Eleven Forty One opens its doors

Barbara Diamond

If vintage is not your wine but your style, this may be the year for

you.

Heather and Bobby Lee’s new store features high-end vintage

clothing from the late 1800s to late 1940s and vintage jewelry,

signed and unsigned.

The couple held a grand opening Feb. 8 of Eleven Forty One, named

for its address on North Coast Highway.

Heather Lee is the daughter of Laguna Beach sculptor Cheryl

Ekstrom. She was a fashion designer in New York for several years

before returning to Southern California. Bobby Lee, a former editor

for Men’s Fitness magazine, designed the cashmere men’s wear

collection sold at the store.

The store also carries paintings by Dennis Hare, sculptures,

collectibles and estate jewelry. A 50-carat amethyst pendant

surrounded by seed pearls and a matching ring were displayed in the

window for the opening.

Also displayed was a necklace of cascading silver and pearls,

bought by Heather Lee at an auction. She was so taken with the

necklace she tracked down the artist, Rachel Gera in Israel.

“Gera came to the United States just to meet Heather,” Ekstrom

said. “When Heather admired a necklace she was wearing, Gera took it

off and gave it to her.”

Store hours are noon to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; and 11:30

to 5 p.m., Saturdays. For more information, call (949) 376-4640.

ALLEY OOPS

The City Council voted at the Feb. 10 meeting to hold off on the

Downtown Alley Replacement Project while staff figures out how to cut

costs and do the work with the least disruption to business.

The cost of the project has more than tripled from the original

$100,000 estimate.

Increases were attributed to a variety of reasons. The addition of

Broadway Place to the original Forrest/Mermaid alleys project

increased the scope of work by 40%, according to a staff report. The

decision to pave the alley with concrete because it lasts longer also

increased the costs and the Planning Commission wanted it colored and

patterned, City Manager Ken Frank said.

A bonus was offered for construction completion in 50 working days

in an effort to minimize the disruption for businesses in the area.

Some bidders said their bids would be lower if more working days were

allowed.

“This project and the Downtown projects [underway] were supposed

to be done by June 1,” Frank said. “I think it would be better to

reject all bids tonight, reduce the project and come back in August

for fall construction.”

International Pavement Solutions was the licensed low bidder. The

company was recommended by the cities of San Bernardino, Temecula,

Tustin and Laguna Hills, where it has started work on the City Hall

parking lot.

The $273,362 did not include a $27,000 contingency allowance,

$20,000 for surveying, $5,000 each for the project engineer’s

construction support and geotechnical and material testing, which

brings the total to $330,000.

* DOING BUSINESS is a feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot.

Contributions are welcomed. Write Barbara Diamond at P.O. Box 48,

Laguna Beach, CA, 92652; or fax to (949) 494-8979.