Orange County October 2010 by Locale Magazine

THE SPORTS CLUB/LA the finest sports and fitness complex in the world orange county

| 949.975.8400

WWW.THESPORTSCLUBLA.COM

ÂŠ2010 TOMMY BAHAMA GROUP, INC.

Corona del Mar Plaza | 949.760.8686

T OM M Y B A H A M A L AG U N A B E AC H B A R & G R I L L

Opening November 2010 T O M M Y BA H A M A .C OM

1 .866.986.8282

Celebrate the Holidays with Gifts from Your Favorite Jeweler...

00 VS.

Burger Battle

Private Label Make your own brew and invite your friends.

Underground Exploring Bring your glass and your flashlight.

Well Done This Costa Mesa butcher is a throwback

Diners

LA vs. OC A shopping showdown

Feeding Surfers

Rocksteady Style

31 Bits of Love

Less is More

Designing Men Giving credit to those who deserve it.

Boyz Trip Follow us on a surf trip to NICA

Mimosas and Monopoly The New Limb shows us how to Chill

Native Knowledge

Night Sounds

Native Knowledge

Hot tubs and PBR

Letters Home

Arigato How a Teenage Mutant Ninja turtle helped a boy out of his shell

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Locale Looks We show you what to wear and where to find it

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T try this at home A day with the Wedge Crew

Breakdown

4 local musicians get fashionably stuck

SUP A first timers guide

WORKATION Work while you play

Homegrown

All rights reserved © 2010, the entire contents of this publication are protected by copyright. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any forms or by any means without the express written prior permission of the copyright owner.

ECCO AT THE CAMP a passion for soulful italian food and an obsession with true neapolitan pizza

LOCALE Magazine 2043 Westcliff Dr. #204 Newport Beach, CA 92660 ph: 949-436-8910 fax: 949-682-4807 info@localemagazine.com

pizza is made with quality ingredients prepared in a traditional way and baked in a brick wood fired oven... anything less is not pizza!

to contact the Big Chief: erik@localemagazine.com to submit events: info@localemagazine.com to advertise: ashley@localemagazine.com to subscribe: home@localemagazine.com

Open Daily Lunch & Dinner Text Ecco to 67777 For Our Special Offers

*message and data rates may apply

Wood Fired Pizzas Pastas, Meats & Fish Located inside The Camp

Cover: Summer Daniels at O’Neill Regional Park, ocparks.com/oneillpark Photographer: Tony Florez Hair & Makeup: Leah Zaby & Christopher Rhinesmith Clothes: RVCA- Army Jacket $64, Black Linen Shorts $18; Fyasko- El Prado Tank $36; Merritt Charles- Stripped Scarf $75

Breakdown (Fashion spread): Location: O’Neill Regional Park, ocparks.com/oneillpark Photographer: Tony Florez Models: Summer Daniels, Maya Tuttle, Lauren Salamone, Trisha Smith Stylists: Anna Tran & Lindsey Garland Hair & Makeup: Leah Zaby & Christopher Rhinesmith

Locale Looks: Photographer: Nancy Villere Locations: Eat Chow, Balboa Bay Club, The Ritz Restaurant, Avec Nightclub Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the

2937 bristol street suite a103 costa mesa California 92626 tel 714 444 ECCO fax 714 444 3227 w w w. e c c o c m . c o m i n f o @ e c c o c m . c o m

information contained in this publication, the publication cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. Sincerely, Erik Hale

Flavors pop as the new Italian spot hits the ground running – OC Register 15

Big Chief

the

New Hybrid AN ABSOLUTE FUSION OF FASHION, FOOD AND FUN Nordstrom Macy’s Target bebe H&M Hollister Oakley “O” Store

Apple Store Metropark Urban Outfitters Barnes & Noble Booksellers Anthropologie P.F. Chang’s China Bistro The Cheesecake Factory

Yard House Dave & Buster’s Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 & IMAX Javier’s Cantina & Grill California Pizza Kitchen and more!

S h o p I r v i n e S p e c t r u m C e n t e r. c o m I-5 at Alton Parkway or I-405 at Irvine Center Drive | 949.753.5180 Irvine Spectrum Center is a registered trademark of The Irvine Company. © The Irvine Company LLC, 2010. 16

Michael Zschoche Erik Hale

Anna Tran

Melissa Lunt Ashley Hickson

Erik Hale Big Chief I have two areas that I consider home; the small Northern California town of Hughson (pop.1100), that I was raised in and coastal Orange County, where I have lived for the past 10 years raising my family. I have moved around quite a bit due to semi-nomadic parents and a stint in the US Army. Only later in life have I experienced the beauty of community. I started Locale Magazine to focus on what is amazing about where we live and why it is such a unique locale. Our area is overflowing with culture and diverse businesses that I intend to bring into the spotlight. It is my hope that our readers take the time to visit the places we mention, they are truly special.

Michael Zschoche Sweeper Michael Zschoche takes “jack of all trades” literally. Michael is a world traveler, photographer, race car driver, vintage motorcycle rider, entrepreneur and foodie. His lifestyle includes the retail store Zschoche on Balboa Island and a branding and advertising firm, Nzsch. Michael’s eclectic style and interests have led him to the creation, delivery and management of interactive, print and outdoor communications for an equally diverse client base. He has had the great fortune of working in a multitude of dynamic industries not limited to: mega-yacht, art, law, engineering, tug boat, music, film, retail, adult, pet, internet infrastructure, clothing and periodical.

Melissa Lunt Designer Extraordinaire Coming from a nomadic family, Melissa Lunt has spent equal amounts of her life in Northern California, Florida and Hawaii. Currently a resident of South Laguna, Melissa embodies the soul of the Southern California lifestyle with a passion for creativity. She practices yoga, is an avid reader and does not believe in microwaves. As Senior Project Manager and Designer at the boutique advertising and branding firm Nzsch, she has participated in developing successful brands and campaigns for a diverse clientele.

Ashley Hickson Chaos Manager Born and raised in New Jersey, Ashley Hickson had made yearly visits to her family in sunny Southern California, quickly realizing that there wasn’t anywhere else she would rather live. Ashley found her calling after achieving the position as the editor of the school yearbook and newspaper in high school. When she relocated to Orange County at the age of 17, she began her studies at Chapman University in Old Town Orange. Upon graduation, Ashley pursued her dream and began working with the Orange County Hotel Magazine, where she was a key player in production. Ashley has since moved onward and upward to Locale Magazine where she is currently the “Chaos Manager” and is THE go to girl for everything LOCALE.

Cameron Oden Picture Taker Cameron Oden is a talented photographer from Costa Mesa, California. Cam recognized his passion for photography at a young age and finished High School early so that he could get a jump on his career. He has an amazing eye for both photo and video, continually developing himself in both fields. Lately, much of Cameron’s creativity is being applied to surf photography from his great love of the sport. Keep an eye out for works from Cameron in the future.

Photographers Cameron Oden Jenavieve Belair Tony Florez Jeff Farsai Nancy Villere Corey Stanton Paul Bennett Dominic Petruzzi

Writers Erin Belair Kip Mikler Allison Flaker Holly Clinard Jeff Clinard HEather Rest Corey Stanton

Stylists Lindsey Garland Samantha Korb

Belts Home Decor Vintage Chandeliers

Haute Fashion Jewelry Handbags by Michelle Monroe

The Hidden Jewel 1686 Tustin Avenue Costa Mesa, CA 92627 949.574.2160

25 DEGREES | 412 Walnut Ave., HB | 714.960.2525 | $10.50

SIGNATURE: The #1 - fresh arugula, thick slices of bacon, creamy Crescenza, Prelibato Gorgonzola, thousand island, and a fat 9 oz. sirloin patty stacked between a fluffy Brioche bun. VIBE: A mix between upscale boudoir and a laid-back beach vibe (yeah, sounds so contradicting), 25 Degrees can be compared to the black hole by how you can just get lost in a sea of out-of-thisworld food and specialty drinks. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: Try the adult version of a kids’ meal by pairing The #1 (or the #2 or #3) with a Guinness Milkshake during their daily Happy Hour from 4 - 7 p.m.

TK BURGERS | 110 PCH, HB | 714.960.3238 | $5.59

SIGNATURE: The Big Bargain - meat patty, American cheddar, lettuce, red onion, pickle, and TK’s special sauce on a white bun laid on top of fries and a couple onion rings. VIBE: With walls and windows plastered with stickers, large ketchup squirt bottles on every table, food served on white paper plates, and sweeping views of Huntington Beach, it’s obvious why TK’s is a local landmark. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: It’s all about the special sauce. Already got some on your burger? Well, then ask for more to dip your fries! A large soda with their perfectly-crushed ice will help everything go down.

by Anna Tran

a span of two-and-a-quarter gruelling, heartstopping, mouth-watering days, a team of four Locale’ers devoured over 20,000 calories EACH during our mission to find the ultimate, all-encompassing, to-die-for HAMBURGER. Why? Because we know how much people love hamburgers. Because you should know about all these amazing restaurants. And because we wanted the challenge. So, we rallied TEN local Orange County burger joints of all shapes and sizes, from fast-food to fancy, and began our tour de burger. High endurance was the name of the game, and we weren’t going to stop until we found what we were looking for. They plated bacon-wrapped stuffed dates, rolled prawns in coconut shavings, drenched us with cocktails, martinis, and shakes, drowned us in a bread bowl filled with cheese and garlic, baconized our dessert, 21

and had us hoarding buckets of fries - shoestring, skinny, sweet potato, et al. And those were just the sides. Every hamburger spoke for themselves. One might not realize how much TLC can go into a simple dinner staple. From the type of bun or cheese, to the infinite options for toppings, and of course the preciseness of molding the perfect meat patty, we are dubbing ourselves burger aficionados after taste-testing over ten of ‘em! But, back to business. We judged each contender on not only the taste, but also the appearance of the presentation, originality of each concoction, and ambiance of the restaurant. Almost everyone came out a winner, but who took the BUN you wonder? Continue reading and find out in this issue’s BATTLE OF THE BURGER!

BILLY’S AT THE BEACH | 2751 W. Coast Hwy, NB | 949.722.1100 | $12.95

SIGNATURE: Billy’s Beach Burger - 1/2-pound fresh, gourmet ground beef, pepper jack cheese, bacon, avocado, grilled onions, (plus tomato, lettuce, and a pickle on the side - didn’t eat it, ‘cause we didn’t need it!), served open-faced with fries and onion rings. VIBE: Walk into a little piece of Hawaii - decorated with Totem poles and a Tiki bar, Billy’s is like a swanky, casual hang-out spot where surf ‘n’ turf collide. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: Have a seat outside on the deck and kick your feet up with a Mai Tai or two while overlooking the harbor, glistening with yachts and boats.

KNOWLWOOD | 14952 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine | 949.857.8927 | $6

SIGNATURE: Frisco Deluxe - 1/3-pound patty, bacon, American cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, thousand island, pickles, on grilled Parmesan sourdough. VIBE: Decorated with retro novelties, pool tables, and even a separate room displaying vintage tools, nuts and bolts, take the kids to Knowlwood for some old-fashioned family fun and food. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: This burger is all about the grilled Parmesan sourdough - gives a traditional white bun a cheesy twist.

THE COUNTER | 6416 Irvine Blvd, Irvine. | 949.336.7272 | $8.50

MEMPHIS CAFE | 2920 Bristol St., Costa Mesa | 714.432.7685 | $15

SIGNATURE: Bison Burger (the secret’s out with this off-menu beauty) - 6 oz. bison patty, cranberry mayo, Gorgonzola cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and pickles on a fresh white bun, served with sweet potato fries and Chipotle aioli to dip. VIBE: A small and intimate Southern bar setting that’s less about the decor, and more about the chill aura and tasty fare. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: Grab a table out in the covered patio and enjoy a bottle of wine with your burger and sweet potato fries, sprinkled with...wait for it...sugar! It’s like dinner and dessert on the same plate. Sweet.

TOMMY’S | 9024 Recreation Cr., FV | 714.842.6141 | $2.45

SIGNATURE: Cheeseburger with Chili - plain piece of patty, a slice of tomato, diced sweet onion, pickles, poured and piled with Tommy’s chili. VIBE: An old-school burger joint with absolutely no fuss, just fast comfort food. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: Try anything with chili on it, but watch out for your clothes - it might get messy!

HAVEN GASTROPUB | 190 S. Glassell St., Orange | 714.221.0680 | $12

Thos Carson, 30

SIGNATURE: With over 312,000 ways you can build your burger, everything is a signature. Call ours “The Locale” - 1/3-pound beef patty, fresh avocado, Provolone, fried onion strings, applewood smoked bacon, on a Brioche bun with roasted garlic aioli on the side. VIBE: Industrialized space with high ceiling and bright blue walls gives this modern diner a futuristic feel. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: This place serves alcohol! Beer (bottled and on tap), and wine (red and white) line the walls behind the bar. There’s nothing like eating your personally-tailored burger while knocking back a few cold ones.

A RESTAURANT | 3334 W. Coast Hwy, NB | 949.650.6505 | $19

SIGNATURE: “A” Burger - juicy all-beef patty, caramelized onion, extreme blue (not bleu) cheese, bacon, arugula, thousand island, on a toasted bun, served with skinny fries sprinkled with salt, pepper and thyme. VIBE: Wine and dine over at A’s, where the lights are dim, the leather booths are cozy, and the alcohol is strong. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: It’s all about the Happy Hour over here, folks. From Monday to Friday, 3 to 7 p.m., all drinks and bar snacks (including the Charcuterie Cheese platter, yum) are half off. That means twice the Salty Pear martini, twice the fun.

SIGNATURE: The Haven Burger - 65% Chuck, 20% pork fat, 15% ground short rib combo patty, with pickled red onions, roasted red bell peppers, wild Arugula, and St. Agur blue cheese, served with pommes frites (that’s French for best fries EVER). VIBE: This is what every gastropub (see: restroom walls where you can school yourself on the definition) should be like - huge open space, huge fully-stocked bar, huge chalkboard with the chef’s daily-changing specials. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: They switch up the drafts three to five times a week, giving you a chance to try different imported beer with your meal at every visit. And please leave room for dessert - their “Not a Hostess Twinkie” takes the cream.

SLATER’S | 6362 E. Santa Ana Cyn Rd., Anaheim | 714.685.1103 | $9.95

SIGNATURE: The 50/50 Burger - 50% ground beef, 50% bacon, 100% guilty pleasure patty, two overmedium fried eggs, avocado, pepper jack cheese, and Chipotle mayo spread with a kick. VIBE: A definite destination-spot located inland OC is this modern sports bar with a retro burgerjoint feel that can accommodate boys’ night or a nice family outing. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: Although Slater’s is a build-a-burger resto, the stars are actually their overthe-top, house-concocted creations - The Peanut Butter and Jellousy Burger and Bacon-Fudge Brownies. “Death by happiness” comes to mind. 22

AND THE WINNERS ARE... AMBIANCE & HOSPITALITY 25 DEGREES It’s a place where you can hang out from day to night, and they completely encourage it.

There’s nothing like walking into a restaurant and immediately feeling at ease. Like a modern Hollywood speak-easy with its French toile wallpaper, rows of black crystal chandeliers, cushioned leather booths, and massive bar, 25 Degrees is a real offshore gem. It’s a place where you can hang out from day to night, and they completely encourage it. To top off the amazing food and cool ambiance, the hospitality at 25 Degrees can’t be more welcoming. Ask any of the staff for extra ketchup, another shot, or a menu recommendation, and they will happily oblige. 25 Degrees will definitely take care of you - mind, stomach, and soul.

PRESENTATION A RESTAURANT Like an immaculate portrait of the perfect burger, we set our eyes on the gorgeous presentation of the “A” Burger ...

Before we start grubbing, we feast with our eyes; and at A’s they know the trick to get us salivating. Like an immaculate portrait of the perfect burger, we set our eyes on the gorgeous presentation of the “A” Burger - the wilted slivers of caramelised onions, the bright green arugula, the charred slices of bacon, and the pile of crumbled blue cheese, slowly melting from the heat of the almost-pink meat patty, all neatly stacked between a fresh-baked bun on a clean white rectangular plate with a side of thyme-dusted fries. Now isn’t that food for thought?

TASTE

BILLY’S AT THE BEACH It was love at first bite.

It was love at first bite. After reading the ingredients of the Billy’s Burger on the menu and watching it served out to us on the deck, we expected another bacon cheeseburger. Were we absolutely wrong. Anyone can throw on fancy greens, and housemade sauces (don’t get us wrong, we LOVE all that), but it ultimately came down to the juicy, tender, scrumptious meat. We had to ask, “Chef Lupe, what did you do to this meat?”. He shyly responded: “secret seasoning.” Ok, we will just have to trust him.

ORIGINALITY MEMPHIS CAFE Bison meat is like no other meat we’ve tasted during this whole tournament.

Yes, you read it right. It’s a BISON burger, A.K.A. buffalo meat. Some may think it’s not for the weak and weary, others may say that cow is the way to go, but we say Memphis is pure genius. Bison meat is like no other meat we’ve tasted during this whole tournament. It is extra juicy and tender, and has a very specific umami taste that sends the senses into a whirlwind of flavor. Paired with the house-made cranberry mayonnaise sauce, the Bison burger stands out as the most unique combo of flavors. And did we mention the sugar-sprinkled sweet potato fries that the burger comes with yet? Yes? Just making sure.

continued...

Where the locals meet, eat & drink. MeetAtThePorch.com

Bar - Restaurant - Patio

Monday: Wed - Fri: Saturday: Sunday:

5 pm - 10 pm 4 pm- 11 pm 9 am - 11 pm 9 am - 9 pm

Better Than Home-Made

Featuring: Chili, Rotisserie Chicken, Fried Chicken, Lobster Tacos, Burgers, Steak, Salads, Warm Rustic Apple Tart, Chocolate Molten Cake, Micro Brews, Martinis, Wine, and Bloody Mary Bar on Sundays!

508 29th Street, Newport Beach, CA 92663 p (949) 673-1600 f (949) 673-1632

No Reservations

Monday-Friday 3:00 PM-6:00PM. All bar food just $4.95 Half Priced Smoked Nachos and $2 Corona Kids Eat Free All You Can Eat Ribs 50% Off Wine and Prime Rib Night $9.99 Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches

$9 Pitchers of Beer

www.beachpitbbq.com *offers subject to change per location

BURGER FOR YOUR BUCK TK BURGERs

When we arrived to TK Burger for the taste test, the line to order was out the door, through the outdoor seating patio, and onto the sidewalk on PCH. Must have been during the U.S. Open of Surfing right? Nah, it was just a regular ol’ Tuesday summer afternoon and the day could not have been more perfect for an outdoor, by-the-shore meal. The patrons at TK Burger were mostly in uniform, all clad in bikini tops, board shorts, plastic shades, and Rainbow sandals, anxiously awaiting for their Big Bargain. This platter may sound typical, but there must be a reason why TK’s has been the go-to burger stand for the past 50 years. What you get is a classic hamburger, a mixture of soft and crispy fries, a couple onion rings thrown in, and all for less than day parking in the parking garage off Main Street. We compare it to the taste you get when grilling burgers in your own backyard, but only better. The authenticity and simplicity of it all, served on a disposable white paper plate for just a few bucks is the reason why we keep going back to our backyard on PCH.

110 PCH, HB | 714.960.3238

What you get is a classic hamburger, a mixture of soft and crispy fries, a couple onion rings thrown in, and all for less than what it costs to park your car in the parking garage off Main Street all day.

LUXURY BURGER HAVEN GASTROPUB

It’s no secret that we here at Locale are major fans of the Haven. But by all means please don’t think there is any bias to this victory. Haven is just that good. We were seated in a booth placed in the center of the restaurant, where we were greeted by Chef Greg Daniels himself. And as he noticed how curious we were about the “Not a Hostess Twinkie” dessert that was written on the specials menu, he gladly served us up a plate before we had our burger. Dessert before entrée? Definitely off to a great start. So in comes the Haven Burger and no surprise were we licking our fingers (and eating every last pommes frites) after eating our share. What makes it so delicious? By British definition, “gastropub” translates to a public house which specializes in serving high-quality food. With their own little garden of greens and herbs in the back of the restaurant, house-made ketchup, maraschino cherries, and pride in their collection of alternative alcohol, Haven is more than a pub with high-quality food, Haven is luxury on a plate - a foodie’s dream come true.

190 S. Glassell St., Orange | 714.221.0680

Haven is more than a pub with high-quality food - Haven is luxury on a plate and a foodie’s dream come true.

ONE DELICIOUS

DESTINATION.

O C ’ S P R E M I E R D I N I N G D E S T I N AT I O N Aloha Hawaiian BBQ Asian Mint Auld Dubliner Irish Pub Ben & Jerry’s Bluewater Grill Seafood Restaurant Chaparosa Grill Chick-ﬁl-A Daphne’s Greek Café

In-N-Out Johnny Rockets JT Schmid’s Restaurant & Brewery Juice It Up Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que Marmalade Cafe Native Foods Café

Pablo’s Cantina Panera Bread Peet’s Coffee & Tea Pei Wei Asian Diner Pinkberry Quiznos RA Sushi Red Brick Pizza

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Sharky’s Woodﬁred Mexican Grill Strike Orange County Thai Bamboo Bistro The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar Whole Foods Market

HAPPY HOURS 7 DAYS A WEEK, EARLY & LATE!* PLUS MORE THAN 40 STORES & SPECIALTY SHOPS! located in tustin on the corner of jamboree and barranca

thedistricttl.com

* At Participating Restaurants. 27

by heather rest & erik hale he yearning for the days of yesteryear, where a handshake meant your word. It is not that the things I miss have simply vanished into a cultural vacuum, it has more to do with the speed of their departure. First you took our barbershops, then our full service gas stations dissapeared. Letters were replaced by electronic versions and talking to an actual person in customer service is now a memory. Courtesy has made way for convenience. I can accept the speeding up of conversations, via text and e-mail, the efficiency of computers (do you remember typing papers on a typewriter, I can) and the omniscience I get using Google. In my opinion, certain things are meant to be enjoyed at a little slower pace. Slow cookers, by title, sloe gin, by experience and slow pitch softball, by necessity are all on this list. Thanks to the culinary find on Newport and 17th Street in Costa Mesa, you can now add slow shopping, by sensory. If you have seen more than a few episodes of The Brady Bunch you will remember Sam the butcher. Yes, I am quite sure the reason he was always so friendly was because of his not well hidden desires for Alice. Sam is how I recall the butcher in the grocery store of my youth. Starched white uniform and tall white hat, occupying the real estate between the bakery and the produce section with a welcoming smile. I would usually drift away into whatever occupies the mind of a 7 year old but I can recall the way my mother would ask a question and the way the butcher would respond. It was clear, even in recollection that he was an artisan. He was sure that you never want to use “this” for “that” and “that” if you want to “knock their socks off” add a “pinch of this” to your slow cooker. Did I mention that my mom was

a hell of a cook? I think she had a partner, the butcher. Brian Smith and Robert Hagopian must have been reminiscing in much the same way when they decided to bring an East Coast tradition to Costa Mesa. The inspiration, gathered most assuredly over a hot BBQ, was derived from their consensus that it was nearly impossible to find high quality natural meat. B u t c h e r shops have experienced a serious decline s i n c e the rise of inexpensive pre-packaged meats; but so much more was lost when people began buying their food from mega supermarkets. Shopping at employeestarved warehouses has damaged the connection between butcher and consumer. The Meat House is repairing that connection. “All of our meats and poultries are all natural” is the first thing that owner Brian Smith tells me at the beginning of our tour. The modern consumer is more intelligent today than ever before. Buying socially responsible food has become second nature to people that our concerned about their health and their planet. In that contemporary consciousness meat has become somewhat taboo. It is hard to tell what is fresh or natural anymore when every package has a proclamation sticker. Brian describes what sets them apart when he tells me that “We start with choice and go above. The stores pump up “Select” meat but you really don’t want to buy select meat. You can find choice and prime in places like Costco and occasionally some grocery stores, but the difference between ours is it’s all natural and we source from the same places that the good restaurants do. Our 28

dry aging takes place in the same facility that French Laundry has their dry aging done, so that’s kind of neat”. Impressive. The primary philosophy of the shop is to only serve top quality products, but equally as important is a well trained staff to convey the knowledge to the customer. The army of pristinely dressed workers stand at attention prepared with answers regarding your cut of meat, where it came from and how to cook it to perfection. “No one can care about it the way we do because we are a butcher shop at heart” Smith reminds me. Their knowledge about meat seems very familiar and has a way of making anyone from an amateur griller to a wannabe Bobby Flay, excited.

in better position than you can find products that are available everywhere.” Intentionally or accidentally, a culinary circle has been formed in Costa Mesa, and The Meat House is proving to be a pivotal stop in the quality conscious grocery sphere. If you are lucky enough to live here then we hope you are taking advantage of High Times Cellars, Mother’s Market, Promelis, Santa Monica Seafood and Growers Direct. If so, you should consider adding The Meat House in Costa Mesa to this list.

