Sue, The Light In Paul's Life!

She is Perfection!

Tradition; A Visit To Laguna's Art Festivals And Lunch!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month

To the wilds of Laguna Canyon we go! We first stopped for lunch and then walked through Art-A-Fair and the Sawdust Festival. After that we went to the Laguna Canyon Winery and then to Kobe Steakhouse and Patty's Place!

Did You Know? - Laguna Canyon (also called Cañada de las Lagunas, meaning "Lake Canyon" in Spanish) is the name of a canyon that cuts through the San Joaquin Hills in southern Orange County, California, in the United States, directly south of the city of Irvine. The canyon runs from northeast to southwest, and is drained on the north side by tributaries of San Diego Creek and on the south by Laguna Canyon Creek. It is deeper and more rugged on the southwestern end near Laguna Beach.

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
People will build anywhere!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month

Our first stop is Art-A-Fair because in the back there is Tivoli Too, a great little restaurant that we have been dining at for almost 10 years! This trip was, however, a disappointment as all the veggie selections are gone (Jalapeno popper's are gone, the black beans (cooked in lard) and rice (cooken in chicken broth) were not vegetarian.

We engineered something for Sue to eat but definitely going to change the tradition next year.

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Through the portal and we enter the display area for local artists, and...

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Hey... The wine was pretty good!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
"Perhaps better than expected"

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Our view from our table outside the office

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
We could hear the waterfalls from out table

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Mr. and Mrs. - Enjoying the day!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
The bougainvillea was especially bright today...

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
The water comes rushing down the side of the mountain!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Clay friends enjoying the sound!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
She is singing "Bye Bye Birdie"

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
The sun was just right to display the red beauty

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Listen carefully, you can hear the buzzing

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Our bartender awaits for another signal to do a delivery

 

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
We honor the request of the artists to NOT take photos near their work
so you will have to go down there and see it for yourselves!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
"OK... Where next oh great guide?"

We are off to the famous Sawdust Festival which is about 700 feet up the road from Art-A-Fair. It was a nice walk as the ocean breeze was perfect. We buy season passes to Sawdust and Art-A-Fair because some summers we come several times.

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Those mushrooms have been there for years now...

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Requirement #1 - Listen to the water!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Love that Traxacum (Dandelion)

Did You Know? - Taraxacum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which consists of species commonly known as dandelion. They are native to Eurasia and North America, but the two commonplace species worldwide, T. officinale and T. erythrospermum, were imports from Europe that now propagate as wildflowers.

Both species are edible in their entirety.

The common name dandelion from French dent-de-lion, meaning "lion's tooth", is given to members of the genus.

Like other members of the Asteraceae family, they have very small flowers collected together into a composite flower head. Each single flower in a head is called a floret. Many Taraxacum species produce seeds asexually by apomixis, where the seeds are produced without pollination, resulting in offspring that are genetically identical to the parent plant.

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
The water sounds are very relaxing

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Just leaving??

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
One last look at the grounds before trekking northward!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
"OK my magnificent guide... Take me to the vino!"

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Be careful... You might miss it as you drive Laguna Canyon Highway

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
You will not miss it if you let your nose to the driving!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
"I wonder how this will taste?"

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
"M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m"

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Tomorrow is bottling day for five new wines....

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
The preparations are ready!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
Bottles in place!

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
"These are really really good!"

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
"The Chardonnay and the White Blends are OUTSTANDING!"

Laguna Canyon adventures during Sue's birthday month
"Where next of great guide?"

From Laguna Canyon we went VFR to Kobe Steakhouse to meet up with Greg and share stories and delights. Sue had a glass of wine while Paul was treated to surprises from Manny the Sushi Chef.

After leaving Kobe, we went to Patty's Place and had a drink with "the gang" before going home to watch a little bit of TV. We crashed at 10:00 PM thinking we would not sleep but we both woke up after almost 10 hours of sleep... Guess we needed it!