation for the beauty of the local landscape here.

When the 29-year-old architect was approached to help Laguna Beach couple Jim and Lisa Chretien fully realize the potential of their home, the effect was faithfulness to the contemporary design Chris is drawn to, while still utilizing the potential of the original residence. The key was to open up multiple exterior walls onto the dramatic deck area while incorporating a fresh new pallet of raw materials.

“It was important to us to not lose the original architecture of the home and keep the angles and lines intact,” Jim says. “And Chris really succeeded with that; this is the best outdoor space we’ve ever had.” Jim says he hasn’t had to turn on the air conditioning all year thanks to the indoor and outdoor functionality of the space.

Chris and LeTourneau Architecture’s Nick Sheridan admit modern architecture can have a reputation of being sterile, but the Chretien’s home in Wood’s Cove is anything but. Unexpected spaces abound throughout the residence, take, for example, the exposed structural heavy timber beams and the tongue-and-groove ceiling that pass through the exterior threshold, creating continuity between indoor and outdoor spaces.

The Brazilian walnut deck, which extends out into the home’s landscape, creates a large outdoor platform to take in views of the surrounding old timber growth in the area. In another decked area of the home, large multi-slide doors allow for the entire house to freely open to the exterior, where a chilled plunge pool meets a spa clad in Travertine and a textured water wall aids in relaxation.

Chris is more than pleased with the results of his contemporary balancing act, as it’s a welcoming home that both embraces warmth and good design, while allowing its occupants to truly utilize the unique space. “We don’t intend to go anywhere,” Jim says. “We really enjoy this home.”

How about you? Deck with a view? Hit us up on Facebook with pictures from your deck!

How Dry We Were!

By OCInSite Site Admin on October 27, 2011 2:50 PM

The McFadden brothers founded Newport Beach back in the late 1800s, the history books tell us. But what’s lesser-known is that James and Robert were Prohibitionists, so the early days around these parts were a bit on the dry side. Then the McFaddens sold ($70 an acre!), and the party was on… almost.

Problem was, Orange County was dry, too. So access to liquor was one of the motivations behind Newport Beach being incorporated as a city in 1906. Plus, locals felt the county treated Newport as “simply the port for Santa Ana, and a play land for interior families.” But mostly folks just wanted a decent saloon in town (or so we like to imagine).

The fun didn’t last, though. Prohibition soon went on the city ballot. It lost in 1912 and 1914, but it passed in 1916 by a vote of 233 to 176. So the city went dry once more, and it stayed that way until Prohibition was repealed nationally in 1933—though we imagine there were still places to get a cocktail for those in the know.

Not much is new under the Newport sun. Today the battle over booze and bars goes on, and likely still will 100 years hence. So drink up, for tomorrow we may be dry. And the vintage postcard pictured above, circa 1909? That was a “wet” era, so the adults in the image likely had had a few! As good as a circus, indeed. 

—By Kedric Francis, with thanks to the Newport Beach Historical Society’s book Newport Beach 75.

What’s Left and What’s For Dinner

By OCinSite At-Large on October 26, 2011 8:56 AM

Photos by Jody Tiongco

By Chad Nelsen

Walk into La Sirena in South Laguna, and you’ll notice that only faint remnants of the word “shrimp” can be seen on the menu board. Why did Scott Cortellessa, the owner of La Sirena Grill, stop selling America’s most popular seafood in his burritos? Because most shrimp are caught by trawling, a particularly devastating type of fishing that incidentally catches and kills other marine life and can also harm endangered sea turtles. Along with the rest of his menu, Scott made a choice to sell only sustainably caught seafood at his restaurants. This growing trend is great news for the world’s oceans that are teetering on the brink of destruction.

Overtaxing the Seas

By most accounts, we are overfishing the world’s oceans. Simply defined, overfishing means catching more fish than the ocean can produce. After decades of attempts to sustainably manage fishing, many highly prized fish populations are in serious decline. It is estimated that about 25 percent of U.S. fish stocks are overfished, which has led to the collapse of some very important fisheries. For example, in the early 1990s, the cod fishery off Canada’s east coast completely collapsed. After 500 years of fishing, a sudden increase in fishing pressure over the last 60 years lead to a dramatic crash in 1992, when cod populations plummeted to 1 percent of their historic levels. The entire fishery has been completely exhausted as a result.

It is estimated that the abundance of large predator fish, including cod, swordfish and tuna, has dropped 90 percent over the last 50 years. This is a clear indication that we are catching fish faster than they can reproduce and grow to their full size.

