Ole Hanson

Mermade Market recap, SUP yoga + Laughin' in SC

Hannah B
May 28, 2025

Good afternoon, South Coast Swellers! Here’s what we’ve got in store this week:

Brief yet fascinating history on San Clemente’s founder, Ole Hanson
Recap of some of the awesome vendors I saw at Mermade Market last weekend
Epic lineup of events happening this coming weekend (SUP yoga anyone?). I’ve actually done it, and it’s really, really fun, especially (or even if) you fall into the water.
ICYMI new location opening of a favorite local coffee shop.

Let’s go!

OLE HANSON

The other day, I was grabbing breakfast at one of my favorite cafes in San Clemente, Moulin, and took a walk afterwards. I strolled down Boca de la Playa to head towards North Beach and walked passed Ole Hanson Beach Club.

I’ve walked around there a bunch before, but realized I actually didn’t know much about Ole Hanson.

So I did a little research.

Also Ole Hanson. What a cool name?

Anyways, it turns out he had a pretty interesting life.

Hanson was born in Washington state in 1874. After stints as a tailor and studying law, he quickly became interested in real estate, and then politics.

He served in the Washington House of Representatives from 1908 to 1909, and he also ran for U.S. Senate. While he didn’t win, he was later elected as the mayor of Seattle.

Then, things got complicated. As mayor, he dealt with strikes of tens of thousands of union workers in 1919, and was the target of booby-trap bombs sent out to a bunch of prominent officials in the U.S. With these challenges, he ended up resigning as mayor in 1919.

Back to his roots as a real estate developer, he purchased land in San Clemente in 1925, falling in love with the climate and beaches, and recognizing the appeal for Californians looking for a slower-paced life by the water.

From the beginning, he was steadfast on his vision for the “Spanish Village by the Sea,” and even went as far as to ensure every building would have the Spanish Colonial Revival style by requiring all plans go to an architectural review board.

He named the city “San Clemente,” after the southernmost Channel Island, and the city was incorporated on February 27, 1928.

Today in modern day San Clemente, his mark on the city is ever-present.

The Ole Hanson Beach Club, the pier, the community center and Max Berg Plaza were all built by Hanson. Oh, and Casa Romantica, which we all know and love today, was his home.

Unfortunately, Hanson’s wealth was heavily impacted by the Great Depression, where he lost most of his holdings, including his house.

But his legacy lives on today in “The Spanish Village by the Sea,” a place where so many of us are lucky to call home.

MERMADE MARKET RECAP

Memorial day weekend was hopping around here. We caught some of the Mermade Market in Dana Point Harbor, which was awesome. So many cool vendors, too many to mention all here (but you can view the full list here). Some personal favorites: Vintage Yacht Club, Be Sweet Studio, FKN Bread, Shore Shoppe, Rad River Co, Cabana Club, and Coco Bloom Coffee.

I love a good local coffee spot, and Coco Bloom Coffee was seriously amazing. They’re a new local coffee brand, and have had a cart at some recent local events, like Mermade Market.

The Coco Bloom Coffee cart at a recent local event.

In the founder, Chloe’s, own words:

“I believe that coffee is a way to connect with others & we aim to create a personalized experience for each and every customer. Coco Bloom is not just a dream realized, but a way to connect with my family and the community we cherish.”

Luckily for all of us, Coco Bloom is here to stay. They’re opening their storefront in the Dana Point Harbor this summer.

Just in time for that refreshing iced honey latte for strolling along the waterfront.

WEEKLY BULLETIN

San Clemente Art Crawl

The monthly SC Art Crawl (every last Thursday of the month) is looking pretty epic this week. Checkout some local works by Jessica Chang, Zada Jewelry, Lauryn Alvarez, Adam Palmer, Camille Runge, and many more.

Also, live music happening from Dress Blues, Randall Winvick Band, and even jazz from Houston Nguyen Jazz Quartert.

As always, food and drinks can be purchased at Los Molinos Beer (also a gallery stop). Street parking should be easy.

Good vibes all around! Check out more info here.

