HOLIDAY 2012
ALYSSA JuLYA SMITH Silve r scree n St a r
Reserve judgement on this entrepreneurial sensation
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oyster perpetual and datejust are trademarks.
Wait, how do I know it’s safe to hit purchase?
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Zero Liability protection on your debit or credit card When it comes to protecting your purchases, you can enjoy more and worry less this holiday season with a Wells Fargo personal and business Debit or Credit Card. Take comfort knowing that with Zero Liability protection, you won’t be held responsible for any promptly reported unauthorized transactions*. And since we monitor your card for fraud 24/7, it’s never been easier to enjoy a happy holiday season. To learn more, start a conversation with us today. Stop by, call 1-800-869-3557, or visit wellsfargo.com/jump/credit/zeroliability.
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Passion for Fashion
Furs Shoes Lingerie Accessories Evening Fashion Consulting Casual Wear
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THE CANNERY Seafood of the Pacif ic
Enjoy world-class service at The Cannery Restaurant. Fresh-caught seafood and exciting craft cocktails tantalize guests in our upstairs Jellyfish Lounge or on our downstairs, open-air patio alongside the Rhine Channel.
This November, join The Cannery and Heifer International in the mission to end world hunger. Enjoy the outstanding menu offerings and cocktails at The Cannery any time during the month of of November and 25% of your entire bill will be forwarded to Heifer. The generosity of Ron Salisbury (owner of The Cannery), in partnership with patrons, resulted in a donation of $27,000 last year! 3010 Lafayette Road Newport Beach CA 92663 (949) 566-0060 cannerynewport.com
Y
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I’M NOT PERFECT. You could say I’m a little rough around the edges Take one bite of me of my grass-fed bison meat. & things are liable
BUT
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I DON’T THINK YOU’LL MIND. to get messy.
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AT VANGUARD UNIVERSITY, WE’VE GOT THE PERFECT MIX — UNBEATABLE ACADEMIC TRAINING, WORLD-CLASS ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMS, A BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS AND A STRONG SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION. We believe learning goes beyond the classroom and happens in the context of relationships with faculty and other students. Our professors serve as mentors inside and outside the classroom, giving students the knowledge they need and the wisdom to apply it in the real world. Visit vanguard.edu and see why at Vanguard University, we go beyond the classroom, beyond scholarship, beyond the expected. At Vanguard, your story matters.
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T HE
TEAM ERIK HALE EL CAPITAN
This is my favorite time of the year. The air is crisper, it gets darker sooner and the beaches are empty. Our seasonal progression is not as drastic as most places in the country but Christmas songs are playing in my car for at least a month. This season will be my busiest by far as we prepare to launch a “new edition” of Locale in San Diego this December. I hope that I have been a good boy this year because all I want for Christmas is success in our second city. Sunny days- everybody loves them. Tell me, baby, can you stand the rain? Can you stand it, oh? Storms will come, I know, I know, all the days wont be perfect. This we know for sure. But tell me can you stand it Can you stand the rain? -New Edition
Serving our family recipes since 1966
11 Locations in Orange County & LA County to serve you www.AvilasElRanchito.com
ASHLEY HICKSON
AMY HOOD
JENNIFER HOOD
Piloto
artista
artista
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. After graduating from Chapman University in Old Town Orange, Ashley pursued her dreams and began the journey of helping create Locale Magazine. Often referred to as Erik’s right and left arm, Ashley is THE go-to-girl for everything LOCALE. She enjoys being an intricate piece to Locale’s puzzle and is proud of the down-to-earth, innovative magazine. For advertising, marketing, accounting, and to find out where Erik is, call Locale Magazine and Ashley will answer all of your questions.
Amy is a tiny blonde who loves a good laugh, great tattoos, and only the best rock n’ roll. When she is not racking in unsuspecting prey at the pool hall or spewing stats at bar patrons unlucky enough to have cast bad light on the name of Kobe Bryant, she is finding new ways to vicariously own a motorcycle, watching mind-rotting sci-fi television on Netflix, instagramming the pants off the world, speaking at superhuman speeds, or working at Hoodzpah Art + Graphics, a design firm she founded and runs with her twin sister, Jennifer. You can find her at wegothoodzpah.com, or amyhood.com.
Jennifer Hood is a mildly tortured creative based out of Newport Beach, CA. She is the co-founder of creative firm Hoodzpah Art + Graphics with her twin sister Amy Hood. When not scribbling words, doodling lines, or manipulating anchor points, she’s tinkering on a piano, going comatose via Hulu overdose, reading smelling an issue of Esquire on the beach, attempting to hustle pool to no avail, or singing a pitchy rendition of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” at the local karaoke bar. According to Velvet Underground, Jenny’s life was saved by rock ‘n’ roll. That’s disputable. www.wegothoodzpah.com
Bring on the holidays in style. Your style! Tis the season to be absolutely smashing in a totally together little something from Brea Mall, Del Amo Fashion Center and The Shops at Mission Viejo.
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Macy’s, Anthropologie, Coach, H&M, Urban Outfitters, XXI Forever West of the 405 Freeway and on Hawthorne Blvd. 310.542.8525
Nordstrom, BCBGeneration, Coach, Swarovski, True Religion Brand Jeans, Zara Intersection of I-5 and Crown Valley Parkway Shopping Line 949.364.1771
®
®
THE
CONTRIBUTORS
WRITERS
ERIN ROSE BELAIR LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Erin Rose Blacque Belair is a writer living happily in Newport Beach. She received a Bachelors of Arts in English with a creative writing emphasis from the University of California Irvine in the spring of 2010. She has since then spent her time traveling the world, reading endlessly, and writing constantly. You can catch all of her adventures and works in progress on her blog roseblacque.blogspot.com. She loves iced tea and her black cat Belladonna.
Docter headed west after earning a BA in Literature and Creative Writing with a journalism concentration from Southwest Minnesota State University. Her career has been driven by diversification as a newspaper editor-in-chief, copy editor, corporate advertising professional, non-profit marketing maven, and brand contributor to a venture capital firm. Throughout her journey, Kristal continued asserting an appetite for all things linguistic, and now contributes a fresh voice as LOCALE’s foodie. She is the creator of independent writing company VergeINK and a blogger who embraces bizarre personalities www. mysocalledocdlife.com. A vocab vixen and grammar guru, she prefers a pen and paper to a computer, is an eternal book whore, live music lover, casual culinary artist, conch diver, and will always be a farm-girl at heart.
marketing agency focused on developing an effective and profitable online presence for local companies. She thrives on helping clients grow their businesses by developing customer-specific digital media strategies and then implementing revenuegenerating online platforms. Lauren has a diverse background: an OC native who has spent extensive time living and working abroad in Spain, England, France, and Belgium. When not creating groundbreaking marketing plans and awesome websites, she can be found traveling, dancing, exploring Orange County or attempting to learn a new language.
work. Using natural light and daily surroundings to capture moments, you’ll find that when working with him that any opportunity can become a piece of art. You can view more of his work at AndrewAbajian.com and contact him for booking at info@ andrewabajian.com
LOVINLIFE MULTIMEDIA
JENAVIEVE BELAIR
PHOTOS
A curly headed lady that finds herself in a constant state of creation. A creative lifestyle and wedding photographer that possesses the ability to see the beauty in everything. Check her work out at www.blacquebelair.com
nancy villere
chris chavira
BEHIND the SCENES
HOLLY CLINARD FASHION EDITOR
Otherwise known around OC as Holly in Heels, Holly is smitten with shoes and addicted to style! Born and raised a true California girl, Holly lives and breathes the fashion trends that make the west coast a world-leader in style. Holly has earned the enviable reputation as a leading women’s shoe blogger; she has her own blog, www.hollyinheels. com, that has a loyal following and an international audience. Holly also writes regular fashion columns for several lifestyle print and online publications. When not sorting through her floor-to-ceiling heel closet at home, Holly loves to sip good coffee, travel the world, and listen to 90’s music (sometimes all at once). What more could a girl want? Follow Holly on Twitter @hollyinheels
MEL FOX STYLIST & COORDINATOR
Mel Fox is a stylist, social coordinator, spontaneous traveler and hostess extraordinaire, wrapping up her last year at Cal State Fullerton with a degree in communications and emphasis in entertainment studies. Five years ago the former small town girl was no longer stuck in Lodi, Ca and has fallen in love with Newport and everything around it. She believes life should be lived to its fullest, and she definitely stands by that. If she’s not packing for a last minute trip or heading to a music festival -she’s spinning at the gym or cruising on her scooter, perfectly accessorized, of course.
Nancy Villere has been a professional photographer for 18 years. She loves to push her limits for creativity. Her passion for photography lies in the discovery of another human being. Her client’s energy and excitement gives her energy! Their images are a co-creation! She is currently uncovering her purpose as a photographer through her studio, Crush Photo Studios. Fashion, commercial and boudoir photography are Nancy’s emphasis. It is her greatest joy to witness the freedom and self-confidence women experience after their boudoir sessions and she feels honored to contribute to their process. Nancy loves LOCALE and their commitment to expand awareness of our local passionate business owners! www.crushphotostudios.com.
ANDREW ABAJIAN
Kristal Docter Food EDITOR
A writer transformed by the beatniks before her, Kristal
24 |
lauren pawell web management & it
Lauren Pawell is the founder of Bixa Media, a digital
| Holiday 2012 Issue
Andrew Abajian is a West Coast based editorial, fine art wedding, and lifestyle photographer/ director. With a passion for editorial and romance it seems that Andrew translates simplistic beauty into his
Southern California photographer Chris Chavira regularly shoots corporate, portrait, entertainment and advertising photography. He has been published with clients of all sizes and industries. Chris is energized by creating impactful images for clients. Use of light, composition, space and storytelling all play a part in the process. Portfolio at CCIMAGES.com. 310 500-9075
Most things unachieved have yet to be attempted in the mind of Antonio Pullano, Director of Photography for LovinLife Multimedia. From Niagra Falls, Canada, this trilingual, MBA graduate, provides worldwide creative services as a Producer/Director/ Cameraman. He has been published by CASIO America, G-Shock, The Associated Press, Nylon Fashion, CBS, Fuel TV, Transworld, Crow Bar, and OCCF CrossFit. A resident of Newport Beach, live music, the outdoors, international cuisine, and flying RC Helicopters tops his list of free-time activities. For your upcoming fashion, sports action, new product, wedding, or corporate marketing campaign, choose www.lovinlife.ca.
nikki thornton Eyes like a shutter. Mind like a lens. Whether it’s on a rooftop in Manhattan, a runway in Tokyo, a charity Gala in Beverly Hills, a luxury hotel on the Newport Coast or a living room in Laguna Beach, Nikki Thornton lives by the credo that every photo should convey mood, energy, emotion. As principle of Nikki Monroe Photography in Newport Beach with eleven years of experience, Nikki lives to capture the essence of life on camera. She believes photography is a universal way for us all to connect.
jeff farsai Jeff Farsai specializes in editorial, celebrity, fashion, sports and wedding photography. After earning his B.F.A. in photography and visual communication, he quickly dove into the commercial world of photography. Since then, Jeff has photographed countless celebrities, musicians and gold medal athletes all over the world. He recently started writing and directing music videos. Additionally, he is working on a feature film which is projected to finish by the end of 2011. For more info check out his site: www.JeffFarsaiPhotography.com
THE
MOON LIG HTERS
GUEST WRITERS ACE Agency
WEB WRITERS
Claire Cote Kimberly Culbertson Jack McBride Natasha Niezgoda Dominique Rocker
GUEST STYLISTS TAYLOR TAGUCHI
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Dear Santa, I have been a very good boy this year. So, I would like to have a private dinner at The Hobbit, a Kaya Coconut-Stuffed French Toast from the Chomp Chomp Nation Food Truck, a hand-crafted cocktail from Jason Schiffer of 320 Main, navigation added to my C250 from Roccoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Autotech, front-row concert tickets to Young The Giant, another trip to Belize, a seasonal coffee creation from Theorem by Portola Coffee Lab, Caitlyn Chase as my professional shopper, a performance by Tini Grey at my birthday, Barbara Julian as my daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tutor, and lunch with Bill Trefethen and Kelly Slater at Daphnes California Greek. However, I would give all of those wishes up if you could persuade more people to help Jessica deliver blankets to the homeless, guide Deanne through helping Veterans get back on their feet, and assist Paula in gathering toys for children.
! s a m t s i r h C y r Erik Mer Publisher
| Holiday 2012 Issue | 29
WHY YES, WE ARE GETTING FRESH WITH YOU. RA SUSHI’S FALL PAIRING. AVAILABLE OCT. 1–NOV. 30, 2012.
$
18
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Freshly-muddled kiwi mixed with
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Kai Lemongrass Vodka, sweet sparkling
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served with peppery arugula tossed in a
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citrus dressing with sautéed cashews, garnished
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TUSTIN THE DISTRICT AT TUSTIN LEGACY 714.566.1700
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SAN DIEGO t CORONA TORRANCE t CHINO HILLS
6HQVDWLRQDO :HHNHQG %UXQFK Enjoy 2 courses and your choice of beverage for just $19 E 3AVOR YOUR WEEKEND WITH A LEISURELY BRUNCH AT 0AUL -ARTIN S ¸ 3TART YOUR DAY WITH A REFRESHING -IMOSA OR "LOODY -ARY THEN ENJOY A SEASONAL FRESH FRUIT BOWL AND ONE OF OUR HAND CRAFTED BRUNCH SELECTIONS &AVORITES INCLUDE s &RENCH 4OAST WITH 6ANILLA "EAN )NFUSED #REAM AND -APLE "OURBON 3YRUP s !PPLEWOOD 3MOKED "ACON /MELET s /RGANIC 3PINACH -USHROOM 4OMATO /MELET
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Irvine Spectrum Center â&#x20AC;¢ 31 Fortune Drive â&#x20AC;¢ Irvine â&#x20AC;¢ 949.453.1144 Make reservations at www.paulmartinsamericangrill.com
TABLE OF
HOLIDAY 2012 ISSUE
CONTENTS 74 78
84 46
42
106
FEATURE STORY
140
COvER STORY:
RESERvATION REquIRED
Silverscreen star Alyssa Julya Smith holds court at the tables of some of Orange County’s finest private dining rooms.
32 |
| Holiday 2012 Issue
52
66 136
96
62 124
152 158 116 42
EAT EAT EXpERT: TENACIOuS D Daphnes’ CEO Bill Trefethen Blends So Cal Culture with Cuisine
46
vS. FOOD TRuCKS Culinary Throwdown
52
78 84 96
Sharing Classic Cocktails and Chatter with 320 Main’s Jason Schiffer
66
DEAR COFFEE A Love Story with Some of The Best Local Coffee Spots
74
SHOP STYLE EXpERT: SHEAR LuXuRY Caitlyn Chase, The Beauty Behind Luxury Home And Fashion Accessories Line Caviar & Cashmere
LOCALE LOOKS
116
HOME HOME EXpERT: THE FINER THINGS
140
SETTING THE TABLE
146
GROOMSMEN The Barbers Behind Imperial Barber Products
128
DO NATIvE KNOWLEDGE
THE GIvING GAME How a Little Giving Can Make a Big Impact
152
YOuNG THE GIANT The OC Natives Talk Soccer, Growing Up In Orange County and Touring
158
DO RIGHT WOMEN Seven Women Getting It Done in Orange County
The Fantasy Holiday Gathering
124
ESCApE: STRESS FREE pARADISE Escaping to Central America’s Hidden Gem: Belize
Talking with The von Hemerts of Von Hemert Interiors
120
SHADES OF GREY Tini Grey on His Latest Album
LIvE & LET DIE These OC Stuntmen Have Holiday Fashion Looks That Could Kill
pORTION CONTROL DRINK DRINK EXpERT: THE MAIN MAN
136
The Holiday Edition
Small Plates Make a Big Comeback
62
THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID First Date Fashion
171
HOLIDAY SuRvIvAL GuIDE Our 2nd Edition Guide Covers Entertaining Guests, DIY Holiday Fun, Where to Find Good Cheer and More.
By Locals For Locals
132
DO EXpERT: DOCTOR upGRADE Rocco’s Auto Shop Retrofits Rides
For more on culture, entertainment, style and design in Orange County, visit us online at www.LocaleMagazine.com | Holiday 2012 Issue | 33
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT
WWW.TATRATEAS.COM
All rights reserved © 2012, 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. LOCALE Magazine ph: 949-436-8910 | fax: 949-682-4807 info@localemagazine.com Cover: Photographer: Nancy Villere of Crush Photo Studios Model: Alyssa Julya Smith Hair: Ashley Gannon Make Up: Brie Leach for MAKE UP FOR EVER, brieleach@yahoo.com | 949-887-2708 Stylist: Mel Fox, Follow her @stylesbymelfox Reservation Required (Fashion Spread): Photographer: Nancy Villere of Crush Photo Studios Model: Alyssa Julya Smith Hair: Ashley Gannon Make Up: Brie Leach for MAKE UP FOR EVER, brieleach@yahoo.com | 949-887-2708 Clothing Provided by: Novecento Boutique, novecentofashion.com, 949-715-1700 Stylist: Mel Fox, Follow her @stylesbymelfox Locations: Javier’s Cantina, AnQi Gourmet Bistro & Noodle Bar, True Food Kitchen, The Hobbit Restaurant & Mastro’s Ocean Club
'3&4) t 03("/*$ t )0.&."%& Napolitan style Pizzas & regional Pastas In a Los Angeles Time Review, S. Irene Virbila said:
“Delicious Naples Style pies and pastas at Il Dolce.” 1902 HARBOR BOULEVARD COSTA MESA, CA 92627 WWW.ILDOLCEOC.COM | 949.200.9107 FACEBOOK.COM/ILDOLCE
IL DOLCE WAS AWARDED WITH THE FOOD’S HIGHEST HONOR OF GOLDEN FOODIE AWARDS 2012 FOR
Best Pizza in Orange County
Locale Looks: Photographer: Yassira Flores of Darling Image, darlingimage.com Stylist: Mel Fox, follow her @stylesbymelfox Locations: Hotel Laguna, Tustin Roadhouse, Back Bay Bistro, DivBar, Beachfire Clothing Provided By: The Vault, Collective, Gloss Boutique, Joie, The Movement, Hobie Models listed in order from left to right. Live Music Friday: Laurie Mannette Agency: ZARZAR MODELS Website: www.zarzarmodels.com Justin James Agency: Refresh Talent Agency Website: www.refreshtalent.com Sunday Funday: Dan Van Houtz Jordi Saloman Maryela Perez Chris Franklin Agency: Refresh Talent Agency Website: www.refreshtalent.com Amanda Kee
A Drink at Sunset: Danielle Catterson Brianna Wodiske Alise Hart Bentley Agency: ZARZAR MODELS Website: www.zarzarmodels.com Post-beach Cocktails Kylie Harmon Grant Templeton 15th Anniversary: Brandon & Hilary Hale Thank you to ZARZAR Modeling Agency and Refresh Talent Agency for providing the models in Locale Looks.
ABOUT THE COVER MODEL
Born and raised in Newport Beach, Alyssa Julya Smith shines with star quality and that Southern California swag. She graduated with a communications degree from the University of Southern California, and is now taking the modeling and acting industries by storm. Alyssa’s beach bombshell style and charisma has landed her modeling contracts with local surf company Rusty, and national gigs with Lululemon, Asics, Axe and AG Jeans. Her success segued into an acting career, where she has been featured in film and television projects such as “Couples Retreat,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Rules of Engagement” and HBO’s “Funny or Die.” Apart from her achievements in entertainment, Alyssa also has a passion and natural aptitude for health and wellness. She is currently developing an exciting health beverage line that is set to launch early next year.
dine
drink
dessert
the quiet woman
3224 pacific coast highway
cdm
640.7440
www.quietwoman.com
Come for a business breakfast, or an endless champagne Sunday brunch buffetâ&#x20AC;Ś Or watch the crashing waves from our patio during your casual lunch with friendsâ&#x20AC;Ś Or return for a most spectacular evening meal & glass of wine all with complimentary sunsets! At The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel | 21100 PCH, Huntington Beach | 714.845.8444 direct for reservations | Waterfrontresort.com $3 Valet Parking with restaurant validation
“Restaurant of the Year”
for 2012 by the Orange County Business Journal
“Restaurateurs of the Year” for 2012 by Southern California Restaurant Writers “Best Restaurant” for 2012 by Riviera Magazine
Located at the District (at Jamboree & Barranca Pkwy.) | 2647 Park Ave. | Tustin, CA 92782
Please call for reservations 714.258.7600 | www.thewineryrestaurant.net
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let people “tellDon’t you, you can’t do something. Anytime someone says that to me, I push harder.
“
- BILL TREFETHEN DAPHNES’ CEO
Daphnes’ CEO Bill Trefethen Blends So Cal Culture with Cuisine INTERVIEW BY: kristAL dOCtEr | PHOTOGRAPHY BY: AndrEW ABAJiAn
Bill Trefethen has proved he tackles his business ventures with the same tenacity as he does his fervor for extreme sporting activities. Having just returned from climbing Europe’s tallest mountain, Mont Blanc, this surfer, mountain biker, family man and Daphne’s CEO since 2010, has brought what was then Daphne’s Greek Café out of bankruptcy and triumphantly transformed the 56-chain restaurant into Daphne’s California Greek. A unique intermingling of food and coastal culture, the new Daphne’s is a restaurant, a brand and a lifestyle. As CEO of the refreshed Southern California restaurant chain, Trefethen’s innovative spirit travels far beyond their tasty food. He’s designed a Daphne’s without limits that caters to conscious eaters, up-and-coming musicians and young athletes. The Daphne’s transition to “Eat Well. Live Well.” has also exhibited 42 |
| Holiday 2012 Issue
their focus on sustainability with an updated décor. Many of the new stores feature this renewed sense of style with brightly colored recycled seating, polished bamboo tables, including a must-have, modern community table, beach photography and succulent table toppers for a fun and fresh dining experience. Trefethen’s vision encompasses a complete experience for Daphne’s customers and is showing Orange County that this re-invented CaliforniaMediterranean eatery is much more than your average food chain. So how did flourishing financier Trefethen determine to tackle this mountainous career challenge? Trefethen said, “where there’s chaos, there’s opportunity,” and the opportunity to give back to his own coastal communities is the force which drove this intrepid entrepreneur to envision the new Daphne’s.
Q: I understand you’re not necessarily a culinary whiz, so what made you
interested in revamping restaurant chains? You bought then-bankrupt Daphne’s Greek Café, and I see you’ve been involved on the financing side of other chains like Burger King and Elephant Bar. BILL TREFETHEN: I love restaurants, and I’ve been involved in the industry for years. What really attracted me to Daphne’s was the business model – I can see what it represents, I define it, package it, brand it and execute it. It’s a great brand in a great segment of the restaurant space. It’s the largest operator of its kind of Mediterranean food in the country.
Q: As an avid traveler who has eaten all over the world, you must have
some influence on Daphne’s California Greek’s new menu items. What additions or changes have you made? BT: What I’ve discovered about America during my travels is that you can get food from all over the world here that is almost as good as where the food originates from. Greek food in Europe is like tacos in California – you go from the clubs in Spain to grabbing gyros on the street. Hey – maybe we should have Daphne’s after-hours? It could be the new late-night, healthy alternative.
Q: I think that sounds like a fabulous idea. So what’s on the menu? BT: My favorite thing right now is our flat bread pizzas. We have flavors like Rustic Greek, Margherita, Pepperoni and BBQ Chicken. And they would make tasty late-night snacks, too. I also love our pita burgers and classic fajitas. I eat here at least two or three times a week. The food is innovative and it travels well. There just aren’t a lot of places you can go and have a good lunch without feeling like you want to take a nap when you get back to work.
Q: I also see that you’ve made changes to the menu which resulted in an even
healthier product. Tell me about the Daphne’s California Greek health-centric menu. BT: We’ve tried to balance healthy ingredients with tasty food. We were the first to start showing the nutritional values of each item on our menus and boards even before it was required. You can have a whole meal for less than 700 calories here, and many items are well below that. Our Classic pita with grilled chicken, tomatoes, lettuce and red onion is only 370 calories. Add a side of our multigrain pita chips and hummus for 290 calories, and you’re still well below your average meal’s caloric intake.
Q: Well I’m trying to calorie count so my per-meal intake is limited to 400
calories, so I’ll go for just the Classic Pita, thank you. You, on the other hand, I’ve heard are burning calories quite regularly as an avid adventure-seeker. Were you really just in Europe climbing its tallest mountain? BT: Yeah – I climbed Mont Blanc in the Alps. It was totally gnarly. It was the most scared I’ve ever been times 10. I grew up in Colorado and had climbed a hundred mountains, so the guide suggested the mountaineering route, assuming that I knew techniques. We started at 10,000 feet, and half-way up the 17,000-foot mountain as we’re looking straight down, I almost broke down and started crying. My guide said, “Isn’t the view magnificent?” And I was like “f*^@ the view!”
Q: Southern California seems to be the center of extreme sporting. I can
feel the surfer-style in the new Daphne’s décor. Do you surf regularly? BT: I surf two, three, four days a week. I live in Laguna, and have been surfing Trestles for 15 years. I head to Tavarua Island, Fiji every year with my boys. It’s like summer camp for adults. One of the other reasons I moved to Laguna was because I love to mountain bike and there are tons of trails. Sometimes I ride my bike to the Aliso Viejo Daphne’s store – it takes about 20 minutes. I’m really active in skiing and snowboarding, too. I have a house in Park City where I do a lot of back-country skiing. Awesome mountain biking up there, too. Oh, and I have that new-found thing for mountaineering … maybe I’ll go climb Mount Rainier next.
Q: Wow. And you’re managing to reinvent a 56-store restaurant chain in your spare time … BT: I’m 40 some years old. I want to knock it out before I can’t.
food and great service. But to create a brand, you have other elements that go with it. Given our focus on a healthful lifestyle, we also want to promote healthy living activities. We think Daphne’s should be part of your healthy life.
Q: And you’ve gathered a team of celebrity ambassadors to represent this
concept. Currently world surf champion Kelly Slater is part of the Daphne’s team. Tell me about what he and the rest of Team Daphne’s are doing for the company. BT: The ambassadors, which can range from celebrities to a cool mom that’s head of the PTA, help us spread the word about the brand. We’re also building an amateur sports team around them, so Kelly mentors the team which is made up of what we believe are the best and brightest surfers in the circuit. It’s really a way to help these kids out. We’re doing the same thing in skate, snow and I’m working with club soccer to put together an all-star club soccer team. The Daphne’s brand is cool, but it’s responsibly cool for the kids and the parents. It’s a good way to give back by creatively using our dollars to help sports in our communities, and hopefully the teams and families will want to come to Daphne’s to celebrate their victories.
Q: The Daphne’s reinvention also initiated an emerging music discov-
ery program and digital streaming music stations. Can you tell me more about your involvement with music? BT: Music is a big part of the lifestyle element at Daphne’s. It all started, because there was such horrible music playing in all the stores, so I thought, “I’ll come up with our own playlist.” I have teenage kids and my son’s a musician so I’d ask him what’s cool and play that in our stores. Somewhere along the line, I met music producer Dave Curtin who is totally tuned in to the music world. One of his jobs is identifying new acts, so we brought him on board to create a playlist. And now we sponsor an artist every month. We give away a free download every month from our Artist of the Month (AOM). It adds to the cool factor of the brand, and it certainly makes it easier to attract cool people to work in a place that’s fun and hip.
Q: So the streaming Daphne’s music app … is it free? BT: We created Daphne’s Radio which plays what’s really hot right now, but you can personalize it with customized playlists and it’s free. It’s really cool. You go on Pandora and type in a band and everything is kind of the same genre, so how do you find out about new stuff? What we’ve done is put together a mix of older stuff and really cutting edge alternative stuff to make a cool playlist. We also have celebrity playlists. You can stream Kelly Slater’s playlist – hear what he’s listening to – he gets about a million hits and my playlist gets about two. (laughs)
Q: Where is your favorite spot to see live music in Southern California? BT: I like the Hollywood Bowl and the Greek Theatre. There’s also a new artist every Tuesday night at the W in Hollywood. Foster the People showed up the other night to play. Maybe Daphne’s should do its own music festival? I love watching and working with emerging artists.
