A jaw-dropping fusion of two art forms:  You’ll be delighted as aerial fliers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers and strongmen perform their cirque acts to classical masterpieces and memorable contemporary music–– all performed live.  Pacific Symphony’s popular and charismatic assistant conductor leads this feast for the eyes and ears!

Tickets start at $25.

Contact the Box Office at (714) 755-5799 or visit the website for tickets.

Laguna Dance Festival announces its exciting seventh season. New York City Ballet stars Tiler Peck and Joaquin DeLuz headlines this year’s Stars of Dance performance, joining companies from across the country that will perform on April 12, 13, 14 and 15 in Laguna Beach. In addition to theatre performances, the 2012 festival includes master classes, pre-performance discussions with dancers and artistic directors, and performances during Laguna’s ArtWalk. Theatre performances will be held at the 420-seat Laguna Playhouse, where every seat offers a choice viewing spot. Festival founder and artistic director Jodie Gates calls this season “a must-see if you love dance.” 

All performances are at the Laguna Playhouse. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online or at the Laguna Playhouse box office. Two of the master classes are at the Laguna Beach High School Dance Studio, 625 Park Avenue; the third is at Laguna Playhouse. Check the website for tickets and performance details.

Laguna Dance Festival: Complete Schedule of Events
• Thursday, April 5 at 6 to 8:30 p.m. – During ArtWalk, festival dancers will perform at selected art galleries
• Wednesday, April 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. – Master class by Frank Chaves of River North Dance Chicago, Laguna Playhouse
• Thursday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. – Performance by River North Dance Chicago; pre-performance talk at 6:30 p.m. with artistic director Frank Chaves, Laguna Playhouse
• Friday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. – Performance by BalletX – premiere work choreographed by Jodie Gates; pre-performance talk with artistic directors Matthew Neenan and Christine Cox at 6:30 p.m., Laguna Playhouse
• Saturday, April 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Master class by Tara Keating of BalletX, Laguna Beach High School Dance Studio
• Saturday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m.  – Stars of Dance gala performance with New York City Ballet’s Tiler Peck and Joaquin DeLuz, Colorado Ballet’s Maria Mosina and Alexei Tyukov. A post-performance VIP fundraising party will be held; location tbd.
• Sunday, April 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Master class by Joaquin DeLuz of New York City Ballet, Laguna Beach High School Dance Studio
• Sunday, April 15 at 2 p.m. – Stars of Dance matinee performance, Laguna Playhouse; pre-performance talk with the dancers at 1 p.m.

River North Dance Chicago \ Photo courtesy of William Frederking

Every second Wednesday of the month from 5-7 p.m., Pelican Grill features California wine tastings for Resort guests and locals. Enjoy six great wines and a chef’s selection of light bites.

Cost is $25 per person.

Eno-Versity Highlights the Parallels Between Wines and Fragrances

Guests will enjoy an evening of fine wine and fragrances at CHANEL Eno-Versity, Friday, April 6, 2012 at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel.  The exclusive Eno-Versity class will define the parallels between factors influencing the creation of unique fragrances and fine wines. CHANEL will highlight select fragrances and share key pieces of information with guests, helping them to understand their olfactory sense of style.

Guests will discover the fragrance that compliments their persona and style based on which individual characteristics and family of aromas they are most attracted to. This will be tied in directly to the similarities of the relationship between a person and their preferred wine style. The nose, or olfactory sense, is the most important tool in not only smelling a wine, but in tasting it. Guests will learn to use this sense to smell and then taste the specific characteristics of each wine.

CHANEL Eno-Versity will be held in Eno starting at 6 p.m. and is $45 per person. Guests can register for Eno-Versity by calling Resort Services at 949-240-2000.

JoAnne Artman Gallery, Presents in the Main Gallery: “Girls, Girls, Girls” | New Works by Belgium-Born Artist Anja Van Herle

April 5, 2012 – May 31, 2012

Opening Reception: April 5, 2012 from 6 - 9 p.m. to coincide with Laguna Beach ArtWalk. Please RSVP: 949-510-5481 by April 1, 2012.

Girls, Girls, Girls
Alluring, Classic, Emotive and Striking.

