These annual Southern California conferences — featuring fascinating doers and thinkers — have now broadened to include the TEDxChallenge and TEDxTeenChallenge to promote Ideas Worth Doing, bringing together a like-minded community of curious, highly engaged learners committed to inspiring change through positive actions.

Last year’s TEDxOrangeCoast conference attracted more than 2,000 participants and featured 15-year-old Jack Andraka who introduced his scientific invention: an early detection test for pancreatic cancer.

TEDxOrangeCoast is currently accepting applications for both Challenges through August 30 on its website tedxorangecoast.com. Winners will be announced at the fall conference and will receive start-up funds for their idea, as well as professional mentorship to implement it. 

Looking back on one of his most recent works—a project that took two years to build—architect Horst Noppenberger of Laguna’s Horst Architects beams with pride and passion. Known as the Gaddam residence, the project took 15 months of design work and is set to become one of the most sustainable homes in Laguna Beach.

“I find it more interesting when a project is meaningful,” Horst says. “My clients came to me with a vision to build a home that was very sustainable, and it was really a dream of the wife’s to have a home that would be extremely energy efficient.”  

Horst has always been an ardent proponent of sustainable design, but this was the first time his firm was working toward Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for a home—in particular, he was aiming to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest level of certification, LEED Platinum. Here, we catch up with the architect to find out more about how to make homes greener.

Laguna Beach Magazine: In Orange County there are only a handful of homes that have achieved or are designed to achieve LEED Platinum status. What makes each home different?
Horst Noppenberger: Every choice has an environmental story—whether it’s the Forest Stewardship Council-certified flooring, low-VOC paints, dual-pane insulated glass windows and doors [or] drought-tolerant landscaping.

LBM: What role does energy efficiency play in the design of the Gaddam residence?

HN: The home incorporates solar panels, hydronic radiant floor heating and a high-efficiency water heater.

LBM: What are some sustainable elements that can be incorporated in a home with enough planning during the design phase?

HN: Cross-ventilation, which can be helped by having a courtyard in a home and eliminates much of the need for air conditioning. Choosing the right materials can also help to heat the home. With the Gaddam residence, we used concrete walls that contain 30 percent coal ash to utilize thermal mass to help store the sun’s heat throughout the day and release it at night.

LBM: What other sustainable elements can we incorporate in a remodel or new build?

HN: A planted green roof can help reduce rainwater runoff and also provide a really effective means of insulation. With preplanning you can easily incorporate it in a roof’s design; with a remodeled home it is more expensive to incorporate, but can usually be done.

LBM: Not many architects have created a LEED Platinum designed home—what was the biggest challenge?

HN: There is a lot of documentation you have to go through during the entire build, including both the design and construction phase. We worked closely with a Green Rater, [LEED-certified person] who provides the verification services. The Green Rater is involved throughout the design phase and throughout the construction process.

Additonal info:

It’s Easy Being Green
The availability of earth-friendly products is catching up to the demand.

By Somer Flaherty

Sprout Chair made of bamboo and Forest Stewardship Council and Rainforest Alliance Certified materials, available at Von Hemert Interiors, Laguna Beach (949-494-6551; vonhemertinteriors.com).

Sustainable wood coffee table by Manulution, available at Green Cube, Laguna Beach (949-494-1550; greencubestore.com).

Organic cotton mattress by Royal Pedic, available at Jack Thomas at Home, Laguna Beach (949-715-0026; jackthomasathome.com).

Sustainable ebony wood flooring, available at Eco Surfaces, Laguna Beach (949-715-2444; ecosurface.net).

100% Recycled plastic planter, available at Room and Board, Santa Ana (714-549-5995; roomandboard.com).

The couple, partners in the family-owned Wiens Family Cellars in Temecula, Calif., where Doug is the winemaker, bought Orange Coast Winery in 2011. They purchased it from founder Gus DeFalco, who had opened it just a few months earlier to make Italian-style wines. Doug brought the big red winemaking style he is known for at Wiens to the Newport Beach winery, while also continuing to produce the Beach Bubbly sparkling wine that Gus created. Today, Orange Coast Winery produces and pours zinfandel, syrah, sangiovese, merlot, petite sirah, red blends and more.

“Everything is done in Doug’s style,” Debbie explains. “Our reds are supple, fruit-forward and smooth.”