Q: Sounds like another fabulous idea to me. What advice do you have for our locally emerging artists and young entrepreneurs?
BT: Don’t let people tell you, you can’t do something. Anytime someone says that to me, I push harder. I started a bank when six months prior to that, I was reading about banking by a pool in Palm Springs with the idea. You don’t always have to go the structured route to get there either, but you do need to learn good writing skills. If you can’t write, how do you write a compelling business plan? I’m investing in a lot of new and up-and-coming brands, backing local young people that are in tune to what’s going on. It’s all circular. All these elements and innovations are intangible and important in supporting our community.
Visit www.daphnes.biz for locations, music or to sign up for their Pita Points program.
Q: I can see why the incorporation of the California-lifestyle and cultural
focus has been important to you in the Daphne’s rebranding. How did you come up with the concept of pairing a fast-casual restaurant with a local lifestyle? BT: People come to the restaurant for food, so we have great | Holiday 2012 Issue | 43
Photo: LovinLife Multimedia
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WRITTEN BY: kristAL dOCtEr & Erik hALE PHOTOGRAPHY BY: nikki thOrntOn
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ou may have spotted these caravans of culture outside of your office building, in your local mall parking lot or at the fairgrounds. Food trucks have been cruisin’ our streets, dispensing delicious themed eats and refreshing ideas in food for a few years now, and the popularity of this travelling take-out doesn’t seem to be waning. Many of these mobile chefs have hit the road as a way to market their product and create a following, and we’ve even watched some of them open up their own restaurants. What better way to try chefinspired, foodie-driven cuisine than by gathering a group of
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trucks in a lot? You can travel from France to the Middle East and have dessert crepes with your meatballs while making friends with your neighbors. But get there early because these locomotives serve only the freshest ingredients, and they don’t have pantries so once they’re sold out, they’re out! Before you jump on the 405 in search of the next meeting of these meals on wheels, download the free app Food Truck Follower. There are several free food truck follower apps, but this one follows tweets instead of maps, so you can plan your truck stops in advance. Follow our favorites, which we’ve compiled below – coming to a curbside near you. Over and out, OCers!
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Seabirds
On this MOBiLE MEnu: HE ALTHFUL VEGAN FARE piCniC With this: GLUTEN-FREE PE ACHARINE AND K ALE SAL AD Owner and “Mama Bird” Stephanie Morgan wasn’t always a chef but she’s always loved food. Starting her career as a broker on Wall Street, Morgan felt like she was missing something until she fell in love with turning vegan. She started coming up with veggie recipe ideas and menus in her spare time, moved back to the OC and bought a truck. She taught her team of girls how to “woman” the truck on the road during The Great Food Truck Race and nearly won Season 2. OC’s original veggie truck serves fresh vegan food, locally-sourced from Orange County Produce, LLC and our very own Tanaka Farms in Irvine who gather their goods and sell them to Seabirds by the cart full. Her dishes embrace alternative ingredients like organic greens and fruits, toasted nuts, pureed veggies and gluten-free grains. Morgan loves her veggies so much she even takes the time to massage the kale for the dish she thinks signifies the Seabirds pursuit in offering seasonal food. The Peacharine (or whichever seasonal fruit is the freshest) and Kale Salad is gluten free and super filling. The Tanaka Farms kale is topped with toasted pecans, shredded coconut and drizzled with ginger vinaigrette. Other popular and healthful items that are typically on the Seabirds menu are the sweet potato fries with cinnamon salt, beer battered avocado tacos and organic vegan cupcakes. Morgan’s vegan menu is not just for the birds. She has gained such a following that she’s put together an e-cookbook available on their website via the iBookstore. The Seabirds Vegan Revolution features this truck’s most wanted meals. And here’s a tip: Seabirds is also the most efficient of all the trucks when it comes to planning ahead. I always check their truck schedule first to find out where the best trucks are parking on any given day. You go girls! www.seabirdstruck.com
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Barcelona on The Go
On this MOBiLE MEnu: SPANISH BISTRO AND TAPAS piCniC With this: CHURR ASCO CON CHIMICHURRI The name alone gives this black and red beauty plenty to live up to. For those of you who have visited Barcelona, the food, culture and setting surely still remain fixtures of memory. For those of you who have not made the journey to one of the worlds oldest port cities. This thousand year old city remains standing for many reasons, primarily because of the beautiful culture. In addition to the wonderful dish we tried, the Barcelona On The Go menu contained staples like Paella Valenciana, a dish replete with clams, mussels and shrimp, and a Spanish Sausage Sandwich with Buttifaro pork. We were guided to their most popular item, a USDA Prime steak, hand cut and served atop crispy fries and topped with the olive oil and parsley-based, Argentinean-inspired chimichurri sauce. It is rare to find this quality of beef on a food truck (Prime accounts for less than three percent of all cuts, nationally), much less one that is hand cut. Toss in the fact that we were eating this delicacy in a parking lot out of paper boats, which made it even more fantastic. The trucks began serving customers in February 2010, and the popularity of the brand dictates that they now operate two trucks. Barcelona On The Go has served as many as 750 people for lunch in a single day. The trucks operate seven days a week. We suggest you visit them for brunch at SOCO on a Saturday for their tortilla frittata AND the steak fries. www.Barcelonaonthego.com
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Lime Truck
On this MOBiLE MEnu: CALIFORNIA FOODIE CUISINE piCniC With this: T WO-FOR-$10 SE ASONAL TACOS From nachos to veggies to ceviche, Season 2 winners of The Great Food Truck Race continue to reinvent California’s favorite portable eats. The Lime Truck’s trendy offerings certainly retain their California character, but have become famous all over the country after viewers fell in love with the truck’s avant-garde craftsmen. Owner Daniel Shemtob hales from Irvine as does his partners in crime, and their imaginative new American cuisine matches their intrepid personalities. Their admiration for adventurous food has allowed these crazy dudes to literally play with their food. With no set menu and no boundaries, the Lime Truck keeps killing the food truck scene with original edibles like ahi nachos with edamame hummus, oxtail poutine with thyme gravy and lamb sandwiches with hot sauce. Anything you order from their visionary menu will shock you into a flavor frenzy, whether you’re a foodie or not. Start by tasting any of their exotic tacos, a true California staple. With seasonal choices like sweet and spicy steak tacos, pork belly adobo tacos or the ultimate taco of the day – it’s hard to decide. Luckily, you can get two for $10 and save your decision-making skills for selecting a side. Check out their blistered baby bok choy, which has become an OC favorite. “Every day is a new adventure,” Lime Truck Manager Heather Larson said. “We’re like a big family, and we all think outside the box.” With over 16,000 Facebook fans and a feisty team of foodies, the Lime Truck remains Orange County’s most popular truck in the lot, and they’re not letting that title slide without a serious fight in So Cal’s foodie ring. www.thelimetruck.com | Holiday 2012 Issue | 47
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Dos Chinos
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On this MOBiLE MEnu: ASIAN AND MEXICAN FUSION piCniC With this: GARDEN GROVE BBQ CHINO FRIES Dos Chinos’ plain purple truck does not exactly stand out in the battle for visual supremacy among their food truck contemporaries, but the food does. This particular Asian and Mexican fusion truck – and there are many – is anything but plain. They utilize very few ingredients but manage, by way of offering each of their menu items as a taco, burrito, quesadilla or topping for fries, to simplify the ordering process without limiting the customers’ options. We decided on the sweetly flavored Garden Grove BBQ beef as a topping for their Chino fries. The two and a half year old business has managed to marry two cultures by serving Asian cuisine in customarily Mexican packaging. The cinnamon flavored ribeye was combined with onion, cilantro and then served on top of crispy fries, tossed in clarified garlic butter, topped with cheddar and jack cheeses, cabbage and a magnificent dollop of sour cream. We have conducted one very simple taste test when comparing food for this column over the past three years: does the food make you say “hmmm?” The very first bite from the Dos Chinos truck drew that conclusion unanimously among our judges, so don’t let this simply purple truck hide among the others. Their food stands boldly on its own. www.doschinos.com
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Grill ‘Em All!
On this MOBiLE MEnu: UNUSUAL MONSTER BURGERS piCniC With this: BLUE CHEER BURGER Hailing all hard core metal heads and food truck fanatics, Season 1 winners of the Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race, the Grill ‘Em All truck, command you to “take it to the face.” And after you devour one of their dangerously good seven-ounce burgers, you will gladly accept anything else these band matesfor-life grill up for you. Executive Chef and Co-owner Ryan Harkins who has worked in fine dining for 13 years and partner Matthew Chernus who was once a pro wrestler are feeding burger lovers from LA to the OC and beyond. During their tour around the country, they picked up a national following after being featured on the Cooking Channel’s Eat Street and MTV’s Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory. The culture they created on their road trips started with a truck which dons that definitive font from Metallica’s debut album Kill ‘Em All. And I have to be honest, Grill ‘Em All’s menu made me want to seek and destroy every last burger on the list (with a side of h-100’s, which are their cheddar jack filled, hand-rolled tater tots)! Anything goes with these burger trailblazers. From toppers like beer-soaked onions and mosh pit BBQ sauce to a burger dedicated to Dee Snider, spread with peanut butter, jelly, bacon and Sriracha, Grill ‘Em All is making meat and metal work. We preferred the sweet and tangy flavor fusion in Grill ‘Em All’s Blue Cheer Burger, topped with a cranberry gastrique and a basting of blue cheese sauce. Stay tuned, because these burgers will also be rockin’ the menu at their new LA restaurant this fall. So get your devil horns out, and pay them a visit. Rock on! www.grillemalltruck.com
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Crepes Bonaparte
On this MOBiLE MEnu: CRE ATIVE CREPES piCniC With this: SPICY APPLE BOT TOMS Gaston, the Crepes Bonaparte truck, has a clear focus. It serves only crepes – for breakfast, lunch and dessert. Gaston is a traveling creperie, which has been flipping French-style crepes for its customers for the past three years. After participating in Season 1 of the Food Network’s The Great food Truck Race with its fellow truckers, Fullerton-native Crepes Bonaparte drew patrons from all over the country. It started out as a catering company after owner Christian Murcia vacationed in Paris and tasted his first French crepe. He knew that Orange County would be a better place with the experience of a truly European crepe, so he crafted the first mobile creperie. Gaston’s occupants are confident crepe artists, uniformed in quintessentially French garments. They craft each crepe to-order, so expect a little wait, but we promise it’s worth it. Their most popular crepe is the traditional Italian-style Caprese with a home-made garlic pesto. The breakfast crepes are just as comforting as you might imagine, and they always offer a crepe of the month. But if you truly want to experience why the crepe is one of the most sought-after foods in France, then we recommend one of their dessert crepes. Any one will do and you certainly can’t go wrong with Nutella as a spread on anything, but we loved the Spicy Apple Bottoms with cinnamon and caramel, and the topper of vanilla ice cream for an extra $1 is a must. Crepes Bonaparte will also come to you. Their celebrated catering service is reasonably priced and offers a high level of classical French service. It’s also fun to watch them prepare those delightful crepes right in front of your eyes! Bon Appétit. www.CrepesBonaparte.com
THESE WHEELS BELONG TO:
Chomp Chomp Nation
On this MOBiLE MEnu: SINGAPORE AN CUISINE piCniC With this: KOBE BEEF AND BL ACK TIGER PR AWN SATAY As we make our way through the twenty or so food trucks congregated for this week’s Truck Squad in Fullerton’s Best Buy parking lot, sampling fare representing countries and cultures across the globe, I’m reminded of a TV show I saw about the gastronomic-focused culture of Singapore. Singapore, established by the Brits in the 19th century, has been a cultural “melding” pot, conjoining food staples from China, Malay, India and even Western cultures. Singaporeans, most likely because of this diversity, have become food enthusiasts. The majority of food consumed away from the home is done so at “hawker” markets, which are actually very similar to our food truck rallies. They feature food from multiple cultures, served on paper plates, in areas where foodies congregate. So when I spotted the Chomp Chomp Nation truck serving Singaporean food, I knew I had to make this one of my stops. We were greeted warmly at the truck and after perusing a menu that included a soft shell crab sandwich and coconut stuffed French toast, we decided on the Singapore Satay Skewers. The meal came with Wagyu Kobe beef, chicken and Tiger Prawns, Tiger slaw, cubed rice and peanut sauce. The peanut sauce was sweet, savory and contained chunks of peanuts, and if they sold this sauce by the bottle, I would have bought a gallon. Traditional rice in Singapore is cooked inside leaves forming a cake that is served whole. Chomp Chomp Nation attempted this preparation, but found for casual diners, a giant cake of rice proved too daunting, so they now cube the cake. All three of the proteins were grilled to perfection, and we all found that consuming the components together made for the perfect bite, combining the slaw, sauce, rice cube and steak in one mouthful. Singapore would be proud of this truck. www.chompchompnation.com | Holiday 2012 Issue | 49
lunch
the
dinner
little
sweets
woman
11 - 5 monday - saturday 3238 pch cdm 640.0551 www.quietwoman.com
EAT
PORTION CONTROL Small Plates Make a Big Comeback WRITTEN BY: kristAL dOCtEr • PHOTOGRAPHY BY: AndrEW ABAJiAn
Small plates can be many things. They can be relished as a firstcourse before a family meal or they can be transformed into a meal by consuming a variety of offerings in a communal setting with your besties. For me, small plates conjure nostalgic moments from my first travels overseas, circa 1999. Gathered in the South of France in a local bar with a tiny alley-way entrance, we savored rustic small plates of cured meats and stinky but oh so yummy French cheeses and fresh baked breads while trading tales in five languages. It’s social food. A gastronomic notion that has been present for centuries in European locales, tapas, appetizers, hors d’oeuvres (whichever name applies), these petite versions of their larger counterparts are meant to be shared in a conversational setting, and surprisingly, are a fairly new concept to America. With small plates, you can explore flavors, you can eat steak and lobster on a budget, and you can still go dancing after savoring several dishes. So we decided to travel our county to reveal to readers where you can locate the most supreme of all Small Plates.
LOLA GASPAR
Artist Village – 211 West 2nd Street | Santa Ana, CA 92701 714-972-1172 | www.lolagaspar.com Lola leads the pack when it comes to serving a small-plate only menu. Nearing its four-year anniversary, Lola Gaspar, located in Santa Ana’s Artist Village, was one of the first restaurants to bring Euro-bistro style dining to Orange County. Owners and brothers Eddie and Luis Perez, infuse their delectable bites with signature bold spices from a melding of their own eclectic legacy, constructing dishes that smell like Spain on a plate. From the use of the finest Italianimported 00 Flour in their flatbreads to their rotating Market Seafood Plate composed of the freshest weekly selections of seafood from Santa Monica Seafood, this dynamic duo keeps customers coming through their doors by thoughtfully attending to the details. This version of a neighborhood pub entices customers by pairing an intimate and slightly anomalous indoor/outdoor setting with an approachable menu that frequently changes. Eddie explained that the idea of offering an entire menu of small plates, allows adventurous diners 52 |
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a more diverse experience and an opportunity for particular eaters to try cuisines they may not have in a main course setting. Lola’s menu of regional dishes offers everything from fresh salads, seasonal veggies, steamed shellfish and a la carte tacos to main courses made smaller, like the pork ossobuco or the chile relleno – all subject to change with what’s in season. And the kitchen is open late! (Another seemingly new concept for Orangey County.) The kitchen closes at midnight on Monday – Thursday, 1 am on Friday and Saturday, and 10 pm on Sundays. Our feisty friend Lola (the peculiar painting on the wall, greeting diners as they enter) will be there to welcome you seven days a week. SMALL PLATE PICK: Chile Relleno Puerco. This dish puts me in my happy place. It’s an item that’s remained on the menu since its inception, due to its popularity, and now I know why. Stuffed with succulent shredded pork, cheese and cranberries, the poblano
pepper is dusted in polenta and baked in the oven so it comes out crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. A beautiful balance of heat, sweet and salty makes this dish my new favorite. And although this dish certainly doesn’t require a pairing, I absolutely cannot recommend Lola Gaspar without suggesting one of their heavenly cocktails. Lola serves my favorite cocktail in Orange County, and it’s the Huckleberry (bourbon, honey, grapefruit, thyme, bitters). Trust me. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: When Lola Gaspar decided to open in this downtown Santa Ana space four years ago, the building wasn’t equipped to run gas appliances. But that wasn’t a problem for fearless Chef and coowner Luis Perez. He said, “Give me a source of heat, and I can cook.” So he does. He cooks on an electric stovetop and griddle and uses induction ranges. Now that’s talent!
THE GOLDEN TRUFFLE RESTAURANT & CATERING 1767 Newport Boulevard | Costa Mesa, CA 92627 949-645-9858 | www.goldentruffle.com A whimsical eatery that appears to have traveled the world with its owner, thirty-year-old Golden Truffle is part Caribbean and part French bistro. Bedecked with colorful walls and dozens of stainless steel pots and pans like someone’s own kitchen, customers will instantly feel why this has become a local landmark. Chef and owner Alan Greeley started the Golden Truffle (parodied after the famous cookbook the Silver Palate) as a catering business, and progressed into opening for lunch and dinner. General Manager and Master Sommelier Letia Short has been with Golden Truffle for more than two decades, and she describes Chef Greeley as “one of the few chefs that doesn’t have any borders when he cooks,” and is often “switching all the spices in the kitchen” for their next global Soul Food Night ($25 event every Wednesday night). The idea at the Golden Truffle is to travel the world with your taste buds, and what better way to do that than with their multifarious Small Plates menu.
Although their menu changes daily, every item is composed of fresh, simple ingredients but arranged in a way that produces provocative, sophisticated flavors. But possibly what adds the most spice to the food is Chef Greeley’s animated personality. His food is fun to eat and filled with surprises like our amuse bouche of truffled potato salad with what appeared to be fish roe, but were actually finger limes (microcitrus of which the pulp looks like tiny pearls of caviar). Chef Greeley brought one of these curious miniature limes to the table and while inspecting it, he said “I’d like to make a daiquiri with one of these f*%^ things! If it’s not fun to cook with, then it’s probably not fun to eat.” And you can see and taste that amusement factor throughout all of his dishes. The Golden Truffle Small Plates menu has a strong showing of fresh seafood, including anchovies and mussels as well as a fascinating array of colorful pickled vegetables. So what do you order with all of these exotic Small Plate choices? After working with Chef
Greeley for 22 years, Short shared with us that it’s always best to “eat whatever he wants you to eat.” And we agree – put the menu aside, and just let Chef Greeley entertain you with food done his way. SMALL PLATE PICK: The Golden Truffle’s house-cured gravlax over freshly mixed potato salad, topped with crispy onions created that explosion of flavors I was expecting from Chef Greeley. Because the menu changes daily, I recommend requesting that day’s freshest seafood Small Plate. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: Chef Greeley has become famous within the chef community for his exquisite food, but began by making a name for himself in the catering community. He’s catered parties for several celebrity clients, including Elton John, Don Henley and Steven Spielberg as well as a handful of presidents.
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THREE SEVENTY COMMON KITCHEN + DRINK 370 Glenneyre Street | Laguna Beach, CA 92651 949-494-8686 | www.370Common.com A neighborhood eatery embellished almost entirely with upcycled materials from the tables to the chandeliers, Three Seventy Common Kitchen + Drink’s metamorphosis focuses on quality and rusticity. Chef and proprietor Ryan Adams claimed this space as his own last year and is sharing his stripped-down, relaxed vibe with old Sorrento clientele as well as a new demographic of diners. The “globally influenced, domestically sourced” comfort food menu is divided into five sections, including Bites (by the piece), Small, Medium, Large and Sides. Everything from Thai chicken wings to chopped salads to clams and risotto cover the categories and are graciously served in cast iron skillets or on maple cutting boards. Chef Ryan grew up being influenced by a combination of Midwestern and
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Southern-style comfort foods with a dad from Wisconsin and a mom from North Carolina, and these imprints have bore a chef who cooks with bold flavors and a lot of heart. He went for more portable dishes with the Three Seventy Common menu that express an American-based melting pot, using French and Asian techniques. Chef Ryan said, “We really do whatever we feel like. Comfort food is different all around the world.” He wants his guests to imagine that Three Seventy Common is their home. He encourages customers to sit down for a while, to start by choosing cheese and charcuterie from the clip board provided on each table, to order several small plates to set in the center to pick from while enjoying a comfortable evening of eating. Three Seventy Common also has a long list
of kitschy cocktails, including the Betty Ford and The Sexy Dennis. Pay for a drink for a friend and place their name on the “Buy Your Friend a Drink” Board above the bar, and a new drink may be named after you. SMALL PLATE PICK: I challenge you to find Poutine on another local menu. Three Seventy Common’s take on this Canadian bar food classic bakes together French fries, cheese curds, veal, peas, leeks, cheddar bacon bits in a gorgeous brown veal gravy – all served in a mini cast iron skillet. Sounds like hangover food, but it’s just as sinfully good while sober. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: The sconces on the wall are also upcycled. Can you guess what they’re made of? Recycled Jack Daniels bottles – a perfect fit for this Laguna newbie!
ECCO PIZZERIA
The CAMP: 2937 Bristol Street | Costa Mesa, CA 92626 714-444-ECCO | www.ECCOpizza.com One of the newer members of the Costa Mesa CAMP family, ECCO Pizzeria & Bar has been making waves since its long-awaited opening in 2010 as one of the Top 10 Restaurants in OC. Raw wood tables and brick walls set the tone for this Tuscan tavern, but this place is really all about the food. ECCO offers lunch, dinner, intermezzo and a late night “Parlor Menu.” Traditional Italian favorites like the cheese plate, marinated olives and meatballs are dispersed throughout ECCO’s sweet Small Plates menu, but enticing discoveries like Fried Mac n’ Cheese balls and Eggplant Caviar are wooing Orange County foodies. And where else can you get excellent eats
at 1 am? ECCO’s Parlor Menu of Bites, Brews and Booze is served until 2 am on Friday and Saturday. This establishment bestows an effortless atmosphere with regular wafts of Italy flowing out of the kitchen. ECCO even has a dedicated pizza baker. Chef Carlos Albarca is ECCO’s Pizzaiolo, and he’s become a master in crafting Neapolitan-style pizza after stints at Nello Cucina and Antonello’s. Most of the ingredients he uses to bake these smoky wood-fired pizzas are imported from Italy, like the San Marzano tomatoes, Sicilian salt, flour, olive oil and even the mozzarella di bufala, which arrives fresh from Napoli! So don’t even think about visiting ECCO without
trying their prize-winning pizza. SMALL PLATE PICK: Probably the least healthy item on the Parlor Menu, my favorite is ECCO’s Italian Style “Corn Dog.” You’re thinking a hotdog on a stick, right? Nope. This little edible epiphany is filled primarily with fontina cheese, wrapped in an Italian prosciutto, covered in semolina batter (typically used to make pasta) and plated with a side of housemade pepper ketchup ($6 for two). Yummo! NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: ECCO Pizzeria might be the perfect place to host your Christmas party. This “campy” location can house up to 400 guests!
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Bistango
19100 Von Karman Avenue | Irvine, CA 92612 949-752-5222 | www.bistango.com With an almost overwhelming array of choices, discovering Bistango’s Small Plates menus were a delightful surprise. Bistango is the flagship restaurant in the Dining As Art Group, including Bayside and Kimera, and this 25-year-old restaurant is often referred to as “flavor for your eyes” due to the inhouse revolving art gallery as well as Chef Javier Montoya’s artistically plated dishes. Serving a variety of American contemporary cuisine with European influence as well as Chef Javier’s Spanish flavors, Bistango’s avant-garde style and consistent service keeps clients coming back year after year. Its unconventional location in Irvine’s Atrium Building, set below executive suites and offices, draws a primarily corporate crowd for luncheons, but with live music in the lounge every night and astoundingly affordable Small Plates, Bistango has become a fashionable
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place to rendezvous with a group of friends, too. General Manager Ray Sanii attributes Bistango’s reigning success to owner John Ghoukassian’s commitment to creating new and exciting ideas for the menu and for their customers. “He listens to what his clients want, and he combines that with his really unique style,” Sanii said. Exhibiting an impressive selection of tapas, specialty tapas and a bar menu, Bistango serves these Small Plates in the lounge and patio areas amidst the music and dancing Monday through Saturday. Some of our favorites were those dishes that exuded an obvious nod to Chef Javier’s Spanish heritage, like his version of “Meat & Cheese.” This dish flaunts an extremely affordable strip loin ($7.75!), topped with buttery brie cheese and Chef Javier’s idea of fajita, which is in the form of marinated onions and peppers swimming in a spicy peppercorn
sauce with just enough heat. For a bit lighter option, choose the refreshing melon, chorizo and artichoke salad — Chef Javier’s take on the Italian favorite melon and prosciutto. A tartare of sashimi grade yellow fin tuna and an assortment of four-ounce surf and turf small plates round out the menu. We promise you’ll find a new favorite here with all these choices. SMALL PLATE PICK: The curry marinated lamb chops are a mini meal, served on a bed of mashed potatoes with baby carrots for a mere $7.75! Possibly the best and cutest little lamb chops I’ve ever eaten. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: Ever thought about what Bistango means? It’s actually old French slang for bistro as well as the name of a little town on the border of Italy and France, where Bistango’s owner John Ghoukassian got the name.
RA Sushi Bar & Restaurant
155 5th Street | Huntington Beach, CA 92648 714-536-6390 | www.rasushi.com/huntington-beach Coming up on its 15-year anniversary, RA Sushi Bar & Restaurant is an Orange County sushi staple. Whether you choose the surf-side Huntington Beach location for the view or the massive District location in Tustin for the happy hour scene, RA consistently gets voted as the best happy hour in the county for its unbelievable prices and flavorful fusion sushi. Enjoy the “RA’kin” music while sampling several of their dishes for under $6 during regular happy hour (3-7 pm) or from 10 pm– midnight with their new Reverse Happy Hour. Huntington Beach Manager Tiffany Carlson (whose family owns the Sugar Shack down
the street) likes the variety of lowcarb options on the menu. From snacks like garlic sugar snap peas to the fresh sushi options like the seared tuna with sesame seeds or garlic citrus yellowtail, you can experience their fusion-style food on very few calories. RA’s playful focus on finding the next Mr. or Miss Right with promotional offers like “Friends with Benefits Tuesdays” (bring a friend to lunch and get a lunch free) or “The Nooner Club” (buy five lunches and get $10 off) or their bachelorette party package called “Fling Before the Ring,” makes this a vital stop for single locals who love sushi.
SMALL PLATE PICK: Although I’m tempted to choose RA’s Shishito Peppers sautéed in garlic butter and soy — yum! — the sashimigrade seafood is really where it’s at, particularly for the price. RA’s Sweet Onion Salmon served with organic micro greens is fresh and light and flavorful … and it’s $2 off during happy hour. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: Did you know that the RA restaurants are owned by world-famous Benihana? No wonder their sushi chefs are required to have ten years of training. Benihana is like the Godfather of Japanese-American cuisine!
