Sawdust Art Festival - Originally Published 2010

So what exactly is the Sawdust Art Festival?

There was a time when the music and antics of the Beatles were considered shocking and a threat to the well being of young people.  Then the world turned a few times.  Now, they’re an institution.  You can take a ride to your local target and pick up and infant’s onesie silk-screened with the cover art from Sergeant Pepper’s.

It seems that the difference between shocking and benign is just a little bit of time.  Take Che Guevara, for example.  He seems to have a pretty good PR guy in his court.  Keep in mind his role in history.  He was a friend of Castro and one of the fellows that helped to install a communist government in Cuba.  In case you don’t know, in the fifties that was considered a bad thing.

And so our discussion turns to the annual Sawdust Art Festival held in Laguna Beach.  Originally, this gathering of local artists was a protest against the judging in other competitions.  Forty years later, it has been embraced by the populous and serves as a place for artisans to display their wares.

Art is in the eye of the beholder.  What is for sale really runs the gamut; some of it is incredibly commercial and some of it is progressive.  The important thing about the festival is that it allows local artists to be working artists.   

Orange International Street Fair - Originally Published 2010

You’ll have to forgive me, but I peaked ahead at the end of the book.  I know how it all turns out.  I’ll keep the majority of it to myself but I will tell you this much.  In heaven, there are not restaurants.  Not a one.  Just street food.  One guy who knows how to do one thing really well and that’s all he does.

The Orange International Street Fair is an event that may give you a general idea of what heaven is like.  Set up around the intersection of Glassell and Chapman, the fair is divided into sections that all represent a cuisine from a given region.

Some nice souvlaki at Greek Street.

I have no idea what you call these things, but now I am planning to one day visit Norway.

Good tacos and ceviche over on Mexican Street.

I’m not sure what qualified it as Australian Ice Cream but it was good.

Feel free to spend lots of money there because it all goes to support local charities, schools, and sport teams.

Tandoori Garden - Originally Published 2010

You remember those cartoons where some guy would be crawling through the desert saying “water, water”?  I think Sesame Street did one in Spanish where the guy wandered and said “agua, agua”.

 Let’s all hope that never happens to me.  I don’t think I would make it.  I feel like I would wander the desert saying “chicken tikki masala, chicken tikki masala”.

Thankfully, I don’t have to wander the desert looking for savory Indian dishes because there’s a great place right in my own backyard.  Good food, good service, and if you mention Yelp, you get a discount.

Empanada Place - Originally Published 2010

Some things are just right.  Without question, they just make sense.  They are not trendy.  They are not specific an to age groups.  They have universal appeal.  Rare they are.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the empanada.  And while we’re at it, I’ll also give you a place that serves them.  It’s called Empanada’s Place. 

Dough filled with meat and vegetables.  So simple and yet so right.

Pirates - Originally Published 2010

Showbiz can be a real bitch sometimes.  There’s an old joke in the business.  There’s this guy whose job is to sweep up after the elephants in the circus.  All day long, he complains about sweeping up after the elephants.

So one day his friend tells him he should quit.  And the guy says, “What?  And give up showbiz?”

It’s like the other night when Mai and I went out to dinner.  We decided to try this place around the corner called Pirates.  Once again, that fickle goddess Showbiz decides to rear her ugly head. 

There I am, trying to enjoy my roasted chicken and I get a tap on the shoulder.  “Sir, can you come with me?

I guess he must have recognized me from this website. One second, I’m eating and the next second, I’m dressed as a pirate and carrying a chest of gold onto the stage.

There’s no business like show business.