Anja Van Herle specializes in large-scale portraiture featuring beautifully expressive women with a powerfully enticing presence. Anja’s “Girls” originate from the combination of working with models and pure whimsical fantasy, creating women of tangible imagination: beauty that is both born and bred.

Born in Belgium in 1969, Anja Van Herle combines a European sense of high fashion in her artwork with an American sense of wonder. Her childhood years were devoted to exploring the fundamentals of her art using crayons, pencils and watercolors. In 1987, she enrolled in Belgium’s Higher Institute for Art Education where she earned a Master’s of Fine Arts in Painting. In 2003, Anja relocated to Los Angeles, where she now concentrates on figurative paintings that are inspired by both classic and contemporary fashion while exploring issues of identity, emotion and human interrelationships. As timelessly chic as Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Anja’s women are playfully sexy, and their expressions and eyes tell stories that go far beyond the simple exhibition of fine fashion.

“My work is an attempt to capture the complexity of emotions that are conveyed in the human face. I’ve been painting portraits since I was a child, continually drawing closer to the face and eyes in order to explore the emotions they contain. There’s a story behind every face; my paintings are an attempt to tell these stories by capturing delicate facial expressions and juxtaposing them with vibrant color and the dramatic interplay of shadow and light that both inform my subjects and maintain their enigmatic aura. I’m constantly delighted by the various interpretations my work receives. For some, a subject may be pensive, while to others it may be seductive or confrontational. Part of the viewing experience is for a viewer to attach his or her own emotional meaning to a work,” Anja Van Herle.

On Thursday, April 5 at 6 to 8:30 p.m.—during ArtWalk—festival dancers will perform at selected art galleries.

Comejoin us for a day of self-discovery, self expression, celebration and inspiration and take away a new awareness of you. The theatrical aspect of the event will feature celebrity panel discussions offering insight into how you might best express yourself in life, love and business, comedy skits from “The Funniest Housewives of Orange County” and a mixed panel of men and women discussing how to find your soulmate, followed by a singles mixer with Hollywood’s matchmaker, Renee Piane. On the fairgrounds: live music by Christina Duane and Larisa Stow & Shakti Tribe, belly dancing, fashion shows, gourmet food, yoga lessons, raffles and silent auctions, special workshops, vendors and “handsome male hosts.”

The Coliseum Pool & Grill, at Pelican Hill Resort®, partners with Southern California brew master, Karl Strauss. Chef Marc pairs a custom five-course menu to our full flight of five hand-crafted draft beers. Karl Strauss brew masters, alongside Chef Marc, will narrate the entire dining experience, masterfully pairing the flavors of brew and food. Cost is $65 per person; pricing excludes tax and gratuity.

Dancing for Tomorrow’s Stars will be a spectacular evening of dinner and ballroom dancing competition to raise funds for the philanthropic programs of Assistance League of Newport-Mesa.

ALNM is a nonprofit, self-funded volunteer organization that benefits children and families of NEWPORT-MESA through a variety of philanthropic programs including the Cheri Harris Children’s Dental Health Center, Operation School Bell®, Kids on the Block® and a Community Outreach Program.

A writing workshop for beginning or seasoned writers. Lots of ideas for creating a first-person narrative writing-focused on travel, food or memoir. Individual response included. Contact kabajian@gmail.com for more information and enrollment details.

Experience The Spa at Pelican Hill’s transforming mind, body and spirit wellness experience. One-day or two-day “Build Your Own Retreat” options are available each month.

The Laguna Laughter Club presents “Festival of Joy,” a five-day retreat featuring Laughter Yoga, hikes in nature, and creative art workshops. The celebration occurs Wednesday through Sunday March 21-25 at the Glen Ivy Center. Activities at the retreat are designed to improve health, develop appreciation for nature, stimulate creativity, build and deepen friendships, and ensure a positive and cheerful life attitude. 

Highlights include a Laughter and Chocolate Tasting session; Music & Dancing, Yoga & Massage; and easy hikes to meadows, orchards, and a natural freshwater creek.  To assure good feelings and friendly relations, two Laughter Yoga sessions will be offered each day. Plenty of free time is on the retreat schedule, during which participants may (with daily half-price vouchers) go to the world-class Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa (glenivy.com) which borders the retreat facility.

