
Winter Fantasy Sawdust Festival is like Sawdust in the summer except with a Santa. And it really feels like summer here. The fires have been everywhere up and down California with no real explanation. It is so dry. We wore shorts to Laguna Beach in December. That is unusual.
We ate at a new restaurant next to Sawdust called Another Kind. The food is Vietnamese and Thai. The menu isn’t clear. Small means appetizer and large means main entrée. The portions are small which I like. Our waitress turned into a waiter. They tried to serve us someone else’s food twice. They messed up the receipt. But they were super nice and the food was awesome. I ate some noodle veggie dish. I would go back again.
Laguna Beach’s main drag isn’t decorated for Christmas. But the courtyard in the Sawdust is beautiful with trees and Santa’s house. Photographer Mary Hurlbut’s booth is in Santa’s shop.
We stopped and chatted with a blonde girl in John Lennon glasses and a faux fur vest at Dr. Neon’s booth. I felt warm just looking at her. She looks like the singer Kerli. She started talking about Dr. Neon’s work. He has lots of knives, rings, and hanging dragons. I said, “Did you say Dr. Neon?” She said, “Yes.” She must have pointed up because then I saw his small neon sign that read, “Dr. Neon.” He used to work in neon, but Laguna Beach’s certain beautification council worried he’d make Laguna Beach like Las Vegas. The millennial, hippy laughed, and said something to the affect, “Like Laguna Beach could look like Las Vegas.”
Kirk Millette is one of my favorite jewelers. Look for his mermaid sign. He has mermaid sterling silver rings and necklaces, but we spied a merman. I had to have him and his flexing muscles.
We stopped to talked with the exuberant Makaila from Makaila Designs. She has some sterling silver ocean-themed rings. One was inspired by a tide pool with starfish. Casting investment is used to make the mold for the rings. She studied art at CSU, Long Beach and worked at a jewelry store. She thought hey why not take a couple of classes in jewelry. In my opinion, she is very talented. Also, she told us usually there is a petting zoo.
Winter Fantasy Sawdust is very busy because it’s a great place to do Christmas shopping or shop for yourself, and take a photo with Santa. December 16 and 17, 2017 is the last weekend to visit. Then walk to the beach for a California Christmas.
Have a Merry Beachy Christmas everyone!
Sawdust • 935 Laguna Canyon Road • Laguna Beach • CA • 92651
Copyright 2017 Melissa Crismon
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