The word that I kept hearing over and

I stopped in on a Wednesday night, at Robert’s suggestion to find out why non-meat eaters were also so attracted to The Meat House. I entered to find Andrew, an employee I had met earlier, holding class for the “cheese club”. He was giving the participants a fromage adventure that spanned the globe. On this particular Wednesday, Pardo featured an eighteen-month-old Gouda sprinkled with salt crystals, a Saint Agur white cheese paired with warm honey and a perfectly placed almond, then a creamy Manchengo goat’s cheese aged six months accompanied by a quince paste. I must admit that I am more of a cheddar, jack, and swiss eater, but was impressed enough to take home some 18 month old Gouda for myself. Robert was telling me a story about a client that stopped him one evening when Brian and him were headed to their cars, the woman looked at him and asked, “Do you guys own this place?” Robert was a little nervous adding that “you just never know what people are going to say”. Robert told her that they own it and the lady didn’t say another word. She put her bag into the car, walked over to them, and gave them a hug. “That is when we knew we were on to something special,” Smith said. I wonder what my mom was doing in Costa Mesa?

over was “local”. “...society has combined everything we love into a big box format where everything is done in one store” Says Robert. He then sums up what I have been thinking when he says “If we continue to shop with them (the big box stores), there won’t be demand for anything else.” He is getting more excited as he points out that, “You have to create centers where you can buy meat , fish and produce here locally.” Brian is not only concerned with shopping locally but with buying locally. He explains that “Jake’s Barbeque Sauce is from Irvine and that is why we place their product on the top shelf

Old WOrld COCktail Bar Open Tuesday-Sunday Happy Hour: Tuesday-Friday 3:30-6:30 PM Proudly Serving WARSTEINER

I think I am going to catch them off guard when I ask how they will be successful when most people’s grills are under tarps on the side of the house in the winter. “We are really excited to go through our first winter here” Smith said. “We’ll have fresh turkey for Thanksgiving, hams for the holidays, as well as, the bigger roasts. We will also take our marinated chickens and turn them into cordon bleu that you roast in the oven. It’s not fried, there’s no breading or anything and it’s ridiculously good.” Ok, so now I feel silly for asking AND I am super hungry.

NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: The newly introduced house specialty sirloin steak tips are causing a local frenzy. The baseball size chunks go through a tumbling process that not only tenderizes the meat but opens the pours to allow the marinade to soak in. The results are juicy hunks of marinated sirloin that quiver at the sight of a butter knife. Maple Bourbon, Kalbi(Korean BBQ), Peppered Garlic and Burgundy marinades perfectly flatter the pieces of succulent steak.

Calendar Of events Oktoberfest, NOW through October 31st every Wednesday through Sunday Dachshund Races, every Sunday now through October 31st, 3-6PM. Please check dates for rest of the year Halloween Costume Contest & Happy Hallowiener Doggy Dress-Up, October 31st, 2-5 PM Thanksgiving Dinner, Thursday November 25th, 12-4PM, reservations required

7561 Center Avenue, #49, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 Located off the 405 Fwy at Beach Blvd. across from Bella Terra

714.895.8020 • www.oldworld.ws Follow Us! 29

. .

Christmas Holiday Boutique, Saturday & Sunday December 4th & 5th, 10AM – 4PM Gingerbread House Making, Sunday December 5th, 1-5PM Nativity Play & Lantern Parade, Sunday, December 19, 1-5PM

Bar • Restaurant • Market • Bakery • Deli

When the doors to any establishment are open for more than 50 years they must be doing something right.

What’s not to like about Formica® counters, stainless steel furnishings, vinyl booths, and tightly packed locals? Great diners have a long sorted history, are typically family-owned for generations and provide perfect comfort food. Traditional-style diners are perfect time warps for meeting friends and associates for breakfast served all day, hot “Sammys”, and late night fixes. What they all have in common is a happy staff and if your lucky a spunky waitress with delightfully sarcastic wit. Take a tour of these Orange County icons and get acquainted with long standing tradition. Take in some perfectly cooked eggs, void of trendy frills, and be real with some good ol’folks.

by michael zschoche 31

Harbor House Cafe

Established 1939. Harbor House Café has two locations, both 70+ years old; these family-owned cafes take the “Omelet Extraordinaire” honors. The Sunset Beach location sits below the famed residence in a water tower. Dana Point is wedged between two easily accessible one-way streets. Expect to wait to be seated; it’s always busy around traditional feeding hours. Fear not, it is well worth the wait. The walls of this cozy eatery are covered in movie poster memorabilia of yesteryear and few current local surf flick posters for good measure. Open thankfully 24 hours a day, this eatery prides itself on giving the best they can give for a moderate price. Unless you have been without food for days, expect to have some leftovers. Try: Vegetarian Omelet- Tomatoes, Onions, Mushrooms, Avocado and Cheese. My favorite, the Golden Crisp French Toast 34157 PCH, Dana Point | (949) 496-9270 | 16341 PCH, Sunset Beach | (562) 592-5404 harborhousecafe.com | facebook.com/pages/Harbor-House-Cafe/385989835611 | 24 hours/7 days a week

Galley Cafe

Established 1946. This is a true locals’ hang out because you have to know where this place is. Located on what was Bayside Drive, before Newport Harbor was dredged, it now sits at the end of Harbor Island Drive (a mini peninsula). Find it and the rewards for this little harbor side vault will be worth more than the tales you will tell. This long time haunt of John Wayne lives by one mantra, “Don’t Change a Thing”, said by Eddie Fiach who took over the place in 1957. This eatery has been cooking up the same menu since it’s inception. The third generation owner sees to it that The Galley still mixes soda water with Coca-Cola syrup by hand, rings up every sale on the ‘ol register (cash only please) and that the stainless steel bits stay as polished as they were when they were new. Native Knowledge: If the place is full, wait your turn on the bench outside. After the friendly staff clears and buffs the Formica table, take a seat. Try: Chili Cheese Omelet. Real Ice Cream Shake. 829 Harbor Island Dr., Newport Beach | (949) 673-4110 | Open Daily: 7am-7pm

Pop’s Cafe

Established 1945. You will be delighted to pull up to historic Pop’s Café in Santa Ana. The original sign is a pleasant reminder that old stuff has great character. Pop’s continues to occupy the very same building it did the day they opened. In fact, the menu is identical, sans the 1945 prices. This affordable delight, sports a cool Coca-Cola motif right down to chrome chairs and the traditional vinyl seats. Indoor/Outdoor dining makes this location particularly pleasant on a nice day. Save up some calories for a house specialty, Crispy Zucchini. Yes, it’s fried to perfection! Try: a Big Stack of Pancakes or a Waffle. Pastrami Melt on Rye. 112 East 9th St., Santa Ana | (714) 543-2772 | Mon-Fri: 6:30am-2:30pm | Sat-Sun: 7:00am-1:30pm | yelp.com/biz/pops-cafe-santa-ana

Penguin Cafe

Established 1942. Penguin Café is a true original situated a stones throws from pristine beach, (great for a post meal walk). Expect to wait for a table in this tight space. Do not worry the short order cook of more than thirty years makes quick work of a full house; or just find a stool and enjoy what is obviously a friendly and well-oiled machine of a staff. While you are enjoying perfectly cooked eggs and daily made bread, take notice of the original menu hung just behind the door, it is the last remnant of a fire the café survived in the 1960’s. Also of note is an original jukebox that is complete with table or bar side selections. Recently, this little gem has been out of order and the family-owned operation has desperately been searching for a good juke mechanic. Know one? Please give them a ring. Cash is preferred for payment here and they reward you with a discount. Try: Carne Asada- 2 eggs, beans, potatoes and tortillas. A must-have with any appropriate dish is their house made Penguin Salsa! 981 South PCH, Laguna Beach | (949) 494-1353 | Mon-Fri: 6:30am-2:30pm | Sat-Sun: 7:00am-1:30pm

Watson Drugs and Soda Fountain

Established 1899. Originally established in 1875 as the Orange Drug store, 24 years later. For west coast history, especially in the OC, Watson’s Drug and Soda Fountain is the most historical of note. Ask for a copy of the Watson Drug Store: A Centennial History. It is full of history that is amazing to read while you dine inside a Drug Store! Due to the age of this icon, you can see a bit of the last 100 years still in use. Take some time to admire the wall of old license plates and the old Drug Store sign perched in the corner. Though Watson’s food is notable, what you really want to do is after strolling Old Town Orange Circle; sit at the real American soda fountain. This is not Coke or Pepsi; this is phosphates and ice cream. They have malts, shakes, floats sundaes and house made rice pudding to cure any sweet tooth. Try: Old Time Ice Cream Soda- Chocolate, Strawberry, or Vanilla, or share an Oreo Brownie Sundae. 116 East Chapman Ave., Orange | (714) 633-1050 | watsonsdrugs.com | info@watsonsdrugs.com Mon-Sat: 6:30am-9:00pm | Sun: 8:00am-6:00pm

Feeding Surfers Since 1988 WAHOO’S co-FOUNDER, Wing Lam

When you opened the first Wahoo’s in Costa Mesa in 1988 what were you trying to accomplish? We wanted to make a place for surfers, by surfers. A place where surfer’s could hang out close to the beach when they were done surfing. I wanted to hang around my friends that surfed and I may not be the best surfer among my friends, but I am the best cook.

What is it about the rice? It’s a Brazilian style rice and what I grew up eating. Rice and beans are a staple all over South America and we have tried to bring a blend of the food from different regions we have visited. Rice and beans are staples and very simple.

Why fish tacos? You can’t go hunt a cow but you can go fish. Our menu is simple and not unlike what you could find all over South America.

WAHOO’S STORY Growing up in San Paulo, Brazil, above their parent’s Chinese restaurant,

the

Wahoo’s

brothers’ Brazilian and Asian fusion was inevitable.

was when they traveled to Mexico for surfing when they discovered the fish taco and brought it to Orange County. Wing decided for a career change, left the corporate world and his brothers Ed and Mingo opened Wahoo’s Fish Taco in 1988, complete with donated

decorations

from

local surf companies. Today there are over 50 locations through California, Colorado, Texas and Hawaii, but the

What were the reasons you left the corporate world? Wearing a suit and tie was not as fun as I thought it would be. I thought it would be more fun to work in a t-shirt and shorts.

Why did you open restaurants in Colorado? There are a lot of Californian’s out there and they snowboard and get hungry just like surfers.

What don’t we know? Everything is made fresh on property. If you were in the kitchen you would see a Jalapeno pepper.

If someone wanted to be a better cook what should they do? Do something different. If normally everything is flat you stack it and if normally they are in layers, separate them. Create something unexpected that creates a Hmmmm (holds finger to mouth) Moment.

What was a mistake you made on your menu.? I wouldn’t call it a mistake but we used to have a Teriyaki bowl where we used Korean style ribs, (which may have been ahead of our time). The ribs were thin because they were cross cut. People kept complaining because they could not find the rib so eventually we took it off the menu.

Costa Mesa location on 1862

What type of food do you like to eat, when it’s not Wahoo’s?

Placentia remains the first.

Vietnamese food. I like Phann 55 in Irvine if I am in a hurry and don’t want to drive far, but I love to venture out to Little Saigon. I also like to eat Chinese food at my parent’s original restaurant on Balboa Island, The Shanghai Pine Gardens, the food there is very traditional “American-Chinese”. I like Sage in EastBluff for a nice date night. I love the taste of Asian food and Californiental at Ho Sum, which is close to my house. I also like Mama D’s, Blue Water grill, and the Crab Cooker. You can never, ever go wrong at the Crab Cooker (I think they sell the best food on the planet).

So basically you like food (LOL)? I love food

If you weren’t in the restaurant business, what would you do? I would probably be teaching. I started teaching 2 years ago at Concordia University in their MBA program. There is something about inspiring the next generation that is a lot of fun. 33

Simply Elegant Oceanfront Dining and Event Facility

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story & photography by Corey Stanton

Orange County is just a stones throw away from the show business capital of the world, but it is hard to name much musical talent that has come out of the area in recent past. It is even difficult to think of any musical names that have come out of this region in the past decade, for that matter. Ever since the wave of 90’s artists such as the likes of No Doubt, Social Distortion, Sugar Ray, The Offspring, and Lit, Orange County has been relatively quiet when it comes to musical production. This is soon to change. These following artists, FiFi Nasty, Robot Love, the Case Brothers, Emily’s Army, and Miss Keely, all hail from the Orange County area and are on the verge of big time musical recognition; now you are about to meet them here first. You can see these artists gracing the stages of many night clubs and venues in Orange County and Los Angeles, blowing the minds of those who were initially an unsure audience. Although these artists are very different when it comes to musical genre, they all maintain a similar cutting edge aesthetic, a highly desirable and interesting look, and a progressive sound that is ahead of the musical world of today. This is Orange County’s New List.

Keely Julian aka Miss Keely Sounds Like: Something really yummy to the ears. EP Name: EP title and production in the works. Coming soon. Find Them At: www.keelyjulian.com Do Not Miss: Orange Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next Gwen Stefani

Robot Love Sounds Like: Los Angeles electronic, music for lifeforms EP Name: Check out Robot Love singles available in the iTunes store and on Rhapsody. EP coming soon. Find Them At: www.futureislove.com Do Not Miss: Robot Loveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s involvement in the launch of DANCEiSM records this Fall. www.danceism.com

FiFi Nasty Sounds Like: A multi-genre musical collaboration. live percussion over house, electro, and dub sets EP Name: Planet Sex, available on iTunes now. “Planet Sex” tour launching this Fall Find Them At: myspace.com/fifinasty Do Not Miss: FiFi Nasty is electronic music’s next generation.

Case Brothers Sounds Like: Neil Young hanging out with the Rolling Stones EP Name: Cory Case EP Find them at: www.myspace.com/corycasemusic Do Not Miss: Their live performance at Rusty Pelican, every Thursday night

Emilyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Army Sounds Like: Garage pop punk EP Name: Regan Macneil (after crazy chick in Exorcist) Find them at : myspace.com/emilysarmy101 Do not miss : Their hot pink 7 inch (for sale on their True Anthem widget)

31 Plasmas for your sports and entertainment pleasure

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Night & Day Rendezvous

Elegant Waterfront Dining A hidden gem! Featuring a private dock for landing your small watercraft. (Reserved for diners only)

949.673.3625

2816 LaFayette Ave., Newport Beach, CA 92663

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Voted “Restaurant of the Year” for two consecutive years by the OC Concierge Association

Crush Hour ... Happy Hour, The Winery Way! Monday - Friday 3:30-6:30 pm | Monday - Thursday 9-10:30 pm | Friday & Saturday 9-11:30 pm | Sunday 4:30-10 pm Specialty Martinis • Wines • Beers • Bar Appetizers

Smooth Jazz Sundays

Enjoy contemporary smooth jazz with live performances by top artists Located at the District (at Jamboree & Barranca Pkwy.) | 2647 Park Ave. | Tustin, CA 92782

Please call for reservations 714.258.7600 | www.thewineryrestaurant.net 46

by heather rest

he air in the room is completely filled with the rising aromas of barley, yeast, old wood and more importantly, beer. The jovial man, wearing a freshly starched dress shirt and white apron, quickly passes out his famous, perfectly salted pretzel bread fresh from the oven to welcome first-time customers. Physically, he is everything you would expect from a man of his trade. His flour dusted face glows with excitement as he rings the brass liberty bell that hangs on the wall to signify the finale of another created batch of homemade brew. As we have progressed through times of heightened technology, it is the simple things in life that seem to carry the subtle yet impactful force. Time and time again, simplicity has the winning ingredients over complexity. Beer and bread are two of the simplest forms of eat and drink. Their intertwining relationship has secured a place in our civilized history since the earliest of times. from the earliest mention of beer in the earth’s adventure story, “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” the Middle Ages showed beer as more popular and safer to drink than water, then social status was classified by the color of your flour. But somewhere along the way came Wonder Bread and Budweiser, has the importance of the art of these two products been lost? Not if you find yourself in the personal brewery and bake shop, owned by German brew master and professional baker Dennis Midden, whose philosophy is that the two go hand in hand, and both taste better when you take the 47

time to make them yourself. The shape of the room is a simple rectangle with two swinging doors leading to the bakery in the back. Every inch of wall is decorated with memorabilia, brew tasting awards, and legendary labels posted by proud Brewbakers customers. The modest looking bar holds a single row of taps for rotating house brews and a shelf of moistened clear plastic bags containing freshly baked loaves of sourdough, French rolls, and cranberry-walnut bread. The ceramic counter top directly to the left of the bar is almost hard to see due to what Midden calls, “The Mug Club.” The locals that visit Brewbakers purchase 16 oz. glass steins, have them personally engraved, and leave them to be used another day. The etching options vary, ranging from statements as simple as “Dale,” to titles that represent a more expressive costumer like, “Jeff and Hannah’s mother F!@#$-ing Mug.” It is without a doubt a local spot, tucked away in an unsuspecting strip mall in the suburbs of Huntington Beach. Midden never seems to have a bad day, he is the kind of person who pushes himself to enjoy life to the fullest. When he is not at the shop he flies small engine airplanes and has a small obsession with Route 66. Midden is a slew of baking and brewing knowledge. The experience of visiting Brewbakers is truly a lesson in history. As he shuffles me into having a seat on one of his prized Route 66 cloth covered bar stools, Midden begins his explanation of why the two crafts mean so much to him.

PHOTOGRAPHY by Cam Oden

“My dad’s philosophy was to learn the bakery and then get out; you’ll always have a job. You know in the olden days they always wanted you to have a trade, and he was right. If I ever needed a job, I could always be a baker.” In between his heartfelt confessions about the love for his job and his life growing up in St. Louise, home of Budweiser, which gave his relationship to beer a rocky start, Midden is running around carefully tending to the Wort, the tea like liquid that someday will grow up to be beer. “I ended up getting a passion for the two crafts. I am a baker first and I love to drink beer. I always wanted a bread shop but it was just too boring and I wasn’t really into the hours so the beer brings the fun. When you mention beer, people just smile.” Everything in life that is worth enjoying does not come easy. Fermented refreshments are no different than a beautiful painting, vegetables from a summer garden or a slow cooked meal. Going to the store and buying a “sixer” has done our modern day society just fine for many years. It would be a difficult routine to upset, but somehow Midden has found a recipe that formulates patience with payoff. 49

“We kind of joke around here about being the adult ceramics store, people like hands on and this is mine! It’s about the pride of ownership. We call this your garage. People take ownership, not only the product, but in the place.” The beautifully strung up hop plants over the patio impose a serene feeling upon entrance, with greenery and smells of barley that instantly relax the nervous system. It is a no pressure kind of place designed for Midden to share the joys of these two ancient crafts. It is worth seeing for yourself. It is the kind of experience that makes you take a deep breath, soak up the moment and smile. On a lazy Thursday afternoon, in walk three suspected Huntington locals. All dressed appropriately for their beer drinking adventures; Rainbow sandals, cargo shorts and full beards. Clearly if you have a beard, you must love beer. Midden sets a glass of stout on the bar. “You like stout, don’t you?” One patron reaches out for the glass of perfectly poured midnight black beer and replies, “Jesus Christ, that’s beautiful.” The shop is Midden’s stage. Every time he opens his mouth his voice billows

Brewbakers is not trying to be a bar; they consider themselves a brewing and baking garage. throughout the room. His laugh is contagious. His audience gathers around anxiously waiting for the next crazy one-liner or an ancient story. Every day there is something new to experience. On my second visit to the brew shop, the informal lesson for the day was on Mead, an alcoholic beverage similar to wine, but made with honey instead of grapes. Midden informs me and the other gathered patrons that the sweet, champagne-like drink was replaced by new discoveries in beer and wine. When asked if this is something new, Midden will continually reply, “We don’t always make anything, but if people want something around here we tell them to brew it themselves.” Brewbakers is not trying to be a bar; they consider themselves a brewing and baking garage. They are open six days a week, no later than 10 p.m. For the younger crowd,

Deanie Wood

drink

dine

play

the quiet woman

3224 pacific coast highway

cdm

640.7440

www.quietwoman.com 50

pizza, bread, and homemade soda parties fill up some of the shops afternoons. Delicious root beers, lemonades and cream sodas can be given personalized labels catering to any kind of event. Children learn the art of making fresh baked bread and the fun of twisting the dough into creative shapes, making Brewbakers a great alternative to Chucky Cheese. After being open for 15 years (five years in downtown Huntington and 10 at the current location on Heil Avenue), Brewbakers is looking to spread its vines.

The mural on the wall expresses the relationship between two ingredients handled in different ways. It all begins with the wheat and barley. Direct your eyes to the right to a picture of a grind mill, mash basket, brew kettle, yeast and fermentation, which all leads to beer. Back to the middle; start with the wheat and barley. Direct your eyes to the left to the grind mill, which makes flour, add the yeast, bake and you have bread. Brewbakers offers around100 different brewing options, around 15 different bread baking options and more than 10 homemade soft drink recipes.

First make an appointment, walk-ins are accepted but appointments are advised, stopping by to try some of the house specialties is always encouraged, and should not be overlooked. If you are coming in to brew, start with a tasting. They are always available and Midden is constantly excited about something and ready to share. Pick a recipe from the Brewbakers files. A helpful comparison list allows you to find a beer you are familiar with and provides a comparable Brewbakers recipe that you will enjoy. If you prefer Coors, Brewbakers suggest their very own Rocky Mountain Spring Lager. If you enjoy Red Nectar, Brewbakers has a recipe to match called Wildfire Red. Next, gather your ingredients, follow your recipe sheet, which can sound scary, but don’t worry Midden is keeping a distant and careful watch on you at all times.