Fee for the Festival of Joy programming is $150 (lodging/meals/facility use at the Glen Ivy Center is additional). Registration for the “Festival of Joy” retreat is now available online, or contact the producers at Info@LYInstitute.org  or call 949-376-1939.

Come to the Regency Theater in San Juan Capistrano on March 14 to see where you are in the Milky Way.  UCI Professor James Bullock will present episode 10 of “CosmosJoin us as we explore t” created by renowned American science popularizer Carl Sagan.  Learn all about the Milky Way and how it got started. 

Using super-computer simulations and analytic models, see how galaxies and their constituent dark matter halos form. You can also see Dr. Bullock on National Geographic’s “Inside the Milky Way” available on Blu-Ray and on Netflix.

PLUS: The Voyager Spacecraft ONSTAGE!

Bring the whole family to see this event.  Don’t miss it.

Every second Wednesday of the month from 5-7 p.m., Pelican Grill features California wine tastings for Resort guests and locals. Enjoy six great wines and a chef’s selection of light bites. Cost is $25 per person.

Join in on an afternoon of food, fun and friendly competition at Pacific Edge Hotel. Enjoy a cocktail competition with some of Orange County’s hottest mixologists.* Nosh on beach fare with a neighborhood chef challenge and passed appetizers from The Deck. All of this while feasting your eyes on our friendly pro-am surfing competition.

Proceeds go to Mauli Ola, benefitting children with Cystic Fibrosis.

A line-up of phenomenal mixologists from Laguna Beach and the Orange County Bartender’s Cabinet is set for the bartender competition aspect of the event. They are:
Erik Trickett, working with Angel’s Envy Bourbon
Gabrielle Dion, working with Zaya Rum
Giovanni Labile, working with St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
Danielle Tarango, working with Chase Vodka
Steve Garcia, working with Peligroso Tequila

Space is limited. To reserve your spot, please contact the Sales and Events team at 949-281-5704 or PacificEdgeEvents@PacificEdgeHotel.com

Yve Evans & Co. Plus Three perform Gospel for your entertainment.

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 1500 people. With her three and a half octave range, music critic Don Heckman writes “She sings Jazz. She sings Blues. She sings Gospel. And she accompanies herself with hard swinging piano backing. Evans is in other words the real deal.”

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. The event is part of Laguna Beach a la Carte – A Food & Wine Experience, March 8-11.

Brunch starts at 11 a.m. with champagne tasting and is continuous to 1 p.m.; the Gospel show begins at 11:30. Tickets are $40/person and may be purchased online or a check may be mailed to Laguna Beach Live!, P.O. Box 9336, Laguna Beach, CA 92652.

Yve Evans & Co. Plus Three perform Gospel for your entertainment.

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 1500 people. With her three and a half octave range, music critic Don Heckman writes “She sings Jazz. She sings Blues. She sings Gospel. And she accompanies herself with hard swinging piano backing. Evans is in other words the real deal.”

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. The event is part of Laguna Beach a la Carte – A Food & Wine Experience, March 8-11, 2012: (lagunabeachinfo.com/foodies/alacarte)

Brunch starts at 11 a.m. with champagne tasting and is continuous to 1 p.m.; the Gospel show begins at 11:30 a.m.

Tickets are $40/person and may be purchased below or a check may be mailed to Laguna Beach Live!, PO Box 9336, Laguna Beach, CA 92652.

Local nonprofit Working Wardrobes is asking for wardrobe donations and calling on day-of volunteers for its Dream Girls and Distinguished Gentlemen Prom event on March 10 at the Hilton Hotel in Irvine. Supporters will help 150 low-income high school seniors find the perfect dress or tuxedo for their prom. Prom is a special part of the high school experience and, with the generous support of the community, Working Wardrobes is helping these students enjoy a momentous occasion without feeling burdened financially. As part of the effort, participating students also will attend etiquette, self-esteem and life-choices workshops and be treated to a fashion show.

Saturday, March 10, from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Mark your calendars for a four-day celebration of food and wine in Laguna Beach. Enjoy special offers from various restaurants, a Saturday signature event benefiting CHOC Children’s Hospital, prix-fixe menus, daily events, chef demonstrations and more. You don’t want to miss it!

