Architect is woman of year

The Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach has named landscape architect Ann

Christoph -- a former planning commissioner, council member and mayor

of Laguna Beach -- as its 2005 Woman of the Year.

Christoph will be honored at the Club’s annual Woman of the Year

luncheon, to be held at the clubhouse, 286 St. Ann’s Drive, at 11:30

a.m. June 3. The public is invited to attend.

Over the years, Christoph has worked to preserve the unique

village quality of life in Laguna Beach. She helped formulate the

General Plan for South Laguna before its annexation in 1987 and

authored the Landscape Resource Document that was subsequently

approved by the City as a guide for landscaping in public areas and

is still in use today. She served on the 1993 Design Review Board

Task Force and participated in Vision Laguna 2000 as a member of the

Community Character and Place Committee.

Christoph’s accomplishments as a professional landscape architect

include the master plan for the Woman’s Club, the Laguna Woods

Landscape and Streetscape Master Plan and the design for Coast

Highway medians in Laguna Beach. She recently was chosen to redesign

the recreational facilities at Bluebird Park, including the rocket

ship. She volunteers for numerous community activities and

organizations, including the South Laguna Civic Association and

Village Laguna. She also writes a column, “Village Matters,” for the

Laguna Beach Independent.

The luncheon on June 3 will be catered by Tivoli Too. Carol

Reynolds will perform at the piano, and the customary 50/50 drawing

will be offered. The cost of the event is $25, payable in advance, or

at the door if seats are available. Reservations are strongly

advised. Call (949) 497-1200 for information and tickets.

Business club to

discuss real estate

The Laguna Beach Business Club will hold its monthly meeting at

The Hotel Laguna from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Thursday, April 21.

Rick Cirelli, president of RTC Mortgage Corporation, will discuss

how to finance real estate in Laguna Beach in this rapidly

appreciating market.

The cost for guests is $20, including a buffet breakfast.

Reservations are needed no later than Friday, April 15, by contacting

Club President Karen Polek at (949) 295-6023.

Repair reveals glitch

in city’s phone system

If it’s not one thing, it’s another.

The city was still basking in the glow of a job well done -- and

done cheaper -- when a new problem cropped up in the city phone

system.

Information specialist Darcy Roth installed a new part -- well,

actually an old one from the 1970s -- in the system on April 1 that

he found on eBay, for about $8,000 less than the city’s phone

server’s estimate to correct a malfunction.

The problem, which began about six months ago, interrupted the

automated message that asked callers who dialed the main City Hall

number and hit zero for the operator.

“Callers thought they were being disconnected,” Roth said.

Nortel, the city’s phone server, at first estimated the cost of

the repair at $14,000, later trimmed to $9,000, but Roth bought the

necessary part on eBay for $98.29, including shipping.

“The device did what it was supposed to do,” Roth said. “It

transferred the calls to the operators.”

However, the repair revealed another glitch in the system.

Callers are transferred, but if no operator picks up the phone

during regular City Hall hours of operation, it will ring and ring

and ring and ring.

Roth said he is working on a loop to a second message that will

inform callers of the status of the call.

“Now that we have replaced the faulty part we are aware of the

new, but separate problem,” network administrator Chris Kreymann

said.

Roth will take time to lunch Tuesday at the Montage Resort & Spa

as the guest of the Laguna Beach Taxpayers Assn., which is thrilled

with any savings for the city’s residents.

Medical center hosts uterine bleeding lecture

South Coast Medical Center will present a free lecture

“Understanding Abnormal Uterine Bleeding” on from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, April 26 at the hospital, 31872 Coast Highway, Laguna Beach.

Dr. Red Alinsod will discuss what causes abnormal bleeding and the

treatment options available. Medical evidence suggests that abnormal

uterine bleeding may be caused by pregnancy complications, infection,

trauma, various medications, stress, and benign pelvic pathology,

among others.

Treatment for the condition depends upon many factors, such as the

patient’s age, severity and length of bleeding, and the cause of the

bleeding in order to assess a proper and successful treatment plan.

To make a reservation, please call (949) 499-7270 or register

online at www.SouthCoastMed Center.com.

Friends to hold

‘Coffees Mornings’

The Friends of the Hortense Miller Garden is planning three

separate “Coffee Mornings with Hortense” to raise funds to support

the garden.

The coffees will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on three consecutive Saturdays -- April 30, May 7 and May 14.

Attendance is limited to 25 people per day, and guests will be

divided into small groups for special docent-led tours of the classic

1950s modern Miller house and garden, then invited to the Gazebo

Garden for coffee and homemade baked goods.

Organizers hope that Hortense Miller, who is 96, will be present

to meet attendees.

The garden is unusually lush because of the recent rains.

Established in 1959, the garden covers two and a half acres on a

hillside overlooking the ocean and the greenbelt, and has more than

1,500 plants, mostly South African varieties and California natives.

Suggested donation is $30 per person. For tickets, call Marsha

Bode, garden manager, (949) 499-5518, or visit

www.hortensemillergarden.org