Midden opened Purple Feet wine shop, located directly next to Brewbakers in early July. The ribbon cutting ceremony was celebrated on the owner’s 58th birthday. Midden expects that the popularity of wine in California will contribute to Purple Feet’s expected success. With similar concepts as the brew shop, guests have the pleasure of choosing a varietal of grape, then producing, bottling and labeling their very own vino. Midden’s appreciation for the German culture flows through the

After mixing all your ingredients, Midden helps add yeast, the final product which begins the fermentation process. The finale bell is rung. “Another fine batch of beer!” echoes through the shop. Midden would not let you leave empty handed. The day all the mixing takes place, Brewbakers uses your grains to make two loaves of wheat bread to take home. While you’re at home, your beer sits in a temperature controlled fermenting room for two weeks. Return two weeks later to bottle and label the best beer you’ve ever had, because you made it.

flour speckled air at Brewbakers, but he is not living in the past. He is truly excited about the shift in beer drinking in the United States since the late 1980’s. Like the French use legislation to protect their language, the German’s cultivated one of the first known food implemented laws, The Reinheitsgebot or “Purity Law.” The law was designed to control pricing and protect the purity of German beer. While Midden will tell you all about the history of pasteurization and purity he believes the beauty of living outside of Germany is expanding on tradition and making today the most exciting times for beer. “Micro brews are up and macro brews are down. Now that people are starting to appreciate good beer we want to give them a hands-on experience. What keeps me going is the customers. Every day we get people in here saying how much they love our place.” The roses always smell wonderful, and it is good to stop and enjoy the fragrance once in awhile. Taking the time to do anything that could easily be hastened with our modern day rush will leave a sense of reward in your heart. Visiting Brewbakers is an experience in it’s own, and a Huntington Beach gem that should not be surpassed. Midden is a modern day marvel, and at this very moment, he is most likely sitting behind the bar at Brewbakers telling hilarious personal accounts, or German folk lore, waiting for YOU to share a pint. (714) 596-5506 | brewbakers1.com 7242 Heil Ave, Huntington Beach

ikle

ip m by k

The Hobbit Restaurant

Richard M o r i a r t y, the man who owns the cave.

This is a story about cellars and caves. Forget, for a minute, about sun-drenched patios, ocean views and scenic vistas. Here in Orange County, you can’t swing a surfboard without hitting a place like that. But what lies below? In a land where caves are rare, and where basements are considered a bad idea (pesky earthquakes), what might we find where the sun doesn’t shine?

It took 300 tons of concrete, eight tons of steel, and a whole lot of haggling over building permits, but in 2005 Moriarty built his cave. It’s 85 feet long with 1,000 square feet of temperaturecontrolled space. The primary function of the wine cave is to age the Bordeaux-style wines Moriarty produces, but it’s also a party spot. It’s a unique venue for wine-tastings, corporate dinners and private cocktail parties.

“It got pretty wild last night,” he said, moving slowly and sipping a glass of Cuvée. Last night’s guests were served “Wretched Excess Red.” Some of Moriarty’s wines—another is called “The Idle Rich”. The man has a record of colorful exploites so all of his wines have names that apear to be partly autobiographal. He was well-known in the 80’s for throwing his “Pimps, Hookers, Drug Dealers and Lawyers Ball.” But from the looks of things, those years of bacchanalian

When asked if the car was intact, Moriarty shook his head. “Here, let me show you the rest of it.” We walked down the hall passed a stunning solid glass staircase that sits above his personal wine cellar, and Moriarty opened the door into another chamber of wonders: his car collection. There, in the middle of the room, sat the Countach engine, transformed into a unique coffee table with a glass top. Moriarty walked over to it, fired it up, and letting out a mighty roar.

The room also included a collection of semi-automatic rifles. Moriarty pulled out a few for me to admire. He casually noted, by the way, that this house isn’t exactly legal.

Newport Beach Winery

But push open those doors—go ahead, put your back into it— and you’re peering into one of Orange County’s most interesting gathering places. The cave, dug into a bucolic hillside overlooking Upper Newport Bay, was never supposed to be. The city of Newport Beach wouldn’t allow it. Being told no, however, is just the sort of thing that motivates

The cave and Moriarty’s modern concrete-and-steel home sitting on the hill above are filled with stuff like this: playful, odd and occasionally astonishing mementos of a life well lived. One jaw-dropping artifact hangs on the wall of his living room: a 1974 Lamborghini Countach. Moriarty hired a crew and a 70-ton crane to lower the car through a specially designed skylight and mount it on his wall like an oil painting.

“It would be a waste for it not to be used,” he said with a shrug.

To find out, I went underground. There, I met talented artisans doing fine work away from the spotlight—or any light, for that matter. I explored dark recesses where time stands still. I drank fine wines and discovered ethereal cuisine. I think I gained a few pounds.

Entering the wine cave at the Newport Beach Vineyard and Winery, you must first open the doors, made from solid mahogany, over a foot thick and weighing 3,000 pounds each. The doors are locked with a former KGB prison key.

Like the Wine? Hang Around, You Will.”

Moriarty knows a little something about throwing parties. An heir to a family fortune built on lima beans, he’s part of a rich Orange County horticultural heritage. His family began farming here in the 1800s and later developed South Coast Plaza. Now in his early 60s, and sporting a salt-and-pepper mane, Moriarty welcomed me to his cave on a Tuesday morning.

Vineyard at Newport Beach Winery

madness have gone the way of mullets, parachute pants, and other 80’s excesses, replaced by the quest to produce world-class wines. Moriarty admits that it hasn’t always been easy. Critics long doubted the prospect of a successful winery in this part of the world. The cool coastal air of a place like Newport Beach limits the number of warm, sunny days needed to ripen the grapes. But if there’s one man to defy the odds, it’s Moriarty. After showing off some of the grapevines, he led me into the wine cave and pointed to a sign hanging in the back: “Critic’s Corner,” it read. “Don’t

“Well, it has never gotten a certificate of occupancy,” he said. “Hey, let’s go look at the fish pond, I’ve got four-foot-long catfish.” The man has a thousand stories. I could have hung around all day, listening to the rogue vintner of Newport Beach. But more underground explorations awaited.

Next destination: Middle Earth. Anticipation was high as I pushed open the front door of an 80-yearold house in downtown Orange. I was welcomed by Michael and Debra Philippi, the talented owners of a charming abode that’s been blowing people’s minds with culinary delights for close to 40 years. 54

lâ&#x201E;˘ Drop In. Have Fun. Eat Wel

CALIFORNIA - COLORADO - HAWAII - TEXAS Special Events Catering and Party Packs available. wahoos.com

It’s called The Hobbit. It may seem strange that a place serving world-class Continental cuisine is named after an imaginary character known for being short and having large, hairy feet, but the name fits. Michael was a fan of the Tolkien books long before the epic Lord of the Rings films as he explained to me the inspiration behind his restaurant’s name. “Hobbits loved to have a good time, enjoy good food and drink with company,” Philippi said. True enough. In Tolkien’s words, Hobbits “laugh deep fruity laughs, especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it.”

like those of my childhood, it’s an unadorned space filled with warmth and imagination.

With more than a thousand bottles in its cellar, The Hobbit has won Wine Spectator’s Best of Excellence award and received top honors from the Zagat Guide Survey the past six years. In addition to being the place where you savor tasty appetizers, the cellar plays an important role in the Hobbit experience. It’s where you choose your wine.

Tolkien described hobbit holes as rustic yet enchanting. “In a hole lived a hobbit,” he wrote. “Not a nasty, dirty wet hole filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down or to eat: it was a hobbit-

I took the easy route and let Cox, the Hobbit’s skilled sommelier, handle it. We were given the sommelier pairing, selections from Pacific Northwest chardonnays to Rhone varietals and California Cabs. Cox’s pairing matched perfectly with every extraordinary bite.

Plus, of course, Hobbits live in holes. An evening at The Hobbit is more than just dinner. Rather than simply sitting down to eat, guests can mingle with Michael, Debra and sommelier Tiffany Cox then explore the truly unique setting for a fine-dining affair. The entire decadent journey through gastronomical bliss takes three hours and seven courses to complete. I wasted no time getting straight to the heart of my mission. After a quick cocktail on the patio, we went to the cellar. Down the stairs, into the cool, underground air. Tiffany handed us each a flute of champagne. Hors d’oeuvres were laid out on a blocky wood table, and racked bottles of wine lined every wall, ceiling to floor. A few simple light bulbs cast a warm glow on dark beams and exposed metal pipes. The scene brought back memories. Where I’m from, kids grew up in spaces like this. During long Midwest winters, we hardly ever left the cellar. Parents sent us down there to play hockey, race Hot Wheels, keeping the damage to a minimum. The walls were indestructible cinder block, the floors were covered with cheap indoor/outdoor carpeting.

The Hobbit’s elegant wine cellar is no mundane basement, but,

The door opens, and you smell charred meat.

It’s dark. The dim yellow light from an iron chandelier reveals plush blood-red booths, brick arches and dark wood tables.

Dinner was divine: seared diver scallop, salad with three different pears, smoked duck breast, rack of lamb, dessert, all spread out over just enough time, with a nice intermission to step out onto the patio and return to a palettecleansing sorbet. Further description of the meal wouldn’t do it justice. The Hobbit isn’t a restaurant—it is an experience in fine food and, yes, fantasy. Forty years after its inception, Mike’s original vision of capturing the spirit of a hobbit— of creating a warm environment to eat, drink and be merry—is alive and well. Near the corner of Irvine and

hole, and that means comfort.” A wealthy family from the East Coast, where cellars are common, built the Hobbit house. Since basements are rare in Southern California, the Phillippi’s knew they had found a treasure in this old farmhouse. At the time it was one of the only structures around, surrounded by nothing but orange groves and dirt roads. “Even when we moved here in the early 70s, there wasn’t much else around,” Debra said. “It was originally a farmhouse and for a while it was a Ukranian restaurant.”

The Cellar Fine Dining

17th Street in Costa Mesa sits a dull concrete office structure. On one side of the building resides a Blockbuster Video store. On the other, office spaces. Here’s what you do: Walk into the office lobby elevator and press the down button. It feels like

you’re visiting the dentist in an Eastern Bloc country, but trust me. This is no ordinary elevator. Down you go, into t h e

underground. The door opens, and you smell charred meat. It’s dark. The dim yellow light from an iron chandelier reveals plush blood-red booths, brick arches and dark wood tables. In front of you, at an arm’s length, is a sizzling grill manned by men holding tongs and wearing tall white chef hats. Welcome to La Cave. Its elevator is a time machine. When its doors open and you step out, you’re stepping back a halfcentury, to Valentine’s Day 1962, the day this unique steakhouse/ bar opened. “It was built by the family that owned Hi-Time Wine Cellar,” explained La Cave general manager Leilani Huebner. “HiTime used to be upstairs, where the Blockbuster is now.” Up above, in the light of day, times have changed over the last 50 years. Hi-Time moved to a bigger space; countless momand-pop stores got squeezed out; Taco Bells and Starbucks propagated like rabbits. Entirely new ideas were born, thrived and, in many cases, were left to die slowly. (See: Blockbuster.) Down here, in the cool underground, things stayed the same. Romance bloomed. Stiff cocktails were poured. Fine meats were served. I went on a Tuesday night and was seated in a booth. With tables placed close together, diners’ conversations all blended together. Some of the guests seemed old enough to have been here opening day. Some were much younger. Couples sat at the bar. Later, after 9, people would arrive for the entertainment. It was Indie Rock night. How many places do you know that serve fine steak and wine at 7, then crank live Indie Rock bands at 9?

From a culinary standpoint, La Cave sticks to what it knows. The bread—a sinful gift of cheese, garlic and butter—is addictive. The steaks are grilled and seasoned just right. And for me, the surprise treasure of the night was an outrageous carrot cake dessert. Best I’ve ever had. There’s no menu at La Cave. Instead, your server wheels over a platter of steaks and seafood. With a flashlight, each is described. Then you choose and point. This is how they’ve done it since 1962. I hope it never changes. Long before “Pirates of the Caribbean” was a multibillion-dollar entertainment franchise, it was a simple Disneyland attraction. Its allure was its design. You sat in a boat and floated into the darkness, where museum-style dioramas and jerky robotic Pirate characters drew you into a different time, a different place. The Cellar in Fullerton doesn’t have boats, but when you walk through a back alley and down the stairs, pull open a heavy door, and blink into its darkness, it’s like stepping into a grown-up version of some fantastical theme ride. It’s little surprise, then, to learn The Cellar’s one-of-a-kind décor was created by the same artists that gave us Pirates of the Caribbean. With dingy red carpets underfoot and chintzy chandeliers overhead, it takes a few moments to adjust to this scene. Once you do, however, you’re in for a ride. Sit down in a plush red velvet chair and take it all in. Stone arches, glowing candles and Goddess statues abound. It all sounds kitsch, which I suppose it is, but only in the most delightful way.

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Accompanying me at The Cellar was a discerning guest. My wife, once a server at a Chicago Four Seasons, has a more sophisticated eye than me when it comes to fine dining. When we go out, she chooses the wine and notices the little things. Things like the way Sarah, the manager at The Cellar, skillfully changed tablecloths. And how Patrick, our server, was perfectly attentive yet not overbearing. The only glitch in the production, a yawning delay in the delivery of our wine, turned out to be a blessing: Patrick explained they were out of the Pinot Noir we chose, and he recommended a French alternative. It was perfect. On this Tuesday evening, the Cellar’s clientele included romantics of all ages. From twenty-somethings to octogenarians, couples to small groups. All bathed in candlelight, most drinking wine, and, from what I could tell, pleased as pie. The smoked salmon appetizer was so delicious, I’d return just for that. The lobster bisque, cited by Yelpsters as a must, lived up to its billing. The rabbit was the best I’ve tasted outside of France. But the highlight was dessert. Our waiter marched out and placed two soufflés in front

of us. With a hint of fanfare, he deftly stabbed the puffy crowns. Tops open, he poured in the sauces—one chocolate, one Grand Marnier with Crème Anglaise. “What do soufflés and French waiters have in common?” he asked. Pause. “They’re both filled with hot air.” Brilliant. The Cellar’s hidden treasure is its ability to make you smile. Here in the dim recesses of a space once inhabited by the likes of Sammy Davis Jr., even a corny joke, accompanied by a mean soufflé, is a delight.

There was one last destination to complete this quest: Nestled in the southern San Joaquin Hills, above Laguna Beach, is a cave in the woods. It’s in a shady spot, surrounded by lush green ferns and broadleaf trees. On the scale of Cave Awesomeness, I’ll admit Dripping Cave ranks low. It’s a sandstone cave, formed by the wind. You don’t so much descend into its abyss as saunter right in. But what Dripping Cave lacks in grandiosity, it makes up for in history. It used to have a different name, one I prefer—Robber’s Cave. The old name is a reminder of wilder times in our part of the world. It was supposedly a hideout for stagecoach and livestock thieves. I did a quick scan for rattlesnakes and sat on the dirt floor. It was 10 degrees cooler, away from the hot sun. Holes bored into the walls offered evidence of the past, scars from pegs where the robbers hung their loot. The ceiling, maybe ten feet overhead at its highest point, was blackened from campfires of old outlaw inhabitants. I’d say that here in Orange County, caves get short shrift. We’re surfers, not spelunkers. This isn’t Portland, with its underground city; or Paris, with its catacombs. We spend happy hour on sunny rooftop patios. We sip our wine with our toes in the sand. But this little journey into our local underground haunts reaffirmed one thing: A cellar or cave, even a mini-cave like Dripping Rock, never fails to spur the imagination. Even if you never encounter bats and stalactites, slimy creatures that writhe and hiss when sunlight strikes their skin, you can still find buried treasure down below. The perfect soufflé, after all, is good as gold. The Hobbit Restaurant 2932 E Chapman Ave Orange, CA 92869 (714) 997-1972 hobbitrestaurant.com

La Cave Restaurant 1695 Irvine Ave Costa Mesa, CA 92627 (949) 646-7944 lacaverestaurant.com

The Cellar Fine Dining 305 North Harbor Blvd Fullerton, CA 92832 (714) 525-5682 cellardining.com

Newport Beach Winery nbwine.com

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Duffy Rentals 2001 W. Coast Hwy, Newport Beach (949) 645-6812 | duffyboats.com Sol Cocina 251 Pacific Coast Highway, Newport Beach (949) 675-9800 | solcocina.com‎ From left to right; SOL Cocina Partner, Rich Howland, SOL Cocina Managing Partner, Matt Baumayr, SOL Cocina Executive Chef/Partner, Deborah Schneider

Tradition on the Water

Brunch with a View

Captain Jack’s Prime Rib & Seafood Restaurant

A sense of tranquility washes over you at this patio pleasure-inducing destination. Tucked away off of quaint Lafayette Road, The Dock features a creative menu with a continental bent and a host of domestic and imported wine and beer. Locals flock here in droves for the Sunday brunch, which features a killer Eggs Benedict. When the sun goes down, The Dock is the place to be for a casual evening on the water and it’s not uncommon to see patrons reaching for the keys to their very own wine lockers. Reservations for water vessels are required.

16812 Pacific Coast Hwy/Sunset Beach/(562)592-2514

This Sunset Beach mainstay has been owned by the same family for more than three decades and is a favorite hot spot for locals. Captain Jack’s offers mouth-watering treats from the sea like Alaskan King Crab, the house specialty that devotees describe as ‘5-star.’ Enjoy a mind-blowing Mai Tai in Jack’s lounge-like atmosphere dotted with aquariums and assorted kitsch while you watch a bevy of watercraft shuttle in and out of the area. Its not uncommon to encounter an hour long wait for a harbor side seat, so get there early.

Native knowledge: Crab is king here, but the Prime Rib is to die for. 59

The Dock 2816 Lafayette Road/Newport Beach/(949) 673-3625

Native Knowledge: Put the technology aside for a while-the establishment frowns on cell phone use while dining.

Do a 180 on the History Lesson Harbor...View, That is Served Seaside Harborside Restaurant & Grand Ballroom 400 Main Street/Newport Beach/(949) 673-4633

Located inside Balboa Pavilion, this premier waterfront dining destination underwent an extensive remodel in recent years. The Harborside offers delectable seafood, including lobster, crab and other local favorites, as well as a nightly three-course prix-fixe menu. The Endless Champagne during Sunday brunch is legendary, and the clam chowder and coconut salmon are addicting. If you’re looking to host a reception on the water, the friendly staff will be happy to make your party a memorable one.

Native Knowledge: From 12-7 pm MondaySunday, the establishment’s Saloon boasts the ‘longest’ Happy Hour in town-we believe them!

The Cannery 3010 Lafayette Road/Newport Beach/(949)566-0060

Overlooking Lido Park Drive, this nearly one hundred-year-old building is one of the most historic and scenic spots around. The Cannery boasts an eclectic décor, with the upstairs Jellyfish Lounge providing a delicious array of cocktails. The El Cholo Margarita packs a punch and the Bloody Mary is addicting and noteworthy for it’s garnish of smoky bacon. All of the food is prepared fresh to order in the kitchen, with fresh seafood and produce delivered daily. Cheap Mexican bar bites like Blue Corn Chicken Enchiladas are popular, as are the sea bass and surf n’ turf entrees.

Native knowledge: The Cannery’s late-night seafood bar is worth staying up for.

Family Locally Owned & Operated

since 1986

Oversized Samples Designers, project managers and installers cater to each client from beginning to end Antique Flooring, Parquets, Painted Floors, Warren Christopherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Custom Line, Wide Plank, Reclaimed Flooring from Old Barns and Industrial buildings

Classic Fish House Bluewater Grill 630 Lido Park Drive/Newport Beach/ (949) 675-3474

Located on Lido Peninsula at the former site of Sea Shanty & Delany’s, The Bluewater Grill is the place to go for charbroiled seafood, pastas, house made chowders and an extensive selection of raw bar items. In a nostalgic touch of charm, there are containers of Old Bay seafood seasoning on every table and the comfortable, warm atmosphere is bolstered by excellent and friendly service. Overheard on the outside patio: “I have the taste of the sea in my mouth and I love it.” Enough said.

Native knowledge: The Hama Hamma oysters on the half shell paired with a 2008 Marques de Riscal (a Spanish white wine) is nirvana.

Hollywood Charm by the Sea Villa Nova Restaurant 3131 West Coast Hwy/Newport Beach/ (949) 642-7880

This landmark establishment is a favorite spot among locals and tourists alike. Known for it’s delectable pastas and fresh seafood, the Villa Nova also features an award-winning wine list with more than 800 bottles, ranging from hard-to-find selections and Bordeaux to cult California Cabernets. Enjoy live entertainment nightly in the restaurant’s piano bar. The ‘Top of the Villa’ is available for guests with a more private setting in mind.

Native Knowledge: The Villa Nova has been a good luck charm of sorts for at least one notable couple-Joe DiMaggio once took Marilyn Monroe on a blind date here.

Elegant Entertainment Back Bay Cafe 1131 Back Bay Drive/Newport Beach/ (949) 729-1144

This out of the way waterfront gem offers terrific bay views. The Back Bay Bistro offers California cuisine in an atmosphere of casual elegance, and features a popular Sunday brunch with live entertainment that will have you stomping your feet in appreciation. The place is within walking distance of the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, and locals rave about the array of tasty seafood options like Lobster Bisque and Dover Sole. The recentlyremodeled establishment features a retractable roof that allows patrons to dine in comfort no matter what the weather brings.

Native Knowledge: Valet parking is free on Sundays from 10-3 and self parking is free for two hours with validation

Baja CuIsine Gets a Maritime Makeover SOL Cocina 251 E. Pacific Coast Highway/Newport Beach/(949) 675-9800

With views to die for, SOL Cocina offers maritime charm and hospitality, with a menu that features simple, locally-caught seafood grilled to perfection. All of the restaurant’s sauces and salsas are made fresh daily. For late-night eats, juicy and flavorful street tacos are the stuff that sweet dreams are made of. The bar offers a wide array of specialty cocktails, with more than 60 artisan tequilas on hand at all times. We love the offbeat selection of margaritas-try the Cucumber Jalapeno variety.

Native Knowledge: The Wild Tangerine Shrimp, a Chef’s Special, will make you want to slap your grandmother (gently, please!)

Cozy Dining in Dana Point Harbor Grill Restaurant 34499 Golden (949) 240-1416

Lantern/Dana

Point/

Scenic Dana Point Marina is the backdrop for this popular local hangout. The menu here is reasonably priced and features Pacific Rim, Mediterranean and Caribbean influences, with an emphasis on Baja Peninsula-inspired cuisine. Many of the entrees are prepared with herbs from the restaurant’s own on site garden, like the Smoked Halibut with Tarragon Mustard Mayonnaise. If it’s a cocktail you’re craving, the extensive martini list is not to be missed.

Native Knowledge: Chef Deborah Schneider is a bit of a cult hero in Dana Point, having been an early advocate of sustainable fishing and the ‘farm-to-table’ movement in Southern California.

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The unmistakable smell of roasted coffee fills the cabin of my car moments before I pull into the only availablespotinthisupscalestripmall just off 17th street in Newport Beach. I am amazed at the sheer number of people congregating on the outdoor patio and realize that while some are already enjoying their coffee, the rest of these people are in line. I’m not shocked from the long lines (I’ve waited for a Sprinkle’s cupcake), and I am not surprised that people are waiting in line for coffee (it is an addiction for many consumers) but am perplexed at how the store is so busy at 10:30 in the morning. Today is a workday, it is now officially mid morning (even McDonald’s stops serving breakfast by now), you can throw a rock in any direction and hit a Starbuck’s and yet this coffee shop located in a strip mall behind a Bank is packed, overflowing even. I have made this trip to interview the man behind this madness but also, as a certifiable coffee junkie, to experience some otherworldly coffee. Every day 150 million consumers purchase some form of this roasted bean from the 40,000 coffee shops in the US. You might not have heard of Kean Coffee, but there is a much better chance you have heard of Diedrich’s. Martin Diedrich, the man I came to meet today and who has just made his way around the counter and is walking towards me, grew his namesake business to a point in 1999 where it was the second largest specialty coffee shop in the world. Then, when that franchise was at its’ height, Martin just walked away. He left with nothing but his health, reputation, and new born son Kean. Martin missed roasting. He missed the feeling of a small specialty coffee shop. He left because he wanted the hands-on nature of what he used to have. He felt like an NBA all-star wanting to get back to the pickup games in the park that helped him fall in love with the sport. In 2005 he opened Kean Coffee in Newport Beach. When the man with the most recognizable name in the second largest industry in the world walks away from an empire of coffee shops to focus all his knowledge and effort into just one shop, you expect great things. I had a chance to visit Kean Coffee and talk to Martin Diedrich to see what it looks like for a man to romantically leave everything he built to start over for the love of

family, community and coffee. The walls are lined with partially exposed burlap coffee bags pressed in place meticulously by bees wax. In the corner lurks a gargantuan burgundy metallic coffee roaster personalized with a glistening Kean logo on the hull of it, beset with brass fittings all around and is the source of the roasted bean smell that initially caught my attention. Sean, one of the coffee roasters, monitors the temperature and waits for the beans to pop like popcorn inside the belly of the big machine. The latch opens to the front of the roaster and freshly roasted coffee spills out into the metallic catch basin. The aroma of the roast fills the shop now, and as I glance around at the cross section of Orange County, I notice the majority have their heads raised slightly and whether intentionally or not are in some stage of inhaling the intoxicating smell. Maybe I am a little high from the aroma but my first question to this industry giant is not near as eloquent as I had imagined when I drifted off to sleep last night.

...Why? Really, is this the best I could come up with. The word hung awkwardly between us so I placed my hand on my chin to make myself seem more intellectual. Then in his answer, I saw that I had asked the perfect question.

by Jeff Clinard

“They wouldn’t come if the coffee wasn’t great. The truth is in the cup.” The truth is in the cup? Sounds too epic to be relating to coffee. Most consumers buy it as a substitute for iced tea or soda. It is something that you can make in a little white complimentary pot in a room at a Motel 6 in Barstow. The largest coffee company in the world is now encouraging us to “stir” our own. Few people would ever take the time to relate this dark liquid to anything that sounds philosophical. But that is the difference with Martin.

Why?

I was really on a roll now.

“The same reason anyone does anything worthwhile, to pursue excellence. I wake up every day and know that I am going out to make the world a better place with the one thing that I am gifted with.” I love that. I just wake up to drink coffee and Martin wakes up to drink coffee and change the world. It isn’t a competition, but if it was, he would be winning.

PHOTOGRAPHY by Jenavieve Belair 64

Quality plush dolls since 1982 Locally owned & operated

the coffee. Martin told me that every time they slurped, they got a better sense of what the coffee smelled like, in addition to the flavor. Most people don’t know this, so the patrons standing near the cupping table stare at Martin and Tim as if they are two grown men trying to impersonate a pool filter.

Martin is gifted with coffee.

He spent his childhood on his family’s Guatemalan coffee farm. It is a part of him. The man bleeds Ethiopian Yerga Cheffe. Martin’s gift is his ability to find great coffee. There is a sense of adventure in his eyes when he says; “There are few coffees in this world that I like. I don’t let them find me, I seek those coffees out myself.” With his years spent as a professional archaeologist, I know that this Indiana-Jones-like intensity is very real. Now it is time for cupping. I know it sounds unusual for two men to be “cupping” in broad daylight, but it is the reason there is still a growing line at the door.

Once you find a coffee, how do you know that a coffee is good enough? We taste the coffee in a process that has been done all over the world for over 100 years. It is called cupping.

Cupping is to coffee what “tasting” is to wine. Wine tasting is complex, but nothing like this. In cupping, all the factors that affect the taste of coffee have to be equal. Same water temp, same coffee grind, same roast, same water purity... It gets through all of the variables so that all you have is the true personality of the cup (I wish this 45 minute process could be used to determine the true personality of girlfriends...I digress).

I had a chance to watch Martin and Ted, the head roaster for Kean, cup a shipment of new coffees. Eight small shot glasses are filled with coffee grounds and set on a table in the middle of Kean. It looks like a set up for a caffeinated drinking game. Martin and Ted take turns bending over each shot glass to smell the coffee and a couple seconds into the process, they scoop up a small amount with metal spoons and proceed to “Drink it.” The drinking is not the subtle consuming of liquid that you and I are used to. Every time these guys throw back another shot of coffee, they make the loudest slurping noise I have ever heard in my life. They also make these awful scrunched up faces which had me believing for the first few times that they were snorting

Ok, it was after the cupping that their logic didn’t make sense to me at all. After searching the globe for the right coffee, roasting it, inhaling it and being the center of attention in a 2 man slurpfest.....they decide that they did not want to keep any of the coffees? Martin lets me know that this is not unusual at all. They decline the majority of the beans they sample. It might seem ridiculous to some, but it is very cool to know that this is how special the coffee must be to be served at Kean. Martin loves the community as much as he loves coffee. As we are finishing the interview he walks me outside. “My father opened his first coffee shop right over there in the 60’s where the dry cleaners is.” Martin gestures down the street. “My first Diedrich Coffee Bar opened a block away, and this shop is named after my son Kean.” Three generations of coffee within a couple blocks of each other. People talk about sustainability, but the only way to sustain the community... is to have something people will come back for over and over again to buy. In 2006, Diedrich Coffee was taken over by Starbucks. Martin watched from the corner of Irvine Avenue and 17th Street as his former company broke apart bit by bit. He felt confident in starting over because he knew that if he made great coffee then profits would follow, the people would follow. That is why he worked hard to open Kean Coffee, why he invested in all aspects of this business including the burlap bags lining the wall, the luxurious sofas and the before mentioned roasting machines. It is why he has spent countless hours slurping coffee despite the odd looks from customers. Because it is about the coffee. That is the truth he believes in.

The truth is in the cup. 2043 Westcliff Drive, Suite 100 Newport Beach (949) 642-5326 Sun- Thur: 6 AM - 9 PM Fri- Sat: 6 AM - 10 PM keancoffee.com

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You are headed to a show. You want to look good

Not ‘I-tried-to-look-good’ good, but ‘I-always-look-this-good’ good. Depending on the type of music, and the surrounding scene, getting dressed to see a concert can be as risky as a duet between Brittany and Eminem. Boutiquing.com, your local experts on all things boutique shopping, points you towards boutiques that perfectly fit your style. Whether you plan to rush a stage, chill in a cozy corner, or even luxe it up at a swanky piano lounge, we’ve got you covered. Follow our lead to the best spots to shop in your local hood, and we guarantee you will look ‘here-are-free-backstage-passes’ GOOD.

House of Blues – Rock Show Celeb Style: Pink OOH LA LA

Villanova – Piano Bar

31760 Camino Capistrano B, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675; 949.496.9139 (@ Ortega Highway next to Starbucks)

Celeb Style: Lea Michele of “Glee” SKYE MONTGOMERY BOUTIQUE 3800 Suite B, East Coast Highway, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625; 949.729.3900 (across from 5 Crowns @ Poppy)

Jewel-Studded Tube Top w/Zipper by Stella + Jamie, $210

Pour la Victoire Strappy Booties by Pour la Victoire, $290

Black Crystal + Leather Wrap Cuff, $65 Large Silver Cuff w/ Stones and Chain by Susan Hanover, $250

Distressed Biker Jeans by Rockstar Sushi, $220 Studded Suede Platform Pump by Bolero, $120

Print Dress with Tie-Waist by Single, $260

The Detroit Bar – Alternative Rock Show Celeb Style: Fergie TRU BLU BOUTIQUE 3413 Newport Blvd, Newport Beach, CA 92663; 949.566.0322 (across from Lido Theatre)

The Coach House – Acoustic Singer/Songwriter Celeb Style: Colbie Callait BLUE EYED GIRL BOUTIQUE 1200 South Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651; 949.715.4646 (in The Old Pottery Place) 2 other locations: San Juan Capistrano & Talega

Cropped Denim Jacket $44

Embellished Suede Booties by Sam Edelman, $196 Retro Floral Bangle $22

Studded Leather Messenger Bag by Linea Pelle, $195

Strapless Black Romper by Lush, $48

Layered Chiffon Top w/Stitch Hem by Saivana, $167

Snake Double Ring $18

Skinny Cargo Pants by Hudson, $242

Studded Wrap Bracelet $24

Studded Leather Wrap Bracelets by Linea Pelle $25-$65

Ruffle Peep-Toe Heels by Jeffrey Campbell $98

To see more styles & video go to: www.Boutiquing.com/Locale

Turquoise & Silver Cross Necklace by Liz Jonas $225

Living in the large and cold shadow of LA, Orange County is not as recognized for the abundance of artistic talent, as it is for the stereotypes. In addition to the wonderful assortment of OC galleries; coffee houses, hair salons and restaurants continually display the pride of Orange County - our love of art. So sit down, sip your latte and

by allison flaker

Painting by Todd Marinovich 71

soak up the beauty of our artistic fabric.

Alta Coffee Warehouse is a Newport Beach caffeinated gem. Known for their delicious and highly addictive chai tea lattes, it is also the premier spot for another kind of local flavor. Hanging on their wooden and bare cinderblock walls is an array of local artistry from paintings to photography. As you sip on their roasted beans, or even indulge in a berry scone, the West Village vibe makes the experience all the more delightful. The contrast of the unfinished wooden floors and worn, rickety furniture next to the beautiful artwork creates a vintage feel unique to this cafe. Step foot through their small almost secret green door and enter a true artists’ retreat. 506 31st St, Newport Beach | (949) 675-0233 | altacoffeeshop.com | Hrs: 7am-11pm

Ho Sum Bistro has mastered the infusion of California-Asian (Californiental) cuisine. This tightly squeezed, always packed out place displays artwork to the dumpling craving masses. Floor to ceiling windows with bare white walls and floors leave your eyes drawn to the artwork covering almost every piece of open space left. The simplistic design of the restaurant allows the artwork to do all of the talking. They have showcased artists from Laguna to Long Beach and it all started when their owner hung his own work on the walls. They keep the pieces as fresh as their Ho Sum Salad by switching out artists every two months which also allows them to move through their long list of talent waiting with baited breath to be hung and admired. 3112 Newport Blvd, Newport Beach | (949) 675-0896 | hosumbistro.com | hrs: Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm | Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm

Following suit in the eclectic world of the surf/skate industry, where art and style go hand in hand, is

Hurley’s 225

Forest store in Laguna Beach. Just blocks away from the Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters, this shop is taking part in the grand tradition of the historic artist’s colony. Two stories of exposed brick with rustic bare wood floors and cold grey cinderblock walls is where their featured artist is housed and admired. Reminiscent of Andy Warhol’s downtown NY Factory, their featured artist’s work is recreated and mass produced in their upstairs workshop that allows customers to become personal clothing designers. Every first Thursday of the month, Hurley participates in the Art Walk with other stores and galleries where their new artist of the month is revealed to patrons. 225 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach | (949) 494-7907 | Hrs: 10am-9m

The Lab in Costa Mesa is the local hipster’s oasis complete with an Urban Outfitters and Buffalo Exchange. This “anti-mall” doesn’t just talk a big game, it has the artistic guns to back it up. The gallery at The Lab,

the Artery, is

a quaint but full walk through an exhibit that lets customers take a break from the trends and treats to appreciate the scenery. The walls are layered with all different types of art from the moment you enter the sun-lit arcade to the time you begrudgingly exit. One very unique feature to this gallery is the artist often doubles as the curator. Every artist that wants to show in the Artery has to devote volunteer time to the gallery during the time their art is up. This allows the public to converse with the artist and many times watch them go to work. 2930 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa | (714) 966-6661 | thelab.com | Open Weekdays 10am-9pm; Sat 11am-9pm; Sun 11am-6pm

RVCA has transformed from an Orange County uniform to a national clothing phenomenon in just a few years. But to us who live in the OC, it is still a local staple. Their headquarters, located on 16th Street in Costa Mesa amongst other industry heavyweights, displays enormous and intriguing murals. Famed outdoor artist Barry McGee, known for his geometric shapes and proportional faces, is one of the artists who lends their talents to the side of building. Surf inspired artist Kevin Ancell’s painting of a man on the coast peering into heaven sits alongside McGee’s. The placement of these two pieces provides a stark contrast allowing visitors to witness and appreciate two very different styles of art. If you turn into the parking lot you’ll see the overwhelmingly colorful portrait by artists El Mac and Retna of modern day Madonna-like figure surrounded by calligraphy holding VA in her palms. These artists’ large outdoor portraits are featured in several cities around the county. All three of these murals represent a larger picture and symbolize RVCA’s divergence from other companies in the surf/skate industry. 960 W 16th St, Costa Mesa | (949) 548-6223 | rvca.com

The Living Room Salon and Spa in Costa Mesa has taken the traditional tranquility of the spa experience and turned it upside down. This hide-away that looks more like a garage than a center of relaxation and every twist and turn reveals a new artist and style. From sketches to statues, this chic SoHo-esque salon displays it all. As you enter the lobby you are immediately greeted by their featured local artist which changes every three months with an introductory art show. The other eccentric work around the shop, which includes politically charged portraits, tribal masks and abstract paintings, are there for each visit. Whether you’re in for just a trim or a new color job, the experience is one that is to be washed, rinsed and repeated. 125 Rochester St # A, Costa Mesa | (949) 631-0808 | Open Tue-Fri 8:30am-8:30pm; Sat 8:30am-5:30pm

We design each workout with the ultimate goal of developing your cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, Total natural transformation of mind and body for elite fitness

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The Crosby is a hip hotspot in Santa Ana incorporating art, music and drinking; what more could you ask for? The culmination of their decor revolves around old-school stereos which are lined up on shelves facing the old mahogany bar. The small establishment has done well to continue with Santa Ana’s artist legacy by offering Trifecta Tuesday. Every third Tuesday of the month, artist Barbara Godoy brings local artists together with either a live band or DJ which makes for a winning combination. The artist shows sell and sometimes create. Stop in and grab a delicious cocktail, lust after the awesomely vintage boom-boxes and appreciate the diversity Sana Ana has to offer. 400 N Broadway, Santa Ana | (714) 543-3543 | thisisthecrosby.com | Open Weekdays 11am-2am; Sat 5pm-2am; also open Sun

Haute Cakes in Costa Mesa is a hometown cafe that is reminiscent of eating in the comfort of your own kitchen. As you walk through the lovely courtyard under lush, green vines and tress past tables clad with blue and white checkered table cloths and into the small but inviting cafe, you are filled with a sense of familiarity. The art that owner Paul Taddeo switches out monthly is a great addition to the dark wood tables and white linens. The way the pieces are hung around the restaurant is similar to the way a mom would decorate her home; the perfect accent hung with care and consideration. As you sip on Haute Cakes’s ice cold iced tea and scarf down one their delicious burgers, the artwork acts as a very unassuming companion and an interesting brunch date with quite a bit to say. 1807 Westcliff Dr., Newport Beach | (949) 642-4114 | hautecakescaffe.info | Hrs: Monday-Friday 7am-6pm, Saturday 7am-3pm, Sunday 8am-2pm

Sol Grill in Newport Beach is a quaint hideaway just blocks from the sand. Sometimes overshadowed by it’s more boisterous neighbor, Sharkeez, this “bistro by the beach,” has more to offer than bleach-blond babes drinking fish bowls. The small red brick building with a flower box lined entrance welcomes patrons into another world full of life, vibrant color and an irresistible happy hour. The moment you enter, your eyes are mesmerized by the red walls covered with paintings, surfboards and international knick-knacks. Owners, Peter and Misty Thorne, have taken every inch of empty wall space and replaced it with floor to ceiling art. Each piece is unique and help to personify Sol’s attitude and eccentric spirit. Enjoy the sunset from the pier and stop in for a Sangria del Sol and let yourself become entranced by this view. 100 McFadden Place, Newport Beach | (949) 723-4105 | solgrill.com | Hrs: Open Tue-Sun 5pm-10pm

The Shorebreak Hotel’s Lobby Gallery is what welcomes out-of-towners about to check in or those just hanging out at The Strand. The large open space on the street level of the hotel is illuminated by large front windows which let the sun spotlight the artwork. The gallery is clean and simple allowing the work to dominate the entire area. Famed surf photographer Aaron Chang was the featured artist for several months, solidifying Shorebreak’s chic but SoCal, laid-back appeal. His larger-than-life ocean photographs encapsulated the spirit and culture of Huntington Beach while allowing viewers to pause and admire the majesty of art and the sea. This boutique style hotel has incorporated fashionable vacationing with ease and comfort. 500 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach | (714) 861-4470 | shorebreakhotel.com | Open Daily 6am-5:30am

Solo Projects’ fine art gallery, located in the SoBeCa (South On Bristol Entertainment, Culture and Arts) District of Costa Mesa, is the efforts of SoBeCa and Clark Studios Art + Design. Justin Clark, owner of Clark Stuidos and part-time professor at Laguna College of Art and Design, will be the curator of the gallery upon opening. Solo Projects is located in the Solo building on 765 Baker and will open with a reception in which the date has not yet been determined. The addition of this larger and more accessible gallery will compliment the SoBeCa district, which is described as the only progressive shopping and entertainment destination in the Orange County area that incorporates lifestyle and culture with the community. 765 Baker Street, Costa Mesa | solo-projects.com

The Neighborhood Cup is Aliso Viejo’s “Central Perk.” Conveniently located next to the Aliso Viejo Public Library, the comfy and welcoming cafe services the transient drip drinker, campers doing their due diligence of work on their laptops, and those looking for a place to relax. The eatery is full of every cafe’s essentials; red fluffy couch, mismatching coffee mugs and best of all, a plethora of wall decor. Some of what is hanging are permanent pieces and the others are by local artists who get to show and sell their work. While there are plenty of used books or games to borrow for your visit, the focal point is still directed on the art. The Cup is the community connector keeping the suburbs subversive. 1 Journey, Aliso Viejo | (949) 716-5100 | theneighborhoodcup.com | Hrs: Mon-Thu 6am-9:30pm; Fri 6am-11pm; Sat 7am-11pm; Sun 8am-5pm

Haute Cakes

Photos & clothing courtesy of Stone Cold Fox

A funky little cottage filled with New and Vintage merchandise from our favorite brands... American Apparel • Audrey • Elizabeth and James • Final Touch • Free People • Genetic Denim • Gorjana • House of Harlow • Lush • Minx Minx • Piko • Recycled with Love • Seneca Rising • Stone Cold Fox • St. Eve Jewelry • Tucker • Tyler Rose Swimwear • Vintage Finds • Wild Fox • Winter Kate

178 Wells Place (17th St. and Orange Ave. – behind the Classic Car Wash) Costa Mesa, CA 92627

949.548.1930 PatinaBoutique.com Open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm

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Over 120 Styles, 50 Brands, including: Siwy Denim, True Religion, William Rast, Joe’s, AG Denim, Pur Denim, Hudson, Genetic Denim, Citizens of Humanity 2043 WESTCLIFF DRIVE, SUITE 103, NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660 • 949.650.0479 • SOLUTIONSDENIM.COM 77

although important, money is not what drives shapers. The joy of the craft, making something out of nothing that others can enjoy. This is what fuels them. 79

We know what works for people and how to make boards. I have some people come in and basically dictate how I should make the board for them.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Nancy Villere of Crush Studios

ver wondered what our LA counterparts get up to in their spare time? We have recruited two of the dolls from xPose PR to share their insights into this common conundrum. Shannon (an OC native) has long been trying to get her business partner Charlie (an LA transplant born in the UK) to visit OC. We lured her down with shopping, a pasttime very dear to her heart. Shannon and Charlie have selected their favorite lifestyle centers for comparison. Shannon choosing the Lab in Costa Mesa and Charlie, the Lumber Yard in Malibu. Who better to join the OC/LA debate than a couple of infamous shopaholic fashion and lifestyle publicists? Highlights of their dialogue from these respective trips are included below. And so the shopping beginsâ&#x20AC;Ś

by The PR Dolls: Shannon Funk and Charlie Donegan of XPOSE PR

Charlie: First thing’s first, I feel duped. There is no way that OC is 45 minutes down the 405. My GPS took me down the 101 and from there I must have hit at least 5 different freeways before arriving at Costa Mesa 90 minutes later, at 11am on a Wednesday might I add! Shannon: Charlie, darling, you are being silly. I would just like to point out that your GPS is notorious for giving you the most ludicrous directions. It once took you north on the 405 and then East on the 101 to get from Beverly Hills to Studio City, as if Coldwater Canyon didn’t exist! Anyway, here we are at The Lab in Costa Mesa. Now, I appreciate that this isn’t somewhere you would necessarily come to shop - you are more a South Coast Plaza kind of girl. However, I picked it out as I feel it embodies a lot of what differentiates OC from LA. Charlie: Well considering how difficult it is to find a space, there is nothing that differentiates this OC shopping venue from anything in LA so far. Shannon: Charlie be patient! The Lab is known as the anti-mall and is considered quite avantgarde. You have to admire the juxtaposition of a place like this when it is positioned right next to South Coast Plaza! The Lab does not have many stores, but when you combine it with The Camp across the street there is ample shopping. It is also, most certainly, one of my favorite places to come and hang out. There are great restaurants, like the Gypsy Den, whose menu consists of delicious, nutritious delights ranging from all things vegan to possibly the best tasting chocolate chip cookie, and Habana’s where you can sit on the outdoor candlelit patio and sip divine Sangrias. There are eclectic stores like the Buffalo Exchange and The Hive which is reminiscent of the fashion boutiques one might find on Robertson but without the pretentious attitudes. The store Blends is an Uber-trendy sneaker destination and the boys will love the new Troy Lee Designs. Charlie: After spending the best part of the afternoon browsing the stores, I must say that Urban Outfitters is one of the best I have come across with incredibly charming staff and a great selection of merchandise. Eye Society was a great place to while away the time. One of my favorite aspects of the Lab is the recycled materials and eclectic design, which is quite unlike anything I have seen at a Mall before. I can see exactly why many people enjoy coming here. The atmosphere is so inviting and calm, something rarely found and often overlooked in LA. People here seem to be having real life face-to-face conversations with other human beings, no blue tooth earpiece in sight and certainly no preening in front of every store window’s reflection.

Shannon: So, the Lumber Yard is a relatively new addition to the Cross Creek shopping area of Malibu. Like the Lab, I can see that it is extremely relaxing with comfortable chairs adorned throughout, evidently giving it a similar vibe. I love that the shops are located off a central courtyard that includes picnic tables, 3 vast saltwater fish tanks, and rather oddly - a ping-pong table! Charlie: Again, the Lumber Yard doesn’t have many stores. But the stores they do have are quintessential LA. You all know what this means - intimidating, sleek, trendy and pricey. The two malls clearly do not share the same demographic, although they are most similar in terms of their mini, contemporary mall status. One thing you will not be finding at the Lab is the “no paparazzi” sign, strategically placed throughout the Lumber Yard! Shannon: Although much smaller than the Robertson location that I am familiar with in LA, Kitson has the same niche variety of fashions and accessories that draw their legions of fans. I was completely blown away by some of the clothes and shoes that I found at Intermix although no more so than when I am at the South Coast Plaza location in Costa Mesa. Alice & Olivia, has a flagship store in LA, and althought sold at many high-end department stores and boutiques we are yet to get one here in the OC. A real shame, as many of the ladies I know would go crazy for this label. Charlie: If any OC ladies feel like making the trip – just know there is a La Perla boutique here too. Which means… that if you bring the man in your life and he gets bored, you can soon perk him up with a trip inside to view the most lusted after of all lingerie! He might even treat you! Lingerie not his thing? Deliver him to play some ping-pong or hustle him off to eat some BBQ! This may just give you the time required to browse and spend at your own leisure – without the nagging that they claim we perpetuate! Shannon: Scheming as usual Charles? Thought so! Not a bad idea though, it may actually work! I’ll let you be the guinea pig though! Let us not forget our lunch at Café Habana, which was equally as good as the one by the same name at the Lab in Costa Mesa. Our dessert came in the form of cupcakes from Crumbs, which capped off what has possibly been two of the most delicious food days I have had in a while! Shannon: So Charlie and I have decided that

Round 1 goes to....The Lab in Orange County. Better luck next time LA. Until next time, Shannon & Charlie xoxo

vince • alternative apparel • 7 for all mankind • quicksilver • recycled with love • suzan jewelry • home • garden + so much more 1724 tustin avenue costa mesa, ca 92627 949.650.5858 luluboutiqueandgallery.com

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just fashion, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lifestyle.

A boutique where everyone gets the celebrity treatment.

Offering styling & image makeovers in our lavish VIP styling room.

www.shopglittergirloc.com Store 949/387/4134 Fax 949/387/4159 Open Mon-Fri. 10-7pm Sat. 10-5pm Closed on Sunday

Team Rider: Mike Smith

Car provided by www.lagunabeachrollsroyce.vpweb.com

surfsidemailorder.com

You are invited to join Hey Gorgeous! Boutique to celebrate the first year anniversary Wednesday, December 15th, 2010 5-9 PM! Big Sales, Giveaways, Psychic Readings, & Eats & Treats.

Get in here, Your Dress is Waiting... Gorgeous (gorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;-jes) 1. The quality of being brilliant, magnificent, attractive, beautiful, dazzling, & lovely. 2. Being all of the above, all the time, Everyday...

1808 Newport Boulevard Costa Mesa, CA 92627 949.307.2602 Facebook.com/ Hey.Gorgeous.Boutique

Luna The Hive

Brows by Julie Queen Bee

by Anna Tran Crow Bar

F irst stop we hit was the liquor store.

On Que Style

Oh wait, those are the lyrics to a Sublime song from 1993, but still good advice :-)

Harper’s Westerly

PINK MASCARA

6258 Irvine Blvd., Irvine, 949.748.3980

First stop is daughter-and-mom owned boutique, Pink Mascara. Its claim to fame is actually from their online retail store, but where is the fun in shopping when you cannot try everything on? Good thing they have huge fitting rooms here! From lacy, backless dresses by Nightcap, to Cynthia Vincent frilly frocks and heels, CC Skye golden baubles, and Novella Royale purses, Pink Mascara dresses you from head to toe. But, if you’re looking for A-list treatment for a red carpet event, I have just the place for you. Just down the road is Glitter Girl OC...and they serve bubbly.

GLITTER GIRL OC

6871 Quail Hill Pkwy., Irvine, 949.683.5086

This fabulous new spot is all about the celebrity treatment. I know that some of you ladies need a little more attention when it comes to shopping, so why not reserve private styling in their exclusive VIP Room? Call in ahead and owner Christine will personally pull looks together for you, so when you arrive not only will you have outfits catered for your event, but a bottle of bubbly will also be there waiting for you.

Ok girls, that is enough cha mpagne. We still have a lot of shopping to do. THE HIVE

2930 Bristol St. Ste. A105, CM, 714.444-0224

What used to be referred to as the “Anti-Mall” can now be considered the “pro-trendy” destination for hipsters and chic chicks alike. Nestled within the cluster of our favorite stores and eateries at The Lab is The Hive boutique. Eclectic and girly… here you can find LBDs, or choose from their large selection of Paige or Frankie B.’s. Admiring the unique décor and fixtures while buzzing through store? Throw them in the bag, too! Fashion and furniture are all for sale. Now let’s head down to HB where sisters Raha and Roxy just opened Luna boutique.

LUNA

19680 Beach Blvd. HB, 714.962.9749

As avid shoppers, these stylish sisters set out to open a boutique where females can satisfy their retail cravings 87

without sacrificing the contents of their wallet. Based around the celebrity “look-for-less” aesthetic, Luna boasts a collection of bandage dresses, liquid leggings, chic blazers, and of course eclectic accessories to complete any paparazzi-worthy outfit. While you’re putting these looks together, also notice how amazing the fitting rooms are - after tons of research, Luna nailed it when they built them with tons of space, long mirrors, and flattering lighting. What more can you ask for? Perhaps a nice winter tan to wear with that leggy cocktail dress? We will do some tanning a little later. Excuse me there miss...yes, you with the bangs. What? Those are your eyebrows? Ok, quick detour. Time for a little maintenance. Let’s stop in to see our favorite brow specialist.

BROWS BY JULIE

1821 Westcliff Ct. NB, 949-943-2000

QUEEN BEE

1617 Westcliff Dr., NB, 949.515.0233

In the little strip plaza down on Westcliff, there is a hive where the fashion savvy fly to for edgy designer duds. At Queen Bee named so fittingly for the ladies who shop there - you can find pieces that will amp up your wardrobe, especially when you really want to stand out of the crowd. Understated and sophisticated pieces like lace applique dresses by Kova & T, a faux ostrich-feathered vest by Haute Hippie, and Erin Wasson’s Low Luv body jewelry will have you wrapped in all kinds of fabulous.

Are you hungry yet? I a m. Let’s swing by The Crow Bar for “The Kitchen Sink” salad. Perfect. Lets walk to our next three stops to burn some calories. The limo is almost too full of bags to sit in now anyhow.

HARPER’S

2610 East Coast Hwy., CDM, 949.644.7467

Any woman will attest to the satisfaction of finding cheap thrills when they go shopping, especially at Harper’s. Rather than shopping for couture gowns and statement stilettos, Harper’s provides a selection of adorable mini dresses, wooden platform wedges, and J Brand jeggings -- all for under $100. Which in turn leaves room to shop for all the other necessities in the store. Replenish your undie drawer with Hanky Panky unmentionables, stock up on some body oil by Miss Marissa, and as always, there is no such thing as too many accessories!

ON QUE STYLE

2900 East Coast Hwy., CDM, 949.717.7895

If a boutique could be turned into a personal dream closet, it would be On Que Style. For a business lunch, throw on the vintage Chanel tweed blazer. In the evening, change into an Alexander Wang knitted dress and pair it with some strappy Jimmy Choos for dinner. Then, for the art gala this weekend, go for the Marc Jacobs frock from his last season’s show. For shopping and brunch on Sunday, the Hermés Birkin will go lovely with a simple Oscar de la Renta skirt. Ladies, if you want a one-of-a-kind ensemble, stop by On Que Style, where every piece is pre-loved, hand-selected, unique, and a fraction of the original price. Going “green” never looked this chic.

PINK LAUNDRY

Glitter Girl OC

21159 Newport Coast Dr., NB, 949.640.2206

Pink Mascara

If Marie Antoinette were alive today, her walk-in closet would look exactly like Pink Laundry. Adorned with pink brocade-printed wallpaper, baroque drapes, massive crystal chandeliers, and of course a wardrobe fit for a queen. Pink Laundry is all about female decadence. Here you will find key closet staples with a luxurious upgrade by brands such as the Olsen twins’ Elizabeth and James, Monrow, and Jeffrey Campbell footwear for a more comfyfab night on the town. Who says you cannot grab garments out of the laundry? We say, “Let them eat cake!”

LAGUNA SUPPLY

210 Beach St., LB, 949.497.8850

I know what you are thinking and yes, I’m baaaaaack. Pink Laundry

And yes, I am standing in your living room after just knocked down your front door with the working end of this Louboutin.

So, what brings me here you ask? Your nightlife called and told me that it’s sick of wearing PJ’s and watching Law and Order reruns. I know you keep telling yourself it’s because you don’t have a thing to wear but that excuse is getting old. Please slowly remove your left hand from the remote, stop licking that beater (there is absolutely no batter left on that thing) and grab your purse. I have the longest stretch limo you have ever seen parked outside, cases of champagne and a mission to get you back in the game.

Let’s go sister. It’s time to shop.

In every community, there is a plumber, a cable guy, and an overall handyman -- and in Laguna Beach, there is Laguna Supply for all your fashion fixes. OC natives Laura Hart and Dana Marron felt the need to give back to their community by setting up a shop where locals can stop in to do their everything shopping (like stopping in at a “supply” store...get it?). With uber trendy brands like Etoille by Isabel Marant, Rag & Bone, T by Alexander Wang, and A.L.C., it is no wonder that Laguna Supply was meant to be disguised on a credit card bill. Much damage can come from this community convenient store! Ok. You two, in the back. Don’t you know that your not supposed to wear white after labor day? Oh, thats your real color? We need another detour for maintenance.

UNIQUE TAN

1100 S. Coast HWY. Laguna Beach 949-709-8320

Let’s kick back and lounge in one of their state of the art bronzing beds, the Sun Board XTT. This bed is perfect for claustrophobics as it does not close in on you. It also filters out 99% of the UVA rays. Now don’t you feel better?

BLUE EYED GIRL

1200 S. Coast Hwy., LB, 949.715.4646

This OC dreamer always had a vision to open her own clothing boutique, so when owner Dawn had her “blueeyed” daughter (along with some Van Morrison inspiration), she finally decided to pursue her dream. With a dash of European flare and a hint of bohemian rock ‘n’ roll, Blue Eyed Girl sings out GLAMOUR. Flowy pieces by Gypsy 05 and Free People, boho blouses by Joie, and unique tops by Desigual will definitely help you channel that inner hippie chick.

Anybody up for some fish tacos? No?

How about a quick dinner at Splashes at the Surf & Sand? Now we are talking.

WESTERLY

2908 East Coast hwy., CDM, 949.313.7111

One thing every girl needs is a second opinion when she gets dressed for a night out, so why not it be from a styling PRO? Westerly owner and bona fide stylist Lindsey has an eye for head-to-toe dressing, made possible from the boutique’s covetable collection of specialty separates and jewels. This is not the time to look like your everyday self - be adventurous with Stone Cold Fox’s lace bell bottoms and velvet burnout shawl or wear a tux-inspired onesie adorned with feathers by Madison Marcus. House of Harlow statement necklaces and hand-made feathered headpieces by Three Green Hearts will finish off your hot hippie look. Want to come back for more? Stop by on Westerly Wednesday to get a substantial discount on all your favorites.

You are going to be so excited when you see the next boutique. I hope Bethany’s there.

Laguna Supply

Unique Tan Blue Eyed Girl Splashes at Surf & Sand

SWIRL BOUTIQUE 165 Avenida del Mar, San Clemente, 949.361.8643

Steppin’ out in stilettos makes any female feel like a femme fatale, and the owners of Swirl are well aware. Against their Tiffany-blue walls is a shrine of foot candy, individually framed, on display for all to see like the artwork in a museum. But the fun doesn’t just stop there, Swirl is a whirl of feminine charm, with their collection of one-ofa-kind jewelry and accessories made by local designers, paired with a cocktail dress by MM Couture or Indah, you will be set to paint the town in swirls of red.

Ok. Now honestly, don’t you feel better? Swirl Boutique

It’s OK if the wallet is a little lighter and the plastic’s a little hotter as long as you look good. Thanks for leaving the comfy confines of your couch. I cannot wait to see what you look like on the dance floor.

Until next time….. Stay Beautiful Ladies! 88

If you had flipped pages with us in the first issue of Locale then you probably saw me all taped up and trying to prove myself in my first publication ever. Thankfully, the kind folks at Locale saw me fit for another amazing story. This time I had the chance to get to know a few local girls that are changing the world one necklace at a time.

The seed was planted for 31 Bits in the summer of 2007 when Kallie Dovel, 23 traveled to Northern Uganda. She was deeply affected by both the immense beauty of the area and the hardships she witnessed among the indigenous women who were struggling to provide the basic essentials for their daily lives. The women were doing absolutely anything to make ends meet. They farmed the small

plots of land they had, fetched water, and made handcrafted beaded jewelry to sell to the few tourists that came through the area. Despite their efforts their quality of life failed to improve, and the glaring need for help was something Kallie could not ignore. Kallie returned to Southern California with a box of necklaces, bracelets, and big ideas. To

It was an ideal summer day in Newport Beach when I went to meet the girls of 31 Bits at Cliff Drive Park. The sun was shinning in a clear blue sky, and the park was picking up that perfect ocean breeze that reminds me everyday why I live here. I learned quickly that afternoon that to call 31 Bits simply a “jewelry company” would be a gross understatement of what they are all about.

by Erin Rose Belair

photography by Trever Hoehne

create the team that would become 31 Bits she quickly involved her close friends Alli Swanson, Jessie Simonson, Anna Nelson, and Brooke Hodges. Kallie and her friends sold the jewelry to their fellow students, families, teachers, church members, and even people that approached them on the street. The girls realized they could provide a thriving market for the jewelry of the women of Gulu, Uganda. In the summer of 2008 Kallie, Anna, Brooke, and Alli traveled back to Uganda and hired 6 women as the first employees of 31 Bits. They now currently employ 60 women in Uganda. “We’re only two years old, it’s been a crazy two years,” said Anna. As we sat in the park the girls modestly told me their story and passed around a few of their necklaces. I was in pure admiration. These girls were making changes a world away while most people their age are focused on going to bar for the first time.

I think what really blew me away is that they are just like me; regular girls from Southern California with big smiles and bright eyes. Being 23 today puts them at 21 when this all started. I can remember what I was doing at 21, and it certainly was not helping to rebuild the economy of Northern Uganda. The amount of responsibility they have chosen to shoulder by employing 60 women is enough to make my palms sweat. They told me about all the changes in lifestyle they have witnessed for the women of Gulu; yet, it seemed to be just another day at the office. The clarity they posses about their project is one

has been so greatly devastated is a challenge faced throughout the region. The physical and mental damages these people have endured are unimaginable to a life like mine. They greatly need the help of companies like 31 Bits to aid the process of growth and reconstruction in every facet of life. 31 Bits is forging a sense of hope and economic growth in the wake of such destruction. Before 31 Bits it was nearly impossible for these women to provide even the basic essentials for their families. Many of the women are caring for not only

“It goes beyond being trendy. It’s creating sustainability.”-Jessie of the most endearing qualities about them. Since the early 1980’s Northern Uganda has been terrorized by constant civil war. The majority of the indigenous population was at one time forcibly relocated to internment camps by the Ugandan government. Generations of children grew up under the constant threat of being kidnapped in their sleep, brainwashed, and trained to fire semi-automatic weapons against their own people. Many families today are made up of the jigsawed remains of tragic stories. Only in recent years have people begun to return to and rebuild their villages. Recreating a life that

The philosophy for change behind 31 Bits reminds me of that old saying, “give a man a fish; you have fed him for a day. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime.” 31 Bits is creating sustainability in the Gulu community. They are teaching the women a new quality of life by offering classes in child care, reproductive health, English, finance management, and small business skills. Many of the women have opened their first bank account and are saving for the future. 31 Bits is fostering the hope that after working with them the women will continue to provide for their families and help the growth of their community. I think Jessie said it best when she said, “it goes beyond being trendy, it’s creating sustainability.” It is crazy to think that all this change on such a large scale starts with something as small as a bead. Brooke has been living in Gulu, Uganda, since January and plans to stay through next spring. I am sure photographs cannot do the region justice. The rural area is lush and beautiful with the classic African red earth and surprisingly tropical foliage. Brooke lives and works directly with the women and three Ugandan project managers. She travels the 200 miles to Kampala, the capital, in the sweltering heat by bus for six hours to buy materials such as fishing line, glass beads, and clasps. The beads are made from 100% recycled paper which she collects at used paper markets and consists of posters, magazines, and signs. What is one man’s trash is another woman’s means of survival. The materials are made accessible

in this way to the women in Gulu who work Monday thru Thursday 10-5, and Fridays being optional. The women cut the paper into triangular strips and roll them from the base up to create the bead shape. They then varnish the beads making them durable and water proof before stringing them into beautiful necklaces and bracelets. All jewelry is made 100% by the women of Uganda. The days are hot and muggy; so they bead in the shade of their huts, sitting on the dirt packed floors in groups of three or four. They work on their beading every free moment they have, juggling time between caring for the children and filling their baskets with an array of colored beads. Brooke tells me everyone is laughing and telling stories on the good days, and they do a wonderful job of keeping their spirits up. The area they live in has become safer in the recent decade, but they are still plagued by the memory of kidnappings and warfare. Life now is a stark contrast to the hard days these people have seen. Oyella Kevin, 23, one of the designers says, “You can see, even from my face, that 31 Bits is changing my life.” Brooke describes her daily life in Uganda as, “a beautiful place with beautiful people.” She certainly does not have a regular job like most girls her age. Her days are spent purchasing products, doing quality control, developing classes, taking photos, “or just hanging out in the huts with the women talking, laughing, and eating beans and rice.” Brooke is so hopeful and motivated by the change she witnesses every day.

their own children but five or six others that would be otherwise left to fend for themselves. Living in a village that has no running water and no electricity makes the most mundane tasks all the more difficult; cooking meals, getting fresh water, going to the bathroom are all constant and laborious. Since joining the 31 Bits program the women are able to earn a sustainable income, provide food, clothing, shelter, health care, and education for their families for the first time in many of their lives. A common saying among the women to describe the changes they have seen is, “We are getting the good life from here.” 90

31 Bits is Knot Alone

It is one thing to look good, and it is another thing to do good while looking good. The kids of Krochet Kids have mastered the multitasking art of non-profit fashion. Krochet Kids was started in 2007 by Kohl Crecelius, Travis Hartanov, and Stewart Ramsey with the hope of changing a few lives and opening a few minds. Krochet Kids works with women in Northern Uganda to create a sustainable income for them and lovely caps for us. They employ ten women who work crocheting several different styles of hats. They are then sent to the states and sold in over ten states across the country in boutiques, coffee shops, street fairs, and now Nordstroms at the Promenade in Santa Monica. The women who work for Krochet Kids are selected for the program based on their current situation and financial necessities. By hand selecting the members for the program Krochet Kids hopes to maximize the impact on their lives. While there are so many who need help in the region it is, of course, hard to choose who needs, and who needs more. Krochet Kids plans on expanding their operation in the coming years to help benefit more individuals. The devastating impact of a twenty year war in Northern Uganda has left an enormous amount of the population with very little to survive. Companies like Krochet Kids and 31 Bits have been popping up to help employ communities and aid in the reconstruction and growth of the area. You can help too, by going out and purchasing one of these hats, therefore directly making a contribution to a woman’s life and her community. Every hat is tagged and signed by the woman who crochet it, so you can see who you are helping directly. Please visit their website at www.krochetkids.com to shop online or find a store near you. -Erin Belair

31 Bits is not only a mission for change. At the heart of the project are five business savvy girls running a profitable company. Brooke emphasized, “We believe business and education, not charity and dependency, are key to sustainable development.” Inspired by several companies who have come before them, offering fair trade sales of the same style of beads from women in Uganda, 31 Bits aims to ignite the same passion in others who may follow in their footsteps. “We don’t see the other companies as competition, because we are all working for the same cause,” said Alli. 31 Bits focuses their efforts in the Gulu district of Northern Uganda and hopes that by working in a smaller area they can have a greater impact on the women they employ.

why hunt down a copy of

31 Bits sets themselves apart from other similar companies because of who they are. These five girls have a fiery passion for working together and an undeniable talent with fashion. They pride themselves on not just selling a typical Ugandan bead, but stringing those beads into truly trendy and fun pieces that are always changing with the seasons. They are constantly reinventing the styles of their necklaces and bracelets to keep their pieces young, fresh, and girly. They sell their jewelry not just with the inspiring aspect that it changes lives, but also as serious fashion accessories that could be worn by anyone. Right now they are working to incorporate local Ugandan leathers and bright local fabrics in their pieces. In doing so they are creating more business within the Gulu community, and creating new styles for the line. The business continues to grow, lives continue to change, and the girls continue churning up new ideas and marketing strategies for their products. For example, they have creatively expanded the use of their beads by recently teaming up with Reef Sandals to create the one of a kind “Ugandal,” a leather t-strap sandal adorned with their unique beads. If you or anyone you know would be interesting in partnering with 31 Bits please contact them at 31bits.com. I hope by now you are feeling the way did after meeting the girls in the park, which is a gung-ho attitude of “sign me up!” The fastest way you can get involved is to go treat yourself or a special someone to one of their unique pieces of jewelry. The colorful free spirited nature of their pieces are the perfect compliment to any outfit and will have you feeling beautiful inside and out. They are sold in over 40 stores across the country and locally at boutiques and coffee shops all over Orange County, such as Almond SurfBoards on Old Newport Boulevard, Seed Peoples Market at the Camp in Costa Mesa, and Westerly Boutique in Corona Del Mar. The girls also do house parties. So, if you are feeling festive invite over some friends, open a bottle of wine, and 31 Bits will come to your house with an array of products for you to fall in love with. A large part of the project is getting the word out there. The girls speak at schools, and business conferences to spread their message.

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I have a necklace myself and every time I put it on I feel better about the whole day, and life all around. I have been wearing it while sitting in my yard and penning this story. Every time I have found myself at a loss for words I twirl my fingers through it and something comes to me. There is so much to be said about this project and I hope I have imparted a portion of my enthusiasm to you. I am so grateful to be a part of the process and everyone here at Locale is happy to support them in their future endeavors. To find more stores that carry their line, to answer more questions, or to contact the girls directly feel free to visit their website at 31bits.com. Sport some beads, spread the word, and love the life you lead. 31bits.com

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When you know you are meant to do something, you know. In Channing Catrine O’Neill’s case, she knew that styling was her calling. A trendy chick living in Newport Beach, Channing had opportunity knocking on her door when she met with a star of one of Orange County’s hit reality shows, and became her style liaison. Channing is able to spread her fashion mantra to the world: “Less is more. Before you walk out the door, take one thing off.” For more sound advice, rants on fashion, and photos from her adventures in styling, visit her blog CC Fashion Diaries.

Channing Catrine O’Neil What is something you don’t know about me?

What was your proudest moment?

I just don’t understand the fascination with In N’ Out. My Aussie friends come out here to summer and that’s all they want to eat. I prefer Taco Mesa on 19th street in Costa Mesa, to each his own.

I would have to say walking into my first appointment with a celebrity and having only twenty minutes to show her my vision. I remember leaving her some books that really inspired me, some cool vintage scarfs I had collected over the years and a couple of outfits from my closet I thought she might like. She didn’t even have my number, but eventually we got in touch and I’ve been meeting with her on a weekly basis ever since.

What are 3 must have pieces for the holiday season? A good fur to wear day or night, a nice black distressed handbag that you can drape across the bod, and some good jewels that never come off.

Where do you shop? Westerly boutique is my favorite local haunt, I love Barney’s department store in LA especially during the holidays, and Opening Ceremony off La Cienega for high and low end designers, such a trippy mix and a very unique experience.

Where can I find these looks for less locally? That’s a tough one, because you are forgoing quality which I always have a hard time with. If you’re looking for great style for less I would recommend browsing Bella Bleu in Costa Mesa. The beauty about this boutique is that you can get an entire outfit for less than $100, which is pretty amazing.

If you could style any one person, who would it be? A man. I think they have such a clean palate to work with and I love men’s designers. Tom Ford is a genius and I love what Band of Outsiders is doing right now. I just think men’s fashion is so sexy and untouched.

What can the average girl add to her wardrobe to look like a celebrity? Less is always more, if you look like you’re trying too hard then it’s never going to work. I think a Capellina, think Edie Sedgwick in New York City, a nice pair of Yoko-inspired sunglasses- SABRE makes a killer pair, lots of cream lace tops and invest in nice pair of rock-a-billy heels.

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Jimmy Carlin

From left to right; SUMMER: ARMY JACKET - RVCA $64; BLACK LINEN SHORTS - RVCA $34, BLACK LACE SHORTS - RVCA $18, EL PRADO TANK - FYASKO $36, STRIPED SCARF - MERRITT CHARLES $75, Copper Bracelet $60.00 & Copper Ring $30.00 Heather Pullis Designs MAYA: STRIPE TOP - LAMIXX $34; VELVET LEGGINGS - VOLCOM $34; SUNGLASSES - 9FIVE, Wood Bracelet - Heather Pullis Designs LAUREN: DENIM DRESS - INSIGHT51 $94; RED FLANNEL - VOLCOM $40; RAT PACK FEDORA FYASKO $32; CLEAR LENS GLASSES - 9FIVE TRISHA: JENNIFER HERREMA SINGLE EDITION FOX TAIL JEANS - VOLCOM $255; STRIPE TANK MERRITT CHARLES $72; KNIT SWEATER - RVCA $66, Bracelets - Heather Pullis Designs

photography by tony florez STYLING BY Anna Tran & Lindsay garland Location | O'Neill Regional Park | ocparks.com/oneillpark

DENIM DRESS - INSIGHT51 $94; RED FLANNEL VOLCOM $40; RAT PACK FEDORA - FYASKO $32; CLEAR LENS GLASSES - 9FIVE

ARMY JACKET - RVCA $64; BLACK LINEN SHORTS - RVCA $34, BLACK LACE SHORTS - RVCA $18, EL PRADO TANK FYASKO $36, STRIPED SCARF MERRITT CHARLES $75, Copper Bracelet $60.00 - Heather Pullis Designs

EL PRADO TANK - FYASKO $36, Copper Bracelet $60.00 & Copper Ring $30.00 - Heather Pullis Designs

From left to right; SUMMER: NEUTRAL LINEN TOP - RVCA $60; REVOLVER BOYFRIEND SHORTS - $65; BEIGE KNIT BEANIE - RVCA $26, Gold Coin Chain $125 Heather Pullis Designs TRISHA: ALICE B. TOKLAS DRESS - STONE COLD FOX $380; FEATHER HEADBANDS - THREE GREEN HEARTS $30 (X2) LAUREN: FLORAL ANTIQUE BLOUSE - STONE COLD FOX $280; HITCH HIKER DAISY BLOOMERS - STONE COLD FOX $200 MAYA: RED CORD SHORTS - RVCA $49; SHEER BLUE TUNIC - RVCA $72; FEATHER CLIP - THREE GREEN HEARTS $30, one Bracelet with Gold Ring $75.00 - Heather Pullis Designs

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RED CORD SHORTS - RVCA $49; SHEER BLUE TUNIC - RVCA $72; FEATHER CLIP - THREE GREEN HEARTS $30, Bone Bracelet with Gold Ring $75.00 Heather Pullis Designs

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NEUTRAL LINEN TOP - RVCA $60; REVOLVER BOYFRIEND SHORTS $65; BEIGE KNIT BEANIE - RVCA $26,

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ALICE B. TOKLAS DRESS - STONE COLD FOX $380; FEATHER HEADBANDS - THREE GREEN HEARTS $30 (X2)

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GODARD VELVET DRESS STONE COLD FOX $375, Ring - Heather Pullis Designs $95.00

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From left to right; TRISHA: BLACK LACE-UP JEANS CURRENT/ELLIOT (WESTERLY) $240; CHATEAU VELVET BLOUSE - STONE COLD FOX $280; PURPLE SCARF (WESTERLY) $45 SUMMER: DARK GREY DENIM - RVCA $86; TRUE BLUE DENIM BUSTIER - VOLCOM $45; BOGART FEDORA FYASKO $36 LAUREN: GODARD VELVET DRESS STONE COLD FOX $375 MAYA: MIND THE STRIPES SKIRT VOLCOM $26; GREY SHEER TANK - RVCA $42; WOOL MOTO JACKET LAMIXX $136

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by erik hale

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I enjoy time spent with my family but there is something different about a boys only trip.

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by erik hale The eternal conundrum of “to be or not to be” is perplexing me as I roll out of bed on this beautiful Autumn morning. Nothing so noteworthy or thought provoking as whether to exist or not, but rather, the much more perplexing issue of whether or not to travel with the kids. For those of you with kids, I would guess that this particular quandary has befuddled you on many a holiday, long weekend or even week long excursions. For those of you without kids, please do not call child protective services on me, as I believe this feeling is not only quite normal, but fleeting. Please allow me the luxury of deciding through daydream, whether I would rather spend this glorious Fall day chasing after my children, or chasing my bourbon. I drift into a semi-conscious state under the warmth of my over-sized down comforter. I, now awake (in this dream state) , realize that we are alone. By “we” I mean that the wife and I are alone. My first indication of this fact is that I do not have a childrens’ size 8 wedged between my ribs and the second is that my side of the King size mattress is just that, “my side”. I listen intently as my foot touches the floor and wait. Still waiting. Ok, this is weird. No little voice asking, “Daddy, where are you going?” or “Is it time to get up yet?”. The only sound I hear is the repetitive and deep breathing of my wife. Checking the iPhone, I am reminded that today is Saturday and I have done a darn good job of sleeping in. It is only slightly before 10:30am and I feel great. I shower, dress and pack an overnight bag. Where to now? I realize for the first time that I am probably dreaming as I turn around to find my wife standing dressed, bag packed (the bag is way to small even for an overnight bag) and waiting for me to load the car. I look at my

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watch again I see that it is still 10:30am. This is going to be a great weekend. Ok. So here we are. We are unencumbered, packed and have 36 hours to our selves. Where should we go? You there, with your hand up. Vegas? Yes, I heard you. I think it is too far to drive and we’ve been twice this year. Catalina? That is soooo last issue. San Diego? Hmmm. That sounds just right. We pack up the Porsche (love these dreams) and head south on the 5. As we enter Carlsbad we decide to head over to PCH and follow the coast down. As we are exiting the tiny village of

Cardiff-By-The-Sea, we pull into the parking lot of Las Olas. We are rewarded by warm Chilito’s, cold Corona’s and cool salty breezes. I know, it is before noon but we are on vacation. We wrap up lunch and ping-pong down the coast stopping for shopping in Solano Beach, strolling in Del Mar and even watching hang gliders launch themselves off the cliffs in Torrey Pines (where I would be playing golf in the alternate version of this dream where I am single, but I digress...). We now have our sites set on playing and head towards downtown. We arrive at our hotel 7 hours later. If you have been to San Diego’s minty fresh 115

downtown in the last decade you will know why we were drawn here. Gone are the shoddy storefronts, pawn shops, flop houses, weekly rentals and tourist t-shirt shops, which have been replaced, quite neatly, with dance clubs, steak houses, adult centered boutique hotels and loads of trendy retail shops. The “Gaslamp District”, so named after the lighting devices quite common to the area a century ago, is a quite intoxicating cocktail. This area blends equal parts Los Angeles (Sports stadiums, sushi joints and exotic dance clubs) with equal parts Orange County (Surfing, beaches, laid back style

and casual eateries) and the mixture is a welcome escape. We take up residence at the Hard Rock Hotel (San Diego) with the standard questions at the front desk with one notorious exception. They ask us what music we like. Entering the room we note the Hard Rock logos on the bedding, standard flatscreen TV, dialed in snack bar and the music we had selected at the front desk being played through our in room theatre speakers. Nice touch. Was that real? Now that everything is in order I ask my wife if she would like to get changed for an early dinner and to my surprise I see that she is already showered, changed and grabbing her purse on

the way to the door. I could really get use to this. We alternate walking and taking petty cabs for the roughly eight block walk to dinner at Se San Diego Hotel. We have been lucky enough to squeeze in a table at Suite and Tender. I really think they could charge money just to be seen in this joint. The food was amazing and they even let me choose my own steak knife. Every detail of this restaurant was incredibly thought out but the part I thought was the most unique and memorable was the bathroom. Wait, that didn’t sound right. The bathroom is unisex with cavernous stalls that offer complete privacy. What a cool concept. I know this will not sound right from a feminine perspective, but guys simply never get cool public restrooms. You (women) have your couches, vanities and presumably flat screens in your retreats, while ours (guys) generally resemble a filling station on the side of the 99 near Bakersfield. Thank you Se Hotel for leveling things out. This place is great to watch people. “Let’s walk back” I said to my wife, it was a nice evening and she concurred. Two blocks into our walk we spotted the perfect joint for a night cap. Analog Bar. It is cool because it is not. It is the antithesis to the typical. We sauntered in, did a lap and decided to land on the bar side (saving the karaoke side for later). Now this was perfect. I ordered a tall boy (they had Mickey’s and Olde E) my wife, one of their self proclaimed strong drinks. We listened to vinyl. We could not decide between the fireshouse chili Totchos (tater tot nachos) and the Twinkie Tiramisu (Twinkies layered with Kahlua cream and chopped chocolate) so we ordered both. We polished off about half of our plates and then made our way to the other side of the bar we were faced with another tough decision. We could do some “super karaoke” (karaoke with a live band) or play street fighter II on the large projection screen. That was an easy

iPhone and found that it was still Saturday morning at 10:30. This sounded right since it would take us quite a few hours to get ready (especially the wife), load all the luggage (did they know we were only going overnight?) and get on the road for (checking the navigation), Carlsbad? choice. I was throwing “fireballs” (press down, forward, punch) as Rya and was getting it handed to me by my wife as Chung Li with “whirlwind kicks” (hold ‘down’ for one second, press ‘up’, kick). We left Analog bar a few hours later and continued our walk. For the balance of the night we walked and gawked. We closed the door to our room around 1 am. What a great day. We woke up late Sunday morning. We read the paper, sipped coffee and listened to our custom music selection.

We gathered ourselves, our luggage and finally the car. We were both quiet as we headed home up the 5. As I glanced out the window dreamily...I noticed a sign for Lego Land. “We should go there next time”, I said. “Where daddy?” came the high pitched question from the back of the van. “THE VAN?”, I yelled, swerving madly trying to control the

mountain of bikes and luggage that were now perched perilously on top of this suburban sherpa. It was all coming back now. I had been blocking it out. I did wake up this morning. But not at 10. More like 10 til seven. My rib still hurt where my little girl had lodged her foot that night. Radio Disney filled the cavernous interior as I checked my rear view to see my daughter playing Barbies and my son engrossed in a movie. I checked the

“We are late” my co-pilot (in the car and life) informed me when I asked if we could swing by Las Olas for a beer. Oh yeah, I thought, all of these places seem to open at 10. By these places I am referring to amusement parks. To be specific we were now pulling through the gates of Lego Land, USA. I put on my best smile, tossed my daughter on my shoulders and latched on to the rest of my family as we entered the gates. Lego Land turned out to be the perfect age gap rectifier. I myself liked Lego’s as they reminded me a toy quite similar to Lincoln Logs and TinkerToys in that they did not require excessive amounts of dexterity to manage. My son and daughter “loved’ building derby cars and racing them against the other kids and there was no place for my wife to shop (wait, that’s why I liked Lego Land). We stayed and played the balance of the day before heading to our hotel, Carlsbad Inn. I was really hoping for something great and this place did not disappoint. There was a large heated pool for the kids, and an “adults only” jacuzzi, bikes for rent and an entire list of family friendly activities. As for the room it could not have been a better fit. The room had a full kitchen, detached bedroom and large patio with an ocean view. As I tossed aside my slaps and allowed my tired feet to slip inside the warm waters of the “adult jacuzzi” I had some time to reflect. This was reality and I was happy...but next time the kids are going to gramma’s and I’m going to the Hard Rock. The Hard Rock (619) 702-3000 | hardrockhotelsd.com‎ Se San Diego Hotel (619) 515-3000 | sesandiego.com Carlsbad Inn (760) 434-7020 | carlsbadinn.com‎‎

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PHOTO PROVIDED BY ERNIE REYES JR.

by erik hale

How a former Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle helped my son come out of his shell.

y dad wanted me to be an athlete. That was evident from photos that pre-date any memories I have. There are photos showing a baseball glove in my crib, football shaped birthday cakes and a basketball hoop installed in the front yard before I could walk. I wanted to be an athlete. I never had serious aspirations of playing professionally, but I adored the competition, comradery and most of all, the confidence gained by being adept at sports. It was a common bond for those of us raised outdoors prior to the advent of video games, computers and VCR’s. If you could join in on a pick-up game, ride a skateboard or tackle someone, you had the ability to make friends and fit in. Sports was the ultimate icebreaker for me. 119

In turn, I wanted my son to be an athlete. I wanted him to gain the self-confidence that comes with athletics. I wanted to play catch. He wanted to read. I wanted to shoot hoops. He wanted to play video games on his PSP. We lived 350 miles apart and when I saw him on my weekend or during summer break I never wanted to push my sporting agenda. I was completely fine with our differences. He is smart, sweet and loving. He is a great son. It was my hangup and I knew it. I wanted him to be rougher and tougher. I wanted him to have a hard shell. I wanted him to be able to protect himself from a cruel world that might start mistaking his kindness for weakness as early as junior high. I felt that my absence was the reason we were so different. I kept searching for a way to instill in him the confidence athletics had given me, making sure that it was his idea, or at least not totally

mine. Last month that chance presented itself and we, yes we, took advantage of it. During my son’s summer visit, as I was dropping my daughter off for gymnastics at Team OC in Costa Mesa, we saw Ernie for the first time. In actuality, Trevor, my son, spotted him first. I was still walking, holding my little girls hand, calling for my son over my shoulder, without looking back, then realized, he had stopped altogether. Trevor’s attention was focused, through an observation window, into a bright red studio where a man was performing kicks and punches at a height that led me to believe he was being catapulted or “tramplolined” to those heights. I dropped my daughter off and returned to occupy the chair next to where Trevor had set up camp. I began watching with him. I am sure, even more so because we look alike,

they were now combatants on some deserted planet. Trevor the Jedi began punching his nemesis with a new found strength. Each progressive kick was resounding louder and louder off the studio walls. When Trevor punched he clenched his teeth and when he pulled Ernie in for a knee strike I am sure I saw the first real glimpse of surprise in Ernie’s eyes, as he quickly covered up. The snaps pulled me out of a daze and I realized I was smiling. I was smiling the big goofy grin that every proud father must don the first time you see evidence of a physical spark in your son’s eyes. that we looked identical to the instructor we were watching. This was cool. “Did you see that?” I asked aloud. My son gave me that pre-teen look that says “Yeah

up the “Rock” in the 2003 flick “The Rundown” and was a cemetery warrior in the last Indiana Jones installment. So, why was he here? I knew why he was here. He

When the student is ready, the master appears. -Buddhist Proverb dad, I’m watching too”. Wait, class must be over and he is walking out. This is strange. He confidently strides toward us, sticks out his hand and

was my wish come true.

introduces himself. He is roughly the same size as my ten year old but I already know that I would not mess with him.

the air 5 minutes after our introduction. I squatted in the corner and watched.

Ernie is the man. It’s not often that you refer to a guy 5’4” and 130 pounds as “the man”, but that is the only way I can describe this whirlwind of energy and confidence. The fact that he was in the costume of Donotello in the original TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for those of you too young to remember or too old to care) only made him that much cooler to me, and Trevor. In fact, Ernie has been in several movies. He was the Turtles friend Keno in TMNT 2, beat

Trevor took to Ernie immediately. He invited us right in. Trevor was punching

Trevor took longer to adapt to the sport than to his instructor. It just did not seem that it was in Trevor to be aggressive. Trevor kicked, but the bag Ernie held did not make a sound on impact. He punched and pulled with similar results. Then the master found a way to communicate to the pupil. Star Wars. Ernie equated something that didn’t interest Trevor initialy (full contact fighting) with something that did (Jedi Knights). They were no longer instructor and teacher,

I was not happy that Trevor possessed physical aggression. I was simply proud. I was no less proud than when he shows me a great report card. I was just a proud dad. Trevor spent the next week attending class, at his own request and attacking me with his new found moves, despite my feigned protests. Ernie had a special calmness and patience that I sometimes lacked. I started questioning whether my failed attempts at everything from golf to baseball were because of his disinterest or my lack of this skill set. Ernie had been my teacher this week as well. On the last day of class at the

end of the session, Trevor and Ernie bowed to each other in the way they had ended every other class. We shook hands, said our goodbyes and headed for the door. “Wait”, Ernie said. “Trevor, I have something for you.” Trevor turned and walked back to Ernie and was handed a red foam practice short sword. His eyes lit up. He could not believe Ernie was giving him his sword. “Thank you”, Trevor beamed through an ever growing grin.

learn to Stand Up Pa ddle: piratecoastpc@gmail.co m

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And that was the way a Turtle helped my son come out of his shell. TEAM OC 385 Clinton St, Costa Mesa (714) 444-1144 | teamocfun.com

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While the economy is doing what the economy does, it is probable that we are all working more than we are used to. The lack of breaks from these tasks can be wearing. So why not consider a “Workation”? A little play while you work is a great way to get the creative juices flowing without a big, out-of-town commitment. Within an hour and half’s drive of the OC lies the The Horizon or L’Horizon as it was known when Hollywood mogul and hotelier Jack Wrather and his wife Bonita Granvile built it as their private retreat. The recently renovated 1952 William Cody design, consists of a main house with a private pool and no less than 7 three-armed pods around another centrally located pool. Each room offers state of the art comfort with an open and airy feel. The grounds are comforting, as generous space is given around each of the pods. Take comfort in as you relax in the sunshine. The idea is that for a single overnighter you can do a little work on your laptop, get a massage and have food delivered to your room or poolside. This is a quiet location and the patrons are fans of the lack of heart pumping music. Though this is not a party place, you may take the whole property over for multiple types of events and this is certainly the place to do it. Native Knowledge: More than a third of the rooms offer an indoor/outdoor shower. The quality of your “Workation” will multiply with the experience. The Horizon Hotel 1050 East Palm Canyon Drive | Palm Springs | CA | 92264 760.323.1858 | thehorizonhotel.com Rooms: $129 - $259 Residence: $400 - $500 Rates good to January 2011

WORK • PLAY • LIVE • LOCALE Offering local expertise and in-depth real estate consulting, you’re sure to find Jessica’s dynamic personality and commitment to her clients a tremendous asset whether you are buying or selling property.

Born and raised on the Newport Beach peninsula, Jessica’s wealth of local knowledge, tenacity and ability to resolve unique and difficult real estate matters has earned the respect of both clients and colleagues. A third generation real estate professional, Jessica knows what it takes to go above and beyond the call of duty for each and every transaction. In a recent survey published in Orange Coast Magazine, Jessica placed in the top 7 percentile of Realtors, based on client satisfaction. When not at work or involved with her family, Jessica is active in her community, volunteering at the annual Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation “Round-Up”, SOS Adopt-A-Family, Our Lady of Mount Carmel religious education, and subbing on the Peninsula Point Racquet Club tennis team in her spare time. Whether new to the area or a long time resident call text or email Jessica today!

Jessica Haefelfinger DRE# 01802024 C: 949.287.1781 Jessica.Haefelfinger@camoves.com www.RealEstate-NB.com www.PeninsulaPointGroup.com

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I thought paddle boarding would be as simple as kayaking on my feet.

by Samantha Korb ne day, in the notso-distant past, I was reading a tabloid magazine (as part of my daily routine) when I came across a picture of Jennifer Aniston paddle boarding. There she was, in all of her disgustingly perfect glory in a bikini standing on top of the ocean, literally. Feeling worse about myself after seeing that picture, I then decided I must learn how to paddle board so that I could look like Jennifer Aniston... or, at least, try to. Having just moved to Orange County, I figured there’s no better place to jump on the “water activity train.” Side note: surfing still scares me, but that’s next on my list. I set up a private paddle boarding lesson with the Pirate Coast Paddle Co. in Newport Beach at the Aquatic Center. Two of the three owners, Mark Oehlman and Terence Ngo, were generous enough to devote their time to teach me their paddle boarding skills. I met Mark and Terence at the Newport Aquatic Center at 6:30 PM on a Thursday night so they could brief me in time for a sunset paddle. I thought paddle boarding would be as simple as kayaking on my feet. Terence quickly taught me 123

I was wrong. Terence walked me through the paddle boarding basics with patience. First and foremost, there are two ways to get onto the board: standing up one knee at a time, or jumping to both feet like a surfer. I thought about being

super ambitious and attempting the jump-start, but then it dawned on me that I could quite possibly fall into the ocean before I even started paddle boarding. I made the decision not to whip out any flashy tricks and save them for the next time, assuming I survived my first lesson. Next I learned where to stand on

the board. Logically, the middle of the board is the chosen location. Thanks to my prior science teachers, I was able to make a real-life connection to the center of gravity; I felt semi-brilliant. This moment of brilliance was short-

lived when I learned that the way the paddle is maneuvered is NOT the same as when kayaking. I took mental notes when Terrance taught me “The Switch.” “The Switch” occurs when you are moving the paddle from the left side to the right side of the paddle, and vice versa. You simply move the paddle up and over while

moving your hand positioning. It feels unnatural at first, but then becomes second nature. Lastly, I negotiated how to turn. Terence dubbed the turning movement “The Rainbow.” I was immediately intrigued when Terence showed me this because I tend to gravitate towards bright colors. As a matter of fact, I was clad in a neon Tavik bikini and a neon yellow zip-up. “The Rainbow” entails making a rainbow motion with the paddle forwards or backwards depending on the direction you want to turn. Again, logical. At that point, I had discovered all there was to know about the basics of paddle boarding. Now it was up to me to keep myself from falling into the bay. Before Terence, Mark, and I set out for our sunset paddle, a little voice in my head said, “Remember Shark Week?” I couldn’t help but ask if I was at risk for being a shark’s dinner. Sharks apparently don’t venture into the Back Bay, so if being eaten by a shark is in my future, it would not happen today. With that knowledge, I walked barefoot into the bay with my paddle and kneeled onto my board. I stood up slowly, repeating “don’t fall” to myself. I superglued my feet to the board and

As we paddled I learned more and more about Mark and Terence. Each of the three owners actually has day jobs. Because the Pirate Coast Paddle Co. is technically “on the side” for the owners, they are donating all income generated by the company to charities. Wow. How generous is that? To add to my inside knowledge, Terence told me about their “full moon paddles.” Each night there is a full moon, a group of about 30 paddlers gather together at night (when there is a full moon, of course) with glow sticks on their boards; Terence described the scene as “floating fire flies.” Hook, line, and sinker. I will definitely be present at the next full moon paddle. stood up straight. It felt a bit odd standing on top of the water, but it actually felt kind of empowering. I followed Mark and Terence paddling and exercising my skills until I got the hang of it. Once these motions started to feel natural, we ventured over to the other end of the bay adding one more to our party, Cam, our awesome photographer who also surfs.

On our way back to shore we took a little detour to check out the huge houses on the water we’d all love to call home. Motivation, nonetheless. As we arrived back at shore, I watched Mark depart from his board because I had no idea what to do. I followed suit, gave my praises, and thanked Mark and Terence for being super cool. After my experience, I’m sold on paddle boarding and would legally force everyone to do it if I had such power. Because I don’t, I have written this article. I will definitely paddle again and hope to see my fellow Locale readers up on their paddle boards with me. Until next time, stay classy Orange County.

Neport Aquatic Center 1 Whitecliffs Dr, Newport Beach (949) 451-1824 piratecoastpc.com

baby. kids. gifts. 333 e. 17th street, costa mesa CA 949.650.5751 • ccroo.com 15% off if you mention this ad! 124

The kids will be in heaven at the gigantic Club Kid while you take a Road Cycle class at Renaissance ClubSport Aliso Viejo 50 Enterprise, Aliso Viejo; 949.643.6700; renaissanceclubsport.com; Mon-Fri 5am-11pm; Sat-Sun 7am-10pm

Get a bowl of Avilaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soup to go from Avilaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s El Ranchito 318 Main St., Huntington Beach; 714.960.9696; avilaselranchito.com

Grab some deviled eggs and walk the mall at Cafe R & D Fashion Island 555 Newport Center Dr Newport Beach; 949.219.0555; hillstone.com; Mon-Thur 10:30am9:30pm; Fri-Sat 10:30am-10pm; Sun 10:30am-9pm

Head to Huntington Beach from 5-9 for Surf City nights. Local vendors and plenty of people watching. 318 Main St., Huntington Beach; 714.960.9696

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Head to the library where they have a great selection free movies and new releases for $1.00 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach; 949.717.3800; newportbeach.ca.us; Mon-Thur 9am-9pm;

Watch the Monday night game at the Oliver Lounge in Sports Club LA (Irvine)

Yes. Free popcorn for movie night at ultra-hip Kitsch Bar

1980 Main Street, Irvine; 949.975.8400; thesportsclubla.com

891 Baker St. Costa Mesa; 714.546.8580; kitschbar.com; Serving Nightly - No Cover

Fri-Sat 9am-6pm; Sun 12pm-5pm

Keep driving North to Taco Surf for $1.00 tacos and the company of natives 115 Main St, Seal Beach; 562.594.0600; tacosurf.com; Open Daily 11am-9pm

Hit the boutiques in houses off 17th street in Costa Mesa for a cute outfit (LuLu, Patina and The Hidden Jewel)

Eat some olives and get away from the typical tuesday night crowd at Mesa 725 Baker Street, Costa Mesa; 714.557.6700; Tue-Sat 6pm-2am; mesacostamesa.com

1/2 hour of yoga and a 1/2 hour of spin will get you ready to face the rest of the week at YAS (yoga and spin)

Walk around Balboa and then take the ferry to the peninsula for an early dinner at Harborside Restaurant

291 E 17th St, Costa Mesa; 949.548.3888; go2yas.com; Open Daily‎

400 Main Street, Newport Beach; 949.673.4633; harborside-pavilion. com‎Open Daily 11:30am-3pm, 5pm-9:30pm, Sun opens at 9am

Check out the Farmer’s Market at the OC Fairgrounds.

Grab a huge slice of White chocolate macadamia bread pudding and enjoy the view at the House of Big Fish and Ice Cold Beer

Orange County Fairgrounds 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa Thursdays 9am- 1pm (rain or shine)

Grab a glass of sangria and listen to acoustic music at SOL Grill. 110 McFadden Place, Newport Beach; 949.723.4105; solgrill.com; Tue-Sun 5-10pm; Closed Mondays‎

Shoot Hoops at Main Beach in Laguna or with the locals on the Newport Peninsula at 32nd street.

2981 Bristol Street Costa Mesa; 714.708.0092

2647 East Coast Highway Corona Del Mar, 949.673.2261; Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm; Sat-Sun Closed

Get an incredible massage at Natural Body Labs from Albert 350 17th Street, Suite 111 Costa Mesa; 714.746.4051

540 S Coast Hwy #200, Laguna Beach; 949.715.4500; houseofbigfish.com; Open Daily 4pm-11pm

Get over the mid-week hump with the combo salad at Ho Sum Bistro 3112 Newport Boulevard Newport Beach; 949.675.0896; hosumbistro.com; Sun-Thur 11am - 10pm; Fri-Sat 11am - 11pm

Arrive early to grab a few adirondack chairs around the fire pit. Order the Lemon Meringue pie. Gulfstream 850 Avocado Ave, Newport Beach; 949.718.0188; hillstone.com; Sun-Thur 11:30am – 10pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am - 11pm

Get an early start to your weekend by grabbing some binoculars and strolling the fabulous Bolsa Chica Wetlands (north of Downtown HB)

Sneak out early to play 9 and enjoy $2.00 beers and incredible fried taco’s or play late under the lights. Newport Golf Course

Order any drink you want.... You are here for the the way they throw spotlights on the surf at night. Splashes at Surf and Sand

3100 Irvine Avenue, Newport Beach; 949.852.8681; npbgolf.com; Open Daily‎

1555 South Coast Highway Laguna Beach; 949.376.2779; surfandsandresort.com; Sun-Thur 7am-10pm; Fri-Sat 7am-10:45pm

Ask for the workout breakfast (egg whites and chicken breast scramble with a side of spinach) Mariner’s Coffee Shop

Pick out your Christmas tree and watch it grow at Peltzer Farms.

Get ready to shake it to Live Music at Blue Laguna

9000 Irvine Center Dr, Irvine; 949.727.4699; peltzerpines.com; OPENS SAT. NOV. 20th

696 South Coast Hwy Laguna Beach; 949.376.2583; bluelagunaoc.com‎

2606 Avon Street, Newport Beach; 949.650.3370

Drink a chai latte out of a mason jar on the patio while relaxing on comfy couches at Milk and Honey.

Walk around the 2.2 acres of beauty at Sherman Gardens, then stay for lunch at Cafe’ Jardin

Take a Drive through SIlverado Canyon and stop at Cook’s Corner biker bar. 19152 Santiago Canyon Road, Trabuco Canyon; 949.858.0266; cookscorners.com; Mon-Thur 11am - 11pm; Fri 9am - 2pm; Sat 7am - 2am; Sun 7am - 11pm

Rent an electric boat and cruise Newport Harbor trying out our suggestions in FLOAT. Duffy Rentals 2001 West Coast Highway Newport Beach; 949.645.6812; duffyofnewportbeach.com; Sun-Thur 12 - 8pm; Fri-Sat 12-9pm‎

Get ready for the big game with a trip to The Meat House for grass fed burgers or the ridiculously awesome spinach dip.

Wine Wednesday’s offer great deals at bars all over but if you haven’t been to Scott’s since the remodel you are missing out. 3300 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa; 714.979.2400; scottsrestaurantandbar.com Fri 11am-11pm; Sat 11:30am-11pm‎

Take a leisurely stroll through the park like grounds at Roger’s Gardens 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd, Corona Del Mar; 949.640.5800; rogersgardens.com; Open Daily 9am-6pm‎

Cruise down south to The Coachhouse to watch some live music. 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Cpstrno; 949.496.9366; thecoachhouse.com‎

Take a drive to Lake Arrowhead and enjoy the view while eating dinner out of a Chris Craft boat at Woody’s Boathouse 28200 Highway 189, Lake Arrowhead; 909.337.2628; woodysboathouse.com; OpenDaily‎

Incredible brunch paired with amazing views at Shades Restaurant & Bar 21100 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach; 714.960.7873 Sun-Thur 6:30am-10pm; Fri-Sat 6:30am-11pm‎

103 East 17th Street Costa Mesa; 949.548.6328; themeathouse.com; Open Daily 9am - 8pm

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For The Dirty Heads, a Huntington Beach reggae rock band, it took 10 years and a talented production team.

The Dirty Heads don’t get nervous before their shows. They just want to get going. They want to plug in and get the crowd moving. “Not nervous, just antsy,” says guitarist Duddy Bushnell an hour or so before an outdoor summer concert in Costa Mesa. “When they tell me we have seven minutes before we go on, it’s the longest seven minutes ever.” It’s a warm evening at the Orange County Fair. Bushnell and the four other members of the Dirty Heads—lead vocalist Jared Watson, bass player David Foral, drummer Matt Ochoa and percussionist Jon Olazabal—are getting ready to hit the stage at the Pacific Ampitheater. After months on the road, they’re just minutes from home in Huntington Beach. Things have changed since the last time The Dirty Heads were home, mainly because they have a hit record now. It will be a packed house tonight. Fans are stoked. It smells like corn dogs, funnel cakes and beer. The sound of the Dirty Heads is the sound of summer. Their reggae rock groove—a mélange of Beastie Boys-inspired rap and rootsy rocksteady—is the sonic equivalent of Southern California beach culture. You can smell the ocean saltwater, feel the sand in your toes. Bushnell and Watson, the band’s founders, are Huntington Beach to the core: long, dirty-blond hair, flat-brimmed baseball caps, slouchy jeans and skate shoes. When they’re on the road they miss Mexican food the most. They drink Corona and love a good prank. They are friendly, easygoing, and taking it all in. 134

The music and the vibe are distinctly laid back, but the journey to this moment hasn’t exactly been effortless.

Far from it.

The making of their first fulllength album, “Any Port in a Storm,” offers an interesting look at the blood, sweat and tears it took one local OC band to hit it big. This much is fact: The Dirty Heads made history in 2010 with the hit single “Lay Me Down.” A collaborative effort with Rome, the lead singer of Sublime with Rome, it blew up the charts, making The Dirty Heads the first independent label band to hit No. 1 on Billboard’s all-format rock chart. Rolling Stone featured the Dirties in their “Best New Bands of 2010” issue. Propelled by the melodic and catchy groove of “Lay Me Down”—which enjoyed heavy rotation on KROQ and other radio stations around the nation—plus some heavy touring over the last year, the Dirty Heads have emerged as the leaders of a new reggae rock movement reaching kids from Long Beach to Long Island. For most listeners around the world, The Dirty Heads are new. But in fact their first album is 10 years in the making. Its songs range from raw cuts that were written and played by Bushnell and Watson when they were in high school to intricately produced tunes featuring straight-up legends of popular music. Bushnell and Watson wrote their first song before they knew how to play music. “We were 16,” Bushnell remembers. “Jared came over my house and I was like, ‘Oh I got this cool little guitar sound. I was literally learning how to play music, I didn’t even know how to play guitar.” With a tinny spaghetti-western guitar riff by Bushnell and some Ad-Rock style rhymes from Watson, they had a song. They called it “Antelope,” and recorded it in a friend’s garage. Twelve years later, Antelope is on the new album. “We never even re-recorded it,” Bushnell says. “We just put it on the album exactly the way it is.” The album is a blend of old and new. Songs like “Antelope” and “I Got No Time” have been Dirty Heads staples for years, but the process of writing and recording an album pushed the band into new territory. It wouldn’t have happened without Stan Frazier and Steve Fox, a production team who co-wrote and produced most of the songs on “Any Port in a Storm.” 135

“The first song we heard from the Dirty Heads was Antelope,” says Fox. “It was a djembe [an African drum], an acoustic guitar and rap. And every time the chorus should have rolled around, there was a bongo solo. We were like, ‘What the f--- is this?’”

Dirty J, Duddy B, and Jon Jon letting their true colors show

Frazier, a drummer for the band Sugar Ray who wrote most of that band’s hits, says he and Fox were immediately excited about the potential of The Dirty Heads. “The arrangement on that Antelope song was totally tweaked but it worked,” he says. “It was just weird and almost Beck-ish.” Frazier and Fox, who record at 17th Street Recording Studio in Costa Mesa, started working together eight years ago. Frazier also still plays and writes songs with Sugar Ray. Fox, a New Yorker, has a background working with artists a world away from Orange County rock—Roberta Flack, the Duke Ellington Orchestra and George Benson to name a few. Their first production was a speed metal band called Shüvel. After Shüvel, the two went in an entirely different direction when they hooked up with Jessica Simpson’s younger sister Ashlee at the beginning of her career. “We listened to her demo and thought it was something we could work with,” Frazier says.

Beautiful, Dirty J

Dirty J kissing Jon Jon Stan and Steve with the band and our engineer Lewis (who did the album)

The two wrote and recorded Simpson’s first song, “Just Let Me Cry,” in 2003. The song got placed in the soundtrack for the Disney movie “Freaky Friday” and went gold. “Stan had already sold 10 million records on his own with Sugar Ray but it was nice to get ourselves established in production,” Fox says. “It did the trick for Ashlee, it was the beginnings of her career.” “Just Let Me Cry” attracted attention from some major labels and Interscope-Geffen-A&M signed Simpson. That experience pointed Fox and Frazier in a direction that would eventually lead to them working with The Dirty Heads.

Jon Jon's uncanny likeness to some guy in a magazine

Rob Cavallo (executive Prod.), Steve, and Duddy B. sharing the love

costume furnished by Adele’s of Hollywood makeup by Erika Francis

As musicians who can write, play and produce songs— and recruit renowned session musicians to add certain qualities—Frazier and Fox offer a turnkey operation for up-and-coming talent like The Dirties who have a sound and a vision but lack the experience to produce a polished album.

“There was a time when record labels would develop artists,” Fox says. “They’d see something special and commit to developing it. Sometimes it would take a couple albums. But that’s just not how it is any more. Now the labels want you to come to them with a single. And to be even safer, they want you to have a single that, independently, is already selling pretty good. Then they can pour a little gasoline on it and fuel the fire. The economics of the recording industry have changed, and it’s left us with an interesting niche to fill.” That niche is taking raw talent like The Dirty Heads—a band that had already gained an avid West Coast following through its live performances but had yet to produce a radiofriendly single—and turning it into something marketable. The process can sometimes be painful. In fact, that’s the term Frazier uses for the recording studio—The Pain Cave.

In 2005, Frazier and Fox paired up with The Dirty Heads and entered The Pain Cave.

If there’s one thing The Dirty Heads learned in The Pain Cave, it’s that recording a record isn’t always a day at the beach. “Working with producers was

something new for us,” Watson says. “Sometimes they would bring us ideas and we would be like: No, that is not cool. They would say yes it is and we’d get into these big fights. Sometimes the producers are right, sometimes the band is right. Of course they would say we’re never right because we’ve never written an album. They’d be like, ‘You’ve never sold nothing, you don’t know shit!’ But eventually you come to some middle ground and it ends up being cool.” 136

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S u ck U K Shin e H o m e Ta v i k S w i m w e a r Te d S h r e d s Te N e u e s Tr i u m p h To m s U bi q ui t y

The whole process of creating “Any Port in a Storm” took close to two years. “That’s a lot longer than it usually takes,” Fox says. “And most producers are a lot less hands-on. It’s sometimes more customary for producers to be working on a bunch of projects and just check in to see how things are coming, but I kind of prefer how we did this album. We were in the trenches with them every day. We were bringing in songs, they were bringing in songs. They were changing ours, we were changing theirs. We were experimenting and bringing in other people to play.” One of the most essential changes Frazier and Fox made to The Dirty Heads sound was convincing Watson to sing. “The vocal on Stand Tall [the second single from the album] was the first tune he ever sang,” Fox says. “Before that he had only rapped. These guys have a very strong compass with the notion of what’s cool, what they think they should sound like, and what they think is lame. Making some underground shit that sounds vibey, but that the world doesn’t tune into that much, alright that’s cool. But if you can also have beautiful melodies, lovely chord changes and meaningful lyrics—in a way that doesn’t make you feel lame—then that’s special.” The days were long, making the breakthroughs that much more rewarding. “When you crack the code and come up with a song that everyone likes, that blood sweat and tears is what makes it so beautiful,” says Frazier. One of the highlights of the recording process came in the spring of 2006. Fox arranged for the band to record with Billy Preston, a Grammy-winning R&B musician who is sometimes referred to as “The fifth Beatle.” Preston has written and recorded with the greats: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash and The Red Hot Chili Peppers among others.

Preston, who battled kidney disease late in his life and passed away shortly after his work with the Dirty Heads, invited the band to his studio on Arizona. “It was incredible,” Watson says. “The guy was like the sweetest, nicest man I’ve ever met.” Preston arrived at the studio in a Rolls Royce. He walked in wearing a captain’s hat, carrying a 7-Eleven Big Gulp filled with ice. He took a seat behind the keyboard and set down the cup. He would listen to a short snippet of each song, nod his head and say he had it, and then absolutely shred. At the end of each song, Preston was drenched in sweat. He would reach for the cup, chew some ice, and move on to the next song. Preston’s work ended up on three songs: “Stand Tall,” “Driftin’” and “Chelsea.” “It was truly magical,” Frazier says. Preston wasn’t the only accomplished musician to work on the album. Frazier and Fox recruited Josh Freese, a session drummer who has played on nearly 300 albums with bands like Nine Inch Nails, Weezer and Devo. And Avenged Sevenfold founder/ singer M. Shadows appears on “Check the Level.” Once the songs were recorded, the album was mixed by legendary Beastie Boys mix man Mario C. For a group of guys used to partying, surfing and driving from one show to another in an old Ford van, going to work every day at the studio was a change of pace. They blew off steam by punking their producers.

“We gave those guys hell.” Watson says. “We’d come in totally shit-faced sometimes.”

After one late night session, Fox came out to find his car completely buried under debris. “We found these huge railroad ties, picked them up and surrounded his little Prius, stacking them like Legos,” Watson says. “We covered it all with leaves and branches so his whole car was like a castle of leaves. You couldn’t even see it.” Exploding caps provided good entertainment, too. “We’d put them under everything in the studio,” Bushnell says. “Under the mouse at the computer, pop! You’d just hear random screams throughout the studio.” The best was the electric shocker pen. “Steve came in with this huge salad one day,” Bushnell says. “We were like, ‘Hey Steve, can you sign these papers for us really quick? He grabs the pen and is like, ‘Ahhhh!’ The salad goes flying up in the air like in a movie, it goes upside down and comes down all over the place.”

Everyone in the band is cracking up as Bushnell tells the story. It’s getting closer to

showtime at the fair. Fans are starting to line up. I ask Bushnell and Watson if they’re surprised at the sudden rise in popularity with the type of music they play. After all, when they started nearly 10 years ago no one outside of Southern California gave a shit about reggae rock. Brooklyn was the center of the new music universe; garage and post-punk New York bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio and The Strokes were welcomed by fans and critics who were eager to forget Limp Bizkit and the rap-rock 90s. When The Dirties started, reggae rock existed mostly in old Sublime records and some 90s holdouts like 311.

“It was a small scene then,” Watson says. “There was Slightly Stoopid, Pepper and that’s about it. And us, but we weren’t at that level yet.” The Dirty Heads shows started small, but every year they were growing, attracting more fans—at least on the West Coast. Watson knew something was brewing. “My brother runs a surf shop at Sunset Beach and there’s a bunch of young kids that work there,” he says. “We see from them what’s new, what’s coming up, what kids are listening to. And reggae rock was growing. We went through the emo stage and then there started to be this big following on the reggae rock scene. The Expendables came out, and Rebolution and us. All of a sudden, there were all these small bands. We’re not surprised to see this following here because we’ve built up a core fan base. But when we go to Boston and kids are singing along? That’s cool.” Time will tell if the trend continues, but either way, you get the feeling the Dirties will roll with it. “For us, we always knew what we wanted to play,” Bushnell says. “This music is the shit. Any person can like it. Any age. It doesn’t matter what other kind of music you like, you can also like reggae rock.” And what’s next? “After their tour, I’m sure we’ll be making music again right here in Costa Mesa,” Frazier says.

Back to The Pain Cave. dirtyheads.com

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Hanging out with THE NEW LIMB in their Costa Mesa Lair

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thenewlimb.tumblr.com facebook.com/thenewlimb

Chill

1. to calm down 2. cool, tight, wicked, sick, sweet, nice, etc. 3. to hang out 4. to be easy going 5. a little bit cold 6. its ok Definition provided by Urbandictionary.com 140

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by Allison Flaker

Music is an integral, even defining part of our lives. It’s what invigorates, enlivens, entertains and inspires us everyday. Whether we’re jogging along the beautiful coast listening to our iPods or sitting in traffic on the 405 singing along with our favorite station, music is always present. It’s also why we spend hundreds of dollars to attend 3-day festivals or travel great distances to see our favorite bands. Luckily, you don’t necessarily have to do either to enjoy live music every night of the week. If you’re a country, jazz, rock or reggae fan, you can find exactly what you’re looking for within miles.

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Sunday MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

Mozambique in Laguna Beach is the premier destination for a supreme Sunday Funday. Just blocks from the beach on PCH, this 3-story Spanish style restaurant is Laguna’s hot spot for fine dining and live music. Every Sunday their Shebeen Lounge, the upstairs bar and entertainment area, features a different reggae band that plays to a packed crowd. Reggae Sundays are their biggest and busiest day of the week and draw an audience of all ages who simply want to enjoy the view, a beer and the sounds of the islands. 1740 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach | (949) 715-7100 | mozambiqueoc.com Hrs: Monday-Saturday 3:30pm-12 Midnight | Sunday 11am-12 Midnight

Swing into Steamers Cafe in Fullerton’s downtown SoCo District on big band Mondays to recapture the spirit of the roaring 20’s. This intimate lounge with small, candle-lit cafe tables and photos of jazz musicians from the past and present welcomes the lost art of jazz to resurrect with life and color. The music isn’t a mere accessory to a dining experience, but the exact reason why people choose Steamer’s. Each night is a different band with their own style from Dixieland to Latin jazz (which I wasn’t aware existed until now) catering to newbies and old lovers of this often misunderstood art form. 138 w commonwealth ave, Fullerton | (714) 871-8800 | steamerscafe.com Hrs: Sunday - Thursday 7a-1am | Friday-Saturday, 7am-2am | food served until closing every night

The OC Tavern in San Clemente may seem unassuming to the naked eye, but knowledgeable townies know better. Every Tuesday night is a hootin, hollerin, hootanany with live country music and line dancing lessons taught by The Kelly Boyz. The dosey-doing and two-stepping happens in the OC T Room, a space that looks as if it belongs more in the bayou than it does in The Clem. With wooden ceilings and bright colored lights, it’s no wonder this bar’s gone country. 2369 S El Camino Real, San Clemente | (949) 542-8877 | octavern.com Hrs: Monday-Friday 11:30am-2:00am | Saturday & Sunday 10:00am-2:00am

Free entertainment and free food are all some of us need to hear to get us running out the door. Add the fact that you’ll be enjoying both at Memphis Santora in the art district of Santa Ana for their Dinner with Dave, it becomes an every man for themselves situation. This large, industrial loft style restaurant with an orange theme has become quite well known for the partnership of food and music. Every other Wednesday foodies can snack on delicious creations by Dave Mau and hear great local acts such as The New Limb and Preacher’s Sons. 201 N Broadway, Santa Ana | (714) 564-1064 | santora.memphiscafe.com Hrs: Monday 11-3 | Tuesday-Wednesday 11-10 | Thursday - 11pm-12am | Friday-11-1am | Saturday- 10am-1am | Sunday- 10am-3pm

The Gypsy Lounge in Lake Forest, nestled away in the corner of a small mini-mall, is often looked over and passed by. But, to those of us aware of its existence know that their acts are good, their drinks are stiff and they’re rocking the suburbs. One of the best features of this venue is their monthly resident band; not a new concept but a vital one to keeping local music alive. Every month a new band showcases their talents along with other bands of their choosing for free on Thursday nights. The Gypsy Lounge is larger than many other venues despite it’s peculiar location. Mismatching rugs, alluring light fixtures and provocative paintings decorating the walls make it a more sophisticated dive bar. 23600 Rockfield #3A, Lake Forest | (949) 206-9990 | thegypsylounge.com Hrs: 12pm-2am Daily

After a long week at work there’s nothing better to do on a Friday night except dance it all away. The Continental Room in Fullerton has such a remedy along with a drink known to frequenters as the “Purple Nurple.” I’m not sure what’s in it but the name alone is intriguing enough to give it a shot. This dark, red themed lounge reminiscent of a speakeasy decorated with candelabras, rich wood, red damask print wallpaper and cherubs (yes, cherubs) features live bands during the week and live DJ’s on the weekends. Even though it doesn’t seem the decor would match with the house or hip-hop the DJ is spinning, it seems the Continental Room is just staying in toe with the true progressives of the 20’s era. It may not be jazz music and illegal to drink, but there’s still a sense of underground secrecy in this small lounge. 115 West Santa Fe Ave, Fullerton | (714) 469-1879 It’s Saturday night and you and your buddies want to play a round of pool, hear some loud music and grab a couple (or dozen) of beers. There are maybe a few places to choose from but only one you’ve got your heart set on; Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa. Every Saturday night brings a different live band and the same rowdy bunch. From rock to hip-hop to country, Tiki bar offers a large stage and standing room area to accommodate a packed crowd and more than enough room at the u-shaped bar to grab a pitcher. Divey and delightfuly, Tiki Bar (which ironically isn’t very Tiki inside) brings together the most unexpected assortment of people and array of music. 1700 Placentia Avenue, Costa Mesa | (949) 270-6262 | tikibaroc.com | Hrs: 11pm-2am daily

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aybe you caught their incredible performance of their single "Airplanes" on The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson in May. Maybe you felt the rhythm of "World News" as you swayed in the heat at Coachella or you might even have been an early adopter catching them at SXSW in 2009 or in a crowd of 50 at Detroit Bar. If you have not heard them or "of them", do your ears a favor and take a listen to their Freshman release "Gorilla Manor"(French Kiss Records), so named after the cluttered and crowded home they all shared in the city of Orange just a few years ago. 147

This is truly an album. One that could be played repetively in its entirety because of its depth and cohesion. Orange County natives, Taylor Rice, Kelcey Ayer and Ryan Hahn have been playing together since high school under the name "Cavil at Rest". They added bandmates Andy Hamm and Matt Frazier, moved to Silverlake and changed their name to the "Local Natives". We spoke with Ryan Hahn via cell phone as the five members careened down an interstate, in an overstuffed van, somewhere outside of Boston, in the midst of a year long road trip. No matter how cool it is to be a rockstar, it was evident in our conversation that there was no place like home. This is the LOCAL Natives: Letterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s from the road. thelocalnatives.com

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Hot tubs & PBR When you get home from touring, where is the first “local place” you head to once you have settled in? The “Generic Youth” Shop. There’s always something new and inspiring about the people that work, shop and hang there.

