Hello Back Bay Begonias, happy Monday.

Did we get all of our vintage shopping done at REDO this weekend? We hope you had a chance to stop by local favorites like Slightly Choppy and 15th St Surf Shop. The next week is the last week you can still say “the year is just beginning”, April is when things get serious.

To our new readers—welcome! The Back Bay Buzz delivers just the right amount of news and events for locals in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. No crime, no politics, no spam—just the good stuff. We scan newspapers, blogs, social media, business journals, and Google alerts so you don’t have to.

In today’s Buzz:

— Jon Dougher, Publisher, Back Bay Buzz

La La Land Kind Cafe has officially arrived at Newport Beach’s Lido Marina Village, opening its doors at 3418 Via Lido on March 14th. Founded in 2019 by Francois Reihani, the brand centers on a mission to support foster youth aging out of the system through its 12-week Workforce Development Program, which provides mentorship, job training, and life-skills intensives. By combining a "kindness-first" philosophy with a viral social media presence and high-profile backing from industry leaders, the cafe has successfully scaled its purpose-driven model from a single Dallas startup into a national powerhouse.

The new location reflects the brand’s signature "dream-world" aesthetic, featuring bright white interiors and sunshine-yellow accents designed to foster human connection and genuine happiness. Beyond its popular menu of signature coffees and organic matcha, the cafe serves as a community hub dedicated to proving that a profitable business can prioritize social impact over the bottom line. There is also speculation that LaLaLand will also replace the Peet’s Coffee on 17th St in Costa Mesa (no official confirmations have been made). This would add to the already crowded (in a good way) coffee scene on 17th that includes Kit, Kéan, Qyn, Joe & the Juice, Milligram and FOUR separate starbucks. For visitors, the space offers more than just a high-end caffeine fix; it provides a direct way to support a movement that creates a vital safety net and professional path for at-risk young adults.

🌊 Water temp = 64º
Suit Rec: Spring suit/Full suit 3/2

Thanks! Please ignore any typos, our editor recovering from burns related to a miso soup incident at Cafe Sakana…

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