| Editor’s Note | |
| A landmark year |
|
When you think of New York City, the Empire State Building pops into the mind’s eye. In Los Angeles, it’s the iconic City Hall. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower. In London, Big Ben.
Which landmark says “Newport Beach” to you? Good chance it’s the Balboa Pavilion, which is probably the singular Newport structure. It’s been here from the beginning. It’s on the harbor, which I say is inarguably the defining characteristic of this town - Newport’s carefree, down-to-Earth sensibility is tied into the harbor and the boating lifestyle. Plus, the pavilion was central to Newport’s crazier early days. If you’re more the beach type, perhaps The Wedge comes to mind. Certainly its massive, gnarly waves have put Newport Beach on plenty a surf map. It’s the city’s most dangerous landmark. Maybe the Balboa Bay Club is more your thing. What I wouldn’t give to have wandered through its old bar, martini clutched tightly in hand, and bumped into Bogey and Bacall. Clutched carefully enough, my drink wouldn’t have even spilled on them. Yeah, the Bay Club certainly shouts “Newport Beach.” Perhaps a bit more contemporary, a bit more of “The OC,” is Fashion Island. A sunny Saturday strolling along its open-air corridors, riding its Merry-Go-Round and ducking into the upscale stores captures much of what Newport Beach is today. Or take your pick of any other landmark: the Balboa Island Ferry; the Arches; Hoag Hospital; the Back Bay. The list could stream on… well, for 100 years. When we were considering how we wanted to celebrate Newport Beach’s centennial, these landmarks came quickly to mind as a different way to highlight the city’s past. The history of the city has happened under their roofs, within their doorways and in their hidden back rooms. They are part of what made Newport Beach the harbor town, beach town, Bal Week hang out and now ultra-luxury community we all know and love. And so did the people behind the landmarks. A list of them could go on for 1,000 years, and it would still leave so many important ones out. (Hang on, maybe you’ll see something special about them in the months ahead.) We hope you find something in these pages that sparks a happy memory, stirs up an urge to walk through a part of town you haven’t been to lately or, at the least, makes you want to come out for the many events the city has planned for its centennial celebration. If we bump into each other at one of the parties, I promise to keep a firm hold of my drink. S.J. Cahn |
|
 |
|
