Surfing Heritage & Culture Center Opens New Laguna Beach Home

Visit Laguna Beach is celebrating the opening of the Surfing Heritage & Culture Center (SHACC), one of the world's most respected surfing museums, in its new home in the heart of downtown Laguna Beach. Located just 200 yards from the shoreline at Main Beach, the center honors Laguna Beach's place as one of California's earliest surf towns while preserving the stories, craftsmanship and culture that shaped the sport around the world.

SHACC was founded by legendary surfer, explorer and Laguna Beach native Dick Metz, and its move from San Clemente to downtown Laguna Beach marks a new chapter for the institution. For more than two decades, the museum has preserved surfing's history through an unmatched collection of historic surfboards, rare photography, artwork, literature, films, memorabilia and archival materials. Now, it returns to the community where Metz's vision began. Often called the "Smithsonian of Surfing," SHACC holds the world's largest collection of historic surfboards, making it a go to resource for surfers, historians and enthusiasts everywhere.

The move is a homecoming for Metz, who grew up in Laguna Beach in the 1930s and came of age alongside the town's early surf culture. Inspired by Olympic champion and surfing pioneer Duke Kahanamoku, he spent a lifetime collecting and preserving surfing's history, so bringing the museum back to Laguna Beach brings his story full circle.

Visitors can expect immersive exhibits tracing surfing's evolution through iconic boards, rare photography, original artwork, historical archives and interactive storytelling that dives into the sport's cultural impact across generations. SHACC will also host rotating exhibitions, educational programs, lectures and community events as part of its ongoing mission to preserve, educate and celebrate surf heritage.

The timing couldn't be better for Laguna Beach, which is gearing up for its centennial celebration in 2027. Known for its artistic spirit, stunning coastline and deep ties to California surf culture, Laguna Beach only strengthens its reputation as a place where history, creativity and coastal living meet with SHACC now calling it home.

For more information about the Surfing Heritage & Culture Center, visit shacc.org. For information on planning a visit to Laguna Beach, visit visitlagunabeach.com.

NBFF International Spotlight Films Announced

Tickets are officially on sale for the Newport Beach Film Festival, running Oct. 15-22, 2026, and this year's international lineup will take you around the globe without leaving Orange County.

With more than 300 films from around the world, plus premieres, filmmaker conversations, industry events and signature experiences, the eight-day festival has plenty to explore.

The NBFF International Spotlight selections include:

• Australia: "How to Talk Australians"
• Czech Republic: "What a Way to Go" ("Pět švestek")
• France: "De Gaulle: Tilting Iron" (pictured above)
• Germany: "Empty Nesters" ("Die Ältern")
• Ireland: "The Body Is Water," "Trad" and "You'll Never Believe Who's Dead"
• Italy: "The Greater Good"
• Japan: "Look Back"
• South Korea: "Jeju Olle"
• Mexico: "Campeón Gabacho"
• New Zealand: "There's a Hole in My Bucket"
• Iran: "A Bit of Light"
• Philippines: "Sisa"
• Poland: "Fatherland"
• Spain: "La Bola Negra"
• Sweden: "A Journey to Piedmont"

Browse the 2026 lineup at newportbeachfilmfest.com, and start planning your festival experience. Get your tickets HERE today.

Levain Bakery Brings Peanut Butter Cookie to Fashion Island

The cookie peanut butter fans have asked for by name is back, and this year it's coming to Orange County for the first time. Levain Bakery's limited-edition Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie returns for three days only, Friday, Oct. 2, through Sunday, Oct. 4. 

Now in its second year, Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Weekend arrives at Levain Fashion Island, giving Orange County cookie lovers their first chance to try it at their neighborhood bakery.

When Levain introduced the cookie last year, the response was overwhelming. This year, the bakery is bringing it back to all of its locations, along with something new: the limited-edition Peanut Butter Cookie Milk Latte, also available Oct. 2-4 only.

The cookie blends creamy and crunchy peanut butter with rich dark chocolate chips, making it the peanut butter cookie every peanut butter lover can agree on. Like every Levain cookie, it's made with simple, real ingredients. For first-time tasters and loyal fans alike, it's one to grab before it disappears again.

To make the latte, Levain steeps its Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies in oat milk overnight and blends in creamy peanut butter. The cookie milk is paired with a fresh espresso shot and finished with chocolate cold foam and peanut butter cookie crumbs. It's rich, nutty and just sweet enough, essentially the cookie turned into a latte.

Both treats will be available at Levain Bakery from Friday, Oct. 2, through Sunday, Oct. 4, only. After that, they're gone until next year.

For fans who can't make it in person, the Peanut Butter Lover's Assortment returns online at LevainBakery.com October 2-9. Levain Bakery Newport Beach is located at 315 Newport Center Drive within Fashion Island and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.