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RoosterPM
750 Saint Clair St | Costa Mesa, CA 92626 714-697-0200 | www.eatatrooster.com Opened by an author of fiction and former homeless shelter director who partnered with a financier, RoosterPM might have seemed an unlikely survivor in Orange County’s competitive restaurant industry, but this duo dove in, combining their creativity and love of sharing food with locals and haven’t looked back. Five years later, Robert Tashiro and Frank Laguna continue to wow local palates with their unique union of traditional Japanese and Mexican flavors. Rob and Frank attribute some of their success to Costa Mesa’s overall communal attitude, working closely with other establishments like the Kitsch and Cal Shabu to send customers to one another on packedhouse nights. RoosterPM is Rooster Café during the day (you know—the cluster of red umbrellas you can see from Bristol), serving scrumptious breakfast and lunch, but starting at 6 pm on Wednesdays and 5 pm on
Thursday-Sunday (serving until 10 pm nightly), the tables get topped with candles, the lunch board gets covered with characteristic RoosterPM signage and this bustling bistro transforms into a great place for you hipsters to have a glass of wine—or better yet, their house-made sangria. Menus are delivered attached to small corkboards and kept in place with a rubber band. The presentation is thoughtful and textural and suits the unpretentious vibe of this CAMP/Lab neighbor. Their list of what Rob and Frank call American Tapas, ranges from fresh market picks of mushrooms and artichokes two ways to a grilled cheese of the week or a flatiron steak. Bite-size options like fried olives with chorizo (so good!) or tempura Maui sweet onion rings showcase their offering of smaller snacks. With an innovative menu that changes nightly and management who will treat you like their best friend, RoosterPM is my
new favorite place to keep up with the Costa Mesa food culture, because these guys know their stuff. SMALL PLATE PICK: RoosterPM’s Blackened Avocado Chicken Cups are perfect for picking at with friends while people-watching across the street. Served in an earthenware dish alongside a pile of tortilla chips, this spicy shredded chicken is cooked three times. It’s boiled, broken down, then sautéed with peppers, and finally grilled and placed inside two halves of a creamy avocado on a bed of fresh greens. You can feel the creative collaboration in this dish. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: Possibly an ode to Rob Tashiro’s time directing a homeless shelter where he sometimes dished out 1200 meals a day, RoosterPM gives away free food to those in need for one night on Thanksgiving and Christmas, anytime after 8 pm. Now that gets me in the holiday spirit.
Small Plates
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LUCCA Café
6507 Quail Hill Parkway, Irvine, CA 92603 (949) 725-1173 | www.LuccaCafe.com Visiting Chef Cathy Pavlos of LUCCA Café is like taking a trip to culinary school. She opened this Euro-bistro in 2005 with her husband Elliott and continues to amaze eaters daily with her visionary dishes and wealth of nutritive knowledge. Her passion for food always present, we made our way through this perpetually-packed house to the communal bar in the back, and I was looking forward to being schooled by her on Small Plates. With a quick lesson on the multitude of names for Small Plates given throughout the world, like Ombra (an Italian term for under the shade of a wine glass) or cicchetti, the Venetian word for tapas, Chef Cathy moved on to describing why she brought back her R+D Micro Plates Menu last year. She explains with a laugh that “shift happens in this business.” She says, Small Plates in 2005 seemed to be “a little too urban” for her clients at the time, so she adjusted and created larger plates. With the recent popularity of serving a table full of tapas, Chef Cathy smartly brought it back again to accommodate her guests, using the same highquality ingredients as in her entrees, or as LUCCA playfully calls them “LARGER ideas to think about.” Chef Cathy credits her Chef de Cuisine Eric Szymansky, who has been at LUCCA for six years, with a large portion of the newfound creativity in the updated share-style menu. He refers to Chef Cathy’s kitchen as a design studio, crafting ideas which are discussed, tasted, tweaked, and finally approved by her, but “she lets us be in charge.” LUCCA’s R+D Micro Plates are conveniently offered in multiple sizes. Their delicious Bresaola Hand Rolls stuffed with seasonal fruit and arugula come in pairs for $8.5, the Wild Scallop BLT+GC is offered for $7.5 each while the New Zealand Free Range Baby Lamb Chops are $5 per bone. Half-glass wine pours are also available, so you can order two different pours with two different small plates. Genius! With a multitude of options and culinary combinations, these R+D Micro Plates are the perfect way to experience LUCCA’s variety of carefully chosen products and inspired flavors.
Small Plates
SMALL PLATE PICK: Chef Cathy has created what’s called the Wild Scallop BLT + GC, an ingenious, nocarb take on the slider. The filling is comprised of house-made bacon (where else can you get that?!), market tomatoes, arugula, creamy goat cheese and caramelized onions — all ingredients that are not so strange on a sandwich, but Chef Cathy packs it all between two hand-harvested wild jumbo scallops to make a slider. It’s a revelation as is most of her menu. NATIVE KNOWLEDGE: Sign up for LUCCA’s newsletter, and get privy to their famous Sunday Suppers ($60 for 4 courses and wine pairings). From channeling their inner Alice Waters with brick chicken to their inner Mario Batali with a 50-pound porchetta, Chef Cathy and her team create themed family-style recipes not regularly served on their menu to pay homage to some of their favorite chefs.
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r e n n i D s a m t s e b i r o t h g C is goin ! e m o s e w A
Happy Hour Monday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Thursday, 4pm to 7pm $4 Draft Beer, $ 4Well Drinks, $4 Wine & Half Price Appetizers.
Hosting Orange Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Live Bands; Thursday, Friday, Saturday, & Sunday afternoons. Outdoor covered & heated Patio. Great Irish favorites on the Menu: Fish &Chips, Bangers & Mash, Corn beef & Cabbage, Shepherds Pie.
103 E. 17th St.
415 South Associated Rd.
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Brea, CA 92821
949.548.6328
714.529.6328
130 EAST 17TH STREET COSTA MESA CA 92627 5R5ojo5ljl5nnkk WWW.HARPINN.COM
DRINK
•
IN R D
K EXPER
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Sharing classic cocktails and chatter with Orange County Bartenders Cabinet founder, the restaurateur behind 320 Main, and one of Orange County’s leading mixologists, Jason Schiffer INTERVIEW BY: JEnniFEr hOOd | PHOTOGRAPHY BY: nikki thOrntOn
q: What was your first alcoholic drink? JAsOn sChiFFEr: I was more hardcore at 17, drinking Jack Daniels straight from the bottle. At 21, I chose the more approachable Jack and Cokes. Why Jack? Good advertising! It was the only brand I really knew. I thought it would be the least wussy thing to drink. Priorities you know! Nowadays I would prefer a properly made Old Fashioned with rye whiskey: Van Winkle Family Reserve if I were going to treat myself. q: Are there different styles of bartending and what style have you adopted when you create your drinks at 320 Main? Js: Yes, there are definitely different styles of bartending, from techniques to ingredients. On the west coast, you’re sure to see more fresh and local ingredients used verses the east coast. At 320 Main, our foundation is based in classics, the simple well-balanced drinks that are all about the quality of the ingredients and the technique used to make them. q: What is your specialty as a mixologist? Js: I’ve always liked the challenge of taking complex ingredients and making them approachable, while still maintaining their integrity. Craft cocktails can sometimes be overly complex or too esoteric. Although good, it can be hard to drink more than one. At 320 Main, we concentrate on making drinks that are not only interesting but enjoyable to drink more than once. q: Is there a cocktail scene in Orange County and what would you like to see more or less of? 62 |
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Js: There are bartenders across Orange County that really care about their craft and are making great cocktails. Before Prohibition, bartending was a trade just like any other. It’s slowly but surely moving in that direction again. It’s nice to see that the majority of new restaurants opening in Orange County are paying more attention to their bar programs than ever before. q: When in doubt, always order a ... Js: Beer. However, if you know you’re in a good cocktail bar; then ask for a drink menu. If you have the opportunity, let the bartender know what you like and ask for a recommendation.
Js: these are some tips to recognize a good bar or bartender: ➜ Fresh looking fruit (limes aren’t brown) ➜ Do the bartenders look like they care about what they are doing? These days if a bartender is using a jigger, it’s a good sign that he or she cares about being accurate with their proportions. An eighth of an ounce this way or that way can mean the difference between a balanced drink, one that is too sweet, bitter or sour, or one that is boozy or not boozy enough. ➜ One of the biggest tells that you’re in a good bar is if they have bar spoons and are using them to stir LM: their spirited, non-citrus drinks.
q: Where do you go when you want someone else to make you a great drink? Js: Gabrielle Dion or Ricky Yarnall at Broadway by Amar Santana make some of the best cocktails in Orange County. Both of them are geniuses in very different ways, and I love to try whatever they’re working on. q: Do you have any exciting new drinks on the menu at 320 Main for the holiday season? Js: My favorite new addition to our fall/ winter menu is the Detroiter, made with Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy, Cynar, Lemon, Honey and Stone IPA. It reminds me of home. The Cynar mimics the earthy smell of the fall leaves and the Apple Brandy gives that great apple flavor of fall. The IPA beer plays really well with the other ingredients and speaks to the blue-collar environment I grew up in. q: Having watched many people drink in your time, do you have any rules when it comes to drinking? Js: Be adventurous with your choices. Drink for flavor as well as to have a good time. Also drink intelligently by eating something and staying hydrated.
320 MAin 320 Main Street Seal Beach, CA 90740 562-799-6246 Keep up on your craft cocktail savvy, and find out about local mixologist happenings by following Jason and 320 Main’s blog at
320main.blogspot.com
ROCK’N F ISH
SEAFOOD, STEAKS & TAPHOUSE
Best Steaks In Laguna, Famous For Our Seafood
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Ɣ Small plates Ɣ Selected wines by the glass, artisian craft beers & specialty cocktails Ɣ Premium well cocktails
3 IRU $5.00
Ɣ Fresh Blackened Fish Ɣ Beer Battered Alaskan Cod Ɣ Shrimp
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F AL L HO U R S : DI N N ER DAI L Y 4 : 0 0 PM | LUNC H SA TUR DA Y & SUNDA Y 11: 30 A M 422 S. COAST HWY , L AGU N A B E ACH, 2ND F LO O R
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RISTORANTE 3800 SOUTH PLAZA DRIVE | SANTA ANA, CA 92704 714.751.7153 | WWW.ANTONELLO.COM
Regulars “love every bite” at this South Coast Plaza “time-tested treasure.”
25 Food
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Call us to sign up for the monthly cooking classes with Antonio and Fiorella Cagnolo.
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WRITTEN BY: Erin rOsE BELAir PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JEnAviEvE BELAir At WWW.BLACquEBELAir.COM
Dear Coffee, I love you. You are the very reason I get out of bed in the morning. I am a broodish human before your sweet smell and taste meet my lips. You comfort me when I feel sad, and you pick me up when I feel low. We have had so many wonderful times together. All around the world and at many ages I have enjoyed you. Your multi-faceted nature and endless history are never a bore. You come in so many styles and flavors, I think sometimes that I may never know you completely. You are such a mystery and yet always make me feel I am at home. I traveled near and far through Orange County to find the most secretive, interesting and delicious places in which you dwell. I want to share you with all my friends, this love of ours. Xoxo, Erin Rose
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Kean Coffee
2043 Westcliff Drive #100 | Newport Beach, CA 949-642-5326 | www.keancoffee.com
Portola Coffee Lab
3313 Hyland Avenue | Costa Mesa, CA 949-284-0596 | www.portolacoffeelab.com SOCO is the place the cool kids went when their other spot got over run by wannabees. It still has that secretive vibe like not everyone knows it’s there yet, which I think is part of the allure. All the stores are hedged in and divided by translucent walls with no have ceilings. The result is a wonderful flow of energy, community, and comradery for all those who are shopping, working and socializing. In the middle of this hipness lies the hive for the busy bees: Portola Coffee Lab. It looks more like a laboratory than a coffee house. Their baristas are outfitted in white lab coats and work with a scientific precision and elegance while making a single cup of coffee.
Kean Coffee is pretty much the prom king around here when it comes to coffee. Their legacy alone leaves them somewhat untouchable by competitors. Kean Coffee was opened in 2004 by Martin Dietrich. Since its inception, Kean has been a hub for the Newport Mesa area. On every single day of the week, faithful followers line up outside before their doors even open, and the place stays buzzing until they close at 9 pm. A few locals make it truly classic by their seemingly constant presence: my personal favorite being a collection of men that sit out front and smoke cigars giving the air this perfect mixture of unique aromas. Kean coffee is for many a home away from home in these hectic times. Their fair trade all organic coffee from around the world is roasted on site in a gorgeous piece of machinery that stands in the corner as a shining beacon
to the business Martin has built. Their selection of coffee styles and tastes dwarf any other shop I have visited. Over a dozen freshly roasted bags line the far left wall just waiting to be taken home. Kean coffee has a solid foundation, unshakable in fact, but it is the house they built on top of their tradition that makes them unique. They have managed to specialize in just about every art to the coffee house: fresh brew, ice coffee, espresso, latte, and their teas are even exceptional. I also think that their coffee packs more of a punch than anywhere else if you are truly looking for a pick me up. It is no secret and no wonder that Kean Coffee is such an incredible success. They opened their second location in Tustin, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more in the future.
The whole process can seem a little intimidating at first, but do not walk away. Trust me. Just get in line. There are small clipboards along the line that help educate you on the decisions you are about to make. While they use one of the finest espresso machines available and their latte is outstanding, it is the black cup of coffee that I am interested in here. This is no regular coffee. They take pride in their work, as they should. All their beans are lightly roasted on sight in small batches to bring out their natural flavors. The next step is your choice. They practice three brewing methods. The V60 pour over is a perfection of balance, flavor and clarity. The Trifecta is a full submersion process much like a French press. This allows the barista to control and alter the process for every type of bean, perfecting every single cup. The Siphon is the most fun to watch and leads to a light crisp clean cup of coffee. This one looks more like an eighth grade science experiment where they use heat and pressure to draw the water through the grounds into a glass bubble. I recognize this is the least technical way to explain this to you, but the actual science behind it is just that: science. You just have to go in and see this magic for yourself. They completely revolutionized my ideas about making a cup of coffee. On top of all that jazz, the coffee was unreal! They have only been open for a year, but judging by the line I’d say they are already a cult classic around these parts.
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Hidden House
31791 Los Rios St | San Juan Capistrano, CA 949-240-0200 | www.hiddenhousecoffee.com I came across a slice of paradise in San Juan Capistrano on my search for the perfect coffee shop. The Hidden House is situated amongst tall wispy trees and tucked away off Ortega Highway near The Mission on a little street lined with adorable homes that have been turned into boutiques, garden houses and cafes. The Hidden House sits at the entrance of Los Rios behind a weathered green picket fence. This house still feels like a home: fireplace in the corner, wood floors that creak beneath your steps and friends sipping coffee at tables beneath tall trees. A fine looking young man behind the counter asked me politely, “how are you today?” as if he were more interested in conversation than how I take my coffee. I like people like this. I enjoy real human interaction, which made me love the place even more. This family owned and operated business prides themselves on a traditional cup of hot coffee. They work closely with their roast master in selecting the perfect beans and believe to the ends of the earth in their methods of micro roasting (small batches of twenty-five pounds or less in order to fine tune the process for every specific type of bean). I enjoyed my perfect cup of coffee at a small table near the window. I felt like I had stumbled into the good parts of a southern novel. I watched the train roll by. I listened to the idle chatter and the sounds of the espresso machine. I started to wish I had set aside the entire day to waste my time away there. I wanted my books with me, something to write on, or a nice boy to enjoy the afternoon. Hidden House is without a doubt a secret well worth sharing.
Milk and Honey
B6, 2981 Bristol Street | Costa Mesa, CA 714-708-0092 | www.milkandhoneycafe.tumblr.com Milk and Honey is the kind of place that makes me want to be more creative, mellower, more attractive, more active and more organic. Not in an intimidating way but in more of an inspiring way. It has a certain vibe that makes you feel that you fit in no matter what kind of life you are leading. It says, “come and relax on my ivy entangled patio, bring me your tired and un-caffeinated.” Milk and Honey is organic through and through. They receive their beans from True Beans, a small private company in Long Beach. They like to keep it all in the community and cherish this relationship as the bedrock to their business and beliefs of serving all organic coffee. Most coffee is chemically treated and it’s these chemicals that make the coffee stronger and more flavorful. It’s also these same chemicals that cause headaches for many coffee drinkers. While organic coffee is a bit weaker than it’s more potent competitors it by no means is lacking in flavor. Milk and Honey adds extra shots of espresso to find that balance most patrons are looking for. In addition to their certified organic beans, Milk and Honey is mixing it up with their original recipes. They have crafted a menu by mixing the two religions of coffee and tea. It is nothing short of genius. For example: a lavender Latte carries a flavor traditionally reserved for teas, but is crafted with the science of a latte. So I ordered exactly this during my visit. I couldn’t resist my curiosity. It got really exiting when they suggested I add a shot of espresso and a Dirty Lavender Latte was born. It is in my humble yet authoritative opinion, the best coffee concoction ever created! 68 |
| Holiday 2012 Issue
Alta Coffee
506 31st Street Newport Beach, CA 949-675-0233 www.altacoffeeshop.com
296 E. 17TH STREET COSTA MESA, CA 92627 949.645.7626 ZZZ PLFDVD FRP
For many that reside in Newport Beach, Alta Coffee is somewhat of a second home. A shelf near the front door houses regular customers’ personal coffee cups just waiting for them to come in for their daily cup of Jo. I personally have shared birthdays, baby showers, lazy afternoons, and yes even a rather painful breakup at the far back table in those hallowed walls. Alta holds a special place in my heart for many reasons, but it is the coffee that brought me to their doorstep, and it is the coffee that keeps me coming back after all these years. Alta likes to keep it all in the family. Their organic fair trade coffee is roasted at Wilsons Coffee Roasting in Westside Costa Mesa, owned and operated by the husband of Alta’s manager, Tina. Alta was once a bookstore called The Magic Speller. It was bought and converted into a roasting house in 1985. The owners lived upstairs and began sampling their fresh coffee alongside homemade coffee cake. Slowly but surely it evolved into what it is today. Their incredibly delicious menu was created by using old classic recipes from their Grandma Alta, and it’s those very recipes that you enjoy today on their eclectic patio. I ventured down to the beach to dig up this little history that I was unaware of even after years of frequenting Alta. I got myself a cup of coffee and sat near the front window for some time and peace. I started thinking of all the years this place has under its belt, all the mornings and evenings, all the cups of coffee, and how many girls just like me had sat in this spot and watched people pass by. Alta is a classic, and everything about it speaks character and history.
$3 HAPPY HOUR $4 MARGARITA MONDAY $1 TACO TUESDAY A
“I have measured
out my life wit h
coffee spoons.” - T. S. Eliot
LOCAL FAVORITE RITE SINCE E
1972
Mi Casa is a story of family; of multigenerations dedicated to good food and festive times.
NOW OPEN
IN
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA
cozy up
WITH A COCKTAIL UNDER THE TENT
WARM UP YOUR WINTER WOES WITH THE DECK AT PACIFIC EDGE HOTEL.
Beginning in November, we are tenting Laguna’s only restaurant on the sand, to offer you a unique atmosphere to enjoy the sentiments of the season. We’ve kept the view you’ve grown to love, without the worries of the weather. Stop by to enjoy a mug of Chef’s decadent Adult Hot Cocoa and some tabletop S’Mores. Wrap yourself in a blanket, listen to the sound of the crashing winter waves…all while cozying up under the warmth of the tent. FOR RESERVATIONS, CALL 949.494.6700 OR VISIT DECKONLAGUNA.COM.
Celebrate the season further by booking one of the Pacific Edge Hotel’s Surf Cabanas. The private, oceanfront cabanas offer the perfect location to lounge in our Laguna winter. Enjoy the luxuries of oceanfront living for the day. To book your Surf Cabana, CONTACT OUR VIP CABANA HOST AT 949.281.5720 OR PACIFICEDGEEVENTS@PACIFICEDGEHOTEL.COM.
Like us on Facebook to get a free Tabletop S’Mores! 647 SOUTH COAST HIGHWAY, LAGUNA BEACH, CA 92651 BASED ON AVAILABILITY. RESTRICTIONS APPLY.
"The New Look of Elegant Tradition" has arrived at The Hobbit! The Hobbit offers a truly elegant and romantic dining experience, making it the perfect atmosphere for any special occasion. Enjoy The Hobbit’s award winning wine cellar and seven-course prix-fixe unique dining experience! Book your reservation today on-line or by phone.
2932 East Chapman Avenue | Orange, CA 92869 714-997-1972 | hobbitrestaurant.com Dinner available Wednesday through Sunday by reservation only, starting at 7PM. Private parties available by special arrangement Mondays & Tuesdays.
Located off the 405 Freeway & Harbor Blvd. exit 3303-3323 Hyland Avenue Costa Mesa, CA sococollection.com 949.760.9150 BURNHAM USA: A Burnham-Ward project
laurenly clothing boutique
142 N Glassell St. Orange, CA 714.538.SHOP laurenly.net follow us on facebook for daily updates!
facebook.com/laurenlyboutique
Styling: HGB | Makeup: HGB & Tina Shults | Hair: Lauren Parsons | Photographer: Dave Quinn
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...
Hey Gorgeous Boutique! is inviting you to our 3 Year Anniversary Party, 12.13.12 5-9 PM! See Facebook for details! 1808 NEWPORT BOULEVARD | COSTA MESA, CA 92627 949.307.2602 | FACEBOOK.COM/HEY.GORGEOUS.BOUTIQUE
Come see the clothes...
SHOP
STYLE E X P E RT
SHEAR SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE BALBOA BAY CLUB 1221 WEST COAST HIGHWAY NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92663 BALBOABAYCLUB.COM. 949-645-5000
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| Holiday 2012 Issue
INTERVIEW BY: MEL FOX | PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ANDREW ABAJIAN
emps are starting to drop, which means it’s time to bundle up with soft blankets, layer on the patterned scarves and maybe pick up a gift for someone special. On our recent search for what’s trending in textiles, we found Malibu-based, luxury home and fashion accessories line Caviar & Cashmere (C&C), which is sure to satisfy all of your cozy winter wishes. This motherdaughter duo, Marilyn and Caitlyn Chase, are the founders who shop the globe for the fine materials used in their collections. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Caitlyn, the face of this growing empire of design culture. She immediately had me floating in soft scarves and beautiful throws, all with C&C’s signature detailed prints and vibrant colors. The Caviar & Cashmere collection is nothing short of luxurious and perfect for home décor, personal style or travel. Q: How is Cashmere made? C&C: Caviar & Cashmere’s luxurious cashmere comes from the
Q: What is your busiest time of the year? C&C: My busiest time of the year is the holiday season. This upcoming
underfleece of the Cashmere goat found in Mongolia and Kashmir. In order to survive the harsh winters and torrid summers, the Cashmere goats develop an undercoat beneath their longer and rougher outer hair that consists of the softest and finest fibers in the world.
season we are not only busy fulfilling online orders and servicing our wholesale accounts, but planning trunk shows and private shopping events.
Once a year during springtime, when the weather in Mongolia and India is milder, the nomadic goat herders harvest this underfleece by means of delicate combing, which is harmless to the animals. About 250 grams of this underfleece is obtained every year, which after careful hand-removal of coarser outer fibers, becomes less than 100 grams. It takes about four years for one goat to produce enough cashmere to make one throw. This is why cashmere is so precious and valuable — the intricate and difficult way in which fine cashmere is obtained. Caviar & Cashmere uses only the best and finest fibers, which have gone through various processes and testing to ensure the highest, purest, and richest quality. Our cashmere is transformed into luxurious lifestyle products, all of which are produced through a combination of sophisticated technology, skilled artisanship, a profound knowledge of luxury, and a commitment to the highest possible quality in the final product.
Q: How do you properly store your cashmere? C&C: If taken care of properly, cashmere can be passed down from
Q: What’s the one item in your closet that you wouldn’t dare give up? C&C: I will never let go of my grandmother’s floor length mink coat she gave me for my 18th birthday. It is one of the most beautiful pieces I own and definitely the most sentimental.
Q: What is your one item that you could never live without? C&C: I could never live without my Caviar & Cashmere classic cable-knit throw. It goes everywhere with me!
Q: What is your favorite winter trend right now? C&C: I am loving all of the animal prints. My absolute favorite are reptile prints such as python, especially when it is printed on fabric such a cashmere and silk – the juxtaposition of hard and soft is so unexpected.
Q: What is your favorite Clothing brand? C&C: My favorite clothing brands right now are Rag&Bone, Theory and The Row. For shoes, I love Lanvin, Christian Louboutin and Chloe, and my latest handbag obsession is definitely Celine.
Q: What is in your bag with you at all times? C&C: I try to keep my handbag light and organized, so I usually just have
generation to generation; it is timeless. The best way to store cashmere is in a sealed plastic bag or box, away from heat, dampness and light. And to be safe, dry cleaning cashmere is always recommended.
the essentials with me: wallet, keys, lipstick, hand sanitizer, sunglasses, business cards, pen and paper.
Q: Where is the most interesting place you have traveled for business? C&C: My trip to India at the beginning of this year was life changing. Prior
Q: What is your guilty pleasure? C&C: Ice cream and massages.
to visiting, I had no idea what to expect and may have been a little jaded by preconceived notions of what India was like. Every negative idea was immediately debunked from the moment I stepped off the plane. India is the most beautiful and inspiring place I have ever visited and I cannot wait to return next year.
Q: What is your go-to cocktail? C&C: I am not a big drinker, so when I do drink, it is usually wine. I recently
Q: What has been the most exciting experience for you in your business? C&C: Starting a business and watching it continuously grow and transform has been the most exciting experience thus far. I wake up every day enthusiastic to imagine, learn, and create new pieces and watch the transformation from idea to an actual, tangible piece of beautiful product.
Q: What is the next step for your business? C&C: The next step for Caviar & Cashmere is to expand into different categories. I would love to add men’s and women’s ready-to-wear into the collection within the next year or two.
Q: What would be your top goal as a business owner? C&C: To provide the best quality products at accessible price points so that everyone has a chance to experience a piece of luxury.
Q: How has it been working with your mother as your business partner? C&C: I couldn’t ask for a better partner, mother and best friend. We have so much fun together, and it never feels like work when I am with her.
Q: How does it feel to be your own boss and the face of the company? C&C: I always knew I wanted to be my own boss; I value freedom of creativity and being in control of my life.
Q: Where do you get your inspiration for your products? C&C: Every piece I design is inspired from my travels. I started traveling with my family at an early age, and was always very inspired by the art, architecture, textiles, culture and landscapes I saw.
Q: What do you do to keep a balanced between business and your personal life? C&C: Running your own business is unlike any 9-5 job, it’s more like 24/7. Although I work a lot, I also enjoy my free time with friends and family. I make an effort to be present when I am with them, turning off my “work mode” and simply relaxing and appreciating their presence.
Q: Where can I go to find your products? C&C: My products are sold on the Caviar & Cashmere website and in specialty stores around the country.
visited Napa Valley, and fell in love with Bryant Family Cabernet. I also like Domaine Ott Rosé and Chateau Saint Michelle Riesling.
Q: You’re a girl, on the go. What is your go-to caffeinated beverage? C&C: I usually start my day off with a latte and muffin from Teuscher. Q: Where is your favorite place to day trip? C&C: My favorite place to take a day trip is definitely Laguna. A perfect Saturday afternoon for me is perusing the boutiques and galleries in Downtown Laguna and then having lunch overlooking the ocean at the Surf & Sand.
Q: Do you have any television series that you’re currently hooked on? C&C: I don’t watch a lot of television, but when I do, I like to watch Dexter, The Daily Show and Modern Family.
Q: You now live in Beverly Hills, but where is “home” for you? C&C: Home will always be where I grew up, which is Malibu. Right now, Beverly Hills is the most convenient for my work and social life, but I would love to end up on the beach in Malibu after I settle down.
Q: Do you have any pets? C&C: My parents have a Maltese named Pablo, which I love. I would like to have a dog, but am going to wait until I can devote enough time to him or her.
Q: What’s your favorite type of music? C&C: My music taste is wide ranged. I enjoy live music, so I often go to concerts. I’ve seen everyone from Jay Z, Kanye West, Passion Pit, Gotye to Elton John.
Q: Where are your favorite places to dine in the OC? C&C: Favorite breakfast: Montage Laguna Beach. Favorite lunch: The Cannery. Favorite dinner: Javier’s.
