TOP LEFT TWO PHOTOS : NICK RADFORD ; RIGHT TOP AND BOTTOM : SHARON STELLO |
PERFECTING THE PICNIC What ’ s better than a breezy sunset picnic overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean ? This summer , WALDORF ASTORIA MONARCH BEACH RESORT & CLUB in Dana Point is launching Picnics by Waldorf for those eager to sample picnic bites and sweet treats designed to be enjoyed outdoors and specially curated by the resort ’ s Aveo Table & Bar restaurant . Resort guests and local members can order sparkling wine , salads , desserts from the resort ’ s pastry kitchen and a cheese board designed by New Yorkbased Marissa Mullen , who is credited for pioneering the trend and who founded That Cheese Plate , an online community for cheese plate inspiration . Her signature board includes items like Camembert , Comté and sweet red cheddar , Italian dry salami , berries and dried fruits plus honeycomb , jam , honey-sesame almonds and focaccia . Enjoy your picnic at Waldorf Astoria while lounging on outdoor cushions and chairs supplied by Business & Pleasure , a luxury beach and home decor shop in Laguna Beach . ( 949-234-3200 ; waldorfastoria monarchbeach . com ) — C . B . |
A SEAT AT THE TABLE Community Table dinners , prepared over an open flame outdoors at THE ECOLOGY CENTER in San Juan Capistrano , continue on Friday nights through August . Two of these dinners in recent months featured Laguna Beach chefs — Whitney Aronoff , and David Serus of Montage Laguna Beach . The seasonal dinners feature produce grown at the center , a 28-acre regenerative , organiccertified farm and education hub for Southern California ’ s ecological movement . Dinner guests first receive a guided tour of the farming area — an island of agriculture located in the middle of a residential area — to learn about the history and mission . Then attendees sit at long tables to break bread together and enjoy family-style meals and conversation . Some of the upcoming dinners feature chef Reyna Venegas of Rancho La Puerta in Baja California on June 28 , chef Joe Bower of Finca in San Diego ’ s North Park on July 5 and chef Aidan Owens of Herb & Sea in Encinitas on July 12 . Reservations are required . ( 949-443 4223 ; theecologycenter . org ) — S . S . / |
Community Table dinners at The Ecology Center are cooked over an open flame and feature a different guest chef each time , including Whitney Aronoff , above , in May .
RESTAURANT LISTINGS Scan the QR code below to visit our dining resource online .
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LAGUNA BEACH MAGAZINE 81 |