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tad brunton's review of Laguna Beach California
Are you thinking of moving or relocating to Laguna Beach, California? Would you like to know what the quality of life is like living in Laguna Beach?
| Weather | | Safety | | Neighborhoods | | People | | Laguna Beach is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and its immaculate weather has helped build this reputation. There are no snowstorms or tornadoes like in the midwest, and no hurricanes like in the East, just great weather year-round. However, if you are looking to buy a house in this great town, make sure there are no "geo-problems" listed on the house's papers. This area is prone to mudslides and hill slides and your new house may just slide down the hill one warm night, so beware of this tiny little caveat. | | Laguna is an artist's community with very little crime to speak of. There are, like every other town, car break-ins and bicycle thefts. These are the main crimes in this beach city and they can be annoying and they can be easily prevented. Lock your bike using a Kryptonite type lock, instead of a lock and chain, which can be cut; and always lock your car and never leave anything of value inside the car whether it's locked or not. Windows are easily broken and pursed and laptops can vanish in seconds. | | Laguna Beach has some very expensive homes in some very expensive neighborhoods. But mainly, it looks like a rural community because many of the houses are rustic and look like they were built fifty to seventy years ago, which is probably the truth. However, it's the location of these homes that makes them worth millions of dollars. Downtown Laguna seems to be where tourists and locals congregate. It's a pretty safe area in general and it's a fun area too. A little further south is where you don't want to hang out alone at night and that begins around Calliope St. and goes south until Ruby Street. There are bars and nightclubs in this area that are more for the locals than tourists and that's the way the locals like it. There are plenty of great areas in this town too, such as Bluebird Canyon and the areas near Laguna Beach high School. between Park Ave, and St. Ann's Drive. A lot of new homes in the million dollar and up range and many of these small communities are gated and guarded. | | Laguna is a community that welcomes people of all ethnicities. You do have to have some kind of good income to live there, but if you're an artist, the community will embrace you even if you aren't rich. Laguna is mostly white, however, and if you have long hair and wear strange clothes, generally, people won't give you a second look. You can even own (or not own) an ugly car and you will most likely be accepted. (In general, Orange County is prone to embrace people with BMWs or Mercedes, rather than Chevrolets or Fords). Laguna Beach is different than other towns in the county because of its tolerance and respect for human beings as organisms instead of high-priced car owners. | | Downtown Area | | Restaurants | | Schools | | Single life | | Downtown shopping is fun and exciting in Laguna. There are hundreds of boutique style store fronts downtown, not to mentions the scores of art galleries. Don't forget the annual Sawdust Festival and Art Show in the summer. | | Great restaurants are too plentiful in this town. La Brisas is one of the best places for Mexican food and mingling in the county. For vegetarian food, the Stand is simply the best, and Dizz's in South Laguna is a fabled dimly it bistro that will never cease to impress you. | | Public schools in Laguna rate very high on school rating websites and are among the highest in the county. They should, it's a rich city and taxes can hire great teachers. | | This town was made for romance. All along Coast highway there are terrific restaurants, night clubs and bars - all very clean and even upscale. If you can't meet your soulmate in Laguna Beach, then there is a monastery a few miles down the road that's looking for recruits. | | Noise | | Compared to other places | | Best hospital | | Tourist attractions | | The only noise pollution in this village comes from the pleasant breaking of the waves on the beach. So, if you're lucky enough to live right on the beach in Laguna Beach and are bothered by the sound of waves, then you need to get back on the bus and go home to Iowa. | | Newport beach is next to Laguna Beach and it too, is expensive; probably five times as expensive as Laguna. Newport is not as rustic and certainly not as artistic as Laguna, but it has its attraction as well. Its harbor has thousands of boats, so there's every kind of water sport imaginable in Newport. The homes are rich and unaffordable unless you are part of the 1% gang. However, for beauty, this town can give Laguna Beach a run for its money any day of the week. It's just a different kind of beauty. Aliso Viejo on the east side of Laguna can't hold a candle to this town (or any other town for that matter), as it's rather ugly and had very little greenery to hide that ugliness. It's certainly affordable to live in, but hey, who wants to live in Aliso Viejo? Laguna Beach is the place to live in that area if ever get the opportunity. | | Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo is the famous hospital that serves Laguna Beach and surrounding areas. They have a trauma center and are a full service medical center. One of the best. Only minutes away from Laguna Beach. | | The beach is what Laguna is famous for, besides the art galleries and boutiques. Most people like to buy an ice cream cone and just walk around downtown. It's such a wonderful thing to do. Try it, you will like it. This town is all about enjoying oneself through beauty, nature, food and relaxation. | | General comments | | | | | | | | One of the most beautiful places on Earth! Everything about this town is artistic, from the ocean views to the art galleries and restaurants, even to the people themselves. It's a pleasure to simply drive through this little village. There's always something happening, even when there's really nothing happening. The town just feels alive and it makes you feel alive just being there. No wonder artists started this town years ago. It's the perfect place to paint, write, sculpt and enjoy the natural wonders of the Earth. The ocean is alive too. It's constantly moving and beckoning you to enter. Such a great place! | | | | | | |
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