When Marlowe Joseph Huber decided to start his own winery from scratch after successfully purchasing and running two existing ones, he knew he had a challenge ahead of him. His Laguna Canyon Winery, opened in 2003, shows that he has met the challenge excellently. Located in an industrial park outside Laguna Beach, the winery produces spectacular, award-winning whites, reds, and sparkling wines. They host an excellent wine tasting on the first Friday of every month that offers wine, food, and a souvenir glass etched with the winery’s logo for just $35. If you’re looking for a bigger experience, the winery hosts private parties and catered affairs with live music available. They also have a tasting room in downtown Laguna Beach. The ambience isn’t much—with no vineyard (the winery buys their grapes from a variety of sources), the vibe is more science than scenic, but the quality of the product more than makes up for it.

Laguna Canyon Winery
2133 Laguna Canyon Rd
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-9463
www.lagunacanyonwinery.com

One of the most difficult things about eating right is not going overboard with snacking. It’s relatively easy to watch your calories at planned mealtimes, but when it comes to snacking, it’s easy to overdo it. Below are five ideas for healthy, delicious snacks.

1.     Olives – A great way to get your fix of salty snacks is by noshing on a few olives. These delicious bite-sized morsels are low in calories and sodium compared to chips and other snacks, and also boast a fair amount of antioxidants and other helpful nutrients.

2.     String Cheese – Another good way to satisfy a craving for something savory is to enjoy a string cheese. Although cheese does have a little more fat, it also packs excellent protein and calcium. Plus, it's good for helping you feel full between meals.

3.     Fruit – Fruit is one of the all-best healthy snacks you can eat to satisfy a sweet tooth. Pick fruits with lots of fiber (like apples or pears) to keep you feeling satisfied until your next meal.

4.     Nuts – Nuts make an awesome snack for a number of reasons — they pack sweet, salty, and fatty flavors, and when eaten in moderation, they’re good for your health, too. Most nuts hold a bounty of protein and healthy, essential fats. The trick is to avoid fatty nuts like cashews and Brazil nuts – walnuts and almonds are the best.

Welcome to Surf City, where the waves crash right at your feet. Named after Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, the father of international surfing, Duke’s Huntington Beach is the first outpost of this classic beach bistro outside of Hawaii. Delivering high-quality seafood composed in a number of innovative ways, regulars praise the delicious shrimp and Ahi tuna, as well as the fantastic wine list. Duke’s is famous for the Hula Pie, a confection of macadamia nut ice cream coated in a chocolate cookie crust and topped with fudge and whipped cream. The ambience is great, and with the restaurant poised right on the beach it’s not uncommon for surfing legends of the area to drop in for a bite. Service is excellent and the Sunday brunch is a local favorite. The one criticism can be that the prices are high for the size of the portions, but the quality trumps those reservations.

Duke’s Huntington Beach
317 Pacific Coast Highway
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(714) 374-6446
www.dukeshuntington.com