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Written by Clancy Fort
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Sunday, 24 February 2008 |
Dana Point may very well be one of the top locations in the country to live. Nestled along the Southern California coastline about 70 miles south of Los Angeles and about 65 miles north of San Diego. Dana Point boasts one of the best year round climates you could wish for.
Dana Point was named after Richard Henry Dana Jr., a Harvard- trained lawyer, seaman and author. In his famous sea journal, "Two Years Before the Mast," (1840), Dana documents his voyage from Boston around Cape Horn to California. He describes the area once known as Capistrano Bay as "the most romantic spot on the California coast". Today, Capistrano Bay is known as Dana Point.
Dana Point is characterized by nearly seven miles of coastal bluffs and rolling hills along the Pacific Ocean. The white sandy beaches invite you to swim, surf, or just relax and soak up the sun. The beautiful Dana Point Harbor offers a multitude of specialty shops as well as some of the best restaurants in Orange County. In addition to providing slips and mooring for over 2500 boats, the Harbor is also considered the gateway to Doheny State Park, one of California's most popular beach facilities. The 62 acre State Park offers camping, picnicing, beach activities, bicycling and more.
The city of Dana Point offers two 5 star resorts, the oceanfront Ritz Carlton, and the St. Regis with its 18 hole Monarch Links golf course overlooking the blue pacific. In case all of this wasn't enough, two major shopping malls are within 10, and 20 minutes away, and you are only an hour from Los Angeles, or a weekend in Mexico. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 17 March 2008 )
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Written by Clancy Fort
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Sunday, 24 February 2008 |
Laguna Beach is a unique beach community as well as an artist's colony. The city includes 9 square miles with 7 miles of beautiful beaches running through it. Laguna Beach is and has always been an area dedicated to rest and relaxation. This resort style city is also home to more than 75 art galleries. During the Summer months, several million people visit LagunaBeach to attend The Pagent of the Masters.
This artist's colony began as early as 1903 when Norman St. Claire came from San Francisco to paint the surf, the hillsides and the lagoons that surrounded the area. His artist friends were not only impressed with his paintings, but also with his descriptions of the wonderful climate. Many of these artist friends came to join him in Laguna Beach. In 1918, artist Edgar Payne opened an art gallery and formed the Laguna Beach Art Association which is known today as the Laguna Art Museum.
By the late 1920's, over half of the 300 residents in Laguna Beach were artists and there were still many more to come. In 1932, the Festival of Arts opened with a stage and some booths near the Laguna Hotel. The festival continued to grow and now is famously called The Pagent of the Masters. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 17 March 2008 )
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Written by Clancy Fort
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Sunday, 24 February 2008 |
The beautiful coastal community of Laguna Niguel is a 14.72 square mile planned community located almost exactly halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego. Laguna Niguel was one of the first master planned communities in California. The name, Laguna Niguel, is derived from the Spanish word "laguna" which means lagoon and "nigueli" which was the name of an Indian village once located near Aliso Creek. On December 1, 1989, Laguna Niguel became the 29th city in Orange County and has boasted a strong retail and commercial environment ever since.
Existing and planned use of Laguna Niguel's 9,456 acres includes 3,549 acres for residential use, 276 commercial acres, 223 acres designated for mixed uses, 222 acres for public and institutional facilities and 3,650 acres designated to parks and open spaces.
Over one third of Laguna Niguel is designated open space. This provides for 2 community parks, 23 neighborhood parks, 3 mini parks, 1 dog park, 2 small county parks, 1 skate and soccer park and 2 county regional parks. The Laguna Niguel Regional Park consists of over 80 acres of land surrounding a 44 acre lake which is regularly stocked with catfish, bass, blue gill and trout during the winter months. The park also is proud to provide boating, picnic shelters, hiking, biking and equestrian trails, courts for volleyball and tennis as well as many more year-round activities to enjoy. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 17 March 2008 )
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Written by Clancy Fort
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Sunday, 24 February 2008 |
The land upon which Mission Viejo is developed was part of the 52,000 acre Rancho Mission Viejo. The chain of the title to the land dates all the way back to 1769. In 1965, a master plan for Mission Viejo was approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
Mission Viejo is recognized as one of America's most successful master planned communities. The city prides itself on providing a safe, family environment as well as allowing for easy access to the three major job markets of Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego.
Residents can enjoy swimming, fishing, concerts, summer camps and more at the private Mission Viejo Lake.
Mission Viejo is also home to CHOC at Mission, which is part of the well-known not for profit Children's Hospital of Orange County. CHOC's mission is to "nurture, advance and protect the health and well-being of children." Their vision is "to achieve national recognition as a premier children's hospital."
CHOC at Mission was founded in 1993 and is located on the campus of Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center. CHOC at Mission is a 48 bed pediatric "hospital within a hospital". It includes a pediatric intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit and a medical/ surgical floor. CHOC is dedicated to providing the highest quality pediatric health care as well as offering specialized programs and services to meet the unique needs of children and their families. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 17 March 2008 )
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Written by Clancy Fort
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Sunday, 24 February 2008 |
Newport Beach is like a French Impressionistic painting--it's a magical place with views so stunning, they hardly seem real. Like the Rock of Gibraltar or the French Riviera, cars line up on weekends filled with visitors seeking opportunities to share the dream on a five mile stretch of land referred to locally as the Newport or Balboa Peninsula. Intimate sand beaches, a jetty called "The Wedge" where surfers test their skills, two piers, the Fun Zone, Balboa Pavilion, Newport-Balboa Ferry boat, harbor cruises, boat rentals and trips to Catalina Island are but a few of the attractions for people of all ages.
Newport Beach is located 50 miles south of Los Angeles and 85 miles north of San Diego in Orange County. With nearly 22 square miles of ocean and bay, including several islands, the city offers the greatest variety and number of restaurants with water view dining in all of Orange County.
Summers bring outdoor jazz concerts to the center. Next door, the Hyatt Newporter plays host to an annual line up of jazz artists in summer concerts and also hosts several tennis tournaments. Several public golf courses include Newport Beach Golf Course, Hyatt Newporter Golf Course and Pelican Hills Golf Course, home to a televised tournament. An endless list of celebrities have wined, dined, lived and acted in Newport Beach, beginning first in the Silent Film era of the early 1900's. Historic Balboa Pavilion and the Newport Beach bay, the coves of Corona del Mar and every spot you can imagine have been used in film.
Newport Beach contains numerous communities or villages that include Balboa Island, Balboa Peninsula, Cannery Village, Corona del Mar, Fashion Island, Lido Marina Village, Mariners Mile and Upper Newport Bay.
Newport Beach contains seven islands and are some of the most expensive real estate in Southern California. Homes costing $2 million and up are surrounded by one of the world's largest small yacht harbors. Balboa Island is the largest. Lido Isle with Lido Marina Village, shops, art galleries, boutiques and boardwalk cafes plus Little Balboa Island, Linda Isle, Collins Island, Harbor Island and Bay Island make up the man-made harbors and lands that rank among the most expensive in Orange County. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 17 March 2008 )
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