What do you do to relax once you are here? I jump in the Ocean! It’s something we don’t get to do on tour very much and it just makes you feel alive.

You own your own restaurant up north but where do you like to eat locally? I’ve got to say that “Bear Flag makes some mean fish taco’s!” Burger Wednesday’s at Generic Youth are great, and I like what they’ve done with “A” Restaurant”

Why did you choose to live/vacation here when you could choose anywhere in the world? My wife had lived here before we were married, and we’ve had some good friends in the NPB area for a long time. Oakland is so much different from this area that it gives a greater appreciation for both places.

M ike D ir nt

met Bille Joe in a school cafeteria when he was 10 years old. They started playing music together at 16 and released their first EP a year later. The group you know as Green Day has toured the world, sold over 65 million albums, won 4 Grammy awards and wrote a 2 time Tony award winning musical. When Mike is not playing stadiums with Green Day, playing small venues as The Foxborough Hottubs or running Rudy’s Cant Fail Cafe in Northern California he lives in Newport Beach. We caught up with him to find out why he chooses to “CHILL” here.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a rock star? I’d do a bit of everything till I found what made me happy.

Are you involved in any local causes/charities? My wife has been a long time supporter of the Surfrider Foundation, so she recruited me. There’s also “Pipeline to a Cure”, helping the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and The Tim Salmon Foundation does great work for abused and at risk youth in So Cal.

How are The Foxborough Hottubs different than Green Day? The Hottubs are stripped down Rock’n’Roll. Small clubs, Tons of Pabst Blue Ribbon and top 10 hang overs!

What is the largest number and smallest number of fans you have played in front of? In 1991 we played in Denmark in Europe to a packed house of Six people, it was a great show. Live 8 where we played to about 300 thousand plus in the streets of Berlin was the largest.”

Do you like to watch live music? Have you checked out any locally? Yeah, I go to shows pretty often. I’d love to catch more back yard shows and gigs in odd spaces (like the boathouse?).

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296 E. 17th Street | Costa Mesa, CA 92627 949.645.7626

A local favorite since 1972

Mi Casa is a story of family; of multi-generations dedicated to good food and festive times. Voted “Best Orange County Mexican Restaurant”– CitySearch 2010 Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 – 6:00 pm 153

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by holly clinard photography by Nancy villere | crush photo studios

There’s something for everyone when you live & shop local. And with the holidays quickly approaching, it’s time for this West Coast weather to get a little cooler (East Coasters, forgive us Orange County-ans for thinking 60 degrees is cold!), and get ready for the hustled and bustled fun holidays with family and friends. These months ahead can be some of the busiest out of the whole entire year-filled with travel, shopping, party-going, cooking for those nutty family shin-digs, and so much more. It’s really enough to have you screaming, “help!” by the time you’re ringin’ in that brand new year! Well before you get your stockings in a ruffle, fret not and check out these hot local must-go’s for the best in shopping and even in relaxing, before 2010 slips through the slots. So much entertaining stuff to do, so many eateries to dine at, and so many boutiques to scour—how will you have the time to do it all! You can do it, don’t worry— from holidays in-town, breakfast out of bed, casual lunch waterside, dinner with your sweetums, and even dancing away—and love where you live all the while.

Face it, you’re a local at it’s finest. Now get out and enjoy your surroundings in style! You can follow Holly on her chic fashion blog: www.hollyinheels.com Holly in Heels smitten with shoes, addicted to style.

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t’s Saturday morning, and weather your nightbefore events consisted of a quiet dinner & movie in, or a fun end-o’-summer night out on the town, you’re gonna need a healthy, hearty breakfast to start your weekend off right! Luckily, Eat Chow is hidden just a stone’s throw away (conveniently off of Newport Boulevard), and your tummy’s rumblin’ to eat their chow. This new-ish sunny spot that sits just off the corner of Newport & 18th is the place to be on Saturday mornings! The aroma of the breakfast griddle and freshly-brewed black coffee is enough to call all of your friends out of their houses and into this little boutiquelike eatery. The menu is filled with fantastic itemseven a few post-party drinks for the morning after. You’re stoked. So when your group of gals decides to meet here, it’s no runway show on a relaxed Saturday a.m., but you sure ain’t showin’ up in your pajamas! The perfect places for your favorite Saturday allday wear can be found at 4 incredibly unique boutiques just down the street from Eat Chow in Costa Mesa. You’re in for a real treat when it comes to this weekend-wear! LULU Boutique & Gallery is special. Enough said. Ok ok ok, I’ll expand (because they deserve it!) and say that you’ll feel right at home when you step into this Tustin Ave boutique. They’ve literally converted a quaint, beachy home into a fashionista haven for all. Walking into LULU you’ll instantly find tables, racks and rooms full of your favorite brands and styles. Casual denim, fun-to-wear sundresses and even a full array of vintage jewelry priced just right. Yep, you heard me right, the vintage jewelry is todie-for here, with bracelets of all shapes, necklaces of all lengths, and even true vintage purses and accessories-every lady of every age is bound to grow attached to at least one vintage jewelry piece here! Mosey on through the LULU household and you’ll eventually hit the backyard that’s decorated in cactus and various succulent plants for sale. The backyard area is an inviting place for shoppers to take a deep breath from their sale-spotting daze, and enjoy their Costa Mesa surroundings. Oh, and don’t you dare leave without visiting the backhouse that’s chocked full of sale items! Score. Head just a few more address numbers down Tustin Avenue and you’ll quickly run into The Hidden Jewel. That’s just what it is: one hidden spot that’s full to the brim with every woman’s favorite accessory of choice! From quality and lovable merch like musthave handbags, gorgeous gems, fantastic women’s fashion and even vintage chandeliers, you’ll want to keep this place your own little hidden secret. What a treat! Who in the world doesn’t need a great piece of somethin’ shiny to spice up that casual jeans & tee outfit, anyway? Every stylish sweetheart knows that when you need to think fast and throw together a great outfit that looks as if 155

it took tons of thought, you head to your rack o’ gems straightaway! Well honestly, you need look no further after you’ve visited Hidden Jewel. They have truly special, and truly vintage pieces that gals like you and I would spend our hard-earned cash on in a heartbeat. Your breakfast-date friends will be gasping, “hey where’s you find that?!” Crush Clothing Co. has been around OC for quite some time now and well-established its name as one of the best of the best in boutiquing! Must be why they were voted #1 in OC by Good Day L.A., right? RIGHT! When you step into this pink & black striped space, you’re sure to find everything from basic tees to sassy dresses. Something for every gal in sunny Orange County! Accessories and handbags line the shelves also-making this a great place to buy a gift for your best girl (or even for yourself, sheesh!). Fashion-forward proprietor Diane Pratt has built her boutique business around the idea of having stylish threads that are affordable for the everyday woman. With the ultimate in customer service, Crush boutique is a great place to shop & find a friendly face to help you choose what you want out of their giant store selection. Another Costa Mesa boutique that’s topping the recognized charts o’ fashion is Hey Gorgeous! boutique, on streetside Newport Blvd. Making the 2010 Best of the OC HOTLIST, this tiny new-comer shop is fantastically fun. With an active Facebook page, and loyal following, gorgeous owner Valerie Taglione of Hey Gorgeous! has beat the odds of the recession and has created a thriving store right here in the heart of beach-town USA. Pull up on the curb of Newport Boulevard and find your fashion world awaiting you just a few steps from the street! Once you cross the threshold that’s got a sweet turquoise awning over-head, don’t be surprised when someone greets you with, “hey gorgeous!” right to your pretty little face! It’s a self-esteem booster fo sho. Enter these doors and you’ll also be stepping into a spot for all of your weekend-er wear. The casual yet lively atmosphere is sure to take your breath away! Racks up and down and all around are full full full with colorful threads and dresses galore! It’s a great place if you even need a last-minute party dress or a sweet date-night outfit. But what impressed me most is the great selection of sexy heels smack dab in the middle of this place. Dashing platforms and darling stilettos— there’s something for every shoe-lovin’ girl, watch out! And to top it all off, it’s this Hey Gorgeous!’s mantra to give shoppers unique, bold, and feminine pieces, without those typical boutique prices. Hey Gorgeous! sure does it right! So when you’re slipping outta bed and heading down the street to Eat Chow, make sure you’re dressed in your best, most comfy Saturday-wear-found right at these sweetly trend-alicious Costa Mesa’s places.

Eat Chow 1802 Newport Boulevard Costa Mesa, CA 92627 www.eatchownow.com LULU Boutique & Gallery 1724 Tustin Avenue Costa Mesa, CA 92627 www.luluboutiqueandgallery.com The Hidden Jewel 1686 Tustin Avenue Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Crush 1835 Newport Boulevard Costa Mesa, CA 92627 www.crushclothing.us Hey Gorgeous! 1808 Newport Boulevard Costa Mesa, CA 92627 www.facebook.com/Hey.Gorgeous.Boutique

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Balboa Bay Club 1221 West Coast Highway Newport Beach, CA 92663 www.balboabayclub.com At-ease 8056 East Coast Highway Laguna Beach, CA 92651 www.ateaseclothing.com Pink Mascara 6258 Irvine Boulevard Irvine, CA 92620 www.pinkmascara.com Bundles and Bumps 2937 Bristol Street Costa Mesa, CA 92626

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With all of the hustle and bustle of this season, packing up the fam and hopping on a plane might not be at the top of your shopping list. We don’t blame ya! It’s not always a vacation once you arrive at your destination—airport security, long lines, checking into the hotel, finding the best place to eat around town, etc. etc. Well if you really think long and hard about it, you’ll probably remind yourself that sunny OC is a hot destination spot for many people all over the world! Why wouldn’t you make your own county your family’s pick for a holidaycation under the sun?! Treat yourself to a short trip down to Balboa Bay where the pedestrians and beach cruisers are everywhere and the pace is just right. Find yourself in amazement of the view around you when you sit down and dine at the Balboa Bay Club, where the food is to-die-for and the price is unbeatable. This spot just off of breathtaking Pacific Coast Highway is a favorite spot for locals and visitors alike to view OC’s bright blue ocean and elegant surroundings. And the whole family’s welcome! You’ll no doubt need to step into the Balboa Bay Club in style, as you sip your favorite drinks and eat your favorite eats! What in the world could you possible wear to a place like this, you ask? I’ll tell ya. Men—head on down to At-Ease Men’s store in the seaside Crystal Cove shopping center for the perfect holiday at home threads. Each guy will completely enjoy this full-service store that has managed nearly 40 years of selling the world’s very finest in men’s clothing. Once you walk into this one-of-a-kind guy’s store, you’ll never turn back, but find the utmost in customer service from any of the associates behind the counter. Let them guide your meandering around the store by showing you the latest and greatest arrivals from both American and European designers. Jhane Barnes, Cutter & Buck, Bobby Jones and Zanella are just some of the sporty and classic lines flaunted at At-Ease. Guys, that’s right, you’ll undoubtedly love the service here and will manage to grow fonder of shopping by the minute, with the personal shopping service you’ll pick up here. I challenge you to try! Ladies, there are just so many women’s boutiques to choose from when you have a great place like the Balboa Bay Club as your holidaycation destination. The options out there are just too hard to choose from! But

as you head down to Balboa, make sure you stop in Irvine to visit Pink Mascara—one of the all-time best of the best. Pink Mascara is a shopaholic’s dream come true, so bring that plastic in your wallets, ladies! Dresses, denim, tops, handbags and accessories are all top notch at this pink-chic spot. Even cute candles and sweet gifts for your bff or that upcoming bday gift that you need to snag. Something special at Pink Mascara is that they carry ridiculous celebrity style that’ll have you turning heads and making everyone mistake you for stars like Vanessa Hudgens, Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Alba, Rachel Zoe or any of those gorgeous Kardashian sisters! Brands like LnA, Free People, Alice + Olivia, House of Harlow, and Halston Heritage are among the dozens and dozens of super stylista nametags at PM. Yep, you are bound and determined to find something that you cannot live without here—and will be dressed to the nines for your day in Balboa with the familia. If you can’t manage to get outta the house and into the city of Irvine to clear the racks at Pink Mascara, don’t fret. They have a hugely popular website where they carry hundreds of designers and great fashion finds you wouldn’t catch anywhere else. What a gal’s fashion fantasy! Only a few more people to dress in the family, now that mom & dad are covered— that’s right those kiddos! It’s hard to take kids shopping and find something they like, so why not make it easy on yourself and take a trip down to Bundles & Bumps in Costa Mesa! Found in the wooden corridors of Orange County’s uber cool shopping center, The Camp, Bundles & Bumps is the perfect spot where any young mom can find a great international mix of fabulous maternity clothing, and accessories—even some sweet organic apparel for the kids, through age 6. That’s right, look no further when it comes to kid clothing, baby goods, furniture, and cutesy stuff for that mommy-to-be. Cool, calm and collected, these threads will have any baby girl or boy comfy and happy all day long. Gotta keep the little ones happy, right? Hate to say it, but you might just find yourself falling in love with the Uglydolls they sell here (if you don’t know what I’m talkin’ about, all the more reason for you to visit Bundles & Bumps! You’ll die.) Guaranteed you can find it all in this little unassuming shop off Bristol Street. The vibe is cool and the service is friendly, and everyone feels like a regular here—just like Cheers (minus the beer and the bad jokes). Grab your little one something stunning for that special holiday ahead. Let’s hear it for the locallovin’ holidaycation!

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t’s casual Friday at the office and everyone’s absolutely, positively dying to get away for a leisurely lunch and start the weekend off right! What better way to enjoy the fall-like So Cal weather than to dine at none other than The Ritz Restaurant and Garden in posh Newport Beach! Treat yourself to the best a European dining experience has to offer this side of the Pacific (but right on Newport Center Drive)! You do deserve it, since it really has been a long week, and you’ll be happy to find that your hardest decision is which gorgeouslydecorated room to sit in at The Ritz! You got it—The Ritz is servin’ hungry lunchgoers in several different dining rooms: The Garden, The Gallery, The Piano Room, the list goes on and on. You ready for your lunch break yet? No lunchtime meeting is complete without a little casual-wear to sport. Agreed? It’s what makes you the big bucks (well, that and your dashing smarts)! It’s your lucky day because this fantastic Newport Beach boutique will have you dressed for success, stat. Take a shopping trip down to A’maree’s of Newport Beach—you won’t believe your eyes when you find out that you’re still in Orange County. Don’t let the upscale décor and unmatched style of this boutique fool you— it’s all about shopping in a cool, relaxed and very “no-pressure, no-pretense setting”. The oversized, ivygraced archway windows that greet you at the front of the store are sure to catch the eye of any shopper that’s strolling down Newport Beach’s Westcliff Drive. When you get into this fine little spot, just look up and find one giant chandelier that lights 159

up all of the fashion set before your big, gorgeous eyes! Ladies—go ahead and take a chance by dressing up a bit in your own “no biggie” sorta way. Every lovely lady is sure to be impressed by what they find here—insanely beautiful fashion from local brands, to all around the world, including fashionforward destinations like Paris, Milan, Paris. And did I mention shoes? Well, ech-hem, forgive me! The stunning footwear offered at A’maree’s is bound to have you whipping out your wallet and puttin’ on some new dancing shoes! For the gentlemen, you can’t go wrong when you’re showing a little style of your own. An unforgettable lunchtime like this calls for top of the line in casual wear, and you know it! So show off your best while lunching with the ladies. Be comfortable, be casual and most of all, be yourself—just don’t slack in the style department! Save the sweats for when you’re in front of the TV and sport the great looks that A’maree’s will provide for your stylish self. This fall, dress up in what’s in— menswear that shows off your personal style with fantastic neutrals and fun patterns. Guys, you gotta look sharp for any outing that OC life throws at ya, and A’maree’s truly has your back with all of the threads and accessories you’ll need for any casual-time occasion on the calendar. So go ahead and show everyone your carefree and fun-filled state of mind by wearing what you love. Every single item in this wooden-walled boutique is one you’ll want to eventually store in your own closet (there’s enough room, right?!)—especially when it means you’ll have something ready for your next casual Friday lunch at the Ritz!

The Ritz 880 Newport Center Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660 www.ritzrestaurant.com Amareeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1649 Westcliff Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660 www.amarees.com

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AVEC NIGHTCLUB 18582 Beach Blvd Huntington Beach, CA 92646 (714) 963-1089 www.avecnightclub.com Clothing from Pretty in Pink Shoes and accessories from Modern Minx and Angel Eyewear Models provided by Walk Industries

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ith all of the running around, shopping, socializing, holiday planning and much, much more you’ve been pulling off, who couldn’t use a little night out on the town? Now that the chilly beach breeze is a’blowin’ and the temperature’s just right for breakin’ a sweat on the dance floor (or a glow as we ladies do), it’s time to get out there and dance the night away! Find yourself getting’ down with your bad self at the mind-blowing Avec Nightclub, in the heart of one of OC’s hottest beach towns, Huntington Beach. All the single ladies will be dancin’ up on this floor and sippin’ on yummy drinks at this bar! You actually will not believe that you’re even still in your hometown county—Avec takes you to a place like no other. Lose yourself in the bumpin’ music on their sensually illuminated dance floor, filled with sassy clubbers that have all the right moves. Enormous light fixtures and sconces throughout the club will highlight this burlesqueish, European styled venue and get you in the mood to let loose. And there is no spicier place to cozy up and grab a cocktail than the decadently, drink-filled bar with one amazing faux, branchy tree smack dab in the middle! That’s right, sip your delish concoction under an illumined, fully blossomed tree and let it take you into fantasy-land. Meet new people that live right in your own OC neighborhood and live it up while you’re young! Avec is completely and totally the place to be, any night of the week. Pretty in Pink boutique in Costa Mesa is the #1 spot to find hotter than hot threads for your big dancin’ nights. Walk into this dangerously pink & black storefront on Adams Ave, tucked away in a shopping center that’ll keep you guessing, and customers will get into that pretty in pink vibe in an instant! Molly Ringwald, eat your heart out. The flashback, rocker-girl music that is the soundtrack to owners Holly and Danielle’s creation of edgy fashion, and no doubt you’ll be sold! After putting in their time at Urban Outfitters, these two ladies decided to launch their dream at full-force and become a quickly-growing local favorite for that party girl inside of everyone. They’ve done it right too—not only does Pretty in Pink house daring graphic tees, get-the-look dresses, chained-up accessories, and skinny jeans galore, but they can throw a party alright! You heard me, this shop puts on regular in-store shopping events, featuring unbeatable sales on all of their items or even special fashion shows to flaunt what they’ve got in-store. It’s a great way to see what this fine little find has up for purchase and have a few sips o’ champagne at the same time! Let that lady workin’ it behind the counter give you expert fashion advice and take you thru the emerging designers that P in P has hanging from their colorful walls. She’ll no doubt have you dressed up for a night of dancing and romancing at the club—or anywhere else you’re dancing shoes take you this locally-lived season! 162

fter the days of scurrying around like madmen and madwomen, in this busy-bee season of celebration, it’s time to really start the party with the best part of the year (aside from birthdays and vacations that is!). Ring in that New Year, all! Bring on the newness all that 2011 has to offer, and wave a bittersweet goodbye to 2010. There’s so much to celebrate over what you’ve done and seen over this last year. Those days will not be soon forgotten, but as January 1 creeps up and taps you on the shoulder, just answer it by pouring glass of bubbly and toasting with the ones you love! Sometimes the best New Years’ can be spent by heading to Vegas or some other far-off land—but why go all the way to the trouble traveling when we live in a spot where most people vacation anyway! Step into your own beachy backyard and you might just be overwhelmed by all of the local cities you could visit to sing Auld Lang Syne when the clock strikes midnight. Literally at the address of 2100 West Oceanfront, across from the Newport Beach pier, restaurant dining at 21 Oceanfront has taken local dining to a whole new oceanfront horizon. Voted most romantic restaurant in Orange County, this place is the perfect spot for you and the one you love most to spend a little time before the New Years festivities begin. Sink into the red, velvety chairs in the dining room or just walk on up to the sailor-lovin’ wood-paneled bar inside, and you’ll be in 2011 heaven! Heck, you can have a full, envied view of the Pacific and even Catalina Island that lies just outside the windows of the restaurant. Sip on fine wines from 21 Oceanfront’s critically-acclaimed wine list, featuring over 300 labels from far off winemaker destinations like France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and even the hills of California’s Napa Valley. Once you find the wine you’re looking for, your next issue will be how in the world you’re going to pick from 163

the mouth-watering menu of #1 seafood and steak choices. The selections and pairings are endless! But at least you know you won’t soon forget about this end-of-the-year dining experience. High class dining meets luxury style when you’re dressed to a Happy New Year tee with the finest of fine from Europeanderived Novecento Boutique. Just down the road from your restaurant regular stops, in the matchless Crystal Cove shopping center, you’ll walk into a space full of drapery and décor, and lines and lines of fantastic fabric for both men and women. Distinct silk ties and accessories for men, and dresses and jewels for the ladies is the name of the game here. It’s Novecento’s specialty to highlight clothing that’s grazed the shoulders of high fashion Hollywood stars and tv personalities. It’s no surprise that owners Malika and Alex are experts at what they do (custom designs even offered by Malika!). Women: tonight’s your night to shine—this occasion only comes around once a year and you have to be looking your very best for the late-night evening ahead! Wear something that will stand out and sparkle, giving you that one-of-a-kind look for the eve. From head to toe, you’ll be dashingly gorgeous when dressed in the happy purchases you’ve made from Novecento. Sparkle plenty! And gentlemen: don’t forget that eyes are on you too—don’t find yourself overshadowed by that arm candy you’re carrying! Be that prince charming on this special night out and dress up a bit! A suit and tie will due or even something a tad bit less—but no matter what, it should be an outfit to toast to. Hey, you never know, your date might hug you a little tighter if she’s huggin’ her man who’s put some thought into his eveningwear! So, now that you both are dressed to impress and have the most romantic spot in OC to ring in the New Year at, I think you’re pretty much set. And no matter where you go after this, you’ll guaranteed have a smile on that face!

21 OCEANFRONT 2100 West Oceanfront Newport Beach, CA 92663 (949) 673-2100 21oceanfront.com Judy, Carolina, Billy, and Chris: ALL FROM NOVECENTO BOUTIQUE

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FOR MEN AND WOMEN

Passion for Fashion

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Crystal Cove Promenade 8002 East Coast Highway Newport Coast, California 92657 Men’s 949.715.1600 Women’s 949.715.1700 www.novecentofashion.com Alex & Malika proprietors