The winery’s two best-selling wines exemplify Doug’s fruit-forward style. The dark red 2008 Beach Blend Red Reserve, made from petite sirah, merlot and syrah, features floral aromas followed by blackberry, black plum and cranberry flavors. The 2011 Reserve Syrah also boasts flavors of blackberry, brown spice and cookie dough.

The winery has recently partnered with The Endless Summer, the brand inspired by the iconic 1966 surf flick, to produce two bottles under that label: a white blend and a cabernet sauvignon.

Orange Coast Winery

The winery sources its grapes from the couple’s vineyards and those of family and friends in Temecula and Lodi, Calif. “Good wine takes place in the vineyard management practices, and we are very hands-on with the vineyards,” Debbie notes. For now, most of the production and the bottling are done in Temecula, but the couple’s long-term plan is to find a location and bring that work to Newport.

Located on West 16th Street in a light industrial area of Newport, the tasting room combines an urban-chic feeling outside with a warm and cozy “shabby French antique motif” inside. It is open to visitors on a walk-in basis and by appointment outside of regular hours. Visitors can enjoy flatbread pizzas and gourmet cheeses with their wine, which can be purchased by the taste, the glass or the bottle. Wine and chocolate tastings are also offered.

While Orange Coast Winery seeks to retain its tasting room roots; Debbie says that the whole experience has expanded from that. “When people come, they want to stay.” To accommodate these crowds, the winery is now open past its original 5 p.m. closing time and into the evening hours. “It opens up a lot of options for people to stay and linger and really feel at home and comfortable,” Debbie says.

Down the street from the tasting room, the Wiens’ have opened a barrel room that is available for private events. They are also opening a second tasting room in Corona del Mar. (949-645-0400; orangecoastwinery.com)

One of the best-kept secrets in Orange County is Newport Beach Vineyards & Winery, which specializes in Bordeaux-style blends, says Executive Director Justin Myers. The winery was opened by winemaker Richard Moriarty in 1998 and released its first bottling in 2001. All wines are produced at the winery and each vintage uses up to five of the traditional red grapes of Bordeaux; they include cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec.

Located next to the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve, the 3.5-acre winery, which also houses Richard’s residence, has more than 1,200 vines on the property. Last July, it released its first-ever “estate” blend, meaning all of the grapes used in the wine came solely from the Newport Beach vineyard.

“As of [the 2010 vintage] we are 100 percent estate produced,” Justin says. “Prior to that we would source grapes [from elsewhere in California] and combine them.”

The 2010 OC Estate Unobtainium uses all five of the Bordeaux grapes, with 50 percent cabernet sauvignon, 30 percent merlot and smaller percentages of the others.

It gained its unusual name from Richard as a nod to naysayers. “People always doubted his ability to grow in Newport,” Justin says. “That is where the ‘unobtainable’ came from.”

Take a sip and you’ll discover an array of flavors that are quite obtainable. Dry rose petals, capsicum pepper, red-black fruit, cassis, mocha cinnamon, cranberry, pomegranate and a finish of spicy red cinnamon make this a bottle perfect for enjoying now or cellaring for a future occasion.  

To create its blends, the winery uses a unique co-fermentation method. “We did what we call a ‘cave five blend’ with all five grapes in it,” Justin explains. “We picked all five of the grapes and tossed them all in together, and all five age together over time. Typically, we age for about 20 months. Most winemakers do the blending at bottling time.”

The wine is aged in a 1,000-square-foot underground wine cave nestled within the vineyards. The cave is available for special events such as private wine tastings, birthday parties, anniversary celebrations and corporate and charity functions of up to 200 people. Walk-in tastings are not available at the winery, but tours and tastings for groups of at least eight people can be enjoyed by appointment Monday through Saturday. Group tastings include a tour of the vineyards and the property, which also has koi ponds and an aviary, and a flight of five wines with cheese. The winery also offers wine blending classes, sommelier-led wine education classes and opportunities to participate in the annual grape harvest. (949-500-0273; nbwine.com)

 

Giving Hope
One Hope Wine does not have a tasting room to visit, but what it does have is a positive impact. The nearly 6-year-old company, which was founded in Newport by a group of friends who formerly worked together at Gallo Wines, gives half of the profits from every bottle sold to charitable organizations. It sells its wines online and through stores, restaurants and events in all 50 states. One Hope Wine has been served at the Grammys, Sundance Film Festival, American Red Cross Gala and other premier functions. To date, more than $1 million has been donated to different causes.