This event is organized by the Laguna Beach Visitors & Conference Bureau.

Artfully melding the rich folk melodies of America with classical techniques, Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, nicknamed “From the New World,” represents both the triumph and tragedy the Czech composer saw in American music when he visited in 1892 — today performed by the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Visit the website or contact the Box office for tickets: (714) 755-5799

Tickets start at $18.

Charitable event in an effort to raise moneys to replenish grants that were gifted out to Laguna artists during last winter’s floods.

The event takes place on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 7 p .m. There will be a reception at Tivoli Terrace with complimentary Champagne and Hors d’oeuvres and a no host bar. Then at 8 p.m., the show at Forum Theater On the grounds of the Festival of Arts begins featuring Jason Feddy in “Shakespeare’s Fool” performing songs and speeches from the plays of William Shakespeare.

Tickets are $50 per person. Seats are limited and distributed on a “first come first serve” basis. Seat assignments will be confirmed by email by an Artists’ Benevolence Fund Trustee. Tickets will be held at Will Call for pick up the night of the performance.

The Artists’ Benevolence Fund is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Charitable Trust. For additional information contact: suethompsonart@gmail.com.

Engage your imagination and travel through a magical forest to find a house made of candy!  Based on the enchanting story by The Brothers Grimm, this condensed version of Humperdinck’s opera features talented singers and is designed just for kids.

There are two shows. Times are 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Pacific Symphony’s Family Musical Mornings are fun and fascinating 45-minute concerts designed especially for children ages 5-11. Enjoy family fun time together while enhancing your child’s (or grandchild’s) love of music.

During the Musical Carnival, enjoy free hands-on activities for children, who can meet Symphony musicians, sing, dance, play, color, try musical instruments and enjoy themselves in thematic activities related to the concert. 9 a.m. for 10 a.m. concertgoers; 12:15 p.m. for 11:30 a.m. concertgoers.

Visit the website or contact the Box Office for tickets: 714-755-5799

Tickets start at $19.

Now in its 21st year, Temecula Valley wineries are opening their cellar doors March 3-4 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for the annual winter barrel tasting event, known as World of Wine. This two-day event, hosted by the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association, offers passport holders a chance to sample both wine and food at 30+ wineries along the Rancho California and De Portola wine roads. The weekend passport includes wine tastings from both barrel and bottle, allowing guests to taste current releases as well as wines that are not yet available for purchase. In addition, fine food pairings are provided to ensure guests don’t go away hungry or thirsty.

Korean pianist Joyce Yang offers Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, one of the repertoire’s most powerful, most demanding and most popular works. Rossini’s “Semiramide” is seldom performed in full, but the overture and arias have received constant acclaim. “The Miraculous Mandarin” is Bartok at his most colorful and dramatic.

Contact the Box Office for tickets: (714) 755-5799

Tickets start at $25

Opening night of brilliant, abstract art by Juan Z. Cervantes, the creator of Passionate Expressionism. Meet the artist, enjoy wine tasting from Newport Beach Vineyard and Winery, appetizers from Cafe Lucca and a portion of all sales will be donated to the Southern California Hospice Foundation to benefit their important work. Free Valet parking provided.

RSVP and more info on the website.

Innovation in wedding rings ... After all these years?

With homage, and a little twist, to the tradition of “a ring by spring,” Silver Blue & Gold presents Ring 4 Spring, an exhibition of unique engagement, wedding, and just-for-fun rings by 18 acclaimed studio jewelers. The exhibition runs March 1 to May 20.

Get the close personal attention you deserve with your eating and lose weight with a local dietitian and chef.  You will make 15 small eating changes over the course of 4 full weeks to change your relationship with food…forever. 

Maro Wood Grill brings another Argentinean culinary tradition to Laguna Beach locals: “Ñoquis del 29”- Gnocchis of the 29th. Every 29th of the month Argentinean’s prepare at home Ñoquis in the company of friends and family. Ñoquis are also part of the daily menu in restaurants across the country. Maro will serve Ñoquis every 29th of the month respecting all parts of the tradition!