Thursday, May 29th from 7pm - 10pm @ Los Molinos District in San Clemente

Laughin’ in San Clemente

They say that laughter is the best medicine. So get ready to laugh and kick back at Los Molinos on Friday May 30th for an epic night of stand-up comedy. Laughin' in San Clemente features comedians from Netflix, Comedy Central, Conan and more. Check out the deets and ticket info here.

Friday, May 30th from 7:30pm - 8:30pm at Los Molinos Beer in San Clemente

SUP Yoga from iHeart Yoga x Westwind Sailing

Love yoga? Also love stand up paddle boarding? Come out and try SUP Yoga with iHeart Yoga! Classes are monthly on Saturday mornings in Dana Point Harbor. What better way to start your weekend (and get some brag-worthy pics)?

$25 bring your own board + class. $35 for paddle board rental + class.

Learn more and sign up here.

Saturday, May 31st from 8am - 9:30am @ Westwind Sailing - Dana Point

THE LINEUP

May 29th

San Clemente Art Crawl @ Los Molinos District: 7pm - 10pm, featuring local artists, live music, and delicious food and drinks from Los Molinos.

May 30th

Laughin’ in San Clemente @ Los Molinos: One of our featured events of the week, sure to be a good time! 7:30pm - 8:30pm, tickets here.
Live music at Drift Distillery in San Clemente: Get ready to get down with Telesound at Drift Distillery this Friday from 8pm - 11pm.

May 31st

SUP Yoga @ Dana Point Harbor: Get your weekend started off with a challenging but super fun workout, with maybe a splash in the harbor. Tickets here.
San Clemente Car Show at 100 and 200 blocks of Avenida Del Mar in San Clemente: Marvel in the beauty of restored vintage cars at the 29th anniversary of this classic car show in historic San Clemente. Spectators are free, dogs are welcome. Enjoy live music, food, slot cars, local shopping, and more. More info.

June 1st

Doggie stroll in Dana Point Harbor: Meet at the Doggie Bakery at 8:30am for a one hour walk along the harbor with your pup. Complimentary coffee and dog treats provided. Deets.
San Clemente Village Certified Farmers Market: 9:00am at 200th block of Del Mar in San Clemente. New to the farmers market this Sunday: broccolini! A perfect pairing for your summer grilling.
Family Sunday Performances @ Casa Romantica in San Clemente from 10am-2pm: Checkout some live music in a lovely local setting on Sunday, with free admission to Casa Romantica. Performances are by Community Outreach Alliance (COA) musicians throughout the day. Deets.

June 2nd

Half off pitchers and bottles @ aPizza Doho in Dana Point: Stop in for a great deal on beer pitchers and bottles of vino at one of the areas best pizzerias. Our personal favorites? Arancini, Harvest Salad, and Mia Mushroom pizza. Mamma Mia!
Los Molinos tap takeover @ Gibroni’s Pizza in San Clemente: Los Molinos Beer will have 4-5 beers at Gibroni’s, along with free activities for kids, $2 off speciality pizzas, paid raffle with prizes for local SC favorites, and more. We can’t think of a better collab, can you?

June 3rd

Celebrate National Egg Day @ Schwak’s in Dana Point: Apparently June 3rd is National Egg Day, and we’re not mad about it. What better way to celebrate than with a delicious Dawn Patrol egg sandwhich, breki wrap or hearty omlette. Sounds eggcellent!
Cocktail tasting @ Craft House in Dana Point: Local favorite Craft House just announced two new cocktails that sound delicious, especially when paired with their smash burger. Garden Party: miles gin, lemon, celery bitters, basil and egg white, and Little Wing: nosotros mezcal, elderflower, aperol, lime and cucumber.

June 4th

SC Craft Runners @ ROM Brewery in SC: Meet at ROM in San Clemente @ 6:30pm for a fun group run around town. Your reward? A refreshing post-run ale or seltzer and maybe a new friend.
San Clemente Run Club @ Station Craft Brewery in Dana Point: Checkout the other SC run club, San Clemente Run Club, Wednesday nights @ 6:30pm for a run around the harbor followed by beer, cider, burgers. Runners sure love breweries don’t they?

WATER CONDITIONS