One Hope Wine

“All of our charitable donations run through our nonprofit One Hope Foundation,” says Tom Leahy, president and co-founder. To determine where donations go, Tom says it made sense to pair the varietals up. For example, they chose chardonnay for the fight against breast cancer. “Zinfandel is an American grape so zinfandel sales support our troops,” he says. Donations from cabernet sauvignon sales support autism; merlot helps in the battle against AIDS; “blancs” go toward environmental causes; and a new bottling of California pinot noir will help homeless pets.   

Robert Mondavi Jr., the grandson of Robert Mondavi, is the winemaker. “We work with him and his father, Michael, through Folio Fine Wine Partners in Napa. We sit with him and let him know the direction we want our wines to take and then he goes out and executes,” Tom says, emphasizing, “It is our own custom blend. There is no other juice on the market that is One Hope juice.

“We want it to be an everyday approachable wine,” Tom adds. “Our cab is perhaps the best example. It is a nice solid cab, good tannins and nice backbone, but not over the top.”

Grapes are sourced in partnership with Robert Jr. For the cabernet sauvignon, grapes from Napa Valley, Sonoma County and the Central Coast were used. The wine was aged in French and American oak barrels to produce a dark, ruby red cab with aromas of blackberry, cassis and tobacco.

To enjoy One Hope’s cabernet and other wines, you don’t have to look far. One Hope Wine’s first-ever customer is right here in Newport Beach.

“When we started the company, a couple of founders lived on 39th Street on the Peninsula in an apartment,” Tom says. “Mama D’s was our first account. They still serve our wines today.”

Locally, Billy’s at the Beach also carries One Hope Wine, according to Tom, as does the Balboa Bay Resort, Brasserie Pascal, Roy’s, Sol Grill and Ten Asian Bistro.  

The wine can also be purchased from the website and the company’s wine club. Discounts on the wine are available for fundraisers and other large events by contacting One Hope. (866-983-2266; onehopewine.com)

It has been said that wine is bottled poetry. True oenophiles would surely agree. Wine evokes passion and brings people together. No fly-by-night fad, enjoying fine wine and all its complexities has been an important part of life for people for thousands of years. Wine is a drink to enjoy every day, whether to enhance a meal or for its own sake. It is perfect for celebrating special occasions and is a cause for celebration in itself. Even Bacchus would find much to celebrate in Newport. 

A Three-Day Celebration

Fine wine will be celebrated at the 10th annual Newport Beach Wine Festival on Memorial Day weekend, May 24 – 26. Held at the Balboa Bay Club, the affair will feature multiple tasting and educational events throughout the weekend.

It begins on Friday evening with a five-course master chef dinner—prepared by Executive Chef Josef Lageder and four local guest chefs—featuring pairings of old and new world wines. On Saturday afternoon, attendees can sip Bordeaux-style wines from around the world and try white wines from France. A highlight of the festival is the grand tasting held in the Grand Ballroom on Saturday evening. It will feature wines from more than 50 wineries paired with food ranging from gourmet cheeses to barbecue. The festivities continue on Sunday morning, with beer taking center stage. European and other brews will be enjoyed with rustic breakfast foods. An afternoon pairing of seafood and complimentary wines is followed by the Cigar, Cognac, Spirits & Sweets seminar and tasting on Sunday at the conclusion of the event.

The Newport Beach Wine Festival sponsors the 1221 Club Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to college-bound high school students in the area. (949-630-4145; balboabayresort.com)

OM Cocktails, a USDA certified organic and “thoughtfully prepared” brand of alcoholic beverages, blends American grain vodka, organic agave nectar and natural fruits to create a pleasant and subtle flavor that packs a nice punch. With flavors including wild cranberry and blood orange, coconut water and lychee, and Meyer lemon and ginger, cocktail varieties are aplenty.

With skin-bearing weather also comes the desire to stay svelte. At a mere 150 calories per serving, OM will not only lighten your spirits, it won’t weigh you down or add on extra pounds.