Q: Where do you like to shop? C&C: I love shopping at the boutiques in Newport and Laguna. Some of my favorite boutiques are A’maree’s, Westerly, H Laguna and Muse. www.caviandcashmere.com | Follow C&C on Twitter @Caviar_Cashmere and Facebook www.facebook.com/caviarandcashmere
| Holiday 2012 Issue | 75
SHOP
! THAT’S WHAT
FASHION SHE SAID
An irreverent fashion column
WRITTEN BY: JENNIFER HOOD PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ANDREW ABAJIAN
t’s been hard to get out of bed since late September. Orange County’s beaches are deserted. The impromptu Pay-Per-View worthy brawls between tourists over beach parking have ceased. The boys of summer have left the Orange County bars to return to work and responsibility. Life feels like a Don Henley song, and that is as depressing as all hell. Needless to say, I couldn’t bear writing a fashion column praising the joys of fall and winter fashion in Orange County when I’ve been wearing my cutoff shorts and watching Point Break on rerun in protest for the past two weeks. So I asked my friends to throw me a rope in this pit of autumnal self-loathing. Meet this season’s That’s What She Said players: Taylor Taguchi (an all around fashionable journalist from Orange County), Francisco, Eddie and Alex Barragan, three brothers who combine their good looks and talents to form Orange County style consulting group Style by F.E.A. Between the Barragans’ guidance and Taylor’s feminine input, we created a fabulous look for what every person frets to dress correctly for: the first date. Here are the Barragans’ picks and tips for the non-assuming but highly-impressive first date look.
HOW
TO
DRESS ACCORDING TO STYLE BY F.E.A.
Both of the looks we created here were inspired by the fall/winter runways. We’re going to show you how to take these runway looks and apply them to real life.
LAYERING is key to these looks, which can transition from warm outdoor solutions to sexy indoor getups. Keep each layer interesting by mixing patterns, textures and colors. FLORAL PRINTS are a strong trend this season for women as well as MENSWEAR INSPIRED LOOKS. For Taylor’s ensemble we chose the floral print tuxedo jacket by STYLESTALKER, which we got at one of our favorite Orange County boutiques, Lobby at The Lab in Costa Mesa. We paired it with a sheer button up and a black sequin detailed skirt to keep the look fun and flirty. Fall/winter weather in So. Cal is so unpredictable, so if the weather calls for it, add dark opaque tights or printed sheer tights. Your legs will look long and feeling comfy.
BOOTIES are a must-have this season. As for accessories, we wanted to add warmth to the otherwise cool toned outfit, so we added gold toned jewelry and unexpected pops of tangerine. Jewelry can be tricky. Try to stay away from jewelry sets that are too matchy. Mixing classic, simple pieces with fun edgy ones, like the spike bangles Taylor wore, adds more interest to the overall look. For Alex’s look we wanted to feature the darker, moodier side of fall and winter fashion. The DEEP BERRY TONES of the scoop neck tee and pants are framed perfectly by the black leather motorcycle jacket. Playing with COLOR is one of the easiest ways for guys to get
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| Holiday 2012 Issue
TAYLOR’S OUTFIT: JACKET: Lobby ACCESSORIES: Luna Boutique SHIRT: Forever 21 SKIRT: Luna Boutique BOOTS: H&M
extra style points, so trade in the blue jeans for something more daring. Guys also really need to step it up in the shoe department. Sneakers and flip flops will only get you so far. Classic inspired shoe designs in leather and suede are a must. Alex wore GREY LEATHER BLUCHER SHOES, which are incredibly versatile and can instantly dress up any look. Men’s jewelry seems to be more popular than ever, so we accessorized Alex’s look with a simple necklace, a Cast of Vices hospital bracelet from Lobby, which is engrave-able, and a simple ring.
TAYLOR’S TIPS: COLOR: Cranberry, slate grays, charcoal, and rich tones accentuate any outfit and are spot on for fall and winter fashion.
LENGTHS: In my date outfit, I went back to my number one rule: if you go short on the bottom, you must go long on the top or vice versa.
MAKEUP: Makeup for dates
WINNER of OC HOTLIST BEST WOMENS BOUTIQUE! We range in spectrum from glamour girl chic to hippie boho babe... here’s a taste of our favorite lines...
Blank Denim - Olive Olivia Chaser - Lush - Wildfox - Indah - Jens Pirate Booty - Audrey LaMade - Costa Blanca - Urban Behavior - Three Green Hearts Lucca Couture Celebrity Endorsed brands along with up and coming boutique brands, at prices so unbelievably AFFORDABLE you wouldn’t believe us if we told you... so come in for yourself and see what the hype is all about....
should be subtle but a pop of color in cranberry, red or a darker tone can make for a perfect pout.
BOOTS: Nothing says casual but classic like a great boot, low or high, spiked, suede, or studded, you’ll look great in whatever you try.
We took these shots at Hidden House Coffee, the perfect mellow spot to start a first date. Ease the awkwardness with caffeine and people watching along the uber quaint Historic Los Rios Street.
HIDDEN HOUSE COFFEE 31791 Los Rios St San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 949-240-0200
ALEX’S OUTFIT: JACKET: Zara ACCESSORIES: Lobby PANTS: American Apparel SHOES: Zara SHIRT: ASOS
Like us at Facebook.com/LunaBoutique HuntingtonBeach to see our “New Arrivals” posted weekly! 19680 Beach Boulevard, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 714.962.9749
SHOP
SHOPPING FOR THESE LOOKS: For these looks, the Barragans, Taylor and I hit some of our favorite Orange County boutiques. It can’t all be business though. We had to stop for lunch and dinner and more than one celebratory round of cocktails. Here’s the play by play: 10AM - KEAN COFFEE
2PM - STEVE MADDEN
for caffeine and retail game plan.
Shoes. Shoes. Shoes. This is a duh. Heels, boots and flats ranging from the angsty and studded to sweet and suede. Great selection and good value.
2043 Westcliff Drive, Suite 100 Newport Beach, CA 92660 www.keancoffee.com
11AM - HEAD TO SOUTH COAST PLAZA At a loss for which style to go with for our first date ensemble, we went to South Coast Plaza. As endless and hypnotizing as IKEA, South Coast is a bazaar of amazing stores. Here are some of the ones we rolled through ...
11:15AM - ZARA Contemporary styles done with class — that’s what you can expect at Zara — and without breaking the bank! Prices may not be high but quality is.
12:30PM - FOREVER 21 Don’t hate. This place is brill when it comes to finding the most current trends at black market prices. Saving a few dollars here means more bread for the off the clock drinks fund.
3333 Bristol St Costa Mesa, CA www.southcoastplaza.com
3PM - HAPPY HOUR AT SCOTT’S RESTAURANT AND BAR Celebratory drinks for surviving. Shopping at South Coast is like a small marathon. There’s a lot of ground to cover. It’ll leave one parched, especially after a few brawls with the tweens at Forever 21 over the last size small sheer blouse on the rack. But petite UCI students got nothing on a Newport Beach blonde who’s braved Sharkeez on a weekend and lived to tell the tale. 3300 Bristol Street Costa Mesa, CA 92626 www.scottsrestaurantandbar.com
Lobby. This store is wonderfully curated by Kim Culbertson to have grittier, sassier pieces than most Orange County Boutiques. 2930 Bristol Street Costa Mesa, CA 92626 www.lobbystoreonline.com
5:30PM - LUNA BOUTIQUE This store is a gold mine for amazing accessories and the latest looks. 19680 Beach Boulevard Huntington Beach, CA 92648 [AND] 28251 Crown Valley Pkwy Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 facebook.com/ lunaboutiquehuntingtonbeach
7PM - UNWIND AND BINGE EAT AT PAUL MARTIN’S It’s only been four hours but I need another Martini. Paul Martin’s will be perfect for drinks and great organic food. 31 Fortune Drive, Suite 302 Irvine, CA 92618 paulmartinsamericanbistro.com
4:15PM - LOBBY Now to the Bermuda Triangle of edge, sexy, and fabulous —
A B O U T S T Y L E BY F. E . A . Francisco, Eddie and Alex Barragan are three freelance fashion stylists hailing from Orange County who collectively form Style by F.E.A. Working as a team comes naturally to the Barragan brothers and it gives clients the unique experience of having three creative minds working as one on the task at hand. Past experience includes personal shopping for busy individuals, image consulting, styling for musicians and helping a large sunglass retail company with creating a dress code for their North American stores. Apart from being fascinated by all things fashion, the brothers have a genuine interest in helping others look and feel their best. Check them out online at www.stylebyfea.com
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After coffee, walk across the train tracks to the historic San Juan Capistrano movie hall. Recently renovated by Regency, the new theater has recreated “Rick’s Cafe” from Casablanca. Get cocktails and appetizers before the show, neck on the veranda overlooking the light up movie sign and downtown San Juan, and then get ready for the most amazing, cushy leather theater seats you’ve ever laid buns on. REGENCY THEATER, SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO & RICK’S CAFE 26762 Verdugo Street San Juan Capistrano, CA, 92675 949-661-3456
www.rickscafesanjuan.com
THE BARRAGANS’ FIRST DO: Always look your best. It shows that you not only respect yourself, but also your date. DO: Compliment. Compliments are free gifts that people often overlook. Keep them short, sweet and honest. DON’T: Be rude. Be polite to everyone, this includes: your date, restaurant staff, other first daters…etc. DON’T: Get sloppy. Throwing back a few can ease the stress of being on a first date, but don’t overdo it. Heavy alcohol consumption can cause instant bloating and will make you do things you’ll regret.
NO SECOND DATE IF... GIRLS: It comes up that your date drives a windowless van, RUN! Don’t stay for dessert. It could be your last. GUYS: You come back from the restroom and your date is thumbing through bridal magazines, RUN! A first date should be all about the present. Worrying too much about the future at such an early stage is unnecessary (and creepy).
LAGUNA BEACH 255 Forest (949) 376-0245
IRVINE SPECTRUM (949) 753 -5 031
SOUTH COAST PLAZA (714 ) 5 4 0 -4555
R O X Y. C O M
Complimentary Event Planning Lounge
www.BridalandEventLounge.com
13011 Newport Ave. Suite 112 Tustin, CA 92780 714-544-PLAN (7526) Info@BridalandEventLounge.com
Candace Paige on Balboa
324 Marine Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92662 949.673.5707 | shopcandacepaige.com
SHOP
LO C A L E LO O K S THE
HOLID
AY
‘Tis the season for twinkly lights, hot chocolate, chilly beaches, baking goodies and shopping lists a mile long! With summer but a memory and the sunshine still glowing, we get in our cars or hop on our beach cruisers to head out and shop, eat and see all there is to soak in during these specially seasoned winter months. And of course, all of that shopping, eating, seeing is done best when done locally. So make your list, check it twice, and get ready for our holiday edition of our friendliest local faves while we uncover Orange County’s best kept secrets. WRITTEN BY: HOLLY CLINARD PHOTOGRAPHY BY: YASSIRA FLORES OF DARLING IMAGE STYLIST: MEL FOX, FOLLOW HER @ STYLESBYMELFOX Thank you to ZARZAR Models & Refresh Talent Agency for models provided
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 Friday night, and the feelin’ is right! You must be ready for a quick escape from your holiday shopping list, right? Head east just a tad, away from the beach sands, and find yourself in the down-home country feeling of Tustin Roadhouse. Brick by brick in Old Town Tustin, the Tustin Roadhouse was built for barbeque and good times, so it’s easy to have one fun Friday here. It is actually nicknamed the Tustin Garage because of its history (you’ll know it when you walk in and see the antiqued barrels and signs in between the brick and red wall). I love Tustin Roadhouse’s nooks and crannies from the backyard patio with lawn chairs for chatting and kicking back, the cowskin armchairs in the corner sitting room, to the tiny arcade set-up equipped for good times. And a Pabst Blue Ribbon in a brown paper bag? Yes please! Contributing to the atmosphere, every Friday night, rain or shine, Tustin Roadhouse brings in live music to their retro garage-turnedroadhouse. With music in the air, and a dash of home-cooked barbeque sauce, you’ll be singing along to your favorite tunes and smiling gleefully at the strangers around you who’ve quickly become friends. Because that’s just the kinda place Tustin Roadhouse is! You feel me on this one? Plus, to add to the ambience, there is, of course, the food, which you’ll wanna get a whole table full of after you get a whiff. Insane BBQ, the must-have “street corn” creation that’s #1 on the menu, brisket, Texas toast, buttermilk fried chicken, and don’t forget the baked mac n’ cheese! Heck, it’s the holidays, and your diet doesn’t start until January 1, so don’t sweat it. I won’t stop raving to you just how awesome the atmosphere is at Tustin
Roadhouse. I don’t know if it’s the music or the Pabst, but it just feels like all-American fun when you step through these doors. So get in here this Friday night! You may catch me here too, if you’re lucky. With musicians on the Roadhouse stage and more Wranglers than you’ve seen in one place, you may be wondering what to wear to this local BBQ eatery. Well, if it’s a casual night out for some Friday night live music, I bet Collective has just what you need. Coming up on their first year of business (yay!) owners Peter Minko and Mike Thomas couldn’t be prouder about the way things at Collective are going. Collective is clearly a stand-out biz because of their non-stop specialty style. You see, Collective is a boutique for both guys and gals that only carries those unique, hard-to-find items which few other stores carry. You don’t wanna look like every other guy around town, do ya? Other surf shops and retail stores won’t carry the goods that Collective does, with brands for men like Insight, Brixton, Lira, Sabre and Elm; and women’s wear brands Kill City, Frankie B, Love Stone and Stussy, these racks are filled with the style that speaks to your individual style. Of course to top it all off, Collective boasts some killer customer service, where I feel happy and satisfied every time I walk out the door (shopping bags in-hand). Word on the street is that Collective will special order items just for you if they don’t have what you’re looking for in stock. Yet again, going above and beyond that everyday store experience you may be used to. Rock that individual style, and be individually you. Shop Collective.
W E A R (Get these looks)
WHERE?
Collective 3413 Newport Blvd Newport Beach, CA 92663 supportcollective.com
Tustin Roadhouse 560 El Camino Real Tustin, CA 92780 tustinroadhouse.com
Gloss Boutique 2930 Bristol St. Ste A101B Costa Mesa, CA 92626 glossboutique.com
Or, if you’re looking for style on a budget, then Gloss Boutique in Costa Mesa’s Anti-Mall (aka The Lab) is for you. Gloss is part of a small chain of sassy Southern California stores making headlines for their crazy low prices and daring, funky style. Women’s wear at under $40, you can find hot cotton dresses, sky-high heels and boots and the ultimate in accessories for any and every occasion. When I first walked into this corner store at The Lab, I knew I had stepped into a wealth of fashion forwardness. So, so many items to choose from, and I swear I kept doing an obvious double-take at the price tags, which would have been embarrassing, but I’m sure the stylish staff here is used to it. Gloss almost always has a board sign out front drawing you into their fashionista mecca of style, reading “$10 off” this or that and two-fers all over the place. It is just way too easy to fill up your shopping bag at a place like this! From basic tees and sweaters, to party dresses and party shoes, Gloss just might be topping your list for shopping spots for this live music Friday night ... and for Saturday night and Sunday too. There’s so much color at Gloss Boutique, I feel like everywhere I looked there was another shade of purple or red or green that I had to add to my wardrobe. I must say, there are very few boutiques in OC that carry a great stock of heels and shoes for women. But Gloss was the answer to my shoe-lovin’ prayers with all they have to choose from in footwear! As a devout and self-proclaimed shoe-obsessed girl, I was very, very impressed. Well done, Gloss! You saved me some major moolah on my holiday shopping list!
S U N DAY F U N DAY
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f there’s one thing to love about the holidays, it’s the food. I feel like it’s almost a reward for doing all of that shopping and planning the rest of the month, right? And boy have we got a treat for you this time around! Get your tastebuds ready, because DivBar Smokehouse BBQ is on the menu on this glorious Sunday funday! Can you smell it now? Carefully pronounced DIVE-BAR, this West Coast Highway wonder opened its waterside eatery in July 2012. A newbie, but you’d never know it with eclectic wall decor inside, and a painted sign that hangs over customers’ heads, saying “A great place to make a bad decision.” You know you’re in for a downhome treat. Yeah, not sure if the “bad decision” referred to here is the clientele or the calories, but either way, I’m frankly willing to take a risk. That’s because Pit Master Bill Bracken knows his ribs! The 14-hour slow cook on their meat is a dead giveaway for serious BBQ’in’ the American way. Baby back ribs are a must-have here at DivBar, you just can’t walk out those doors without a taste of them in your warm winter stomach. Oh yes, that, AND the smoked pork fries...AND the old school pizza...Y-U-to the M. Aside from the scoop on their barbeque dripping food, you may also be wondering why the heck this place is called DivBar. Well, colorful wall decor may be your first clue, but the truth is that the owners of the joint, Gary and Jeff, love the thought of a good neighborhood place where everyone knows your name, and a friendly welcome and familiar smile greet you at the door. I’m telling you, this is exactly the kind of treatment you’ll get when spending your Sunday in this spot. And quality food to boot? You are so there. You may get some BBQ saucy-sauce on these threads, but just make sure you have your Shout-Out pen nearby, and you’re good to go. Plus, a true OC’er doesn’t dare miss an opportunity to be fashionable! When a downhome, fun-filled group like this gets together, you know they’re shopping someplace good: The Movement in a home-style town like old town Orange is your go-to store for Sunday funday threads. These 2-year veterans to the retail stomping grounds offer up every Orange County kids’ favorite brands: Obey, RVCA, Nixon, Rainbow, Roxy, Ray Ban, Brandy Melville, LUSH and even TOMS shoes. The Movement’s owner James Orloff does a fab-oo job of keeping the trends fresh up in here, as they strive to bring customers “the newest, most cutting edge products in Men’s and Women’s fashion, action sports and lifestyle clothing.” Across from a few of the oldest buildings in the county, The Movement is in a cool, old town location, counteracting its new-kid style. Take a stroll through the cement floors of this extra large, 10,000-square-foot store, and you’re bound to come across something you love: great brands, great style, great customer care. In fact, all of the students at local Chapman University will tell you that this is one of their standard spots for So Cal style, and at a price that’s just right. I love that there’s something for everyone at The Movement from college co-eds to mom and dad, even stuff for the kiddos who are starting style young. Ask a staffer for their opinion on what to wear for Sunday funday and you’ll get an authentic and knowledgeable answer about what’s cool and what looks best on you. Love that. So snag that small town feeling with eats and outerwear at a couple of real-deal, local-grown small businesses. Way to put the FUN in funday!
WHERE? DivBar 2601 W Coast Hwy Newport Beach, CA 92663 divbar.com
W E A R (Get these looks) The Movement 117 E Chapman Ave Orange, CA 92866 themovementcompany.com
A D R I N K AT S U N S E T
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drink at sunset … ahh, doesn’t that sound nice? After a long day’s work or a long day of holiday errand-running and Christmas shopping, a drink at sunset could be just what you need to unwind. That’s why the Back Bay Bistro at the Newport Dunes Resort and Marina in picturesque Newport Beach awaits! Clank the cocktail glasses and toast to finding this special bayfront spot. It’s honestly the perfect getaway with the girls to grab a drink, watch that wondrous winter sunset and catch up on all the latest. With a fab-oo list of wine and cocktails, it’ll be the easiest decision you’ll make all day. Call that cute bartender over to mix you up a martini, and since every Thursday is this bistro’s epic Martini Madness, you can’t go wrong! Again, that martini list is a good mile long. Salud! The open-air restaurant that is Back Bay Bistro is the absolute ideal lively atmosphere for enjoying a drink or a delish meal together, and on the chilly winter days, the bistro’s state of the art retractable roof lets you dine with a view year-round. Of course after you have your drinks, you’ll want to bring those out of town guests back for a holiday visit, so they can “ooo and ahh” over what a great little spot this is, too. Head Chef Kurt and his team cook up a contemporary menu that everyone loves, so it’s no wonder Back Bay Bistro is the Diners’ Choice Winner pick. Their menu is filled with succulent seafood, steaks, salads you name it! It seems every night of the week there’s something fun going on here too, including Clam Bake Wednesdays, martini Thursdays, live music in the evenings, and even a must-go, award-winning Sunday brunch for the whole family. So take a break, and enjoy that beautiful Orange County sunset with a few friends by your side at your new fave cocktail spot at the Back Bay Bistro on the bay. Sunset-watching, drink-sipping, oh yes, it’s a hard knock life. Just ask those East Coast people who are shivering in their winter coats and boots right about now while you’re basking in the refreshing California winter breeze. And while the atmosphere, food and
company couldn’t be better, the shopping for this occasion can’t be beat, either. Perfect for Back Bay dining, Newport Beach’s Joie boutique is dressing you to the nines (really to the tens, if you ask me). This LA-based women’s contemporary brand very recently hit the list of Fashion Island store fronts, back in June 2012, although their store name can be found in far off fashion lands like NYC’s Madison Avenue and even Paris. And it’s no secret that Joie is becoming a favorite amongst OC locals. When you walk into their Newport store, you’ll almost feel like you’re stepping into a cozy Parisian apartment, with a hint of Southern California ease. Orange County serves as the perfect backdrop for the Joie collection, constantly inspired by the OC way of life. They have that special clothing collection of modern and classic that will surely wet your style’s appetite. The Joie line got its start back in 2001, making a name for itself with the then-on-trend cargos. Yeah, remember those? At any rate, as other trends caught on, Joie quickly did too (now growing at an annual rate of a whopping 20-25 percent), and is now best known on the streets for their elegant tops, flowy dresses and dreamy cashmere sweaters. The mantra of this brand has always been “casual, comfortable, luxurious,” and you can tell they have stayed true to form when you step foot in the store. Truly luxurious fabrics are on display up and down the aisles, inspiring my inner chic, casual girl. The careful and clever lines that are designed and stitched on each of these pieces of clothing are oh-so thoughtfully done. They sort of have that feminine Parisian charm to them. Find all five of Joie’s coveted collections in this coastal hideaway: Joie, Soft Joie, Joie a la Plage, Joie Handbags and of course my personal must-have, Joie Shoes. Soft Joie promises the softest of casual tees and tanks, Joie a la Plage boasts summery beach and loungewear, while Joie classic offers the basic vintage chic style that encompasses the entire beachside store. So hop into chic this winter, and throw on some Joie threads. You’ll immediately feel the difference, and want to add their collections to your Christmas wishlist, stat.
WHERE?
W E A R (Get these looks)
Back Bay Bistro 1131 Back Bay Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660 backbaybistronewportbeach.com
Joie 591 Newport Center Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660 joie.com
WHERE? BeachFire 204 Avenida Del Mar San Clemente, CA 92672 beachfire.com
P O ST- B E AC H COC K TAI L S
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rab your best guy or girl, and cruise down San Clemente’s Avenida Del Mar for some food that’s being fired up just for you two. BeachFire is no secret here in the beach town of San Clemente, you clearly gotta get here early for a good seat! For a perfect way to end your day at the beach, this spot is where it’s at for some sipping on yummy post-beach cocktails. You’ll have your hands full trying to decide on a wellshaken martini, a chilly mixed drink, or a cold beer or glass of chardonnay, on any given day or night. If you arrive in time for happy hour, choose from specials on a short list of bevs and nosh on calamari, ribs, ahi, salads and burgers from that same lil’ happy hour menu. So good! It all got started for local-favored BeachFire in the summer of 2002. They opened their doors to the city of San Clemente, and for the past 10 years, have not stopped. Most recently, the founding owner, Dave Donaldson, retired from the restaurant life and turned his treasure over to local restaurateurs Chris Turner and Nick Plevel. Now moving forward, Chris and Nick are bringing something fresh and new to this decade-old restaurant by adding that local goodness and quality you can really taste to the menu. Really! BeachFire’s award-winning menu is stacked with recipes that have a Caribbean flare to them, and all of
the locally-sourced produce that every foodie loves. In addition to the tastebud-pleasing eats, BeachFire is a great place to share a meal, enjoy a drink and experience this quaint little OC community at its best. Wanna know something else fun and different? Well let me break the news: the guys at BeachFire have a true passion for local artists and musicians. So, they cover the walls, ceilings, and even floors with a collection of over 400 pieces of on-sale art and tunes from local musicians. Art and food filling this holiday air: I think you can be a happy OC resident now, right? No wonder BeachFire has been honored with The People’s Choice Award for many, many years. It’s just how they do. And so do you. As the winter months are upon us, it’s fun to bundle up, but it’s fun to dress down. Luckily you can do both when you live in OC. Dressed from head to toe in none other than Hobie for your San Clemente beach day, you can rest assured that you are making a confident surf and style impression on those who pass you by. Hobie is an oldie but a goodie in this town, and really in a league of its own. Hold your breath, and believe it or not, Hobie started with one young man with one funky name: Hobart “Hobie” Alter. In the
year 1950, when sock hops were in and risk-taking was out, this young Laguna Beach resident brought together his two loves: woodshop and water. After building some of the best boards around for his surfside hobby, Hobie decided to go big in 1958, and open up Southern California’s first surf shop in Dana Point. The surfboard making continued, and the business expanded, and pretty soon Hobie Surf Team was formed. The line-up on the team was a surfing hall of fame list: Joey Cabell, Phil Edwards, Corky Carroll, Gary Propper, Peter Pan, Mickey Munoz, Joyce Hoffman and Yancy Spencer, among others. Today, Hobie spans across OC, selling in its own stores and a few other boutiques around town. Whether it’s menswear, women’s wear, sunglasses, or surfboards, you can count on quality that’s stayed true for decades and decades. Hobie will have the dudes looking their best on beach day, and hooked up with all of the surf and sand goods on the list. Board shorts, casual shorts, hoodies, flips, accessories, you name it. And girls: I know full well that you will want holiday style written all over you while at the beach. So let Hobie dress you up in cute threads, a good hoodie for the chilly weather, and a touch of that sandy girl fashion. What a perfect day and a perfect way to have a winter beach day, just you two!
W E A R (Get these looks) Hobie Locations in San Clemente, Dana Point, Corona Del Mar hobie.com
WHERE? Hotel Laguna 425 S. Coast Highway Laguna Beach, CA 92651 HotelLaguna.com
WEAR
(Get these looks) The Vault 361 Forest Avenue Laguna Beach, CA 92651 949-376-5000
1 5 T H AN N IV E R SARY
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here’s a lot to celebrate this season —the joys and fun of the holiday celebrations, being with loved ones who’ve traveled from afar, even squeezing your friends and fam a little tighter just because it’s that kinda season. And of course there’s your biggest love: your partner in crime, your better half, the one who knows you best. To kick off your milestone anniversary this year, spend a little stay-cation weekend laying around one of California’s most beautiful beach hotels, Hotel Laguna. Known as the ultimate “classic” beach hotel, Hotel Laguna has its official name in the history books as the first hotel in Laguna Beach, California. So much of that rich history and tradition resides here between these four walls – dignitaries of a far-off day, like Madame Modjeska, James Irvine and stage stars like Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn and John Barrymore, all graced the doors of this magical beach hotel. After several reconstructions and remodels to the building over time, now modern-day stars have Hotel Laguna as their hideaway. And, of course, the everyday royalty of tourists from all over the world, as well as local regulars who come to enjoy the little luxuries of this historic homestead. Hotel Laguna is tucked away on its very own stretch of exclusive beach property, but still in the center of the downtown hustle and bustle of Laguna. Take a few
steps outside this early-California inspired building, and you’ll find downtown’s finest art galleries, boutiques and eateries. Not to mention a mile down the road is the famous Festival of the Arts. You and your anniversary honey will be happy to know that every room at Hotel Laguna has a different spin - from the view out the window pane to the decor, you just can’t possibly stay in the same place twice! Ooh, and did I mention the dining? Well, the downstairs OceanView Bar & Grill at the Hotel Laguna serves up amazing local eats, with an unforgettable beach view. Catch a sunrise breakfast, a breezy lunch, or a sunset dinner here at OceanView or even swing in for happy hour to celebrate. If you’re trying to kick it up a notch but still want to stick near the hotel, head to Claes Ovation restaurant, located inside of Hotel Laguna and only open for dinner. If the winter weather is a bit unbearable for your delicate California skin, then head inside the contemporary dining room at Claes Ovation where you can still see that breathtaking beach view. Guaranteed to be a night that you remember as a couple, let Hotel Laguna take care of your weekend getaway from start to finish! So, what do the two of you wear for this fabulous anniversary getaway? There is always a reason to shop for the perfect
outfit, in my book. And lucky for you, walking distance down Forest Avenue in the great beach city of Laguna lies The Vault Boutique. Tucked away in a sweet little shopping square is this catch-allstyle store that has the best customer service this side of the waves. Stop by The Vault for the basics or the fancies, and you’re guaranteed to find what you’re looking for. A great spot for both men and women to shop their hearts out, you’ll find awesomely affordable threads from classic favorites like BCBG, Diesel and DKNY. Unlike some boutiques in OC, I learned that The Vault carries tons of sizes, for all shapes and sizes of fashionistas. Who knew?! From adorable jeans, collared and blousy tops, stylish winter jackets and sweaters, even cute accessory essentials like handbags, belts, hats, jewelry and scarves. If you want it, The Vault carries it. The Vault on the men’s side of the fence carries designer threads and even shoes and accessory must-haves by brand name favorites Ted Baker, True Religion, Just Cavalli and much more. And if you’re overwhelmed by the selection up in this place, just stop and take a deep breath and ask one of the awesome sales associates at The Vault to lend you a hand. They are as warm and friendly as old Saint Nick, and will be ready to give you some Christmas presents in no time (or anniversary presents for that matter).
