ELLEN BELL RELOCATION GUIDE
IRVINE A GUIDE TO MY FAVORITE SPOTS
Best Bites Where to go when you need to refuel
Orange County Day Trips Places to explore beyond Irvine
Tips & Tricks What I've learned from 30 years in the OC
ELLEN BELL YOUR GUIDE TO IRVINE This little booklet is far from an exhaustive list of Irvine options. I've pointed you towards my favorite go-tos, and who knows, you just might run into me! These are my favorite places to eat, drink and play. Hopefully you will spend most of your time doing the fun stuff, but just in case, I've included the local medical services as well. You are about to begin a great adventure here, and I am so happy to be a part of your beginning!
MY FAVS 01
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WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY
The Spectrum Center is Irvine's own retail destination, but there are many other shopping choices nearby.
Irvine is home to a surprisingly diverse collection of great places to eat.
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WHEN YOU'RE THIRSTY
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From globally-inspired wine bars to hometown craft breweries, there are plenty of places to spend your happy hours.
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WHEN YOU NEED GROCERIES Whether you're looking for toilet paper, breakfast cereal or the perfect organic tomato, here are the places I go when the cupboards are bare.
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WHEN YOU'RE FEELING SICK Irvine may have the perfect climate, but there are still days when you feel a little under the weather...
WHEN YOU NEED A LITTLE RETAIL THERAPY
DAY TRIPS IN ORANGE COUNTY Irvine has a lot to offer but Orange County has more to explore! Here are a few of my favorite field trips.
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LOCAL LINKS
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IRVINE HISTORY Even a relatively young city like Irvine has a rich and fascination history. Learn about the vast Irvine Ranch and the Irvine family that once owned the whole thing.
WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY Irvine is a hub for delicious eats. The best part of Irvine's population growth is the wide variety of authentic global cuisines that have come along with it. You don't have to travel far to try new tastes from all over the world.
CUCINA ENOTECA
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Irvine Spectrum Great food in a beautiful room. Affordable wines sold by the bottle to enjoy with your meal or take home. The perfect place to start enjoying California wines...many by the glass. My favorite patio dining spot in Irvine.
WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY
UMAMI BURGER Irvine Spectrum Gourmet burgers with a. great patio bar. On Thursdays, they host karaoke with a live band! Even if you don't want to sing, it's a fun place to check out.
TENDER GREENS Irvine Spectrum | UCI Shopping Center Fabulous farm-to-table eatery...veggies and roasted meats...locallysourced produce. Really, really good stuff.
TLT KITCHEN
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Irvine Spectrum An Orange County creation, TLT (The Lime Truck) got its start during the food truck craze. Now you can get the fast-casual, chefdriven menu in a sit down setting. I love the poke bowl with green rice and avocado.Â
WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY
RAMOS HOUSE CAFE San Juan Capistrano My favorite cafe- hands down. This tiny place is only open for breakfast and lunch in Los Rios Historic District. Unique dishes, the perfect Bloody Mary and a setting near the old Mission makes for a great dining experience.
THE BEACHCOMBER CAFE Crystal Cove On the sand at Crystal Cove State Park. This is the perfect place to impress out of town guests at sunset. You'll find great food in this vintage beach vacation bungalow.
HAVEN GASTROPUB Old Town Orange A foodie and beer lover's delight in one of the most charming neighborhoods in Orange County. Be sure to order the roasted brussel sprouts.
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WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY
DIAMOND JAMBOREE Irvine More of a gathering place than just a collection of great restaurants. I love Kula's Revolving Sushi Bar and the sweet treats from 85 Degrees Taiwanese Bakery. A good stop for late night eats.
BRUXIE Irvine-Old Town Orange Fried Chicken Sandwiches...on a waffle? A local Orange County sensation that's not just a breakfast food. Try the roasted mushroom with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes.Â
STACKS PANCAKE HOUSE Irvine My fav weekend breakfast go-to with a menu straight from Hawaii. Try the Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes and the authentic Loco Moco.
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WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY
MOULIN Newport Beach-Laguna Beach Whenever I need a quick Parisian fix I stop at Moulin, my favorite French bistro. This authentic epicerie is the perfect place for breakfast and lunch, or even a pastry.
GULFSTREAM Newport Beach Located near Fashion Island, Gulfstream cooks up great seafood and a fabulous lemon meringue pie for dessert. Don't forget to check out the fireplaces on the patio!
WANT IT DELIVERED? OC Dining Express will deliver if right to your door!