Now available in Orange County at Gelson’s and Whole Foods markets, Korker Liquor in Corona del Mar, Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa and other local retailers, OM Cocktails are a must-have for summer sips. Try one of the below recipes, or improvise and create your own (they’re tasty just splashed over some rocks, too!).

The Showgirl

The Showgirl was created by Natalie Bovis (“The Liquid Muse”), co-creator of OM Cocktails.

1 ½ ounces OM Cocktails (choose any flavor)

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

3/4 ounce gin

3 ounces sparkling wine

A rose petal (for garnish)

Shake OM, lemon juice and gin with ice. Strain into a Champagne coupe. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a rose petal.

Zen Sour

The Zen Sour is a twist on the classic pisco sour by The Liquid Muse.

1 ounce OM Cocktails, wild cranberry and blood orange

¾ ounce lemon juice

1 ½ ounces pisco brandy

1 egg white

Orange bitters (for garnish)

First, dry-shake all ingredients, except bitters. Add ice, then shake vigorously, again. Strain into a cocktail glass. Top with a few dashes of orange bitters.

Whether you’ve lived in Laguna Beach for years or are visiting for the first time, it’s easy to see that this city is hard to leave. And that’s especially true of Laguna’s most well-known multigenerational families—those who have made this city their home for decades and, in some cases, more than a century. For these families, staying in Laguna goes beyond the allure of a beautiful seaside village; it’s the origin of their histories. And while over the decades buildings have changed and demographics have shifted, these families have stayed grounded.

“[Laguna has] an amazing root system,” says Erica Brauer Jones, 39, whose great-grandfather Anton Duke Kluewer owned Laguna’s first liquor store on Glenneyre Street. “The town means a lot to me. You have to have some kind of roots.” Erica has the distinction of being born in Laguna Beach—at a home in Bluebird Canyon. Growing up in Laguna, she has a family history that includes nearly everyone from her father to brother going to Thurston Middle School. She lives here with her husband and two sons, Cameron, 13, and Carter, 11.

The list of multigenerational families in Laguna Beach is long and filled with names many locals would recognize. The Abels, the Jahrauses, the Williamses and the Kluewers. And that’s only the short list. Almost all of the multigenerational families of Laguna Beach know one another and are linked in many ways—attending the same schools throughout the generations, working for one another’s businesses or simply watching out for one another.

“There’s a sense of history and belonging that I like,” says fourth-generation Lagunan William Jahraus, 27, son of Joe Jahraus, 64, and nephew of Jeff Jahraus, 61, all Laguna residents. “Laguna actually has a downtown. There’s a sense of camaraderie in Laguna Beach High School students and locals who are around for ages.”

The Jahraus’ history began in 1902 when Jeff and Joe’s great-grandfather Elmer Jahraus came to Laguna Beach and opened a cigar factory. Later, Elmer’s son, Joseph (Jeff and Joe’s grandfather), founded Laguna Beach Lumber Co. in 1912. Joseph’s son Richard then took over the family business until his sons Jeff and Joe bought the company in the 1980s. In 2001, it was sold to Ganahl Lumber Co. According to city records, an estimated 90 percent of the older buildings in Laguna were built from wood from the family’s company.

Hotel Laguna circa the 1880s, where Elmer Jahraus opened a cigar shop in 1902

When Elmer first arrived in 1902, there were about only 11 permanent families living in town. Elmer, who made cigars in the original Hotel Laguna, was also the first realtor in the town, selling lots along Cliff Drive. In 1929, Elmer was instrumental in saving what was to become Heisler Park. When developer Howard Heisler decided to go back on his promise to dedicate the land as a park, Elmer stepped in with a lawsuit and won. Ultimately, the land became Heisler Park.

Jeff and Joe’s father, Richard, now 88, was born in 1925 in Laguna Beach and still lives on Cliff Drive in a home he built in 1977 on the site of the original 1912 family home. The Jahrauses have owned land in Laguna Beach for more than 100 years, including the residential land on Cliff Drive—the site of the original Jahraus’ family home in 1912—and the land downtown on Forest Avenue, where the old Laguna Beach Lumber Co. used to be.

