Last Sunday was a stunning day. Don and  I decided to take a drive and  to catch the sunset in Laguna Beach.  We had never been before and we were due for an adventure. Our day began with our weekly jaunt to one of the local Farmers Markets in the area to stock  up on organic Vegies. One of our favorite Farmers Market is in the Pacific Palisades. It is really lively and like all the Farmers Markets in SoCal they have some amazing deals and  super tasty, freshly picked food. After, we got our loot  we decided to have lunch at this quaint little restaurant called Micks Cafe, which was only about a block away from the market.  The atmosphere was really cute, friendly, and eclectic. The outside garden seating is  the best, (We love al fresco dinning and look for it where ever we go), but when our food arrived it was kind of a disappointment.  It lacked the luster of the delightful atmosphere that we were dining in.

After eating we decided to hit the road to Laguna Beach. it is only about hour away from Santa Monica. The drive down 405 to Laguna is kind of yucky, very urban as you pass this really foreboding industrial plant on the right. But once your off the 405 and merge onto the Highway 133, which takes you into Laguna Beach, you know you are in a special place. The energy just totally changes.(A little tip do not take the toll road CA-73 to 133 it cost a whopping $4.75 and it is  kind of short and lame. Just take the 405 and then merge onto 133).

When we arrived in Laguna Beach it was surreal at 1:00 pm the fog had rolled in and we could see nothing,except for the shadowy bodies of folks on the beach. The fog was as they say “was like pea soup.” We decided to stop at a beach and check out what was in the mist. Don was feeling inspired, so he brought his guitar and started to serenade Mama Ocean. Luckily, the temp was really nice it was in the high 70’s.

I think Don’s siren worked as the fog began to lift and we got to see exactly where we were. We then decided to hop in the car and check out the town.  We parked and walked around. The downtown is pretty much like all tourist spots in the US with commercial galleries, lots of restaurants,fudge, and boutiques. It was kind of cute. Don is below in the pic sitting and hanging out with the public art.

After our little exploration of the town, I was craving some fried calamari  and the ocean. We walked up the street and found a cool place called The Cliff Restaurant. The giant appeal was that they had a nice sized outside seating deck with an amazing panoramic vista. Don and I both looked at each and we knew we had  found the perfect spot to watch the sunset in Laguna Beach.  We ordered our food and some beer and waited timelessly for the sun to set. We had ordered fried calamari and a turkey burger. The calamari was pretty good it had a  nice seasoning.

Wow!! It was amazing. The vista at the The Cliff Restaurant is extraordinary and the food was not bad. And tonight the sunset was definitely a masterpiece and deserved a standing ovation. Thank you Earth!! We do live in paradise.

We left Laguna Beach feeling like we drank a large cup of Carpe Diem, an elixir of refreshment, bliss, and balance.

Laguna is an awesome place for a day trip. And we will go again!!