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Jeff Barnett Age: 31 Q: First movie/show you worked on? JEFF BARNETT: “Brat Patrol” by Walt Disney at age five. Q: First stunt you performed? JB: It was for “Simon and Simon.” At age five I was hanging off the Santa Monica Pier.
Q: What movies and shows have we seen your stunts on? JB: TV shows: 90210, Gossip Girl, True Blood, Hawaii Five-0, CSI Miami/ New York, Las Vegas, Criminal Minds, Southland, NCSI Las Vegas, 24, Lost, ER. Movies- “Lone Ranger” (coming soon), “Chasing Mavericks” (coming soon), “The Campaign,” “American Reunion,” “Project X,” “Underworld: Awakening,” “Thor,” “Soul Surfer,” “Transformers,” “Step-Brothers,” “Tropic Thunder,” “Oceans 13,” “Blue Crush,” “Green Hornet” ... just to name a few. Q: What was the most dangerous stunt? JB: A Full Body Fire Burn jumping off the top of a Steam Boat into the Mississippi (I don’t know about the scariest but definitely the cheapest thrill).
Q: What famous actors have you been the fill-in for? JB: Gerard Butler, Scott Speedman come to mind. I’m sure there are plenty more out there....you double the same guy so many times you just never keep track or follow up to get their info but you keep doubling them on tv/features. Cool how it works. Q: What is the most painful injury you’ve gotten, and how did you do it? JB: Never broken a bone, I settled for third degree burns from head to toe instead. Got rushed to the UCLA burn ward and was sidelined from the ocean and work for 3-6 months until the grafts healed. Pure hell. I feel for girls when they get flat iron burns now. How did I do it? That’s what happens when stunts go wrong. Ha. Q: Who would you love to work with? JB: I’ve worked with all my heroes so far.... Stiller, Brad Pitt, Clooney, Will Ferrel, Owen Wilson, Will Arnett, Julia Roberts, Johnny Depp, Vince Vaughn, Kate Beckinsale ... I think Robert Redford would be my pick for biggest legend as an actor/director I’d like to work with one day. Seems like a good ‘ol country boy with a “Cool Hand Luke” attitude. Genuine bad ass.
PREVIOUS PAGES: SUITS PROVIDED BY: GUCCINI 2800 N MAIN STREET, #740 | SANTA ANA, CA 92705, GUCCINI.US | 714-835-1925 THIS PAGE: CLOTHING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: FYASKO “VEDDER” FLANNEL, $59.99, FYASKO.COM; TAVIK’S SHIN MEN’S CAMBRAY WOVEN, $58.00, TAVIK.COM; FYASKO “FRED” SHERPA-LINED WOVEN, $74.99, FYASKO.COM
Michael H. Barnett Q: First movie/show you worked on? MICHAEL H. BARNETT: Baywatch Q: First stunt you performed? MHB: Flying through a glass window with a 10 foot highfall. Q: What movies and shows have we seen your stunts on? MHB: Baywatch, Bones, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “Green Hornet,” “Click,” “Benchwarmers,” “Soul Surfer,” “Underworld Awakening,” Heroes, 90210, House MD, The Offi ce, Southland, CSI:NY, Numb3rs, etc.
Age: 25
LM: What was the most dangerous stunt? MHB: 50-foot backward high fall for Chuck Norris’ “Mountain Dew” commercial LM: What famous actor have you been the fill in for? MHB: Peter Gallagher LM: How many bones have you broken? What was the most painful and how did you do it? MHB: Nothing broken but banged up in the huge explosion on “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” LM: Who would you love to work with/for? MHB: Ben Stiller and Will Farrell
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Chris McLaughlin Age: 35
Q: First movie/show you worked on? CHRIS MCLAUGHLIN: 90210 Q: First stunt you performed? CM: My first “legit” stunt was being tied to a wire and crane, then air blasted three stories up! Funny thing is that it hurt more being lowered than pulled. Go figure! Q: What movies and shows have we seen your stunts on? CM: 90210, 1000 Ways To Die, Jonas, “Graceland” to name a few. Q: What was the most dangerous stunt? CM: Ha! This is always a fun question. I’d say the time I had my head in a rolled up car window and having to run along side while the driver was pushing the peddle. Q: What famous actor have you been the fill in for? CM: Nick Jonas of the Jonas bros. Q: How many bones have you broken? CM: Knock on wood but I’m not saying. Don’t want to jinx anything. Q: What is the most painful injury you’ve had and how did you do it? CM: Recovering in general! Most of the time you are in shock and don’t really feel a thing. The next day though....you are sore and aching in places you never knew existed! Q: Who would you love to work with/for? CM: I have had the opportunity to work with and for some pretty amazing people. Legends! I’m dying to work for one of the guys who say “they do their own stunts”. Just saying.
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Dresses & Accessories Provided By: NOVECENTO BOUTIQUE 8002 EAST COAST HIGHWAY, NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92657 NOVECENTOFASHION.COM 949-715-1700 MASTRO’S OCEAN CLUB 8112 EAST COAST HIGHWAY, NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92657 MASTROSRESTAURANTS.COM 949-376-6990
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hen I entered the 30,000-square-foot showroom off Newport Boulevard that is von Hemert Interiors and Furniture Sales, I felt like a kid that had snuck into their parents’ closet and was now rubbing up against the expensive fur coats. I glanced at a price tag hanging off a nearby kitchen chair inlaid with intricate beautiful designs. The chair alone costs close to what I would pay in rent next month. My sister drooled over the Swarovski crystals glimmering in the afternoon sunlight on another gorgeous throne-like chair. Carrie von Hemert, Vice President and co-owner of von Hemert Interiors, came quickly out of her office to show us around. She told me wonderful stories of their family’s rich history. She took time to address all my interests from travels to what it feels like to furnish the homes of the rich and famous. Despite my intimidating surroundings, Carrie made us feel like we were among family, and wasted no time in teaching me about the finer things in life, which I can look forward to someday, too. INTERVIEW BY: ERIN ROSE BELAIR PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JENAVIEVE BELAIR AT WWW.BLACQUEBELAIR.COM
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Q: You carry on the Von Hemert name, is this still a family owned and operated business? CARRIE VON HEMERT: Yes, I am the fourth generation of our 82-year-old legacy. We are still family owned and operated. My sister Kelly and I are here at the company every day, and my father Barry is still involved too. My great grandmother, Anna Martin von Hemert, started our company in 1920 in Los Angeles. Anna had a passion for interior design and luxurious fabrics, which their store called the Chintz Shop was known for. One of their shops was located in a strip of boutiques called The Del that was adjacent to the famous farmer’s market at The Grove. Her son, Theodore, joined the business after he studied interior design. My father, Barry, came into the business after earning a business degree. He helped the business grow into what it is today. My sister Kelly graduated with a business degree some 18 years ago and has been instrumental with her vision as CFO. I came into the company almost 20 years ago after majoring in interior design. In 2010, we had a private party celebrating our 80th Anniversary. Q: How many locations do you currently have? CVH: We have three locations. Our smallest and oldest location located on Pacific Coast Highway is our Laguna Beach store (5,000 sq. ft.). We leased it in 1953 and later bought it. In 2010, we completely tore down the original building and redesigned it in the Tuscan Andalusia style architecture to compliment the surrounding homes of Newport Coast. Our headquarters is Costa Mesa and is the largest. It is 30,000 sq. ft. My grand father Theodore and my father Barry built the CM store in 1978. They also had our South Bay location built in the late 60s early 70s. It is 11,000 sq. ft. All three showrooms are built on or near PCH, close to affluent neighborhoods.
Q: There is quite an array of pieces and styles here. How do you acquire everything on the showroom floor? CVH: We travel to High Point, North Carolina twice a year. It is the furniture capital of the US. We spend almost an entire week searching for new furniture and accessory lines that are unique to our market place. We are constantly updating our look to keep our showrooms looking fresh, interesting and current. When we go on buying trips we arrive with a plan in mind to meet the expectations of our clients’ sophisticated taste and the ever-changing trends. We also have spent years traveling to different regions in Italy and Spain. In Italy we import incredible pieces which have been handcrafted by artisans that use some of the most unique techniques that have been passed down from the Middle Ages. Many of the manufacturers are cottage industries owned by generations of families. Most of the time we’re in Italy, we are driving throughout the countryside to reach these small factories. Q: That sounds amazing. Are there certain things you go out looking for or do you just know you have to have a piece when you come across it? Maybe love at first sight? CVH: Most of the time we know exactly what we are looking for. Before going to Market, we are planning for weeks. We also rely a lot on our designers to inform us of the styles,
colors and items their clients want. I would be lying if we didn’t also buy different pieces that we simply have to have. It seems more often that our taste of what we love is also what we know our clients will love.
Q: How does sourcing play into these decisions? How concerned are you with where these pieces are actually coming from? CVH: We are definitely concerned with where the pieces we purchase are manufactured. The majority of the items we buy are made right here in America. The other balance of our furniture comes from Italy, Vietnam, Philippines and some pieces are from China. We try to be mindful of where the pieces we buy are made. Let’s face it, anyone can buy a knock-off, but who knows what that piece is really made of and how long it will last. We like the idea that by buying locally, we are actually helping to keep the American work force busy. Q: What are the best selling lines you carry, and why do you think they’re popular brands? CVH: Baker, Century, Hancock & Moore, Stickley, and Theodore Alexander. The first reason for all these brands is they are trusted brands and are widely known as being the cream of the crop lines, so to speak. It is also because of their quality of materials, their sophisticated designs and techniques, skilled craftsmen and company credo.
e like the idea that by buying locally, we are actually helping to keep the American work force busy. CARRIE VON HEMERT
Q: In addition to selling furniture, you also have
a staff of interior designers. Can you tell me about what role they play here at von Hemert? CVH: Our von Hemert Interior staff of accredited interior designers is a group of individuals with a remarkable breadth of design knowledge, experience, and most of all, passion. Our interior designers can put together a design concept and floor plan that can help their clients visualize the kind of interiors that will compliment their lifestyle. Our designers can assist with everything from selecting fabrics for a re-upholstery job, to custom drapery, to designing and furnishing everything in an entire home. Many of our interior designers have been with our company for over 20 years. This business is truly their passion.
Q: In these economic times, how have you managed to not only stay afloat but also do quite well? Any secrets? CVH: Instead of being afraid of our weak economy, we did our best to stay positive and look at all the possibilities for a better future. For example, so many of our consumers were shopping online, so we realized that we needed to improve our website, so we started over from scratch. We made ourselves more transparent, visible and accessible to anyone that wanted to communicate with us. Rebranding ourselves has been something that we have also recently focused on. We have remodeled every single location and we have re-skinned all our delivery vehicles. We also realized that continuing to feature luxury brands was something that we needed to continue; in fact we have brought on several upscale brands into our product mix. All of these efforts big and small have kept our clients coming back for the products and services we offer and do best. Q: What is your favorite part of your job here?
CVH: My favorite part of the job is going out on a photo shoot to one of our client’s homes, getting to talk to the client and see first-hand their beautifully designed interiors and also hear about their positive shopping experience at von Hemert’s. Another part of my job that I love is seeing the new design trends on our annual buying trips I go on, especially when I get to go to Italy. It’s my favorite place in the world to visit even if I have to work! I also love the people I work with; they are truly family to me! Q: What are von Hemert’s plans for the future? CVH: The plans for the future are endless, but for now let’s just say we want to continue to improve our overall shopping experience at von Hemert’s by offering the best interior design services and unique home furnishings at a value. We are always looking for ways to be the best.
Q: I have one more, very serious question: Can I have that really fancy chair over there? CVH: Of Course!
von Hemert Interiors 1595 Newport Blvd. Costa Mesa, CA 92627 (949) 642-2050 www.vonhemertinteriors.com
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FROM THE LOW $600,000’s | 351 WEST BAY ST. COSTA MESA 92627
NOW SELLING
Waterpointe Homes is devoted to the satisfaction of our future homeowners. Once you have made the decision to purchase, I will personally meet with you and walk you through your homebuying experience and craft a deal that meets make our house your home. – Garrett Calacci Please note: Waterpointe Real Estate Group, Waterpointe Custom Home Builders, Inc. and Waterpointe Homes, LLC operate as seperate entities.
949.759.0900 | www.waterpointehomes.net
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SETTING the TABLE
Fantasy Holiday Gathering THE
T H E F I V E C R O W N S R E S T AU R A N T WRITTEN BY: ERIK HALE PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ANDREW ABAJIAN
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The Christmas family-party that we mean, is not a mere assemblage of relations, got up at a week or two’s notice, originating this year, having no family precedent in the last, and not likely to be repeated in the next. No. It is an annual gathering of all the accessible members of the family, young or old, rich or poor; and all the children look forward to it, for two months beforehand, in a fever of anticipation.” The Christmas Dinner -Charles Dickens
THE CREATIVE TEAM JIM COLOMBO General Manager, Five Crowns
GREG HARRISON Executive Chef, Five Crowns
ALISON ROBBINS Sales & Marketing Manager, Five Crowns www.thefivecrowns.com
PEILIN BRELLER Stylist, PCB-Life Styles Peilin@peilinbreller.com
SUSSANNA DAVIDSON Florist, French Buckets www.FrenchBuckets.com Christmas … the word that has always come to mind when I think of The Five Crowns Restaurant in Corona Del Mar. Even before their recent renovation, which has made this decades old fixture turn from quaint to stylish and charming, the atmosphere has always been storybook. There are cozy nooks that hold groups of 10 which just might garner approval from Mr. Dickens, a beautiful outdoor garden as well as large rooms that can accommodate more than a hundred. The Five Crowns menu can be personalized to accommodate your party’s vision as can the decor. The fantasy you see realized here is that of a fantasy holiday dinner. If you would like to create your own fantasy holiday dinner, The Five Crowns Restaurant is the perfect venue. If you want to associate this beautiful, English-themed restaurant with old world Christmas traditions, as I do, consider adding to the festive setting with holiday carolers (available upon request).
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BE INSPIRED
DESIGN SERVICES
Gatehouse
270 East 17th Street #15 Costa Mesa, CA 92627 | 949.515.2335 www.gatehousehome.com Courtesy to the trade
BY OUR UPHOLSTERY, LIGHTING, FABRICS, BEDS & ACCESSORIES
INDOOR | OUTDOOR | DESIGN
LET ONE OF OUR DESIGNERS CREATE YOUR NEW HOME
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INTERVIEW BY: ERIK HALE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY: CHRIS CHAVIRA of CCIMAGES.com
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Company Name: IMPERIAL BARBER PRODUCTS USA Owners: Bryan Fisher - Co-Founder, Creative Director Pedro Zermeno - Co-Founder, Master Barber Scott Serrata - Co-Founder, Barber Established: 2009 - Custom formulations began 2011 - Began slowly selling by word-of-mouth 2012 - January the company & website launched Where do you barber? We [co-owners Pedro and Scott] opened Razorbacks Barbershop in Long Beach, which is Pedro’s third barbershop opening. The Long Beach location is where we conduct all of our R&D on real, paying customers. What is your favorite style to cut? Classic business pompadour, tight on the sides, nicely faded, longer on the top with a hard part and the front thrown up and over. And, of course, finished with Imperial products. How is the barber experience different for men than the salon experience? You are a man. You should get your hair cut like a man. This is best achieved in a “proper” barbershop that specializes in classic men’s grooming. Salons are high-priced and often estrogen soaked. This tends to make most guys feel uncomfortable and uneasy. The barbershop is for guys, a relaxed place for them to socialize, grab a beer, get tunedup and leave looking sharp and ready for a night out. You mentioned you have created a line of your own styling products. What are the names of some of the cuts that your products aide in styling? Classic Side Part: any Imperial finishing product can be used depending on the desired amount of hold and shine. Slick Back: any Imperial finishing product can be used depending on the desired amount of hold and shine. Business Pomp: any Imperial finishing product can be used depending on the desired amount of hold and shine. Disconnect: any Imperial finishing product can be used depending on the desired amount of hold and shine. Loose “Beach” Pomp: Matte Pomade Paste or Fiber Pomade Messy Side Part: Matte Pomade Paste or Fiber Pomade.
have graduated from the drug store wax and petroleum based products. So yes, we are for the “curated” everyman. How many products did you try before deciding on the current lineup? We first set out to develop America’s strongest holding water-based pomade, which we achieved with the Classic Pomade. However, there was no chance to our method, it was premeditated as we set out to develop all-American made products that actually work and form what we call a “hair wardrobe,” a finishing product for every guy, type of hair and style. From there, we set out to develop a simple, all-natural shave system and daily facial soap. We also have a few new tricks up our sleeve for 2013-14. What is the toughest hair condition that you have corrected, using your products? Turning bad haircuts good. Holding down cowlicks. Controlling curly or unruly hair. Fine hair that needs strengthening and volume. Dry hair that needs conditioning. And, the recovering Murray’s users. You are local guys. Where do you eat on your lunch break? Our offices are in the downtown Santa Ana Arts District, so when we have time, which is rare, it’s Lola’s. More often than not, it’s taco runs to Jugos de Acapulco or Tacos De Anda. Pedro usually powers five tacos in less than three minutes, a barber lunch. Are your products only available in your barber shops or can we find them in other local shops? We started the year with six retail accounts, and we’re rapidly growing. Currently we’re in 62 doors in 12 states, domestically, and internationally, we’re five countries. Our distribution channels are higher-end classic barbershops, select salons, heritage-inspired or haberdash men’s wear boutiques. The retailer tab on our site lists all retailers, please visit for locations closest to you or order online at imperialbarberproducts.com. Thanks, too, for supporting American small businesses and Made in the USA products!
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Are your products only for the tragically hip or is this product for everyman? We make premium, cosmetic grade, utilitarian grooming products for the American man. They are clean, all natural, water-based tools for looking great … period. Our goal is to help every guy achieve this regardless of their socioeconomic or “hipster” status. Imperial users range from retired lawyers to NYC mid-town finance guys to LA east-side hipsters, to the old-school greasers who
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E V I T A N E G D E L W O N K CALS • O L R O CY CALS, F O L C E AG E N Y B Y: T H E A • B D E T S EST HO GU
The ACE Agency specializes in public relations, marketing campaigns, diverse event production and strategic brand partnership development within the arts, music, retail, health, beauty and recreational industries. Ashley Eckenweiler – CEO/Founder. Heather Cereghino – Director of Marketing. Devon McLaren – PR & Social Media Coordinator. theaceagency.com
TUES.
MON.
OC Music Awards
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Whiting Ranch
Drink. Cleanse. Repeat. Heather loves to start her week off with a Nekter Juice Bar Toxin Flush so she can retox the following weekend!
Were you one of the guys we saw holding your girlfriend’s purse at Fashion Island this weekend? Grab a Manly Burger from one of Umami Burger’s three OC locations and renew your “man card.”
www.nekterjuicebar.com
www.umami.comumami-burger
Nektar Juice Bar
Live music and hand picked DJs make The Kings Inn one of the best nights at Memphis Cafe in Costa Mesa.
2920 Bristol St, CM, CA 92626 (714) 423-7685 | memphiscafe.com
| Holiday 2012 Issue
It’s time to renew your failed New Year’s resolutions! We love getting our sweat on at Barry’s Bootcamp for the ultimate arms and abs Monday classes. Show your holiday flubber who’s boss!
6260 Scholarship, Irvine, CA 92612 (888) 750-4442 | www.barrysbootcamp.com
Umami Burger
Tacos AND Margaritas? We’re in! Check out The District Lounge in Orange for ALL YOU CAN EAT street tacos for $5. For that price, we’ll take a second margarita, please.
223 W. Chapman Ave, Orange, CA 92866 (714) 639-7777 | www.thedistrictloungeorange.com
Memphis Cafe
Neon won’t be in style for much longer so dress yourself as if you were sending a neon smoke signal to Mars and boogie on down to Blue Beet in Newport Beach for 80’s night.
107 21st Place, Newport Beach, CA 92663 (949) 233-5323 | www.thebluebeet.com
Christmas Lights
These winter months are putting the sun to bed early. Grab your friends and relive your childhood with an early game of flashlight tag! #youareit
Our favorite part of Halloween is baked pumpkin seeds fresh from the pumpkins we carve. Stop by The Irvine Regional Park Pumpkin Patch any day in October and pick your perfect pumpkin.
1 Irvine Park Road, Orange, CA 2869 (714) 973-6835 | www.ocparks.comirvinepark
The District
Did somebody say live local music? It’s that time of the year yet again...OC Music Awards kicks off their annual showcase series events every Tuesday starting January 8, 2013.
ocmusicawards.com
Schooner or later you should head down to Fred’s in Dana Point or Huntington Beach for some tacos and beer.
www.fredsmexicancafe.com
WED. THURS. FRI.
A wise man once said there’s no better pairing with good food than a stiff drink. That’s why we’re heading over to Wahoo’s at Fashion Island to grab some grub and scope out their full bar.
401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660 (949) 760-0290 | www.wahoos.com
BRRR It’s getting cold in here. Cozy up with a blanket, hot cocoa (maybe add a little something to it) and head up to Top Of The World in Laguna Beach to catch the sunset. Then stick around and see if you can find The Big Dipper.
Bar Louie
Roll down the windows, crank up your favorite playlist and cruise down PCH. Take in what’s around you and be thankful.
Head down to Live Oak trail in Whiting Ranch and hike into the sunset. Just make sure to turn around before it’s too dark or the boogyman might get you!
1025 E. Ball Rd, Anaheim, CA 92805 (714) 817-4200 | www.theranch.com
Haunted houses. Mazes. Thrill rides. Costumes. Must mean only one thing...Knott’s Scary Farm is in town! Get your fix starting September 21 and all through the month of October.
8039 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620 (714) 220-5200 | www.knotts.com
SAT.
321 W. Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802 (714) 495-4170 www.barlouieamerica.com
www.daveandbusters.com
LashSpot Spa
Ashley is giving her lashes a little TLC at LashSpot Spa. Try a mini service and then bat your sassy new set of eyelashes around town.
4335 E. 17th Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 (949) 515-7600 | www.lashspotspas.com
What’s your poison? For $20, you can have as much as your heart desires! Friday Night Flavor at Birch Street Bar and Grill in Brea-Open Bar from 9:30-11pm. You can sleep it off tomorrow.
330 W. Birch Street, Brea, CA 92821 (714) 256-2100 | birchstreetbarandgrill.com
Peltzer Pines
Click your heels, rainbows or bare feet and think of where you want to be right now. Then make a plan to get there soon.
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovelier thy branches would look in my house! Stop by Peltzer Pines Christmas Trees Nov. 17 through Dec. 23 to cut down your own tree like the Griswolds!
Put your hands in front of you. Turn your palms up. Touch your shoulders. Put your hands behind your head, then wrap them around your waist. Now, put your hands on your hips and scream “HEY MACARENA!” It’s Throwback Thursday friends... Hopefully you are in public while doing this. #FollowFriday. Pick the next stranger that passes you and follow them until they notice. #twitterfail
Fish Bowl Friday - Let’s start this weekend off right
(714) 649-9251 | www.peltzerpines.com
Huntington Beach Oktoberfest
SUN.
GAME NIGHT! Challenge your buddy to a game of skee ball after a round of happy hour drinks and appetizers at Dave and Busters.
(949) 923-2245 www.ocparks.comwhitingranch/
The Ranch
Hey, we just met you and this is crazy, but it’s Thursday, so join us at The Ranch for line dancing, maybe?
Check this bucket off your list — $5 bucket of beer at Bar Louie at the Anaheim Garden Walk.
Rolling Greens
Weiner dog races...German shot hostesses...weiner dog races...German shot hostesses. You decide which excites you the most and stop by the Old World Village in Huntington Beach for Oktoberfest.
Home decor. Stunning gardens. An arrangement bar that is customized just for you. Stroll through Rolling Greens at SOCO after the Farmer’s Market and give your home that little pick me up.
You’ll definitely be feeling the holiday spirit at Heritage Hill’s Victorian Christmas. They’re kicking off the holiday season on Dec. 1 with carolers, streams of garland, and hot cocoa.
7561 Center Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 (714) 895-8020 | www.oldworld.ws/
3315 - A Hyland Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (714) 444-4025 | www.rollinggreensnursery.com
25151 Serrano Rd, Lake Forest, CA 92630 (949) 923-2230 | www.ocparks.comheritagehill
Looking for something fun for the whole family? Spend the afternoon Whale Watching at Dana Point Harbor. Nothing beats a cool breeze and family time at sea.
Top your Sunday off with some bubbly. The Gypsy Den hosts the most beautiful Vegan Brunch with (let’s not forget) bottomless mimosas. Yes, we said bottomless mimosas.
Ready. Set. FLOOR IT! Will you win the gold at K-1 Racing? Only one way to find out.
17221 Von Karman Ave, Irvine, CA 92614 (949) 250-0242 | www.k1speed.com
Habana
Are you starting to feel like the Hunchback of Notre Dame? Burke Williams has the cure. Schedule a Pure Relaxation Massage with a Dot.com enhancement and find your good posture again.
www.burkewilliamsspa.com
There’s a party and your tastebuds are invited. Go to Habana’s at The Lab and order the crab cake benedict for Sunday brunch. That’s right..we said crab cake benedict.
2930 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (714) 556-0176 | thelab.com
Catch the latest VIP flick with a bottle of wine and friends/a hot date/ yourself at The Regency in SJC. No need to brown bag this time since they’ve got drinks and food covered.
26762 Verdugo St, SJC, CA. 92675 (949) 661-3456 | www.regencymovies.com
Let’s see if living in the real world will help you win at the game of Life. Devon recommends closing the weekend out with a mellow night of vintage board games at local hot spot, Continental Room, for Game Room Sundays.
115 W. Santa Fe Ave, Fullerton, Ca 92832 (714) 469-1879 | www.thecontinentalroomfullerton.com
www.gypsyden.com
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UPGRADE INTERVIEW BY: ERIK HALE PHOTO COURTESY OF: EUROCAR, INC.