Richard remembers when he was in his 50s—more than 30 years ago—the good times he had swimming in the ocean, diving for abalone, spearing halibut and rowing his dory up and down the coast. Jeff Jahraus also remembers when the family moved into the original Cliff Drive house in 1952 (before it was rebuilt in 1977). “My grandfather still had a house up on Top of the World,” Jeff says. “My father thought about moving there, but it [had] no piped water. It was like going out in the country.” That’s when Old Top of the World was totally open, he recalls.

Jeff Jahraus says, “Family roots and lots of friends keep us in Laguna.”

The Jahraus family in 1999

A Village Feel
Charles “Charlie” K. Williams, an architect, is part of double multigenerational families in Laguna Beach. Born at South Coast Hospital (now Mission Hospital), the 38-year-old Charlie met his wife Sarah Golden in junior high school in Laguna. Sarah’s mother, Jane Golden, who lives in town, and Charlie’s father, Charlie D. Williams, 62, of Williams Construction, play big roles in family life in this multi-multigenerational family.

“For me, I always opt to live in a true small town,” says the younger Charlie. “It takes a village to raise a child; I’ve always taken that to heart. I’m a product of that. I have had the opportunity to be raised by a village. It played an instrumental role in my life. My kids still benefit from the village atmosphere—there’s a certain amount of safety. It’s more than just you watching out for your kids.”

Charlie also believes that another thing that sums up Laguna is its diversity—people, buildings and economic status. He believes his father, Charlie D. Williams, epitomizes a Laguna spirit through the homes he built, the help he provided during the Bluebird landslide and even his work at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, where he did a lot of the most recent renovation work, including the new pools.

Next are the Abels, whose family roots date back to 1937. Carl “Pop” Abel, a wood carver and antique dealer, left a legacy that has grown more than 76 years. Generations of more Abels have enhanced the legacy, including Chris and Mogens Abel; Gregg Abel, son of Chris; and Lea Abel-Stone and Tristan Abel, Gregg’s daughter and son, who are all Laguna residents.

Since 1935, several generations of Abels have left their mark on Laguna through signage, architecture and art forms from glass to furniture to jewelry. “Our family heritage, of course, keeps us here,” says Lea, 32, who received her bachelor’s degree from Laguna College of Art & Design, a building designed by her grandfather Chris Abel with Fred Briggs. “And, of course, art. We are all artists.”  

Carl “Pop” Abel was a local wood carver.

Examples of the Abels’ art can still be seen around town, including signs by Mogens Abel. One such sign can be found at the Chamber of Commerce. “If you see a carved sign with gold leaf, you’ll know it’s Pop’s work or Mogens’, and now my brother Tristan,” Lea says.

Gregg Abel’s father, Chris Abel, designed the Lumberyard building, a Laguna Beach landmark, into the Ivy House. Gregg, now 65, then did the remodel of the Ivy House into the Lumberyard Restaurant as well as designed the stunning craftsman-style Victoria Street home, Villa Bella Mare, which is only an example of his renowned work in Laguna Beach.

“It’s the little things that make you say, I’m related to something special,” she continues. The “little things” include sharing a common connection with her grandfather, Chris, who was class president at Laguna Beach High School in 1943, with Lea following in his footsteps in 1998.

“Being part of a multigenerational family strengthens Laguna’s appeal,” she adds. “We are still friends with people from my class of 1998.”

Photo from 1937, when the Abel family settled in Laguna Beach

Big Changes
For families like Lea’s, who have been rooted in Laguna for more than seven decades, it’s inevitable that they would see changes happening in the city they love.

“I don’t see anything I don’t like,” Gregg Abel says. “Laguna Beach still embraces its roots and history. The town is so generous.” He applauds the addition of the Laguna College of Art & Design, which he helped design and from which Lea graduated.

“We are trying to get the city and all boards to embrace businesses,” says Gregg, a Chamber of Commerce board member and member of the Government Affairs Committee.

Charlie K. Williams remembers when the beloved Acords Market was around before it closed in 1997. “That was a big part of our lives,” he recalls. “We used to shop there daily and had a relationship with the butcher, who would set aside a pork chop he thought we’d like, then bill us later.”

Charlie also notes changes such as Laguna’s nightlife. “It didn’t extend past downtown [when I grew up here]. Now it extends to the HIP District and South Laguna. ... I like what they’ve done to the HIP District. It’s sort of become the locals’ area. Downtown serves more tourists.”