At our current rates of consumption, the predictions are dire. A recent study by Dr. Boris Worm in Science Magazine predicts that if current trends continue, every seafood species will have collapsed below commercially viable levels by 2048. All that will be left are jellyfish, a species not exactly in demand for its inherent culinary value.

We will only be able to stop this alarming trend in the decline of ocean health if we are willing to make some dramatic changes to the way we treat our oceans. Fortunately, solutions do exist. There are three broad strategies that show promise to sustainable management of our ocean wildlife. One strategy is to move away from single species management of fish towards an ecosystem-based approach where the interaction of species is considered. Another is the establishment of marine protected areas that prohibit fishing altogether and allow species to recover. Third, is changing the fish we eat and using consumer choice to drive demand for sustainable seafood.

Sustainable Seafood

Not all fishing approaches are equal. Some types of fishing are less damaging to the environment than others. For example, bottom trawling that drags large nets across the sea floor to catch fish is a particularly damaging approach that is often compared to the clear cutting of forests because it leaves the seafloor devoid of life, often for decades. Other types of fishing, if well managed, can be done sustainably so that fish populations are maintained over generations.

The idea behind sustainable seafood is to identify and label seafood that is either fished or farmed from sources that can maintain or increase production in the future without jeopardizing the ecosystems from which it was acquired. Like the organic food movement, the sustainable seafood movement is gaining momentum as people become aware of the problems created by overfishing and environmentally destructive fishing methods. 

So how do you make sure you make sure you fish choices are sustainable?

One of the best ways to determine if your choice of fish is sustainable is to use the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch’s guide. Available via their website, smart phone app or pocket guide, the guide rates popular fish that are better for the health of the seas than others.

You can also look for the blue Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) logo on seafood at the store or in some restaurants. The MSC certification, like organic food labels, is an eco-certification that independently reviews fisheries and certifies sustainable fisheries.

The One World One Ocean campaign, created and run locally by the McGillivray family, is supporting sustainable seafood as one of their primary pillars for saving the world’s ocean. The campaign aims to inspire ocean advocates to pledge to eat only sustainable sea life and will support efforts that strive to support the sustainable seafood movement, including local businesses.

One of the easiest ways to ensure you are eating ocean friendly seafood is to eat at restaurants that only serve sustainable seafood. In Laguna, your choices are currently limited but tasty. Three of the local restaurants that are committed to serving sustainable seafood are La Sirena Grill (both locations), Nirvana Grille and the recently opened Asada.

In 2007, Scott made a bold decision about how he ran his La Sirena establishments. He decided that if he and his family were going to eat organic vegetables and sustainable meat and seafood at home, he should do the same at his business. After months of research and consideration, he began shifting his menu toward sustainable seafood. He eliminated shrimp from most menu options because sustainable shrimp are very hard to find, especially after the BP Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. He started serving wild salmon, yellowfin tuna and calamari instead. To do so he had to up his prices, which was a concern because Scott believes that only 10 percent of his customers use sustainability as a primary decision factor. However, Scott’s move towards sustainable seafood was not driven by a business advantage, but instead a desire to do the right thing.

After weathering a brief slowdown in business, things picked up and have been great ever since. Scott made it clear that for all environmental choices, seafood included, it’s never an easy, black-and-white choice but something that requires research and balancing benefits with costs, such as seafood that is sustainably caught but then transported long distances with a high carbon footprint.

Nirvana Grille is another local restaurant that is committed to serving sustainable seafood. Like Scott, Lindsay Smith-Rosales explains that her choices about the types of food they prepare at Nirvana are driven by her family’s personal commitment to sustainability. After years of careful choices, Nirvana made a firm commitment to offer nothing but sustainable fish in the future.

Lindsay’s biggest challenge was finding a suitable alternative to her signature Chilean sea bass, a fish so in demand that its numbers have plummeted. After much research she found black cod to be an equal, if not superior alternative, but it’s so expensive that they really don’t profit on the dish. Lindsay rejects that sustainable seafood is a trend but simply something we all must do. As she says, “If we all do a little bit, the results will make a big difference.”

Into the Future

Unless you like the idea of eating jellyfish tacos, it’s clear that we had better change the ways we have fished the oceans for the last 60 years. Overfishing and habitat destruction have put ocean ecosystems on the brink of collapse, but like so many other environmental issues, the choice is ours to make and can start with you at your next meal. Next time you decide you want seafood, make your choice as if the ocean depends on it—because it does.

What’s your favorite seafood dinner, and how do you feel about sustainability and our seas? Let us know at Facebook.