ONE THING MOST PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE IS THAT THEIR CAR WAS ACTUALLY DESIGNED TWO OR THREE YEARS BEFORE IT WAS BUILT. THAT’S WHY IT CAN BE VERY FAR BEHIND ON POPULAR TRENDS LIKE IPODS OR THE LATEST IN VEHICLE SAFETY... ADDING THAT LAST OPTION YOU WISH YOUR CAR HAD IS OUR SPECIALTY.” -Joe “Rocco” Eyerman
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| Holiday 2012 Issue
Name: Joe “Rocco” Eyerman Company: Rocco’s Auto Tech Years in business: 32 years Q: You get to work on so many cool cars. What Is the most expensive car you have been involved with? Joe Eyerman: I work daily on a class of vehicles where a sticker price of $125,000 can be common place. But some of the so called “super cars” can hit $495,000 and up. Even with those kinds of prices owners still find that the factory has left off some features they want. Things like iPod chargers, Pandora inputs or Bluetooth connections sometimes were not originally designed into the car so they must be added or up fitted by us after the car is delivered. Q: Why is it called Rocco’s? JE: The company was recently renamed for my son “Rocco” Eyerman. For over three decades I have been working behind the scenes for local new car dealers, helping them outfit their clients’ cars with the features the factory left out. But over the past five years I have been working to build an awareness of our talents and services to the general public so local customers can now use our installation services directly. It was a good idea giving the company a catchier name, so clients have an easier time referring to the shop. Q: How can you change our car? What kind of products can you add? JE: There are two basic areas when it comes to customizing a car, rims, tires, window tint or maybe a catchy window sticker is one. DID YOU KNOW.... Joe’s former company was contracted with the L . A .P.D. to install the first ever cop car video systems. So you can literally thank Joe for all that great footage you’ve seen on “COPS”.
Those items are for other people to admire. Then you have the car’s interior and its many devices and electronics - they are for you. We have been outfitting cars with all the bells and whistles that technology has to offer since before the CD player was even invented. Twenty years ago, if you had a radio, an amp and a new pair of speakers, you had it all. Today your car is so much more of an extension of your lifestyle. We install iPod inputs for your music, Bluetooth systems for you phone and cameras and navigation systems for safer driving. Adding that last option you wish your car had is our specialty. Q: What do you drive? How have you modified it? JE: My wife drives our G55 Mercedes Benz Glendewagon. It is set up with Sirius Satellite Radio, turn-by-turn navigation and a built in car phone for added safety and convenience. It’s her favorite car ever. For those not familiar, it’s the boxy Mercedes as seen on “The Kardashians” or the pink one driven by Paris Hilton. I mostly drive our Mercedes Smart Car or the company truck Q: Is this a family business? JE:The company is manned by myself doing all the product design and installations personally. Our office manager is Shanna Timmer, who handles all the day to day tasks running the shop, writing estimates, syncing cell phones, and scheduling our clients’ needs for their vehicles. Annie, my wife, takes care of the accounting, customer relations and our three children, Julie, Lili and Rocco. I have been doing this since I was 14, working in my uncle Roger’s custom car shop. 2012 now puts me in my 33rd year installing; I’m actually just closing in on over 50,000 installations for my clients. Q: What surprises people most about what you do? JE: One thing most people don’t realize is that their car was actually designed two or three years before it was built. That’s why it can be very far behind on popular trends
like iPods or the latest in vehicle safety. Our company has been in a very unique niche for many years. New car dealers cannot modify the cars very much; they must use our company for add-ons their clients want. We use their factory parts and retrofit them into their cars just like the manufacturers would. That gives you the features you want and the reliability of the factory warranty. People are amazed that almost every job we perform requires the car to be plugged into our computers to update all the software and hardware we have added, that’s where the dealerships fall behind: they cannot keep up with the technology. We update our computers daily! Often we spend more time with the customers showing them how to use their new devices than the time it took to install it. Q: What is your favorite place to grab lunch locally? JE: On days I am lucky enough to take a few minutes for lunch, I get takeout from any one of the wonderful restaurants lining 17th Street here in Costa Mesa. My favorite is Pizza Bakery. I am a long time customer and they have the best Pizza in town.
Rocco’s Auto Tech 775 W 17th Street | Costa Mesa, CA 92627 949-722-0707 | www.roccosautotech.com Eurocar, Inc. 2920 Red Hill Ave. | Costa Mesa, CA 92626 949-722-7121 | www.eurocaroc.com
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949.283.0863 yourcarourdriver.com Properly Licensed, Bonded & Insured. Rates are all inclusive.
YOUR CAR OUR DRIVER $120 for 3 hrs. (Most days) $200 for 5 hrs. (Saturday after 5pm) $20,000.00 for 5 hrs. per week (for 100 weeks) Concerts • Sporting Events • Theater • Dinner Airport Service • Wine Tastings • Galas Private Parties • Doctor Visits • Golf Outings Long Distance Trips • Lunch • Corporate Events
DO
... breezy back porch pop, invoking G. Love & Special Sauce.”
A LOCAL MUSIC PROFILE WRITTEN BY: ERIK HALE PHOTOGRAPHY BY: CHRIS CHAVIRA OF CCIMAGES.COM
Name: Tinifuloa R. Grey Nickname: Tini Grey Age: 36
Q: Where are you from? Tini Grey: Samoa and Honolulu, Hawaii Q: Where do you live now? TG: Costa Mesa, California for six years now. Q: Your album is coming out. What is it called and where can we find it? TG: My album is called, “Shades of Grey.” You can find me on iTunes. You can also order my CD and get more info on my upcoming shows on my website at www.tinigrey.com. Q: How would you describe your music? TG: An exploration of love, passion, pleasure and empowerment through keen storytelling and heart-felt insight that showcases the varied experiences of a young man creating the life of his dreams. The leadoff single “Home Again” taps the essence of reuniting with a loved one, played to the tune of breezy back porch pop, invoking G. Love & Special Sauce. Q: How many instruments do you play? TG: I play five, including my vocal instrument: Guitar, Bass, Ukulele and Tahitian Drums. Q: Where is the coolest place you have played? TG: The Commonwealth Lounge in Fullerton and Newport. Q: Where do you dream about playing someday? TG: The Grammy’s and stadiums all over the world. Q: Who is/are your musical inspiration? TG: My dad Jerome Grey, Paul Simon, Ray Charles, James Taylor, The Beatles ... just to name a few.
Q: Where do you eat locally when you miss Hawaiian home cooking?
TG: I like to eat Spam musubis at L&L Hawaiian BBQ in Huntington Beach, Nalu’s Poke Bowl in Irvine, or the Ahi Tartare or any fresh fish dish at Roy’s Restaurant in Newport Beach. Those are the closest things I can find for feeding my island food fix.
Check out Tini Grey’s album at
www.tinigrey.com. 136 |
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C E NTR A L A M E R I C A’ S H I D D E N G E M WRITTEN BY: ERIK HALE PHOTOGRAPHY BY: BELIZE TOURISM BOARD, TRAVELBELIZE.ORG
’m currently folded between a crisp white fitted sheet and a fluffy, gossamer duvet sans cover. The view of the jungle (the same jungle whose every occupant is pushing to gain entry to the structure in which I now reside) is obstructed by mosquito netting and four pillars holding up the bamboo and thatch roof. I do my best to distract myself from the eerie creeks, cracks, thumps and buzzing by focusing on the beauty that lay feet from my comfy bed. I lay on my left side gazing at the full moon, slightly masked by the dark rainy season storm clouds, as it begins its heavenly early evening ascent, perched just above the jungle floor. My distracted mind wanders, contemplating then dissecting the wonderful trip I planned only seven weeks earlier from my iMac.
I
“How are you going to decide where to go?” a friend of mine asked over beers as I plopped into my purposely not so comfy home office chair. “Not sure,” I replied. “I guess I could just throw a dart at a map?” My friend almost fell off his chair laughing. He suggested I bring my search forward a few decades by “dropping a pin” instead. “Same difference,” I thought aloud, and then proceeded to fire up Google Maps. My first consideration was Thailand. I had always wanted to go. A quick check of the flight prices eliminated that idea as well as Australia, New Zealand and Brazil. I could not allow this to happen. I needed a vacation. I took another swig of my beer, closed my eyes tight and moved the cursor around my screen. When I felt that there was enough dizziness to affect the random nature of my quest I simply let go of the mouse. I looked
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up and satisfactorily said out loud, “Belize.” The culture and country of Belize are both old and new. Belize possesses a thousand year old Mayan culture but only a decades old Independent Belizean culture. Belizeans seem to struggle to balance who they were (a once booming Mayan civilization of over two million whose records were destroyed by Spanish invaders) and who they are (a British colony returned to the people of Brazil only decades ago, now numbering around 300,000). I can assure you that neither of these struggles seems to affect their happiness. They are simply happy to be. An explosion of “ex-pats” are its greatest asset. Even though Belize produces sugar, chocolate, hard woods and Marie Sharp’s amazing brand of hot sauces, the people of Belize are a mixture of Creole, Hispanic, Garifuna, Mystaic. I can only characterize the people I met at every point of my 10-day expedition as hospitable, kind, warm and extremely generous. I stepped off the rear staircase of my United flight and onto the tarmac of the Belize City Airport where I was greeted by warm temperatures, warm smiles and t-shirt soaking humidity. I picked up my rental “SUV,” which in fact was vehicle a little larger than my suitcase, from a Budget Rent-a-Car office with a rather well done hand-painted company sign. I was handed a map without scale or directions and given very basic directions to make my way three hours South to Placencia. The directions included, “take a left at the radio tower” and “a right at a highway that does not have a sign.” My hope to arrive at my destination before dark quickly vanished (along with the sun) as I navigated blind turns, “SUV”-sized potholes and aggressive truck drivers in near darkness.
I was left alone with my headlight, spider sense and stick figure map to navigate this mountainous, back country thoroughfare called The Hummingbird Highway that unites Northern and Southern Belize. As I pulled into the village of Seine Bight, the last village before my destination, I was quickly reminded that I was far from home. As I slowed to go over the speed bumps, I was able to look left and right for the first time, taking in a much larger picture. The level of poverty had escaped my attention until now. There were houses, if you could call them that. They sat perched on stilts near the road. They were missing stairs, front doors, windows and even floors. Large groups of people gathered in front of the gas station, food cart, restaurant and grocery store. This is the part about Central America that is so easy to forget once you return home to shopping malls and movie theatres.
The rest of the world is not like Southern California. Placencia is a coastal village that sits on an 18-mile-long peninsula that shadows the coast of Belize only a short distance away. It is only hundreds of yards wide at its thickest and 50 feet wide at its narrowest. If water by fate or by chance were someday to overtake that 50 foot gap between sea and lagoon, I highly doubt that the change would go much noticed in this tiny village. Placencia already feels like an island. As I travel the last 18 miles, it is hard to believe that less than a decade ago this entire stretch was a bumpy, limestone and dirt road. The main street of Placencia was world-renowned as the thinnest on record. The main drag of
I was handed a map without scale or direction and given very basic directions to make my way... to Placencia. The directions included, “take a left at the radio tower” and “a right at a highway that does not have a sign.”
Placencia, until recently, was a three–foot-wide sidewalk. Even with the paved road there are still dozens of businesses that rely on this walkway. I finally arrive at my destination. It had been nearly two months since my search for “Belize vacation rentals,” returning millions of results and leaving the Google Maps page in my search history. During that search session I stumbled across a vacation property for lease on VRBO.com. The condo was positioned at the furthermost tip of the peninsula. The complex was aptly named Sunset Point (the views from the private dock were unobstructed and jaw dropping). The pictures showed a residence with granite countertops, beautiful patio views of ocean and lagoon, a private pool and a crow’s nest with infinite views. The condo owner’s description of the property was accurate but could hardly capture the beauty of the location. The most notable and welcomed of the amenities was air conditioning. We make excuses for traffic in Southern California. In Belize they make every excuse for not having, obtaining or utilizing mechanically-generated cooler temperatures other than ceiling and floor fans. With the humidity percentage outpacing the temperature reading on a daily basis, I was not so inclined to make or accept their excuses. This was going to make a great home base. My first order of business was to stop thinking about business. No better way in my experience to engage forgetfulness than to dip the brain thoroughly in alcohol. I left the comfy confines of my luxurious condo only moments after dropping my bags. I decided to brave the 10-minute, moon-lit walk to find a watering hole. There were so many restaurants to choose from. I found my way to the boardwalk and then followed the sounds of rhythmic drumming to the Tipsy Tuna. The restaurant was dimly lit while a sweet on-shore breeze caressed and cooled my skin. I found a stool at the bar, turned it to face the Garifuna dancing and drumming, and asked for a menu. After quickly checking the pricing of everything imported I settled on rum. Rum is made locally in Belize due to the abundance of sugar and desire to have fun, I suppose. I had my first of several dozen rum punches that week. It did not fail to cool, calm or aid in my mission to escape. I returned home that evening and slept soundly for more than one reason. It seemed to want to rain only at night, leaving me soothing sounds to sleep to and a freshly washed city to explore every morning. I had decided long before arriving to Placencia that I would dedicate a great deal of my time to doing nothing. I spent several days fulfilling this pledge. I took figurative ownership of a table at Cozy Corner and an Adirondack chair close to the beach. I then killed hours at Yoli’s (a bar built
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We were going to float through caves [on our inner tubes]. Once inside the pitch black cave, we turned on our lights, scared fruit bats into diving at our heads and tried to keep our jaws shut as Julio pointed out million-year-old stalactite and stalagmites, Mayan ritual sites and millennium-old pottery still in place.”
on a pier hanging over the Caribbean which looked like something out of Lonely Planet), trying to “swing rings” (a game consisting of swinging a brass ring, suspended from the ceiling by fishing line across a 20-foot gap and onto a nail attached to a post). You might be surprised how many rum punches you can down trying to lasso a nail. I might install this game on my patio at home. It’s addictive. I was becoming an absolute pro at the art of doing nothing. I found accomplices. A mixture of bored locals and ex-pats that had moved here to start a new life or escape the one they had. I met Lynn and Eugene on my third day in the country, a former school teacher and truck driver respectively. They had moved to Belize after vacationing with the intent to purchase a bar. They were somewhat busy as they juggled hanging with me and refurbishing their recent purchase, The Pickled Parrot. We spent time together drinking beers, swinging rings and even took a cruise up the Monkey River. The Monkey River was a unique expedition and a great distraction from the “Ring Swing.” We chartered a small boat and guide who escorted us 30 miles south to the tiny village of Monkey River. This village was home to our guide Brent who informed us that it had only obtained electricity in 2009. He took us four miles upstream pointing out iguanas, alligators, Jesus Christ lizards as well as all sorts of flora and fauna. We docked our boat on a sandy beach and began our trek in search of Howler monkeys. The aptly named Howler monkeys make a noise that startled me every single time, and I thought about running back to the boat. We found a group of five within minutes and were able to photograph them from yards away. It was intense. We returned to our boat and were served a wonderful local meal of stewed chicken, beans, rice, split pea soup and coleslaw at Brent’s aunt’s house which doubled as a restaurant called the Black Iris. The meal was wonderful and one that I went back for repeatedly during my visit.
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After the Monkey River tour I needed a few days to recover. I went back to my routine enjoying Belize’s beach bars like Cozy Corner and D’Tatch during the day and enjoying wonderful meals at Rumfish Y Vino, The Purple Space Monkey, The Galley and The Secret Garden every evening. The food at these restaurants was fresh, the people were wonderful and the ambiance was amazing. I ate ceviche at nearly every stop, doused most of my food in Belize’s own Marie Sharp’s hot sauces and washed it all down with a month’s supply of the locally brewed Belikin beer. My plan to unwind was working. I had not looked at my phone or computer in days. The first eight days went by in a blur (in part, thanks to the rum). I made a decision to widen my Belize experience and asked locals for suggestions. Everyone advised me to head to the jungle. There were a variety of activities offered near the capitol of Belmopan that could not be offered near the sea. I went online for the first time in nearly a week to investigate new adventures. I stumbled across Ian Anderson’s lodge about 12 miles south of the capitol. They boasted jungle lodging along a river, optional tree house accommodations and a list of activities and tours. I made reservations, jumped in my mini SUV and braved the potholed Hummingbird Highway again. In a little under two hours I arrived safely at Ian Anderson’s resort. The resort was gorgeous. It was tucked a half mile off the highway along the Caves Branch River. I was standing in the middle of the jungle in a botanical oasis. Ninety variations of Orchids, indigenous plants marked with signs and quaint windowless huts. It was manicured in such a way that I was instantly reminded of Fantasy Island. Where was Tattoo? I left my bags at the front desk and was escorted to the tour I had signed up for the day before. My guide’s name was Julio and he doubled as the bus driver on our windowless 70s-era school bus. We took a twenty-minute ride
down the freeway which included driving through an orange orchard and forging a knee deep river. We parked near an unmarked path and unloaded along with our inner tubes. We were going to float through caves. When we arrived at the stream, we were given headlamps and little other instruction. We back paddled nearly 500 yards upstream to the mouth of an enormous cave. Once inside the pitch black cave, we turned on our lights, scared fruit bats into diving at our heads and tried to keep our jaws shut as Julio pointed out million-year-old stalactite and stalagmites, Mayan ritual sites, and millennium-old pottery still in place. The tour was one of the most memorable of my life. When I returned to the resort, I dropped my bags, showered outdoors and made the quick half-mile hike to the second most famous Blue Hole in Belize. The Blue Hole was made famous by Jacques Cousteau and assuredly is more beautiful and more notorious than its lesser known little brother off the Hummingbird Highway but could not possibly be more serene. At the conclusion of the hike I was exhausted by the heat. I made my way down the hundred or so moss-covered steps with all the ease my tired legs would allow. I was rewarded at the bottom by a beautiful turquoise swimming hole filled naturally by a geyser, brimming with fish and a perfectly cool temperature. I stripped down and dove in, ignoring the “DO NOT JUMP” sign. I floated in the water for hours, chasing the tiny fish and exploring the attached cave. This
was the Belize I had come searching for; a paradise that released my stress and an experience I will never forget. I recommend that you jump, too.
Special Thanks to Sunset Pointe sunsetpointebelize.com 904-471-3599
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©2012 Hyatt Corp
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THE
GAME HOW A LITTLE GIVING CAN MAKE A BIG IMPACT WRITTEN BY: HOLLY CLINARD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY: NANCY VILLERE OF CRUSH PHOTO STUDIOS
T
his time every year, the hope seems a little greater. The possibilities seem a little better, and our chances at doing good in the world seem to really make a difference and shine through. Whether it’s with a simple gift or a strong hug or even a sweet holiday greeting, something special remains in the crisp winter air. Maybe that’s why a few of the local charities we found seemed so extra special: their super-sized impact has all started with humble beginnings and the thoughtfulness of just a few people. After all, when giving is the name of the game, a little can go a long way.
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J ESS I CA
It was probably one of the first gifts you ever got from someone as a average size of a family living in one of these rooms. Knowing that, it’s newborn. And you may have gotten a few more along the way when clear that Jessica‘s contributions are needed. “A blanket can make a big you packed your bags for college or when you got married or eventually difference to someone who doesn’t have many possessions,” Knopp had a babe of your own. What common item am I talking about? A says. blanket. Providing the homeless in Orange County with that simple, The faces of those who The Linus Project helps are at the heart of this basic need is what inspired young Jessica Knopp, founder of The Linus project. When founder Jessica first started out, she admits how afraid Project, to make a difference. “I believe a blanket is a basic need. It she was to walk up and ask folks if they wanted a blanket. Her nervous keeps you warm and for some, protects you from whatever surface approach quickly went away, though, once she started conversations you may be forced to sleep on. I knew I had a few blankets around with these people, hearing their stories, and just giving them someone the house that I didn’t use and hoped that other people would too.” to talk to. A man Knopp initially approached outside of her dry cleaners Before long, Jessica started doing blanket drives, asking her dearest received the blanket from her with a smile and a sweet story about friends and family to donate what they had around the house, even how his daughter whom he had lost touch with. The challenging them to go out and spend a whopping gesture of kindness reminded him of his hope that his $10 on a brand new blanket. The do-gooder trend daughter, about Knopp’s age, was also doing good caught on once folks saw just how easy it was to get for someone in the world, somewhere. “I knew then a blanket and change a life, and the project has since that I wanted to help more people.” Jessica adds. The expanded to a local business collecting blankets and If you are interested in donating stories are not always happy, though. Tragedy struck even toothbrushes on Jessica’s behalf. a blanket or toothbrush to when Knopp had a much different encounter. On her The Linus Project this holiday Knopp is no official charity CEO (as The Linus Project hurried way to work one day, she noticed a homeless is not yet a 501(c)(3), but she is a girl with a simple season, contact Jessica Knopp at man near the street, and in her late rush she carried thelinusproject@gmail.com thought to do something good for the universe. on and thought to make a point to return later and Jessica has been doing fundraising and development give him a blanket. After her busy day of tasks and for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Anaheim for over four years, which serves meetings at work, she returned hopeful to the same spot only to find disadvantaged children, and she’ll tell you—there are many of them. that man had passed away, unnoticed for most of the day. Jessica’s Jessica has watched these children move in and out of motels with their heart sank with a grim reminder to take every opportunity she sees to moms and dads, go back to the streets, and then return back to their help those in need. local motel homestead more times than she’d prefer to recount. Ms. Since the charity’s recent inception, over 150 blankets have been Knopp tells me, “Working with this population really opened my eyes given out to over 150 homeless, cold and needy individuals in highly to the number of homeless people in Orange County. I wanted to be populated homeless areas of Orange County. The impact is big, and it’s able to help them but didn’t know what I could do that would directly only getting bigger as the seasons go by. “I believe that most people impact them.” Families that are making motels their temporary homes want to help those in need but don’t necessarily know how,” Jessica are common in the homeless realm of Orange County—especially when said. “If you give people an easy way to help, they’re inclined to do so kids are in the picture. Each family is only provided one blanket per bed and usually feel really good doing it!” while in a motel—a staggering number if you know that seven is the
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PAU LA
Most months out of the year, Eurocar is known for its celeb When it comes to child abuse in the US, the statistics are frightening. reputation as a worldwide luxury automotive dealer, headquartered The United States has the worst record of abuse in the industrialized in Orange County. They provide glamorous rides to big names nation–losing five children every day due to abuse-related deaths. like the Kardashians, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Cedric the Entertainer In fact every year, 3.3 million reports of child abuse are made in the and Charlie Sheen. Well move over tiger blood boy, because there United States involving six million children. Those numbers mark the is more to Eurocar than meets the eye. Every year, the luxury-run hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect, showing how great the company steps out to host their annual need is for organizations like Childhelp, Holiday Gala to benefit a child abuse and the immense support they receive prevention organization called Childhelp. from Eurocar. In partnership with Sterling Public Paula Steurer, President of Sterling Public Relations, 2012 will mark the sixth year of the extravagant affair, which is held If you would like to join in and help heal child abuse by Relations and strong advocate of the inside the luxurious Eurocar showroom contributing to the Holiday Gala silent auction, contact annual Gala, has a personal connection to concierge@SterlingPublicRelationsOC.com for more the cause. Several years ago, Paula met a in the heart of OC. While wine is passed, food tasting is had and live entertainment details. 100 percent of the silent auction funds will be child who had been in one of Childhelp’s donated to the Orange County chapter of Childhelp, group homes, receiving treatment and is soaked in, lives are changed and given and you will make a difference this season! For recovering from family abuse. The pain this a new chance through the contributions more information on the annual Holiday Gala, www. child had suffered, unimaginable things, and support that is shown here. The goal facebook.com/Eurocar or affected Paula to the core. But greater than for the Holiday Gala is to raise funds as www.childhelp.org. the pain, Paula was struck by the goodness well as to raise awareness for Childhelp that was in this child’s smile and demeanor. and their programs in prevention, Her warm, funny and curious spirit shone advocacy centers, residential treatment through, and Paula knew this cause was something to spotlight. The facilities, group homes, community centers and foster care. All in treatment this bright youngster was receiving thanks to Childhelp was the name of abused kids, giving them a wide open hope for a better what put her on a healthy track to a promising future. Ms. Steurer and future. Toy donations are also taken at the Gala – about 1,000 toys her husband are now both strong advocates for Childhelp’s message were donated last year – and Eurocar hopes to double that count this of hope and of help, and go to great lengths to get that message out December. At the end of the Gala, the toys are carted up to Childhelp to the greater Orange County community. “Over the years, I have Village in Beaumont, California and given to a group of overjoyed found nothing to be more rewarding than to support such deserving recovering kiddos. These toys may seem like a small gift to some, but organizations that – because of their selfless dedication – are helping to these kids who have been forgotten, abused and wronged, a shiny, shape the future of each of the children’s lives,” adds Steurer. new toy brings light to each face at the village.
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DEAN N E
They fight for our freedom, for our ability to live the way we do, talk, act and teach what we do in this great nation, the US of A. And the ironic part about it all is their own sacrifices defending our cherished freedoms have left them in great need. It’s our United States veterans, a group of young men and women who enter a warfare that is far greater than anything we see in our everyday comings and goings, and sometimes they can’t erase it all from their minds. Too many times, these young men and women return to their moms and dads, wives and kids as changed individuals, quiet, confused and complacent beings that they weren’t before.
Veterans Affairs, and a whole network of staff counselors, county workers, hard-working volunteers, and even staff counselors from the local University of Southern California. In fact, 80 percent of their staff are veterans themselves, who relive and relate to each one of their servicemen and women, brothers and sisters, remembering how hard the transition back really is.
The rehabilitation process for vets who are served by Veterans First starts with an extensive assessment, examining the needs of the person, and setting specific goals to reach. Goals for each former soldier can range from Rewind 40 years to a group of returning Vietnam better social skills, improving their hygiene, job veterans in 1971. Doing their very best to reintegrate placement, finishing their academic degree or into society, these veterans saw a need for an agency even recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction. in addition to what the US Department of Veterans Each veteran receives a different kind of care and Help local veterans by Affairs was offering returning war heroes. The charity different concentration services, and may, therefore, contacting Natasha Ulibarri, was really founded as part of the national Disabled complete the program at Veterans First at different Community Relations Director American Veterans, Jack Fischer Chapter, with a lengths of time. “Everyone is different,” tells Deanne at (714) 547-0615, or visit www. mission statement: “Made up exclusively of men and veteransfirstoc.org. The opening Tate, President and CEO, “and our goal is to be able women disabled in our nation’s defense, the Disabled to get our returning veterans out working again.” of their first 24/7 emergency American Veterans (DAV) is dedicated to one, single shelter in OC will need volunteers Stories like that of Daniel Foster, who came to purpose: building better lives for all of our nation’s Veterans First seeking assistance amidst a messy and funding and you can get disabled veterans and their families.” This initial vision situation, was eventually able to get help stopping involved. and soul of building better lives is still true forty years his foreclosure and go through advanced security later. In 1991, the Board of Directors made a decision to guard training school to make a career for himself. sever relationships with the national DAV and became Veterans Charities William Jenkins is another success story name out of the program. of Orange County. Then, a few years later in 1994, now President and Once a homeless vet from the Civic Center in Santa Ana, Jenkins CEO Deanne Tate joined the agency as the Executive Director. In her completed the rehabilitation program with 23 months of sobriety, role as Executive Director at the time, Deanne quickly learned that the is now in permanent housing and working full-time as an outreach real need facing veterans in Orange County was homelessness. There worker for Veterans First. Jenkins introduces other homeless veterans was absolutely no community-based agency exclusively dealing with to the program. He was, after all, once in their shoes. homeless veterans in Orange County, and there were tons and tons of Exciting news for Veterans First is their new location in Santa Ana that them. Deanne picked up the pace, worked late nights, got out and met provides 24/7 services, including case management, life skills, job connected community members, and eventually birthed a program to training and placement, benefit counseling, mental health counseling, help our US heroes get off of the streets and back to good. In 2001, the hot meals, peer counseling and legal assistance. They will also open Board of Directors renamed the organization to be called Veterans First, a 100-bed emergency shelter in Anaheim to provide a safe haven of and for over 18 years now, they have helped rehabilitate upwards of a shelter and assistance for veterans and their families, too. With these thousand veterans off the streets and into permanent housing. new developments, the inspiring vision for Veterans First was, and Veterans First doesn’t do it alone: they have a strong partnership continues to be, providing men and women a safe harbor to turn to with the OC Mental Health Agency, as well as the US Department of when mental, health or financial limitations exist.