Backstory:
Some believe that the tradition of serving Ñoquis on the 29th is from a legend that goes back to the VIII century. Then lived in Nicosia (Greater Asia), a young doctor named Pantaleon, who, after converting to Christianity, traveled through northern Italy. He performed miraculous cures for which he was canonized. Once when asked Venetian farmers for some bread, they invited him to share their poor table. Grateful, Pantaleon announced an excellent year of fishing and crops. The prophecy was fulfilled and many other miracles. St. Pantaleon was consecrated, on par with San Marcos-Patron of Venice. This episode occurred at a 29th, therefore it is remembered that day with a simple meal represented by the gnocchi. The accompanying ritual of putting money under the plate symbolizes the desire for new gifts. It is customary to leave a money under the plate for (a thought of “contagious magic”) in this way to attract luck and prosperity to the diner.

Others, say it was a group of housewives in the 1970’s that made the tradition widespread. A way to celebrate an otherwise dreary time of the month for most households the last days of the month before pay day, when money runs short.

“Regardless of the origin,” says owner Maro Molteni, “the important part of the tradition is to enjoy the food, the place and the company.” “ ...and don’t forget to check under the plate…”

For more information contact Maro Wood Grill at 949-793-4044 or visit the website.

Looking for a great venue for your special day? Join us at Tivoli Terrace and Tivoli Too, February 26th from 12-3pm for our Open House! We will be offering a great booking incentive for anyone that books with us at this event! Please call 949-494-9650 to make a reservation.

Guard a Heart will be presenting the first Guardian of Hearts award to Larry King in recognition of his contribution to saving lives through the Larry King Cardiac Foundation. The Award will be presented at a pre-Oscar party at the Avalon Ballroom in Hollywood on February 25, 2012. This exclusive event will bring together prominent citizens from fields as diverse as politics and medicine, in honor of Larry King.

Invitational/RSVP Required at guardaheart.org/gala2012

Join AnQi this Fashionably Late Friday for a sneak peak at Porsche Design’s Spring & Summer 2012 Collection for Men and Women. DJ, dancing, and drinks half off as models wearing Porsche Design wander the party in their latest looks. Porsche is giving away one pair of limited edition Porsche Design sunglasses from their new collection to one lucky guest. Come by to check out a line up of the New Porsche 911 model parked outside! Fashionably Late Fridays at AnQi start at 10PM.

There is no cover charge.

Real Blues Festival of Orange County founder Papa J performs in The Voodoo Lounge at House Of Blues this Thursday, February 23.

The show starts at 9 p.m. No cover. For additional information, call 714-328-9375 or visit the website.

Carl St.Clair, conductor
Vadim Gluzman, violin
Paul Jacobs, organ

Daugherty: Work for organ, brass and percussion (World premiere)
Barber: Adagio for Strings
Daugherty: Radio City for Orchestra (A musical fantasy on Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra (1937-54)) (American premiere)
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto

Tchaikovsky’s dazzling violin concerto is a test of skill for any violinist, but Vadim Gluzman, who performed Brahms last season in Orange County, is up to the task. In only eight minutes, Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” will take listeners from the depths of sadness to the heights of joy. And we’ll hear two exciting premieres from Michael Daugherty, including a musical fantasy on the radio broadcasts of Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony in NBC Studio 8-H in New York City’s Rockefeller Center (1937-54).

Tickets start at $25.

Embark on a true culinary adventure without even packing a bag. Join Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel Executive Chef Andres Jimenez at his monthly Chef’s Table Dinner. Each month, he selects a seasonal theme and, along with other chefs from his culinary team, presents a four-course tasting menu with each course showcasing a different chef’s talents as they relate to the theme.

Chef’s Tables are held monthly in the resort’s Private Dining Room. The dinners start at 7 p.m. and are $169 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuity and wine pairing.

Thursday, February 23 – Market to Table
Experience how ordinary ingredients found at any market can be turned into an extraordinary menu. Chef Jimenez showcases how it’s not the ingredients, but rather what is done with the ingredients than can make for a true culinary experience.

Thursday, March 29 – 250 Miles of Cuisine
The focus on local and regional cuisine has never been more important and, in March, Chef Jimenez creates a menu utilizing only ingredients harvested, picked or raised within 250 miles of the resort.  Guests will also learn about what ingredients are available within the region and how they can be turned into an amazing menu.