William Jahraus says that more tourists pouring in is a both a curse and a blessing. “If Laguna wasn’t so beautiful, we wouldn’t have the tourists, and business would suffer,” he says.
Charlie K. Williams adds, “It goes back to diversity. No matter what changes, we coexist. Laguna has stayed pretty true to its heart.”

Linda Kluewer Brauer, 63, is the mother of Erica Brauer Jones, and has lived in Laguna for about 55 years. Over the years, she believes that Laguna has gone overboard with change. “It seems like everyone is in it for money,” she says. “The town takes itself too seriously, referring to too many rules and regulations. The town needs to lighten up, go back to the good old days and treat people with kindness.”

Four generations of the Kluewer family in Laguna, present day

Linda is the daughter of Anthony “Whitey” Kluewer, who graduated from Laguna Beach High School in 1935 and became involved in city politics in the 1940s when he ran for mayor. Linda follows in her father’s footsteps by remaining active in the community with Soroptimist International of Laguna, a women’s organization.

Charlie K. Williams recalls that the many changes came after the fire of October 1993. He says his immediate family was relatively unaffected, with the exception of his great aunt and uncle who lost their home on Buena Vista. He saw several families leave after the fire, followed by a shift in demographics.

“There was a big influx of money,” he says. “People either were forced to sell or made the choice to sell and leave. Then the money came in—higher-income families, that is. It brought good things but also challenges.”

Erica Brauer Jones adds, “The change can be seen in the mentalities of people who come in to take over and build giant homes. It’s not the way it was. It’s a different mentality that makes it hard for people who have been here for years and have family here. People from here are more real, more genuine. It’s family, it’s friends, it’s the structure of this town.”

Sarah (Golden) Williams, Charlie K. Williams and family / Photo by Candice Dartez

Jeff Jahraus misses the quiet of old Laguna. “During the winter when I was a kid, it was very quiet, and you knew everyone that was walking around the town,” he says. He also owns a home in a small Colorado town of about 1,000, where he spends about 3.5 months out of the year. There, he says he’s able to recapture Laguna’s quieter times. He adds, however, he would never leave permanently or sell his home on Jasmine Street, where he’s lived since 1976.

“It was a wonderful time to live when I was growing up … a wonderful little village,” says Linda, whose ties go back to working at the Hotel Laguna when the police knew the families so well that they’d give you a ride home if you were out too late.

In the end, despite new faces and buildings, the multigenerational families continue to honor their storied pasts by staying true to what they’ve always known and loved about this city—the small-town feeling where people know and take care of one another.

For example, Lea Abel-Stone believes in staying involved with the town through charity work, including volunteering at the Friendship Shelter. The Williamses believe in watching out for friends by keeping an eye open for one another’s kids, and the Abels won’t ever give up family breakfasts on Wednesday mornings, which have been a tradition for more than 40 years.
For families that have lived here for decades—before big-brand stores started cropping up on Forest Avenue—what they fondly remember, and believe still exists today, is the special kinship between those that have grown up in Laguna. As Charlie K. Williams says, “No matter where you go, there’s a hello.”

Whether it’s a personal favorite, an inspiration when the ingredients are right, or just a semi-secret bonus item—many Newport chefs offer off-the-menu choices you can ask for if you’re in the know.

Jonathan Blackford, executive chef at A Restaurant, turns to Spain for inspiration. Ask him if any Iberico pork has arrived lately, and be prepared for something unique. “It’s probably one of my favorite things,” Jonathan says. “It’s a pork from Spain, produced in one region where the hogs graze on acorns that have fallen from the trees. It’s a very marbled pork that almost looks like beef. It’s one of the few porks that you can sear and eat rare.”

Ask Sindi Rae, the executive chef at Muldoon’s Irish Pub, for a real warmer, the Black Bush Irish stew. A wintertime special, but prepared other times on request, it’s made with Angus beef in Guinness stout, with carrots, peas, mashed potatoes and—for extra punch—a side of baby lamb chops and a shot of Black Bush Irish whiskey.

Black Bush Irish stew at Muldoon’s

Another item that dropped off the menu, this time at Quiet Woman in Corona del Mar, is cioppino—a rich and satisfying stew made with different kinds of fresh fish, mussels, shrimp and crab, all in a tomato-based broth. Owner and chef Lynne Anthony-Campbell says the restaurant’s regulars with long memories still ask for it, and their wish is the Woman’s command.

