It's Our Birthday—Reflecting on the Last Year

We’re TWO! 

We launched Laguna Beach Living with 16 articles on January 15, 2019, before any pandemic, before any mandatory shutdowns, before any stay-at-home orders. We were on a mission to create a platform where we could highlight the thriving economy, the creative entrepreneurs, and the unique small businesses (Hi, Catmosphere!) that we love in this town… and, two years later — albeit in a totally different world — we have managed to continue to do that. 

Today, we have over 200 articles published on LagunaBeachLiving.com, receive over 99,000 web impressions each month, and have over 10,000 followers on social media. We’ve gotten to know so many inspiring people in Orange County and have enjoyed exploring, experiencing, and writing about all the behind-the-scenes gems that make Laguna Beach and its surrounding areas the icon that it all is. 

While 2020 was a trying time and many of us had to pivot and make changes we never thought we’d have to make, it was also a heartening time where we banded together as a community to help each other out. 

Businesses like North Menswear collaborated with other brands to donate proceeds of their sales to other small businesses, and people like flight attendant Laina Pruitt turned a furlough into a passion with her charcuterie company, Grazing Kitchen. There’s Summer’s Table who delivered fresh meals to people who couldn’t leave their homes, Nirvana Grille who used their connections to turn themselves into a co-op when grocery stores were bare, and Madeline Javier who offered Quarantine Porch Photo Sessions to forever remember this unprecedented time spent at home.

This year there was a lot of hope. A lot of drive. A lot of creative thinking. And that, mixed with our views, our weather, and our community is a perfect recipe for perseverance and success. 

We look forward to many more years with you, Orange County.

Photos by Ahmet Uras at our 2019 Laguna Beach Living launch party.