Thursday, April 19 – Mushrooms, Mushrooms, Mushrooms
Few ingredients are as versatile as the mushroom.  Mushrooms are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free and very low in sodium and, can also be featured as a dessert. In April, Chef Jimenez presents four wild mushrooms expertly prepared four different ways. A must eat experience.

Thursday June 28 – A Sneak Peak of Summer
June 20 is the first official day of summer.  Chefs Jimenez and his team prepare a Chef’s Table that offers a sneak peak on the benefits of additional sunlight. Experience dishes from the year’s best season (in the Chef’s opinion) for fresh, healthy, light produce and ingredients that will tempt the pallet all summer long.

For more information or reservations call 800-241-3333, or visit The Ritz-Carlton website.

Backstory on the Chefs
Executive Chef Andres Jimenez
Chef Jimenez joined the resort in 2010.  Throughout his tenure with The Ritz-Carlton, Chef Jimenez has served as executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Denver and acting executive sous chef and chef de cuisine at The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne. While in Key Biscayne, he was responsible for all culinary operation of Aria Restaurant which was selected as one of “America’s 50 Best Hotel Restaurants” by Food & Wine. He was also instrumental in the launch and re-conception of the Cantina Beach and Cioppino Restaurant which was named one of “America’s Best News Restaurants” by Esquire.  Jimenez’s career also includes positions as chef de cuisine, specialty chef, and head pastry chef in locations including the West Indies, Costa Rica and France. 

RAYA Chef Marissa Gerlach
Chef Gerlach joined the resort in April 2010 as a culinary supervisor on the pre-opening team of RAYA. With her creativity and passion for food she quickly became a key contributor in the success of the restaurant.  Within six months, she was promoted to sous chef where she continued to influence and contribute to the creation of the daily and seasonal menus. She also played a pivotal role in RAYA being recognized as “Restaurant of the Year” by Riviera Orange County in July 2011. Prior to joining RAYA, Chef Marissa worked in kitchens of some of the best restaurants and hotels in California including Studio at Montage Laguna Beach under Chef James Boyce, Bardessono in Yountville, The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa Valley under Chef Christopher Kostow, and Cyrus in Healdsburg under Chef Douglas Keane.

Executive Pastry Chef Brian Sundeen
Chef Sundeen joined the Laguna Niguel culinary team in 2010.  His tenure with Ritz-Carlton includes pastry chef positions at Huntington Hotel & Spa (now the Langham Pasadena), Reynolds Plantation and open pastry chef for Moscow.  Chef Sundeen graduated from the Orange County School of Culinary arts in both culinary and pastry tracts.  He also is a graduate of the French Pastry School in Chicago. 

Assistant Pastry Chef Daniel Dominiquez
Chef Dominiquez joined the resort as a culinary extern while attending California School of Culinary Arts. Following graduation in 2001, he started in the kitchen as Cook 4 and moved his way up until being promoted to Assistant Pastry Chef. 

Banquet Chef Jim Fritz
Chef Fritz has been part of the resort’s culinary team since 1997.  Over the years, he has worked in all areas of the kitchen including the former all day dining restaurant, The Terrace Restaurant, and the Five Diamond, French restaurant, The Dining Room.  Chef Fritz also served for two years as the sous chef in garde manger.  He graduated from Western Culinary Institute in Portland and worked with several catering companies prior to joining the resort.

Chef Tournant Steve Wan
As Chef Tournant, Chef Wan works in all areas of the kitchen. He joined the resort in 2004 and has held positions as main saucier and banquet sous chef.  His first culinary position was as a line cook at Ocean Avenue Seafood in Santa Monica. He also spent time in the kitchens of McCormick and Schmnicks and Flemings Prime Steakhouse.  He attended the Art Institute of Los Angeles where he earned an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Management

Garde Manger Chef Jorge Bribiesca
Chef Bribiesca joined the resort in 1998 as garde manger sous chef.  He was promoted to garde manger chef in 2006.  He also serves as the resort’s sushi chef, hand preparing all of the sushi for 180blu, The Market Place, The Ritz-Carlton Club and all banquet events. Chef Bribiesca graduated with a culinary degree from Orange Coast College.