At 21 Oceanfront, Executive Chef Miroslav Rusev works with a widely varying palette of ingredients and is always eager to assemble something you won’t find on the restaurant’s extensive menu. A recent find: duck confit with baked potato, carrots, pearl onions, green beans and morel mushrooms. “It’s the French way of braising meat,” Miroslav says. “You actually braise the meat in duck fat for up to three hours.” A lover of the surf-and-turf combo, Miroslav also recently painted outside the lines with a salmon stuffed with king crab meat, served with a saffron bearnaise sauce, wild rice and chopped bok choy.

If he wasn’t restricted by the small size of the kitchen at Mi Casa’s Costa Mesa location, head chef Angel Velazquez says he’d make his citrus-marinated chipotle skirt steak a regular item. He’ll make it on request if the ingredients are available, and this fiery entree—a pork shank with salsa borracho (“drunken” salsa with roasted peppers, tomatillos and garlic, infused with beer)—might make it on the menu in the future. “The salsa penetrates the pork shanks and there’s enough heat to give you a kick at the end,” the chef says.

Skirt steak at Mi Casa

“The first really great thing that’s a good price, I buy,” she says. “It opens up the flea market mojo and just loosens up the purse strings!”

A science and math teacher by day, Rachiel is also a stylist who has lent her talents to the pages of home and style magazines. She spun this second love into a supplementary career when she opened Macalistaire at 1850 (macalistaire1850.com) three years ago.

Located in Laguna’s village, the shop is a trove of vintage treasures—from peacoats to petticoats, and everything to layer in between. In a town abundant with fashion-forward (and eco-friendly) women and men who demand to stand out, there’s no shortage of clientele coming to her for one-of-a-kind finds. One side of the shop is dedicated to all things fashion; the other to furniture, art and obscure objects. And it’s not just locals the store attracts: “I have designers come to me looking for inspiration for their collections,” Rachiel says. “A buyer from Louis Vuitton recently bought 12 handbags.”

While on this recent flea market adventure with Rachiel, we scored her top tips for shopping vintage. 

Laguna Beach Magazine: To what do you credit your affinity for vintage pieces and antiques?

Rachiel Macalistaire: Growing up, we didn’t have any money, so I’d go to garage sales with my mom and buy things out of necessity. At the time, I envied my friends who had things that were new and matched, but I eventually came to appreciate these older things. Vintage is really evocative of periods of the past—it’s a way to connect with history. I would love to be able to travel back in time … but surrounding myself with old things is the second best thing.

LBM: What classifies an item as “vintage?”

RM: Twenty years or older.  

LBM: What time periods have the most allure?

RM: I’m drawn to movements ... when fashion mirrored the times—like the unconstrained, free-flowing dresses of the 1960s that [represented] women’s liberation. My mom used to wear these long, gorgeous dresses from the ’40s and a couple of scarves around her head. … She was this total hippie. I look at pictures now and think, “Wow, what was happening then?”

LBM: What tips can you provide for the novice shopper?

RM: Purchases should be things that speak to you and that you’ll use over time—a fancy evening clutch, jewelry or a classic coat. The same goes for decor: Think accessories and collections (pottery, vintage wine bottles, pins) that are conversation starters. With clothing, you must try everything on—a vintage size 12, for instance, will typically fit a size 8 or 6.

LBM: Recycling aside, what are some other benefits of buying vintage?

RM: Most pieces are high quality with amazing attention to detail—and no one else is going to have it. But something to be prepared for: Vintage is more delicate, so your outfit could come undone. I’ve been known to go to a wedding and have all the buttons fly off a dress—I always keep an extra outfit!

LBM: What are some current trends from decades past?

RM: Military, high-waisted shorts, large round sunglasses, 1980s dresses, denim jackets—and turquoise jewelry is one that keeps coming back.

LBM: Which flea markets do you frequent?

RM: Fairfax on Melrose, Irvine, Rose Bowl, Santa Monica, Long Beach and local community colleges that have great markets every weekend.

LBM: What’s the strangest request you’ve had from a customer?

RM: Someone came in looking for portraits. … They collected them … of just random people.