ALL THAT GLITTERS: Dispatch - Newport Beach, CA

City by the sea: with a metropolis of possibilities spread within Newport's modest sprawl, any surfer can happily post up here, whether they're just passing through, or as fixed as the piers and jetties.

Legends

Danny Kwock: “He’s one of the Newport guys who made the best out of the surf industry boom,” says Knost. “There are a lot of ideas and money floating around here, and it’s cool when people take the liberty of making the best out of situations. I dig it.”

Richie Collins: “I think he was a little mouthy in his youth,” says Knost. “Even now, he wears those water gloves and has a bright-yellow board; he’s got a flare to him. I like exciting guys even if they’re hot-headed.”

Cordell Miller: “All-time legend,” describes Punker Pat. “He’s a classic Newport character. He’s shaped for everyone and their brother in the industry.”

Troy Eckert: “He and his crew were running things when I was a grom,” recalls Punker Pat. Eckert continued his knack for “running things,” as he was instrumental in establishing Newport-born Volcom.

Room and Board:

“Newport’s got that party vibe so you can crash on a friend’s couch for weeks at a time,” says Knost. “Come summertime it’s a free for all, but it’s nice to have so many places to live so close to the ocean.”

Grinds

Big Belly Deli: The 6310 is the monster of all that is holy in the sandwich pantheon. Turkey, BLT, and avocado piled high atop fresh-baked focaccia. If you can fit the whole sandwich in your mouth without getting a chin cramp, you are double-jointed.

Al Cappuccino Bagels: Try Andrew Doheny’s signature bagel and bring a pen to collect signatures from celebrity clientele.

Mutt Lynchs: “It basically embodies Newport’s spirit of binge drinking and greasy food,” says Knost.

LaVentina’s Big Cheese: “You can get eight large pizzas there for the cost of one parking ticket,” says Knost. He’s not exaggerating.

Roadside Attractions:

Lido Theater: “It’s been there since like the ’40s, and it’s a cool setup to see a movie on a rainy day,” says Knost. “They bulldoze everything around here, so it’s rad that’s still around.”

Catalina Island: “Take a boat for $30 over to Catalina,” Knost suggests. “It’s like vacationing in Palm Springs except on an island.”

Skateparks: “That’s one of the benefits of having the surf industry Mecca here,” says Knost. “There are tons of places to skate with your friends.”

TK’s Froghouse: “That place is classic,” says Punker Pat. They remain one of the only surf shops to sell exclusively surf-related products. When you see a sticker that says, “Support your local surf shop,” it’s talking about this place.

Nightlife:

“Newps” keeps a safe enough distance from Hollywood to retain its own identity, but is close enough to grab some glitter for itself. It’s an interesting mix: an artsy, Bohemian surf contingent living among a fairly pretentious, fashion-conscious culture. The two mix together innocuously, causing some confusion.

That’s the fun part. “It’s kind of like spring break,” says Knost. “You either embrace the spring break attitude year-round or shy away from it. It’s a take-it-or –leave-it thing.”

With about 16 bars within three miles and a college population to pack them, there’s definitely more takers than leavers. Rudy’s has school-girl servers, Cabo Cantina’s got the Cheers vibe, and the rest kind of blur together if you know what I mean.

Lore:

In 1870, Samuel Dunnells navigated his 105-ton steamer, The Vaquero, through Newport Bay, stumbling across an unfamiliar harbor. He and principal landowners cleverly recognized it as a “new port.” Void of creativity, the name stuck. The land, however, didn’t blossom into the rich tourist destination it is today overnight. According to the Newport Beach Historical Society, the government referred to it as “swamp and overflow land,” and select locations sold for as little as a dollar an acre.

Things took a turn for the better, as present day Newps offers an insta-party to all. “Every Fourth of July some lore is made,” says Knost. “A lot of kids get drunk and make bad decisions around that time.”

Intoxication isn’t requisite for bad decisions, as Troy Eckert demonstrates: “The best was when Kirk Blackmon dry-docked his boat on the 40th Street jetty going 20 knots. We were lucky to walk away from that one.”

Links:

http://www.newportsurfshots.com