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Growing up in Irvine, Touring the World and Taking Up Soccer WRITEN BY: KRISTAL DOCTER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ANTONIO PULLANO OF LOVINLIFE MULTIMEDIA
is voice swells and soothes as he dances with a duo of mikes. His pitch-perfect howling is simultaneously animalistic and melodic. I’m amazed. I’m infatuated. I’m meditating to their music. This band sounds as if they’ve been touring together for 20 years, but I know that they’re just beginning their careers. Their transitions are smooth and their synchronicity soars over the audience with an astonishing maturity. I want to follow this voice to the faraway lands where I picture a sound like this coming from. It’s an alluring sound I will never forget, and it’s coming out of our very own OC natives: exploding alternative indie-rock band Young The Giant. ❱❱ | Holiday 2012 Issue | 153
his seemingly regular group of guys are on an anything but regular journey. They’ve played more than 150 shows in 365 days, shocking concert-goers around the globe with their intensity and strong performance, while taking a moment during each show to document their tour by Instagramming crowds in every city. Throughout their circuit, Young The Giant have also made appearances on Jay Leno, The Today Show, the MTV VMAs, GLEE, Carson Daly and Jimmy Kimmel Live, and with each live showing, instantaneously picking up floods of new fans along the way. Their vibe is infectious and exotic and still somehow familiar, and that’s either because their favorite band for inspiration is Radiohead (a personal fave) or because you may have seen them perform locally as The Jakes before their musical metamorphosis. Their amended and more trivial moniker Young the Giant suits these intellectual musicmakers, granting groupies the facility for dreaming up their own meaning of the catchy band name. It’s meant to “evoke curiosity,” lead vocalist Sameer Gadhia said in an interview with Young The Giant’s record label, “but is purposefully nonsensical.” Illustrious metal and rock label Roadrunner Records released Young the Giant’s debut, self-titled album in the fall of 2010 (an entirely live recording, including song renditions we OCers had been addicted to for months prior to the release), after receiving heavy air-time on LA’s KROQ as well as being hand-selected as a tour opener for bands like Incubus, Kings of Leon and the Whigs. Twenty-something friends form this otherworldly-sounding crew with Sameer Gadhia on vocals, Jacob Tilley on guitar, Eric Cannata on guitar and vocals, Payam Doostzadeh on bass and Francois Comtois on drums and vocals. Songs from their current album like “Cough Syrup,” “Apartment” and My Body” have topped the charts on Alternative and Modern Rock Radios, been featured in major commercials and magazines like SPIN, reached the top ten on VH1’s Top 20 Video Countdown and made multiple video premieres on MTV. They’ve received serious praise from industry-icons like Morrissey and have rocked every major festival across the globe since beginning their tour in 2009, including mainstage cred at the summer festival godfather Lollapalooza in 2011.
during their recent live shows, and how could he, between the handful of instruments he already hones on stage in addition to jumping between multiple mikes. “It’s weird I don’t play it live, but I’m more acoustic with the guitar.” Gadhia said. “I’ll be playing more on the next record.” You might be wondering if Young The Giant’s former life in Orange County had any influence on the album that just might make them millions. And, the answer is yes. They actually authored the material for their current remarkable slew of anthem-esque hit singles which topped the charts on alternative radio stations ahead of bands like Coldplay, The Black Keys and the Foo Fighters, right here in Newport Beach. The bandmates shared a peninsula home, which Gadhia said was a random gem that quickly became the place to party post performance. He said he’d often wake up wondering who was sleeping on the couch. Ahh – the life of budding rockstars … The Orange County crew has since lived in lofts-turned-studios in Hollywood where their beds were actually in the studio space, spent time living and recording at Incubus’ Malibu mansion, but have dedicated most of their time to being on the road. Comtois compares their recent lifestyle to that of Jack Kerouac’s vision of experiencing America, “going from town to town.” But for now, they’re settling back into So Cal to record and be closer to home (aka Irvine, California). “I miss my family and loved ones and the food,” Gadhia admits with a laugh. “It’s nice sometimes to not have to think about being in a band. It’s also good to let your mind wander a little bit.” Although they perform with an acute precision and intense focus, it’s apparent that the dudes of Young The Giant let their minds wander a little while performing live, too, adding to the excitement of their raging live shows. Gadhia is one of those musicians who doesn’t just perform a set of songs – he actually exudes music from every pore, letting it move through him like he’s possessed with the sound of his voice and the accompanying instruments. This possession may have been what captivated him so fiercely that he took a few stage dives during their chill-worthy performance at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, earning them a spot on MTV’s 2011 VMA “Most Talked About Moments.”
“It’s so surreal, all of the musicians we’ve met along the way that we looked up to for inspiration, and now we’re friends with them? We really just fell into it,” Gadhia humbly concedes. “People just started digging our stuff, but we’ve had to step up our game a lot. We’ve learned so much from being on the road, and when you’re playing with the heavy-hitters, you have to move to the next level every time. We just had to rely on ourselves and that dynamic we have onstage, because something like this really only happens once in a lifetime.”
“Live shows are what makes it interesting for us, and because of that, concert-goers can expect a different experience every time,” Gadhia said. “We try to switch it up and make the transitions feel a little different. And if I’m feeling it, if the audience is crazy enough, I’ll jump into the crowd. I just do it because it’s fun, pretty much. We wouldn’t be touring if we didn’t enjoy playing live. We’re very fortunate. At the end of the day, when we’re playing our own stuff is when we really come alive.”
I, and probably a million other fans, would argue that Young The Giant didn’t “just fall into it.” Their dedication to practicing and building their connection as a band, their intelligent song writing and their conglomeration of creative instruments make Young The Giant destined for fame without any of the luck. Maybe it’s because these bandmates took major risks to reach success, leaving so many other opportunities behind to live their lives like rockstars. As many Young The Giant followers already know, these band members left multiple academic scholarships behind to pursue their musical careers. Gadhia was enrolled in the Bio/ Pre-med program at Stanford.
How ironic that one of the largest crowd’s they performed to on their explosive tour was right here in the OC at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa last summer. “It was pretty cool. I mean … it was just amazing,” Gadhia says of their experience playing OC’s best outdoor venue. Gadhia acknowledges that all of the band members have had a “love-hate relationship with the OC,” as many of us do with the places we grow up, unable to recognize the importance of our roots until we’ve gone; so, after two years “on the road,” he confesses that on their next album (hopefully out next spring!), Young The Giant will manifest with a kind of “coming back home feeling” about “enjoying the beach, realizing the fleeting nature of things and appreciating everything.”
Or, maybe their constant close quarters contributed to the fortune this troop of once-teen-friends has had, since not only have they been playing music together every day for the past three years, but they’ve also been traveling together, living together and taking up new pastimes together. Gadhia shares that the gang picked up soccer while on tour last year and have been playing every day when they get a break from being indie-rock’s hottest band. And apparently they have yet to wear out their camaraderie, because they’re buying another place together in LA to start recording their next album.
I, personally, can’t wait to hear what other strange and wonderful locations these musical risk-takers travel to with their next album, but it is bound to be another collection of perfected soul-soothing, makeya-move beats. So, plan on making Young The Giant’s next record your summer of 2013, go-to album for lazy days at the beach, long road trips up and down the coast and parties by the pool. These guys know how to channel that easy So Cal feeling with a sound that’s unforgettable.
“Our sites, right now, are mostly on our next record. It’s been a discovery for us,” Gadhia says of their next album. “There’s this exciting, new stuff that’s actually just coming out of us right now, so we want to get in the studio and just release. We don’t want to fall into a trap of worrying about it, but at the same time, we don’t want to sit with it too long either.” Young the Giant’s sophomore release will feature in part Gadhia’s instrument of choice, the acoustic guitar, which he oddly hasn’t played
www.youngthegiant.com
“It’s so surreal, all of the musicians we’ve met along the way that we looked up to for inspiration, and now we’re friends with them. Something like this really only happens once in a lifetime.” Sameer Gadhia vocalist
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WOMEN 7
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BUSINESSWOMEN GETTING IT DONE IN OC
PRESENTED BY
INTERVIEWS BY: JENNIFER HOOD PHOTOGRAPHY BY: NANCY VILLERE OF CRUSH PHOTO STUDIOS
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Ashley Eckenweiler THE ACE AGENCY, CEO/FOUNDER OC MUSIC AWARDS, PRODUCER WWW.THEACEAGENCY.COM Every band member and insider in the Orange County music scene knows her name. But, this tall blonde is much more than a pretty face in the crowd at local concert venues like The Observatory and The Yost. Ashley Eckenweiler has made a professional name for herself in the OC cultural scene as a PR agent for artists and musicians. She is a true student-turnedbusinesswoman of music and culture. It started with a career in New York City as a classical ballet dancer and grew westward to California. She is renowned for her work as the former events manager at Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) and for her role as producer of the Orange County Music Awards. Since 2007, Eckenweiler has run her own public relations and marketing firm in Orange County called The Ace Agency. With that kind of resume it’s no wonder she has garnered such career achievements as OC Metro’s “40 Under 40 Most Successful Entrepreneurs and Executives,” OC Weekly’s “Best Promoter” and 944 Magazine’s “Women to Watch.”
Q: What does your role consist of at The ACE Agency? AE: The ACE Agency’s core is a PR firm that mainly serves the greater Southern California area. We provide strategic public relations, marketing campaigns, social media management and event production. We are very lucky to work with such an established and diverse group of clients spanning the music industry, fine art, recreation, retail, beauty, health, food, real estate … so each day’s tasks at hand are unique. That keeps our working environment really dynamic and alive. Q: What is your crowning achievement? AE: Sustaining and growing ACE over the last five years has definitely been a fulfilling experience. There have been so many pinnacle moments along the way with many more to come. We are happy to have established ourselves as a reputable PR firm in Orange County. Q: Any big plans for the future? What is your next frontier? AE: I like to try and take things one day at a time and focus on the now. But looking ahead, in the short-term future, the 2013 OC Music Awards season will kick off in January and we are working hard to produce another Awards season that resonates with even more of the Orange County music community and provides greater exposure for Orange County musicians. In the long-term future, ACE has plans to eventually open a second office in Los Angeles which will be an exciting next step. Q: The business mantra or motto that you think
about every day at work? AE: Deliver. Deliver. Deliver (with a smile). Q: Give us a life lesson. What is the key to success in your opinion? AE: Perseverance, dedication, hard work, and always say “yes.” Q: Who is your business hero? AE: Without a doubt, my dad. He is the hardest working person I know. He has been involved in a million different amazing projects and companies and is still always inspired by new opportunities. He sees potential where others don’t, and he really embodies the definition of an entrepreneur and visionary. I love you, dad! Q: How does being an Orange Countian affect you as a businesswoman and how your company does business? AE: In some ways I would like to think that it doesn’t. I believe you can be from or located anywhere in the world and provide great services in all different markets. But being from and based in Orange County does lend to a unique and deep perspective of the Orange County market, which gives us optimum insight to produce great public relations work right here in our home town. Hopefully in the end we give something positive back to the community. Q: When you’re not at work, we can find you... AE: At Burke Williams in Orange, Nekter Juice Bar in Costa Mesa, Barry’s Bootcamp in Irvine, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Rolling Greens at SOCO Collection, or at the beach (any beach).
| Holiday 2012 Issue | 159
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Janeane Ardolino DIRECTOR FIELD MARKETING WEST, COCA-COLA AND GLACEAU BRANDS FOR 9+ YEARS (COCA-COLA, VITAMINWATER®, SMARTWATER®, VITAMINWATER ZERO™, POWERADE ION4®, FUZE®, NOS®) WWW.COCA-COLA.COM Janeane is living most of our dreams. Janeane knows people. She has pictures with Kobe. She has pictures with 50 Cent. She has pictures in full-on race car gear. She has pictures with the Stanley Cup. All in the name of her work. With a devil-may-care attitude and killer business savvy, Janeane has climbed the corporate ladder into some sort of Valhalla a place where the Coca Cola flows like wine, where professional athletes instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I’m talkin’ ‘bout a little place called Glaceau Brands. Janeane is the Director of Field Marketing in the West - the woman in charge of using events, media, partnerships and general fanfare to make consumers thirsty for Coca-Cola, Powerade, Vitaminwater and other brands she represents. Vivacious and cunning, she has been a pivotal part in growing these brands and keeping them on top of the beverage market. 160 |
| Holiday 2012 Issue
Q: What does your role consist of at Glaceau Brands? JA: I manage all field marketing initiatives for the west region. This means I am responsible for all grassroots, events and consumer marketing activities for west market units; I develop programming and cross promotions for retail stores; manage and utilize local assets and partnerships to create brand programming; help plan radio and media programming for all brands; work shoulder to shoulder with regional sales teams to create opportunities for increasing distribution, sales, and availability; leverage relationships for product placement; and so much more. Q: How have you advanced Glaceau Brands as well as the industry since you have been working there? JA: I started with vitaminwater/smartwater in its infancy. We pioneered, innovated and created the enhanced water category. I was passionate about growing the brand and take great pride in our success. Being a key stake holder in building the business and the brand was something I was committed to doing and continue to do. It is important that as brands get bigger, they don’t lose sight of their beginnings. Being one of the few remaining original employees, I continue to raise the flag on being true to the brand image and voice and not just a spreadsheet. I have grown so much in this business and those are the lessons I use to push myself, my team and the company to be better. Being a part of one of the biggest beverage acquisitions ever-bought by Coke in 2007, I know how much we all worked as a team and contributed to the vision. It always feels great to say we blazed the way, and we did not jump on the band wagon! Q: What is your crowning achievement? JA: I am so proud to have a job that I truly love! I have been on a great career path with amazing mentors/ bosses, including my current manager Corey Saenz . From working in the music industry in the ‘90s, to my current role in the beverage business, I am passionate and proud of everything I have been involved with and the successes I have helped to create.
Q: Any big plans for the future? What is your next frontier? JA: Building new brands, it’s in my DNA. Q: What is the business mantra or motto that you think about every day at work? JA: Be honest and accountable with yourself and expect the same from others. I believe that if we are not learning, we are not contributing to our maximum potential. Take pride in your work, it shows. Q: Now it’s your turn to give us a life lesson. What is the key to success, in your opinion? JA: Have a passion for what you do. Anyone can have a job and even be successful, but to find happiness, you have to love what you do. Make it personal but don’t take it personally. Q: Who is your business hero? JA: My parents. They taught me that it is important to commit to something. Even if you don’t like what you are doing at the time, see it through and learn from it. Take that knowledge and apply it towards something you feel good about. Q: How does being an Orange Countian or living in Orange County affect you as a businesswoman? JA: Growing up and currently residing in Huntington Beach has afforded me many experiences and opportunities. The Orange County culture naturally lends itself to the success of our brands. My success also allows me to give back to such programs as Jr. Lifeguards, which I was a part of back in the day. Being happy in the culture/location you live in contributes to your success as an individual and ultimately in your company, too. Q: When not at work, we can find you ... JA: With free-time at a premium, I like to spend it on a bike at the beach, on a plane for an adventure, hanging with friends and family (my nieces and nephews are the best), watching Syfy or the Discovery Channel, or acting as a mentor to others.
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Alison Fuller PERSONAL STYLIST/STAR DIRECTOR, STELLA & DOT WWW.STELLADOT.COM/ALISONFULLER Great success doesn’t always stem from a selfmade business. Many of the most stunning careers are had by innovative, motivated people coming into existing businesses and using every opportunity available to make success happen for them and the company. Fuller is this type of woman. She is the spirit of entrepreneurialism and realized about three years ago, while pregnant with her third child, that she needed a commodity she could be passionate about to satiate this desire to build and succeed at something fun and positive. She found an answer in Stella and Dot, a jewelry and accessory company that has passed over the brick and mortar storefront in favor of what they call social selling: selling their products through in-home parties and trunk shows hosted by their personnel of stylists. Stella and Dot’s at-home businesswoman model gave Fuller the opportunity to create a flexible work environment, the success of which could only be championed or hindered by her own hard work and networking. Fuller took that challenge head on. Today she has added nearly 2000 people to the Stella and Dot team and continues to help grow the market for Stella and Dot jewelry.
Q: What does your role consist of at Stella & Dot? AF: My role is ever changing and growing, but basically boils down to two main tasks: Firstly, I am a Personal Stylist for our amazing line of boutique-style, celebrity-coveted, editor-adored jewelry. I come into your home/office with our collection of accessories and style women with everything from black tie event statement pieces, to everyday “go to the park” jewelry. And secondly, I simply help other women do what I’ve done. I am a leader, coach and mentor to other women who also want to start their own social selling, fashion business with Stella & Dot. I support my team of 2000+ stylists through targeted communications, fun monthly meetings, small groups and oneon-one support. The greatest part is that I get to do it all from home! Q: How have you advanced Stella & Dot and your industry since you have been working with the company? AF: Within the past 3 years I have helped grow an international sales team that sold over $6 million in 2011, and helped create over 2000 jobs for women and their families. We have created our own economic stimulus plan, which has done a lot for my family AND the families of all our stylists! Q: What is your crowning achievement? AF: I left the comfort and security of my pharmaceutical job in January of 2010, and have never looked back. Fast forward two years from that decision, and I find myself ringing the closing bell at NASDAQ along with a group of fellow stylists, our CEO, and CCO, when Stella & Dot was honored for job creation in America and our contribution through the Stella & Dot Foundation. Talk about a once in a lifetime experience! It all started with that leap of faith.
Q: What is the key to success in your opinion? AF: Oprah Winfrey said, “The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.” We are all given 24 hours in a day and it is up to you, your own personal work ethic, drive, determination, and tenacity to choose what you will do with one of life’s greatest gifts – time. Q: Who is your business hero? AF: Hands down, undeniably, and with a passionate “absolutely,” Jessica Herrin. She is a mother of two and the founder and CEO of Stella & Dot. She is mission driven and her mission is clear: to build a company that revolutionizes the homebased business opportunity for women, because, as Jessica claims, “nine-to-five just doesn’t flatter.” We are building a company of strong women living bold lives. The icing on the cake is that I get to call her my friend. Q: How does living in Orange County affect you as a businesswoman? AF: I am extremely fortunate to live in such a healthy, active, climate-friendly place like Orange County. Running an accessories business in a place where women can accessorize all year long works out pretty well. Q: When not at work, we can find you? AF: With my Loyola Marymount University college sweetheart and husband of 14 years Chad Fuller, and our three fantastic kids, Delaney (10), Addison (5) and Charlie (3). My family is my reason for working as hard as I do. But we don’t just work hard, we play hard! We ALL do the fitness phenomenon called CrossFit, we love being outdoors, and truly enjoy living in this beautiful place.
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Tootsies
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Kim Glen MARKETING MANAGER, TRAVEL COSTA MESA WWW.TRAVELCOSTAMESA.COM Efficient, effective and exciting—that’s how Kim Glen does business. A manager with many talents, Glen knows how to come into a company, cut costs, grow revenues and streamline processes using the most relevant and modern technologies. She has perfected marketing and management to a science. And, she’s doing it this time for Costa Mesa. As the Marketing Manager at Costa Mesa Conference and Visitor Bureau, Glen is damned and determined to put Costa Mesa on the map with the big cities where it belongs. Culture in Orange County has huge roots in Costa Mesa, with the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, South Coast Repertory, South Coast Plaza, John Wayne Airport, and the Orange County Fairgrounds all located within its borders. Locals may know most of Costa Mesa’s attractions, but Glen and her team want the rest of the world to know, too. They are rebranding Costa Mesa as a must-see tourist destination, as the “City of the ArtsTM.”
Q: What does your role consist of at Travel Costa Mesa? KG: I’m in charge of all marketing initiatives for the city’s visitor bureau, including the website, branding, promotion, PR and communications.
Shoe Boutique
Vera Wang Lavender
Q: How have you advanced the company as well as your industry since you have been working there? KG: Since I started, we have built a new website from scratch, rebranded Costa Mesa as the City of the Arts™, created Costa Mesa Restaurant Week, and are about to launch a multi-state branding campaign to let people know who Costa Mesa is and why they should come here.
Kors Michael Kors
Q: As someone in the know, what is Costa Mesa’s best kept secret? What is Orange County’s? KG: One of the secrets of this city is its culinary experiences. Restaurants like The Golden Truffle and Onotria which have exceptional chefs who have been in this city for 20 years or more. They offer really creative dining experiences with daily-changing menus and homegrown ingredients. There are so many small spots that have five-star cuisine that only locals know about.
Gentle Soles
Q: Any big plans for the future? What is your next frontier? KG: I’d like to work on marketing Costa Mesa and Orange County more to the international markets in the future. With a world-famous shopping destination like South Coast Plaza and an amazing performing arts complex, it’s a great destination for people from all over the world to shop, play and be just a few minutes from the beach.
Frye
Q: The business mantra or motto that you think about every day at work? KG: What did I learn today, and how can I use that to make me better at my job? Q: Now it’s your turn to give us a life lesson. What is the key to success, in your opinion? KG: It’s so important to keep reinventing yourself and to be up on the latest tools and technologies. I never want to be bored or stagnant in my job, just treading water until retirement. Also, always give credit to your team! You can’t be as good without them. Q: Who is your business hero? KG: I thought Steve Jobs was such an incredible businessperson and innovator. He seemed to have an innate knowledge of what people wanted in a product, was able to create it, and then make sure they knew they couldn’t live without it.
Jessica Simpson Steve Madden Vince Camuto Sam Edelman
Dolce Vita Old Gringo Ella Moss Splendid BCBG
Hobo
“One shoe can change your life...”
-Cinderella
Tootsies Newport 1735 Westcliff Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660 949-548-4550 Tootsies La Jolla 7458 Girard Avenue La Jolla, CA 92037 858-412-4170
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Barbara Julian FOUNDER AND CEO, BEGINNER BLOCKS WWW.BEGINNERBLOCKS.COM Barbara Julian is a young and vibrant entrepreneur. Her early child development and learning company, Beginner Blocks, developed organically as she began to find one, two, three clients who wanted a passionate, flexible, attentive tutor for their kids. Eventually, as clients grew, she created Beginner Blocks to meet the demand and grow her vision. Beginner Blocks is an extension of Barbara’s desire to redefine the way adults communicate with and understand kids, and the way educational curriculum is tailored to the individual development of each child. She wanted to create a fun, safe learning environment staffed by patient teachers and tutors and facilitated by specialized curriculum (which she wrote and created herself). Add to that a keen attention to pacing education with each child’s level and style of learning, and the result is Orange County after school programs, tutoring, and kindergarten classes that truly enrich children at their most impressionable stages of life. 164 |
| Holiday 2012 Issue
Q: What is Beginner Blocks? BJ: I started Beginner Blocks because of the importance of early education for developing children. It is an educational and developmental company based in Orange County and serving the local community. I tutor children from pre-k through sixth grade, run city programs, summer camps and provide educational consulting and remediation. Q: How have you advanced your company and your industry since you started Beginner Blocks? BJ: Advancing my company and the industry go hand-in-hand. It’s important for me to continue to learn and challenge the field. On top of tutoring local kids through Beginner Blocks, I have worked to build new city programs, benefiting young kids in our area. These programs include a morning kindergarten class, an after school program and summer camps. Q: What is your crowning achievement? BJ: My education and starting my own company at such a young age! Q: Any big plans for the future? BJ: For the future, I hope to continue to make a name for myself in the early education and child development field. I have just made the planning division committee for Orange County Head Start and plan to continue my work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate.
I also plan to open my own center through Beginner Blocks. The center would be a preschool or a tutoring and enrichment center. Q: What is the business mantra or motto that you think about every day at work? BJ: I always think of the quote from Gandhi, “If we want real peace, we must begin with the children.” This quote helps motivate me to give everything I have to the students I teach. It reminds me to always be supportive, kind, loving and teach with a gentle hand. Q: Now, it’s your turn to give us a life lesson. What is the key to success in your opinion? BJ: The key to success is to enjoy your job, be hard working and passionate. Find out what you love to do and do it! I think you should do something that is rewarding and brings fulfillment. Q: Who is your business hero? BJ: My heroes are my professors from my masters program (Robert Weigand, Barbara Weigand, and Mary Warren) and the children I work with on a daily basis. They all posses a genuine spirit that is contagious. Q: When not at work, we can find you... BJ: Working out, on a bike ride, at the beach, or planning a dinner party!
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Stephanie Pollaro PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, INTERNATIONAL SANCTUARY, A.K.A. ISANCTUARY WWW.ISANCTUARY.ORG As a magazine writer who still believes in the unique power of print, it’s great to tell an inspiring story that begins with an article. In 2003, Stephanie Pollaro read a story about human sex trafficking in India and around the world. That article sparked a short trip to India, another trip, another longer trip, and then a year of volunteer work with an Indian nongovernmental organization in Andhra Pradesh that served women and girls in red-light districts. Pollaro, a Californian with a fabulous sense of humor, met an issue that would change the course of her life’s purpose and her career. Realizing that the battle for these women’s freedom went beyond liberating them from forced commercial sexual exploitation, she created International Sanctuary, or iSanctuary, with co-founder Wendy Hicks. iSanctuary gives job opportunity to women freed from sex trafficking by training them with artisan skills. Teaching these women to make jewelry, which iSanctuary then markets and sells, returning the profits to the women; and in turn, giving these women independence. She gives them a purpose in their communities and families. Pollaro currently lives in Mumbai, India, where she works in government-run and private rehabilitation facilities for trafficking survivors, teaching them to make jewelry, while Hicks holds down the business side of things in Orange County.
Q: What does your role consist of at iSanctuary? SP: I am President and Founder… also the jewelry designer at iSanctuary, but Siri likes to call me Madame. My role is a little bit of everything, including comic relief. I have been working in India, developing iSanctuary since 2005. For the first five years, I was full-time in India, working with girls rescued from human trafficking and establishing our social enterprise there while my partner, Wendy Dailey, directed operations stateside. Q: How have you advanced your company’s work as well as raised more awareness about modern slavery in India since beginning iSanctuary? SP: When we first started doing outreach events back in 2007, people were absolutely shocked to hear that slavery is alive and extremely pervasive throughout the modern world. Forget trying to get them to wrap their minds around the fact that it takes place here in the US. At that time, at presentations we were giving, only three or four people out of 100 knew what human trafficking was, but today most of the public has heard about it either through the news media or movies. So now our job is to educate them on the reality and what they can do to help the situation. Q: What is your next frontier with iSanctuary? SP: We have recently taken a trip to the Philippines. We are considering expanding our work to help girls rescued from human trafficking in Cebu, Philippines. There are a lot of really deserving young women out there that need our help. So we are just looking for the right woman to head up that venture. I am needed in the US, so unfortunately, I have to sit this one out. Q: What is the business mantra or motto that you think about every day at work?
SP: Well, our motto here at iSanctuary is “Purchase with Purpose®.” As an organization, we try to always operate out of a place of purpose. If there isn’t a purpose greater than ourselves behind what we are doing then it isn’t worth doing. So I always try to remember to be purposeful in my actions and deeds, and in so doing, I will be a blessing to others. Q: Now, it’s your turn to give us a life lesson. What is the key to success in your opinion? SP: In working with survivors of human trafficking, consistency has been extremely important to our success. They don’t trust easily, and they wait to see when things get tough if you will run like everyone else in their life. Perseverance in the face of challenges is therefore a necessity, because things will not be easy. You have to be able to weather the storm. Q: Who is your business hero? SP: A young entrepreneur I met in India by the name of Aditya Dwivedi. Adi is an extremely generous person both with his time and finances, and when I questioned him about this he said, “I give all that I can to those that ask and give without expectation that it will be returned.” That’s a powerful way to live! Q: How does living in Orange County affect you as a businesswoman or how your company does business? SP: Over the past few years, we have witnessed Orange County become the epicenter for cause product companies. This has provided many opportunities to network and meet likeminded entrepreneurs. Q: When not at work, we can find you... SP: Enjoying the company of friends and family with a nice glass of wine.