Banquet Sous Chef Filip Cervinka
Chef Cervinka became a part of the culinary team in 2010.  He has worked as sous chef, saucier and butcher at the resort.  Prior to joining the resort, he was chef de cuisine at Pepperstone Steak House in St. Louis. He is a graduate of SOU Culinary Arts program and has studied management and marketing of hotel dining at SCMSD.

In Room Dining Chef Benjamin Ynda
Chef Ynda joined the resort in 2001 and has held culinary positions in the resort’s restaurant, pastry and banquet kitchens. As In Room Dining Chef, he is also responsible for the Organic Food Bar in Ambassadors of the Environment.  Prior to becoming a chef, he worked as a mechanical engineer and site manager.

Tantalize your taste buds. Join Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel Executive Chef Andres Jimenez at his monthly Chef’s Table Dinner. Each month, he selects a seasonal theme and, along with other chefs from his culinary team, presents a four-course tasting menu with each course showcasing a different chef’s talents as they relate to the theme.

This month’s theme is Market to Table.

Experience Ritz-Carlton style, how common ingredients are expertly prepared into a feast. It’s not the ingredients itself, but rather what you do with it. Every ingredient used at this Chef’s Table can easily be found in your grocery store. Tantalize your senses with the feast prepared by the culinary team at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel. Dinner begins at 7 p.m.

Thursday, February 23, 2012 – 7 p.m., Private Dining Room. Click here for additional information.

Join Actress Geena Davis, Secretary of State Debra Bowen, Senate Leader Ellen Corbett and Congresswoman Linda Sanchez at a fundraising event in support of the California Commission on the Status of Women.

RSVP to Melahat Rafiei (949-350-7733) melahat@canowfoundation.org

Help Save the California Commission on the Status of Women
In his 2012/2013 Budget Proposal, Governor Jerry Brown announced the elimination of the California Commission on the Status of Women-­-­the ONLY state agency that for 47 years has been mandated to advocate for gender equity in state governance.

Join California NOW, U.S. National Committee for UN Women, the Women’s Foundation of California, American Association of University Women (CA), Women in Leadership and Project in support of the Commission’s ongoing work on behalf of women. Gender equity must be the law -­-­ implemented as part of every government decision.

Your support will help ensure gender analysis of all legislation; protect gender equity mandates; and promote advocacy on all issues that impact California’s 18.7 million women and girls.

Lesley Domiano is a valued, long-time Laguna Beach resident. She has been battling Myelodysplastic Syndrome for four years. She needs a bone marrow transplant to live. Come and enjoy food with friends and meet Lesley in person and find out why we are so passionate about finding a donor for her. By swabbing your mouth, you may be able to save Lesley’s life. By seeing if you match and are able to donate marrow, which regenerates n 30-45 days, you can save her life, a child’s life or some other loved one’s life. When donating marrow, there is no cost to the donor. For more information, look at www.marrow.org.

Food + Swabs* on March 7 at Mozambique; 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.  Come to help save Lesley’s life. RSVP 949-241-3267

* A Q-Tip swab of the mouth is all that is needed to check the DNA match.

Available to All High School Seniors Who Reside in Laguna Beach or Attend Laguna Beach High School- Due March 16, 2012

For over 50 years, the Festival of Arts scholarship program has supported rising young artists by making it possible for students to pursue college studies in the arts. The four-year, highly competitive scholarships are awarded to students who excel in Film, Performing Arts (dance, music and theatre arts- including performance and production), Visual Arts and Writing.  Applicants may apply for any or all of the four categories, but will only be awarded one scholarship. 
Scholarship applications are now available online on the Festival’s website or at the Festival of Arts office. An applicant must be a graduating high school senior who resides in Laguna Beach or attends Laguna Beach High School.

Application deadline is March 16, 2012.

Auditions and interviews will be scheduled in March and April 2012. Scholarship awards begin at a minimum of $1,000 and can be renewed for a total of four one-year scholarships. Students must reapply each summer for a continuation of scholarship status.
For general scholarship information, call Michelle Reindl at 949-464-4201 or visit the website.

Take in some great jazz and enjoy terrific food in the new intimate club atmosphere of the Laguna Room of Hotel Laguna. It’s one show, starting at 6:00 p.m. with an intermission. 

Cover is $12/online and $15/at the door. Special season ticket pricing is available. Room opens at 4:30 p.m. for sunset viewing. Food and beverages are available for purchase. Reservations are accepted if pre-paid online (sorry, no refunds or exchanges).
The Series is every two weeks, January 18 - April 11, with a variety of the best jazz musicians.
January 18: The Latin Jazz Syndicate, featuring Bijon Watson on trumpet (thelatinjazzsyndicate.com)
February 1: Bill Cunliffe Trio (billcunliffe.com)
February 15: Carol Welsman Trio (carolwelsman.com)
February 29: Bossa Zuzu, featuring Dan Reckard (bossazuzu.com)
March 14: Josh Nelson Quartet (joshnelsonmusic.com)
March 28: Joshua White Trio (Facebook.com/JoshuaWhite.MusicPage)
April 11: Jeff Hamilton Trio, http://www.hamiltonjazz.com

JoAnne Artman Gallery, presents in the Main Gallery:
EXUBERANCE: New Works by Colombian-American Artist America Martin
February 1, 2012 – March 31, 2012
Opening Reception: Feb. 2, 2012 from 6 - 9 p.m. to coincide with Laguna Beach Art Walk
Please RSVP: 949-510-5481 by Feb. 1, 2012

Ex·u·ber·ance ( g-z b r- ns): An overflowing amount; an outburst; an abundance!  All describe the works of America Martin!  We are pleased to announce America’s third solo exhibition with amazing new works of pure joy!

America Martin is a Colombian-American fine artist based in Los Angeles. She is a traveler between mediums, insouciant in the conquest of new terrain.  Martin’s favorite landscape is that of the human form, her work is distinguished by a command of line and color, making playful reference to both classic and indigenous art forms.

About her work, America says, “The artist cannot be idle. It is only duty, love and discipline that make art. Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working. The artist is gluttonous, constantly devouring life in order to translate all that she sees, smells, lives or breathes into her own language. Why, and for what? For the blistering personal joy that comes when one is doing something of and about truth. There is no choosing this life. An artist paints because she must,” America Martin.
America’s art reflects influences of Cubism, Fauvism and Minimalism.  With these combining forces she creates fresh, colorful palettes radiating with soft, subdued colors.  Her use of thick, continuous lines with flat, two-dimensional forms in single picture planes are reminiscent of Picasso’s early cubist works, dating 1906-1909, shaping canvases with a soft Cubist manner.  America’s arrangement of geometric shapes and figures mirrors the conceptual desires of the Minimalist movement, as seen in artists such as Frank Stella, including cubic forms lacking repetition and equality.  Another underlying inspiration found amongst her pieces is that of the school of Fauvism.  Concentrated colors painted over landscapes of distorted forms of rudimentary subject matter equate to that of the early 20th century “Wild Beast” artists that embraced a poetic, yet quiet energy. America Martin’s work will inspire, provoke, engage and mesmerize.

The Gallery is open Wednesdays-Sundays from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., and by appointment. Visit the first Thursday from 6 - 9 p.m. of any month to coincide with the Laguna Beach Art Walk. Street parking is available directly in front of the Gallery as well as the Downtown Parking structure located at Glenneyre Street. Take a stroll through the galleries and studios. See art come alive in North Laguna!

Our first movie night in December was a great success, with over 70 people in attendance, and we’re continuing the series this month with a presentation of “How to Boil A Frog.”

The film’s a comedic documentary about “Overshoot”, defined as too many people using up too little planet much too fast. The movie will give you the Big Picture of what’s is going on with our so-called civilization, and tells you what we can do about it, that will not only actually make a difference (no light bulbs!) but also make our lives better right now.

“How to Boil a Frog” is especially useful for people struggling with paralyzing guilt, despair and/or ignorance over the state of the environment. “If you believe you can make a difference, you can; if you don’t believe you can’t make a difference, you can’t.”

One interesting effect of deciding to act is that citizens come together in cooperative ways to fight for their communities—and the can make a lot of friends, (just as we do in Transition Laguna.) Rare in our society where competition and the acquisition of private property and goods are more valued than our relationships with each other….

Come by early with a dish for the vegetarian potluck at 6:00 p.m. The film will be screened at 7:00 p.m. $5 donation suggested.