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Eugene Cooke at Center for Living Peace

Eugene Cooke Returns!

10.25.11

Urban farmer Eugene Cooke will be returning to the Center for Living Peace Saturday at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a new lecture and virtual journey through Kenya. Cooke spent the first three months of 2011 traveling and learning about local food systems in Kenya.  He’ll be sharing incredible images of the lush landscape and the people and their farming traditions and skills. Cost is $22 per person, you can register here. You can also enjoy tasty eats from Avanti Café in Costa Mesa.

The lecture is ideal for students, educators, activists and conscious community members. Center for Living Peace is at 4139 Campus Drive in Irvine. 949.854.5500.

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Dining

Royal Hawaiian Brunch

ROYAL HAWAIIAN BRUNCH!

10.25.11

By Sheryll Alexander

North Laguna is the perfect place to enjoy a leisurely Saturday or Sunday morning and the historic Royal Hawaiian restaurant makes the weekend journey even better.

On a recent visit one foggy Saturday morning, we passed right by the way-too-crowded The Cottage and the way-too-swanky Las Brisas. Just across from the Laguna Art Museum on the beach side of PCH, Royal Hawaiian beckoned with its quiet interior and totally unpretentious dining room.

Once no more than a beach bungalow in the 1940s, The Royal Hawaiian has been completely remodeled (and without too much tiki kitsch) as a way cool hang out for singles, couples, families, groups and for those who love to sit at a friendly and cozy bar. Sports plays on the TV during the day in the iconic Royal Hawaiian bar, but live music is on the menu almost every night of the week.

We were here, however, to try out Royal Hawaiian’s new weekend breakfast menu.

Grown ups who drink before noon must order a spicy Bloody Marty, a famed Lapu Lapu or an umbrella-laden Pina Colada. We were steered towards the “sparkling” drinks and we were not disappointed. The “Big Island Bellini” was especially refreshing with its prosecco, peach schnapps and splash of cranberry juice.

As for the grub, Chef James Harris did an excellent job mixing Royal Hawaiian classic appetizers and entrees into  this spot’s new breakfast menu as well as adding some soon-to-be brunch favorites such as the spicy Portuguese sausage and scrambled eggs or the fluffy French toast with coconut syrup and smoky bacon.

We were surprisingly wowed by the spam, egg and cheese sandwich entrée with light-as-air and slightly sweet brioche bun. The hot spam was sliced not too thin, not too thick and grilled to perfection. The egg was fried with a crisp exterior and a creamy interior. Yum!

If you are thinking about the ribs, please remember these Asian-style sticky and sweet ribs are not what you may expect if you love Southwestern barbecue. 

An don’t miss the bread pudding dessert. This Hawaiian-inspired bread pudding comes with sliced bananas and a delectable caramel sauce. The brownie, which came topped with vanilla ice cream, tasted almost homemade and was deemed “worth the price and extra calories.”

After we were full and happy, we stepped out of Royal Hawaiian for some of Laguna’s most spectacular views (Heisler Park), places to play (Main Beach), shop (downtown Laguna), walk (South Laguna) and revel (Laguna Art Museum).

Royal Hawaiian, 331 Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, 949-494-8001, www.royalhawaiianlagunabeach.com

Sheryll Alexander runs a news media agency based In Costa Mesa, California. Follow her! @sheryllalexander or visit her journalist Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sheryll-Alexander/252517508109644

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