This beach town is very special for us. This was the location of our first date followed by our very fun wedding, 32 years ago.

Laguna Beach was settled in the 1870s and officially founded in 1887. The city has remained relatively isolated from urban encroachment by its surrounding hills, limited highway access, and a dedicated greenbelt. The coastline is protected by 5.88 miles of state marine reserve and an additional 1.21 miles of state conservation area...thankfully!
The scenic beauty of the isolated coastline and hills attracted plein-air painters in the early 1900s. The first art gallery opened in 1918 with the town showcasing art since. Super Heroes Changing Station, by Robert Holton, is just one example of what we have discovered throughout Laguna (meant to inspire and spread the word that "in all of us is a hero").
Dinner was at The Cliff Restaurant. While not the same business as the one that was there in 1986, this was the location of our very first date.
The current menu was very different from that first lunch together (33 years ago I ate a peanut butter, honey and banana sandwich with a side of Laguna's own Have'A Corn Chips).
We were happy to see that some things don't change (I love those chips)!
We were in town specifically to see this year's Pageant of the Masters®. This not-to-be-missed production is the Festival of Arts’ crowning jewel and arguably one of the most unique productions in the entire world.
We began our evening at the Festival of Arts Fine Art Show. Besides being impressed by exceptional masterpieces, the live music was impressive, too. We thoroughly loved the Brazilian band, Farofa. Wow.




For 86 years, theatergoers have been amazed and enchanted by ninety minutes of tableaux vivants (living pictures), incredibly faithful re­creations of classical and contemporary works of art, with real people posing to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces. An outdoor amphitheater, professional orchestra, original score, live narration, intricate sets, sophisticated lighting, expert staff and hundreds of dedicated volunteers have won recognition for the Pageant of the Masters as the best presentation of its kind.
Marty McFly from Back to the Future and Doctor Who owe a debt to Victorian writer H.G. Wells who published his first novel, The Time Machine, in 1895. Wells tapped into a fascination for time travel that continues to inspire artists in every medium. This year's theme, The Time Machine,  takes audiences around the globe and into the past, present and future in search of great art and amazing stories. Taking its cues from science fiction and steampunk fantasies, The Time Machine was our ticket to thrills, laughter, beautiful music and extraordinary living art under the stars.
The show was not only entertaining with fantastic music and singing but we also learned great history lessons, told through the art pieces.
We were suprised by a couple pieces. We learned of Mary Anning through this painting. She was a 19th century British fossil collector, dealer, and paleontologist who discovered the first ichthyosaur skeleton. Although Mary was later described as “the greatest fossilist” the world ever knew, she did not receive the respect and recognition by the scientific society during her lifetime, and she lived her whole life unrecognized and in poverty. Because of the limitations of her gender and her social class, she was not able to fully participate in scientific research, nor could she be a formal member of the Geological Society of London. Additionally, she did not receive full credit for her work. As a result, her remarkable achievements and life story were only better known long after her death. Mary was included recently in the list of the ten British women who have most influenced the history of science by Royal Society. Interesting, right?
We knew of Nikola Tesla but it was this statue that informed us of his accomplishment of designing the first hydroelectric power plant at Niagara Falls, New York (1895).  This was the beginning of the electrification of the United States and the rest of the world. Now, the inventor of alternating current has a permanent tribute overlooking the Horseshoe Falls at Niagara Falls, Canadian side. So very cool!
This year marks the 500th anniversary of the death of Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci whose Last Supper has been the Pageant’s traditional closing tableau since 1936. We saw Leonardo's Magnum Opus in Milan. Now, to see it come to life here was an emotional end to our fabulous Laguna day.