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Dr. Carol Taylor UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT/CEO, VANGUARD UNIVERSITY WWW.VANGUARD.EDU You’ve heard the ads and convention speeches touting Mitt Romney as the turnaround artist. He might be the would-be turnaround president, but we know the in term turnaround president. Her name is Dr. Carol Taylor. She’s the University President and CEO of Vanguard University in Costa Mesa. It’s been about a year since Dr. Taylor received the Orange County Business Journal’s Women in Business Award, recognizing her leadership in a profound institutional turnaround at Vanguard University, which was in danger of losing accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges prior to her being named president. A smart and levelheaded woman with more than 30 years of experience in education at institutions like Biola and Princeton, Taylor was a blessing for the floundering school. Today the school is growing in bounds. It takes a lot of smarts, a lot of heart, and a good sense of humor to weather that kind of storm and come out on top. Dr. Taylor has all three in spades.
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Q: What does your role consist of at Vanguard University? CT: University presidents are generally the face and voice of their universities. As president of a Christian university where we provide an integration of faith, learning, and living, I ensure the success of our mission and vision, our academic programs and our fiscal and institutional health. I also ensure that we equip graduates who will be future employees with strong critical thinking, character and integrity for the market place and nonprofit organizations and ministries. I also establish partnerships with the community and churches to provide academic programs that meet their needs. Besides all this, I am directly responsible to the Board of Trustees for the overall leadership and management of the university. Q: How have you advanced Vanguard as a competitive education destination? CT: I stepped in as Acting President in January 2009, at a time of crisis that threatened the life of the University. In June 2009, we were issued a public sanction of probation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), our regional accrediting association. A year later, the sanction was removed with the WASC Commission’s recognition of “phenomenal progress” and “a significant institutional turnaround.” We advanced Vanguard first by refocusing on our mission, addressing a number of issues to achieve financial sustainability, engaging the community, and promoting the stories of our campus, students, and alumni. We have done that though the relaunch of a Foundation Board, redesign of our website and University magazine, our new efforts on social media, our hosting of galas to support several centers, our hosting of breakfasts and other events for alumni and community and business leaders and our efforts to provide service to the community through a number of student and faculty-led service projects. Personally, I host a number of events on and off campus – from small private lunches in my office to larger galas. I am active in a number of professional associations and groups, and am very involved in our sponsoring denomination of the Assemblies of God. Through our collective efforts we have revived and hugely progressed Vanguard, enhancing our already outstanding achievements. Vanguard has a sociology professor who is a leading researcher on homelessness in Orange County; the director of our Global Center for Women and Justice is a sought after leader to address human trafficking; our graduates are competitive as business professionals, teachers, nursing leaders, leaders in ministry and non-profits; and, our music and theatre programs are recognized among the top performing arts programs in the county.
Q: What is your crowning achievement? CT: I would hate to think that that has already been achieved. That being said, in 2011 I was stunned to be presented with the Orange County Business Journal’s Women in Business Award in recognition of leading Vanguard’s turnaround. However, I need to be clear that that was not my achievement, but the achievement of an entire community – board, administration, faculty, staff, donors, students, parents, alumni, and other friends of the University – who pulled together in sacrificial ways to ensure the future of an institution with a rich ninety-year legacy. Q: Any big plans for the future? What is the next frontier for Vanguard University? CT: One of the gifts of a near death experience is the opportunity to rediscover why you exist and why there would be, in writer Jim Collins’ terms, a gaping hole in the world if you ceased to exist. He writes: “If you cannot marshal a compelling answer to the question, ‘What would be lost, and how would the world be worse off, if we ceased to exist?’ Then perhaps capitulation is the wise path. But if you have a clear and inspired purpose built upon solid core values, then the noble course may be to fight on, to reverse decline, and to try to rekindle greatness.” For Vanguard, this is an exciting time to be engaged in strategic planning. We will remain focused on continuing to build institutional sustainability while discerning with the community a set of strategic initiatives that will focus our direction for the foreseeable future. We have experienced dramatic growth and are near capacity on our campus. One of our immediate challenges is how to increase our capacity and create a campus that inspires learning while nurturing a dynamic residential community. Q: What is the business mantra or motto that you think about every day at work? CT: I often use the African proverb, “when you pray, move your feet.” We do both. Q: Who is your business hero? CT: My father Cliff Taylor. He modeled a great work ethic, but also how to live well. Love God, love family, love others, and serve them well. He taught me perseverance, a servant’s heart, a sense of humor and not taking oneself too seriously, integrity and hope. My father passed away this spring, and as I was preparing my tribute to him, I found a handwritten note inside his Bible. It was from the Ecclesiastes: “…when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work – this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.” (Ecc. 5:19-20)
With the warmth of the holidays approaching, have your holiday cards hand lettered by
Kristina A. Kunza and receive 20$ off your first booking!
Announcements Place cards Invitations Envelopes Hours by appointment only. Contact Kristina to book a calligraphy consultation today! 714.348.2255 {Kristinakunza@sbcglobal.net}
www.kakalligraphy.com
Representing clients throughout Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, Allison Root
ALLISON ROOT SUCCESSFULLY REPRESENTING
possesses the varied and requisite skills to succeed in this competitive marketplace. Her exceptional customer service and strong negotiating skills – in addition to life-long knowledge of the local area – separate her from most agents and enable her to provide an uncommon level of comprehensive service. Challenging market
CLIENTS IN NEWPORT BEACH
conditions are her forte, and Root has favorably navigated myriad clients through
AND LAGUNA BEACH
Her keen understanding of what buyers are looking for helps Root to develop
the often-intricate details and unforeseen problems of modern day transactions. tailored marketing and exposure plans that highlight a property’s strongest attributes. Results speak for themselves and hers often surpass that of other agents.
allison root 949.300.5484 m 949.478.7704 t aroot@homgroup.com 1200 newport center drive, suite 100 newport beach, california 92660 949.554.1200 . www.homgroup.com
Actual Patients
360 SAN MIGUEL DR., STE 507 NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660
949.427.6380
WWW.DRGROVER.COM FACEBOOK.COM/DRSANJAYGROVER
Scan QR code
270 E. 17th Street, Suite 3A
รก Costa Mesa, CA 92627 รก 949.644.4669
www.ajewelrywonderland.com
www.facebook.com/AJewelryWonderland
WRITTEN BY: JENNIFER AND AMY HOOD
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DO
• Paper (You can even cut up grocery bags.)
plate or a piece of wax paper too. Any flat surface will work.)
• Celery stock (You will cut the base • Paint (We used of this off. Try to an introductory keep very smooth acrylic paint, but b/c this will be you can use any your stamp face.) kind you want.) • Paint palette (You • Paintbrush can use a paper (optional)
STEP 1) Take your celery stalk and cut it at about 3 to 4 inches up from the base. Cut cleanly because this will be your stamp.
STEP 2) On a clean workspace, open up your paper choice and lay
it flat. If you’re using tissue paper you’ll want to work with a drop cloth or on a washable surface as the paint will most likely leak through lightly.
STEP 3) Squeeze some paint onto your paint palette. You may want to spread it around evenly with your paint brush so it’s easier to apply to the stamp.
STEP 4) Place the cut edge of the celery stalk into the paint and apply evenly. Then take your stamp and carefully but firmly place it on your paper. Be sure not to smudge it around or it will blur the shape. Repeat as many times as you like to cover the paper.
STEP 5) Set paper aside to dry completely. If you’re impatient you can use a hair dryer.
STEP 6) Get wrapping!
SUCCULENT BOOK PLANTERS
$30 for planter $50-$65 for planter with plants www.paperdame.etsy.com
Vintage books turned into handmade planters— adorable, right? Made by local Etsy shop owner Paper Dame, these planters are lined with a waterproof seal to keep your planter happy and useful for years to come. Specific book colors or titles are available upon request.
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LUGANO DIAMONDS’ STORYBOOK LOVE RING
For info and pricing call 1-866-LUGANO6 james@luganodiamonds.com www.luganodiamonds.com
Lugano Diamonds unveils a new one-of-a-kind treasure – the Storybook Love Ring, a locketstyle ring featuring a book that can be engraved for your special someone.
“Santa Claus has the right idea - visit people only once a year.” VICTOR BORGE
HOLIDAY DRINK RECIPE
HOT BUTTERED RUM INGREDIENTS • 2 oz Rum
• .5 tsp Cloves
• 3 tsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• .5 tsp Allspice
• Hot Water
Is your house too small for the festivities? Meet your home away from home...
WATERFRONT BEACH RESORT 21100 Pacific Coast Hwy Huntington Beach, CA 92648 714-845-8000 | www.waterfrontresort.com
By Matt “RumDood” Robold, a bartender at 320 Main who, in his spare time, runs RumDood.com where he writes about rum, rum cocktails, and rum history.
DIRECTIONS: Warm a mug or glass, and then add sugar and about 1.5 oz of hot water to the mug. Stir sugar and water until sugar is well-dissolved. Add rum and spices and then fill up the mug with hot water. Add butter and stir until butter is completely melted. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and/or orange peel, depending on the flavor you’re looking for. Now enjoy!
THE AMPAL CREATIVE
theAmpalCreative.com | Also available for purchase at Thalia Surf The hat is called the REMINGTON Snapback and was inspired by the warm golden feel of a sip of whiskey on a crisp fall day. The 100% cotton print outer is fully lined in red satin and features natural rope and embroidery details. The hat was dreamed and made in Los Angeles.
The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton hotel has five brand new holiday packages to cover the wide spectrum of holiday gatherings. From an intimate and personal chef-inspired designer setting for 10-12 people (in your own private event space); to a casual mid-week holiday luncheon for 40 in their award winning Shade’s Restaurant and Bar; to the Grande Affaire for 100+ people in one of their holiday inspired ballrooms, this holiday season The Waterfront Beach Resort has considered every style and budget you might need! You can grill with Santa, roast red white and green marshmallows, or treat guests to a holiday ballroom fit for the Queen herself.
TOES ON THE NOSE X ONE CALIFORNIA DAY www.toesonthenose.com
VAGRANT BOARDBAGS BY SCHUYLER
OC-based surf apparel company Toes on the Nose continues its collaboration with the surf film One California Day for their fall/winter 2012 collection. This 4-ply Nylon windbreaker is a highlight of the collection. Perfect for the surfer on your holiday list.
Amazing handmade surfboard bags in various patterns and colors, fitting boards 6 feet and under.
You can get the bags at Almond Surfboards in Newport Beach, the Deus Ex Machina store in Venice, or order by emailing Schuyler at schuylermcferran@gmail.com.
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LET IT SNOW ON BALBOA ISLAND! December 2, 2012 4-6 PM Balboa Island Fire Station at Marine and Park Avenues
Don’t miss this chance to witness a real Christmas miracle ... snow on Balboa Island! For one day, holiday spirit will trump the laws of nature. Play in the snow, snack on cider and cookies, meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, and bellow your best “fa-la-lala-la” as they light the holiday tree!
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3&4
Nightly from December through New Year’s Eve Costa Mesa City Hall 77 Fair Dr. Costa Mesa, CA
Wednesday, December 19-23 www.christmasboatparade.com
SNOOPY HOUSE HOLIDAY DISPLAY
A favorite among locals, this nearly half century old tradition attracts an estimated 80,000 visitors annually. Yes, the beloved “Snoopy House.” Orange County resident Jim Jordan is the mastermind behind an elaborate display populated by Snoopy, Charlie Brown and all the “Peanuts” gang. Last year, when Jordan’s house was foreclosed on, the City of Costa Mesa partnered with Jordan to save a treasured Orange County holiday tradition.
NEWPORT BEACH CHRISTMAS BOAT PARADE
Now in its 104th year, the Newport Beach tradition continues this year with the theme “Surf, Sand, and Santa.” Boats of all sizes dress up, donning lights, carolers, and on deck Christmas trees. Fireworks will cap off the final night’s parade. We aren’t the only ones who love this Orange County holiday pastime. The event was called “one of the top ten holiday happenings in the nation” by the New York Times.
THE RING OF LIGHTS
As the boats mozy past, check out the “Ring of Lights,” a holiday decoration contest among bayside homes and businesses near the Newport Beach Harbor.
OC BREW HO HO HOLIDAY ALE FESTIVAL
Saturday, December 8 12-4 PM | Admission: $45 Phoenix Club, Anaheim, CA www.ocbrewhaha.com
The acclaimed OC Brew Ha Ha Craft Beer Festival is throwing its inaugural OC Brew Ho Ho Holiday Ale Festival. Beer connoisseurs and hobby imbibers alike can enjoy over 60 fine craft beers from some of the finest breweries in Southern California and beyond, over half of which will be special seasonal, holiday and winter ales. Admission includes unlimited 3 ounce tastes and a commemorative festival glass. Festivities also include music, food and a Craft Beer Expo.
KIWI CRATE
K1 SPEED RACE PACKAGES
The December crate, the first crate in a subscription gifted for the holidays, is entitled Antarctic Adventure. Designed to encourage multi-faceted hands-on learning, the crate includes 3 activities: Penguin Bowling, Aurora Painting, and Ice Experiments.
Great for the adventurous kids in your life, even the grown up ones! Race 14 laps in a peppy electric kart that can reach 45 mph. Locations in Irvine and Anaheim.
$19.95 per month | www.kiwicrate.com
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Packages starting at $49 per person www.k1speed.com/race-packages.html
NUTCRACKER TEA HOLIDAY PARTY Saturday, December 15 | 12-3:30 PM The Resort at Pelican Hill 22701 Pelican Hill Rd S | Newport Beach, CA www.pelicanhill.com
Pinkies up. Children and families are invited to the beautiful ballroom at Pelican Hill Resort to enjoy a Nutcracker ballet performance while sipping on tea, and dining on sandwiches, pastries and scones.
ADDAM’S FAMILY
December 18-30th, 2012 | Tickets start at $20 Segerstrom Center for the Arts 600 Town Center Dr. | Costa Mesa, CA 92626 www.scfta.org
You think doing time with your family during the holidays is hard? You’ll feel better about yours when you meet this dark and creepy clan. Cue the harpsichord and finger snaps, The Addams Family is back! The smash-hit musical comedy based on the original comic series, popular television show and feature films, is coming to Segerstrom Hall! Macabre meets hilarity in this musical comedy created by Jersey Boys authors Marshall Brickman and Mark Elice. The whole family will enjoy a little bit of death and dark humor to break up the stifling cheer and goodness of the holiday season.
BONUS DIVERSION TACTIC: THE ADULTS ONLY GAME CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY
www.cardsagainsthumanity.com
Dubbed the ”party game for horrible people,” this free card game that can be downloaded online will have you and your guests rolling on the floor laughing. Warning, there is nothing politically correct about this game. So lighten up before commencing. The game basis is making ridiculous associations between even more ridiculous things.
HOT COCOA & S’MORES AT THE DECK Adult Hot Cocoa: $12, Tabletop S’Mores: $14 The Deck: 627 Sleepy Hollow Lane | Laguna Beach, CA www.deckonlaguna.com
Example Question Card
Example Answer Cards
Hot Cocoa isn’t just for the kids... The Deck in Laguna has whipped up a decadent Adult Hot Cocoa. Starting November, The Deck, a beachside restaurant, is tented up so you can stay cozy without loosing the amazing view. Snuggle up under a blanket, watch the waves crash, and order up Tabletop S’Mores to complete the Norman Rockwell-worthy holiday scene.
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THE NEARBY HOLIDAY GETAWAY: Just a winding bridge away from San Diego lies the ultimate nearby holiday getaway for Orange Countians. Whether you want to ditch out on the family gathering, or transplant the holiday celebrations an hour or so South, Coronado Island is the perfect destination. Think of it as something in between Mayberry and
BeverlyHills. World class dining, gorgeous panorama views of the city, rich history, lavish resorts, ample patriotism and even more abundant down home hospitality makeup the tiny island. Here’s where to stay, what to eat, and what fun you can have on Coronado during this holiday season.
WHERE TO STAY LOEWS CORONADO BAY
www.loewshotels.com/Coronado-Bay-Resort
One of 18 unique luxury hotels in the Loews Hotels family, this location has just been completely remodeled using contemporary chic decor and design. The update is just in time for the holidays, when Loews takes cheer to a new level. Among the festivities, 12 unique performances by local bands and entertainment acts, each correlating somehow to the classic “The Twelve Days of Christmas” song. Loews resort was built with an all-inclusive stay in mind. It will be hard to find an excuse to leave, between the gondola rides captained by Santa and the elves, the boat rentals, the tennis courts, the Kids Club and Teen Lounge, and the award winning French restaurant, Mistral, spearheaded by a Master Chef of France. Situated right on the Bay, you’ll have the perfect view of the Annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights. Did we mention Loews is pet friendly? They even have gourmet room service menus for cats and dogs.
HOTEL DEL CORONADO www.hoteldel.com
Perhaps the most iconic hotel on Coronado Island, is the Hotel del Coronado. Built in 1888, you’ll know it by its grand, Victorian red turrets. It has a storied past. It was the backdrop for Marilyn Monroe movie Some Like It Hot, and has been visited by celebrities, presidents, princes - they even have a resident ghost. You can feel the regal past in the rich wood interior of the resort. Brunch in the lavish Crown Room is not to be missed! Accommodations offered include recently remodeled rooms, or a more private stay at one of the Del’s Beach cottages or villas. Home of the first electrically lighted outdoor
Loews Coronado Bay
Christmas tree in 1904, the Del continues to raise the standard for holiday celebrations on the island, with cookie decoration, holiday crafts for kids, scav hunts, family s’more roasts, and even ice skating by the sea.
in all of Coronado from.
CORONADO ISLAND MARRIOTT RESORT
www.coronadoresortmarriott.com
GLORIETTA BAY INN www.gloriettabayinn.com
This beautiful and quaint boutique hotel is based out of the former mansion/home of San Diego legend John Dietrich Spreckels, a major figure behind the Hotel Del and Coronado Island’s early development. The hotel offers rooms inside the estate, or on an adjoining contemporary wing of the property. Located just steps from the Del and downtown, it’s the ideal location to take
Situated right next door to the Coronado Ferry Landing, a charming collection of shops, art galleries, fine restaurants and casual eateries, this contemporary sophisticated property offers all the amenities with a spa, great restaurants in house, and a fabulous waterfront location. Coronado Island Marriott Resort is also home to a large flamingo pond, the region’s only flamingos outside of the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park!
GORJANA & GRIFFIN BAGS AND ACCESSORIES www.gorjana-griffin.com
Thompson Jewelry Organizer (around $106) and the Griffin Weekender bag (around $395) are great gifts for the stylish travelers in your life.
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Leroy’s Kitchen & Lounge
WHERE TO EAT
CLAYTON’S COFFEE SHOP
(BREAKFAST, DINER FOOD)
LEROY’S KITCHEN + LOUNGE (LUNCH, DINNER,
LATE NIGHT) www.leroyskitchenandlounge.com
This restaurant is the king of “fresh, local, sustainable.” With an urban, reclaimed atmosphere and broad windows that open completely onto the street, the only thing that trumps its atmosphere is its delicious, farm-to-table style menu.
McP’S (LUNCH, DINNER, NIGHTLIFE, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ) www.mcpspub.com Voted “Best Bar Scene” by locals, McP’s is a family-friendly dining spot by day and a laid-back bar scene by night. Pool tables, live music, and Irish fare are all there. Founded by ex-Navy Seals, you’ll see a lot of locals and military personnel hanging out here (even Prince Harry has been spotted at McP’s!).
TAVERN (LUNCH, DINNER, LATE NIGHT) www.coronadotavern.com
Tavern is Coronado’s dining hub for comfort food, classic cocktails and craft beer. The interior, a below ground room with rich wood accents, eclectic light bulb fixtures, and mason jar candles, is a relaxing, hip hangout for good food and late nights.
MOOTIME CREAMERY (DESSERT) www.nadolife.com/mootime
While you’re walking along downtown’s Orange Ave., look for the giant plastic cow and the Elvis plaster statue. That’s where you’ll find the most creamy, rich, and decadent homemade ice cream around, served up in a fun nostalgic diner setting.
Clayton’s looks like a real-life version of the Double R Diner from “Twin Peaks.” You can expect to find Agent Cooper worthy fine cups of coffee here too. Known for their down home fare and great service, you’ll feel right at home.
CAFE MADRID
(CAFE)
When most of the island is still asleep, head downtown to the local bookstore cafe. Cafe Madrid opens at 5:45AM. You can grab a morning paper and ease into the day with a nice cappuccino.
MERCEDES BENZ SL63 ROADSTER
Fletcher Jones Motorcars 3300 Jamboree Road | NB, CA 92660 949-718-3000 | www.fjmercedes.com
It’s the piece de resistance of holiday gifts. You’ve seen the commercials. You’ve dreamed of being that guy who needs the 10 foot by 10 foot red bow for his gift. Dream no longer. This is the year. This is the car: The all new 6th Generation SL63 Roadster - the culmination of 60 Years of Mercedes-Benz sports car firsts.
WHERE TO SHOP ALONG ORANGE AVE. www.coronadomainstreet.com
Along the main stretch of Orange Avenue lies a ton of dining and shopping action. Here are some highlights: PARIS & ME BOUTIQUE: Offers beautiful feminine fashions and styles by well known boutique brands. STUDIO 1220: Trendy, unique brands that champion quality. Looks for men and women. BULLSHIRTS: The place for souvenirs.
CORONADO FERRY LANDING
www.coronadoferrylandingshops.com
Browse through 20+ shops selling clothes, stationary, gifts, shoes, art and more. When you’ve shopped, you can drop on a seat and watch the ferry come in across the bay.
WATERPOINTE HOMES
$2,625,000 | www.waterpointehomes.net
The ultimate holiday gift is available through Waterpointe Homes. This brand new bay view custom residence on Balboa Island is ready for your New Years celebration. Ring in the new year it this exquisite new Waterpointe residence.
THE VILLAGE
www.coronadochamber.com
Coronado’s historically preserved downtown commercial area has 100+ specialty shops and businesses that will taunt your pocketbook!
GATEHOUSE
$250 www.gatehousehome.com
For the mom who has it all, go with the sentimental gift. Nothing says I love you like nostalgia. Frame your memory in this 20” x 20” personalized quote photo frame.
SATURDAY MORNING PANCAKES
$32 | SaturdayMorningPancakes.com
Local girl and queen of whimsy, Jamie Clinard, is the happy-go-lucky mastermind behind this rapidly growing online shop. For the scifi and pop culture geek in us all, Saturday Morning Pancakes whips up witty signs for your walls, onesies for your baby, custom pillows for your couch, and more.
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Loews Caroling Gondola Rides on the Bay
WHERE TO PLAY AND BE ENTERTAINED
and
last minute gifts. At 3PM kids are invited to play in a mountain of machinemade snow at Coronado Ferry Landing! Carolers, face painting, homemade cookies, and Santa’s big debut are also in store. CHRISTMAS PARADE: At 6PM TREE LIGHTING: At 7PM with music from the Coronado Community Band. SNOW
LAMBS PLAYERS THEATER www.lambsplayers.com
During December, catch “Festival of Christmas” on stage, or their other production, “An American Christmas” dinner show, at the Hotel Del.
37TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARADE & DOWNTOWN OPEN HOUSE www.coronadochamber.com
On Friday, December 7th, Coronado welcomes Santa via Ferry with a “Timeless Holiday Magic” themed parade. Festivities include: DOWNTOWN OPEN HOUSE: Orange Ave. will also be closed off to cars so locals and visitors can take to the downtown and storm the fabulous shops
THE VIRTUAL TOUR GUIDE
VISIT CORONADO PHONE APP
boutiques
Ice Skating at the Hotel Del Coronado
for
MOUNTAIN:
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
www.loewshotels.com/Coronado-Bay-Resort
Countdown to Christmas with live entertainment and bands across twelve nights at Loews Coronado Bay. Each act represents a verse in the classic Yule-time song.
What could be more picturesque than ice skating by the iconic Hotel Del, overlooking the ocean?
MUSEUM OF HISTORY & ART www.coronadohistory.org
Learn about Coronado Island’s intriguing past, the Hotel Del’s development, the once popular Tent City, the place of the military in the local culture, and more.
A GOOD READ
www.coronadohistory.org
www.loewshotels.com/Coronado-Bay-Resort
Old fashioned entertainment is still alive at the charming Bay Books downtown. Walk into this haven of books and you’ll see handwritten reviews on almost half the books! Grab a good read to enjoy while lounging at your hotel or at a scenic bayside park.
Take in the scenic Bay overlooking San Diego and Coronado from a gondola captained by Santa or one of his elves!
VILLAGE THEATER
GONDOLA RIDE WITH SANTA
SKATING BY THE SEA www.hoteldel.com
www.vintagecinemas.com/village
As quaint and bite-sized as Coronado island itself, you can catch all the Christmas release blockbusters at this mini movie hall.
www.coronadotourismdistrict.org
The Coronado Tourism Improvement District has kindly put together a free app to make your visit the best possible. The Visit Coronado app features real-time GPS navigation, nearly 1,000 photos, an events calendar, turn-by-turn directions and the ability to share the experience on Facebook, Twitter, text and email.
FIXIE ™ UNIVERSAL TABLET STAND $89 | Available at Incipio www.incipio.com
This gadget makes hands-free viewing of your iPad easy. Built for long-lasting durability with a sleek, modern finish, it looks good while functioning well!
CRUSH PHOTO STUDIOS SESSION Our Holiday Gift Special is $195 www.crushphotostudios.com
Boudoir or portrait - ladies, gift your seductive self to your man. Includes professional make-up and hair styling, a one hour session and one image on disc. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
New Year’s Eve Block Party
LONDON COIN GALLERIES NEWPORT
Call for a quote at 949.251.1366. 4533 Mac Arthur Blvd. Newport Beach, CA 92660
Monday, December 31 | 7:30PM-1:30AM | www.ocfair.com/blockparty
Enjoy your New Year’s countdown with a leadup full of nostalgia. Tribute bands and DJs will be playing the most iconic tunes from the ‘60s to the ‘90s. Tribute bands will cover the gamut, from Abbey Road (Beatles tribute) and Heartbreaker (Led Zeppelin tribute), to Dead Man’s Party and (Oingo Boingo tribute) and The Joshua Tree (U2 tribute).
For the collector in your family: the 2012 Silver American Eagle 1 troy ounce fine silver.
The Demolition Derby will also make a welcome appearance. The free event will ensure you ring in the New Year with a literal smash. The Game Room will offer Vegas-style games and prizes. Here’s hoping Lady Luck favors you with a good hand and a fair partner to kiss at the stroke of midnight.
TOMS DESERT SUEDE WEDGES $89 | Available at The Movement www.themovementculture.com
For the casual chic style queen on your list we introduce the TOMS Desert Suede Wedge, a closed-toe wedge, fashioned with soft suede, tonal accents and designed with downtown walkabout comfort in mind.
THE CANYON HAT BY YELLOW108
$38 | Available at select Whole Foods Markets or online at www.Yellow108.Com
The Canyon is California’s answer to a winter beach day. Inspired by the likes of Topanga and Laurel Canyon, this free spirited hat features a medium sized brim ideal for sun protection, and is made from 100% salvaged wool so you’ll actually stay warm when strolling windswept sandy beaches.
TAVIK
www.tavik.com
TAVIK’s Holiday 2012 and Spring 2013 Lookbooks are here! Designed to be layered, mixed and matched, both collections offer inspiration from vintage menswear styles in updated patterns, textures and palettes.
Please be responsible when drinking and driving.
Who has as many unique beers as they do taco choices?
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Photo: Joe Foster
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IF THE CAR IN YOUR DREAMS IS NOT THE CAR IN YOUR GARAGE
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THE EXHILARATING ALL-NEW 2013 SL63 ROADSTER!
EXPERIENCE THE FLETCHER JONES DIFFERENCE.
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sailorjerry.com RESPECT HIS LEGACY. DRINK SAILOR JERRY RESPONSIBLY.
Š2012 Sailor Jerry Rum, 46% Alc./Vol. William Grant & Sons, Inc. New York, NY.
A damn fine gift for people who live more like sailors than saints. See our collection of limited-edition gifts at: