Best of Laguna Beach

著者： Diane Armitage
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  • From 25-year Laguna Beach Resident Diane Armitage enjoy fun, engaging interviews of our international chefs and the town's most creative people + my recommendations for THE best places to dine, drink and play in our famous SoCal seaside town.

    Also enjoy the monthly series, "Revenue Recipes: Cooking Up Profits for Restaurants" with me and my special guest, award-winning Restaurant Developer Bruce Russo.

    The Best of Laguna Beach™ podcasts are uploaded on Wednesdays every week by 12 p.m. PST/3 p.m. EST
    2024, Best of Laguna Beach™
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あらすじ・解説

From 25-year Laguna Beach Resident Diane Armitage enjoy fun, engaging interviews of our international chefs and the town's most creative people + my recommendations for THE best places to dine, drink and play in our famous SoCal seaside town.

Also enjoy the monthly series, "Revenue Recipes: Cooking Up Profits for Restaurants" with me and my special guest, award-winning Restaurant Developer Bruce Russo.

The Best of Laguna Beach™ podcasts are uploaded on Wednesdays every week by 12 p.m. PST/3 p.m. EST
2024, Best of Laguna Beach™
続きを読む 一部表示
エピソード
  • Lessons a 150 lb furball Taught the World + My crazy arrival in Laguna Beach

    Lessons a 150 lb furball Taught the World + My crazy arrival in Laguna Beach
    2025/01/06
    On Monday, Dec. 30th (seems like weeks ago already), I took a bit of a detour from my regularly scheduled “Best of Laguna Beach” show at KXFM Radio 104.7

    To wrap up the year, I told two personal (and sort of funny) stories.I first talked about how most of the residents here CHOSE Laguna Beach for their permanent residence … me included.

    How I actually arrived here is a rather astounding story.

    Then, I shared an old Christmas letter I wrote way back in 2003 about my beloved great Pyrenees, Merlin, passing away just a few days prior. Merlin was my 12-year companion who moved multiple times with me … four time, alone, to and within Laguna Beach.

    That particular Christmas letter about Merlin ended up being shared to a list of thousands of people, and it generated thousands and thousands of responses directly to me. In the short letter, I wrote about the greatest lessons Merlin taught me, and apparently those teaching moments from the lovable fur ball struck a chord with people all over the world. It was amazing. So, the Christmas letter eventually became a small e-book, and this is what I chose to read to all of you lovely listeners in my last show of the year.

    Here’s the e-book link if you’re interested.
    bit.ly/421WQCt
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    45 分
  • The Drake's Chef Nick Gstrein Talks Its Phenom Success + Cookin' With Dad

    The Drake's Chef Nick Gstrein Talks Its Phenom Success + Cookin' With Dad
    2024/12/20
    On Monday, Dec. 16th, The Drake’s Chef Nick Gstrein joined me in the KXFM 104.7 radio studio for another exclusive interview on the life and times of Laguna Beach chefs.

    The Drake Laguna Beach has been a rocking, high-level dining experience from its opening day with live jazz, blues and contemporary classic music 7 nights a week. This is also a rare entity in that it’s a father-son chef duo in the kitchen.In all the times I’ve visited The Drake Laguna Beach, it’s been nothing short of a dazzling experience. Now it’s time for you to learn more as we dive into this interview.

    SHOW NOTES:



    • My initial coverage on the coming of the Drake Laguna Beach in May 2019, the reasons why Alec Glasser recreated “The Drake” experience here, and what a will without a way can still do.
    • How the Drake crew broke through the former “Tabu” walls to add their significant bar and lounge.

    • Nick talks about his Austrian heritage, the longstanding family hotel in the Alps and his Dad’s (Chef Paul’s) culinary schooling and quick rise in the culinary world, from Austria to the U.S. when he arrived in the 1980s.

    • The reason why Chef Paul chose to have an exhibition kitchen after decades of cooking “behind the swinging doors” of most restaurants.

    • Nick’s scholarship days at UNLV as a football player and we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of culinary school, Nick’s “training” in his uncle’s kitchen in Austria, and more.

    • The two BIG events Chef Nick participated in on opening day of The Drake on Fri, Sept. 13, 2019.

    • When COVID shut down the world (and The Drake) six months after their opening, Nick shares the card-playing moments of discussion and decisions between the owners.

    • Why did Chefs Paul and Nick choose to participate in a restaurant in Laguna Beach? And what are Chef Nick’s favorite restaurants in Laguna Beach?

    • The difference in atmosphere between Drake’s bar area and Drake’s dining area.

    • More on the “Concert Series” the Drake offers in late January and, then, again after Valentine’s Day through March.

    • Chef Nick shares the meal he’s going to fix on Christmas Day - a super special day when son and dad get to sit down together (but only after they cook everything first).

    • Do people actually do “dry January” and “losing weight in January” plans? Does this interfere in business?

    • Per Chef Nick, the #1 way to quickly bond with your clientele.

    • How this chef measures the “energy in the air” in his restaurant.

    • How The Drake exemplifies the dining experience with two seatings (that most diners don’t even recognize is happening). And how those two seatings work in favor for people who want to be in the prime seats at the bar!

    • Chef Nick talks about his favorite items on the Drake menu right now, his Dad’s favorite on the menu, and we talk about why and when menu item changes happen in a restaurant.

    • The Drake’s unique, customizable (and additional to the main menu) “Tasting Menu,” option year-round at the Chef’s Counter.

    • Nick explains “The Drake Gives,” a bi-annual give-back program to music programs for under-privileged children.

    • Nick’s final thoughts on what a Michelin star would mean.
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    51 分
  • Updates on Incoming Laguna Restaurants + Holiday Events in a 5-Mile Range!

    Updates on Incoming Laguna Restaurants + Holiday Events in a 5-Mile Range!
    2024/12/13
    On Dec. 9th, Ruben Flores and I jumped back into my Monday “Best of Laguna Beach” radio show at KXFM 104.7, Laguna’s only community radio. We had A LOT to talk about!SHOW NOTESOur Laguna’s “Hospitality Night” review, including the Pepper tree lighting, our opinion on this year’s downtown holiday lighting and our opinion on what Dana Point is doing in comparison, especially at Dana’s Harbor (Festival of Lights). We also talk about 6 restaurants and 2 great retail stores (Nuance and Tuvalu) that our small group dropped in on during the super-packed evening downtown. Next, my update on ALL the incoming Laguna restaurants I’ve announced since late September. Remember, folks, to follow my Instagram and Facebook @bestoflagunabeach to get my breaking news stories on new restaurants joining us here in Laguna - these are verified facts, not just rumors!My September new restaurant announcements - OTO Sushi, Truly Pizza and RAW Bar’s three mini-restaurant concepts planned for SoLag.My late October new restaurant announcement - Piatti Italian coming to 222 Ocean Avenue, which was most recently Suenos. We wax euphoric about missing Chef Craig Strong, who was also in this location (in addition to 4 other concepts he blessed us with before moving to Newport Beach). Ruben also asks me what I think has kept proving “challenging” to restaurant concepts thriving in this specific location. And we talk again about creating a more inviting environment on Ocean Avenue all around.My November new restaurant announcement + yet another update - OTO Sushi’s opening happened in November, Chef Chris Tzorin’s return to Laguna with Taste Collective, in the former Taco Loco. November also included more updates from me on Pinafini (and we’re hoping he’ll be open before Christmas Day). We also talk about what I know about the Penguin Cafe shift of ownership.I talk about another “mystery” restaurant possibility and why that space failed for previous restaurant concepts. I put on my Restaurant Consultant hat and talk about what could make any concept really work in this location.Ruben and I review his last astounding Garden Walk two weeks ago - truly amazing houses and gardens we had access to. And, of course, we started the entire day’s event with a Muzeo Treats tasting of their fantastic chocolates and wafers - they just opened by the Orange Inn … and we all landed at the Walk’s end at GG’s Bistro for lunch and their famous sangrias. So yum.The LAST Garden Walk of 2024 happens this Saturday, Dec. 14th at 10 a.m. Meet at Laguna Nursery, 481 N. Coast Highway to find out what surprise Ruben has in store for us on this particular tour.THEN, don’t miss the South Laguna Community Garden Holiday Sing Along on the same day, 2 pm to 4 pm. Free to everyone; please bring a dish to share.Then, we moved into ALL the upcoming holiday events I’ve been gathering from all points and groups - I mention everything I’ve gathered in a quick review. Grab the latest blog update: Holiday Events in Laguna & SurroundingRuben talks about the miserable loss of a giant, giant Stone Pine tree at our Woods Cove Nita Carman park and empty tree wells that he’d love to see filled. He offers suggestions on how we - as a town - can continue to support our “Tree City.”We close with a reminder that we’re in the 60 busiest days for restaurants right now … Show some patience and kindness with all the workers there.Join me next Monday for a live interview with Chef Nick Gstrein from The Drake Laguna Beach!Join me LIVE on Mondays, 2 pm PDT/5 pm EDT at KXFM 104.7 Radio for new restaurant news and reviews, the best Laguna events, and plenty of rockin’ interviews with Laguna Beach chefs, restaurateurs and downright interesting people.If you’re not nearby to twirl that radio dial … meaning anywhere in the world outside of Laguna Beach proper, download the free KXFM Radio app from Google Play or the App Store, OR just go online to stream 24/7 at the KXFM website: KXFMRadio.org
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    57 分

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