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WHEN YOU'RE THIRSTY Love a tall, cold pint of a locally crafted ale or a glass of California Cabernet..? Maybe you prefer sipping the perfect margarita at sunset. There are lots of local places to spend the happiest of hours.Â
BARLEY FORGE BREWERY
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Costa Mesa Hop in an Uber and visit this local craft brewery only about 10 miles up the 405 freeway. Great local beers and a fun tasting room with food and entertainment most nights.
WHEN YOU'RE THIRSTY
SKY LOFT LAGUNA Laguna Beach Rooftop bar and cafe with nightly music and a jaw-dropping view of the ocean. Epic sunsets.
THE DECK Laguna Beach Another Laguna favorite...very popular spot right on the sand. Great food and people watching.
THE YARD HOUSE Irvine Spectrum If you love watching sports and drinking beer, this is your spot.Huge selection of beers on tap and a late night happy hour.
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THE BLIND RABBIT Anaheim You need to make a bit of a field trip to get to this speakeasy in the Anaheim Packing House, but it's worth it. You also need reservations for this secret bars...but you didn't hear it from me.
WHEN YOU NEED GROCERIES GELSON'S MARKET Alton and Jeffrey This store's food court is popular with Blizzard team members. It offers great produce and deli sections and is only a half mile from the Blizzard campus.
TRADER JOE'S Multiple Locations Trader Joe's is a personal favorite. The food is affordable and offers a variety of specialty items. I usually visit the location on Culver and Walnut, but the Woodbury Town Center store is a good option as well.
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RALPH'S MARKET Alton and Jeffrey Just one across the intersection from Gelson's, Ralph's at Alton Square is a more affordable, chain grocery store. Kroger discount cards work at this store.Â
WHOLE FOODS Los Olivos Marketplace This is a new and fancy addition to Irvine. You'll find great produce, prepared dishes, beer and wine in this convenient stop. You can also order a smoothie and sandwich from an iPad while you shop...
WHEN YOU'RE FEELING SICK Depending on your insurance plan, you can choose between our two excellent local hospitals - Hoag and Kaiser Permanente. Both are on the corner of Alton and Sand Canyon. They both have Walk-In Clinics and Emergency Rooms. Irvine also has a wide variety of pharmacies to make your prescription transfers a breeze.
HOAG HOSPITAL Irvine 16200 Sand Canyon Avenue Irvine, CA 92618 (949) 764-4624 Newport Beach 1 Hoag Drive Newport Beach, CA 92663 (949) 764-4624
KAISER PERMANENTE 6640 Alton Pkwy Irvine, CA 92618 (949) 932-5000
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RITE AID PHARMACY Los Olivos Marketplace 8509 Irvine Center Dr Irvine, CA 92618 (949) 450-0501 Westpark Plaza Shopping Center 3875 Alton Pkwy Irvine, CA 92606 (949) 250-4465
WALGREEN'S Oak Creek Plaza 5695 Alton Pkwy Irvine, CA 92618 (949) 726-0716
CVS PHARMACY Alton Square 5385 Alton Pkwy Irvine, CA 92604 (949) 733-8226
WHEN YOU NEED RETAIL THERAPY IRVINE SPECTRUM You can't beat The Spectrum for shopping convenience..with stores like Nordstrom, Target and the Apple Store right in your own backyard. The Spectrum also has one of the largest IMAX screens around.
SOUTH COAST PLAZA Costa Mesa Just a few miles up the 405...This indoor, luxury shopping destination is one of the most successful malls in the nation. It has everything: from Sears to Bloomingdales, from Chanel and Tiffany to H&M and The Gap.
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FASHION ISLAND Newport Beach Shopping with an ocean view. This classic outdoor mall has all the retail stars: Nordstrom, Anthropologie, Macy's and Forever 21. It's also a great date-night destination with lots of great restaurants and a luxury movie theater.
THE CAMP Costa Mesa If you're not into the traditional mall vibe, you might prefer a visit to OC's very own "anti-mall." Billed as a place for "creative minds, global tastes and artistic souls" Great food and live music make this a great weekend hangout spot.
DAY TRIPS IN ORANGE COUNTY Orange County is a premier vacation destination...and Irvine is right in the middle of it all. While everyone else has to get on a plane to get here..you can explore the fun of Orange County whenever you like!
BALBOA ISLAND
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FOODIE MAGAZINE
Newport Beach Smack dab in the middle of Newport Harbor is the quaint little residential village of Balboa Island. Walk down Marine Ave past adorable shops and cafes..maybe even try a Balboa Bar - a local ice cream invention.
DAY TRIPS IN ORANGE COUNTY
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO Just 20 miles south of the 5 freeway is the Birthplace of Orange County history. Visit the old Mission and stroll through the Los Rios Historic District, one of the oldest neighborhoods in California. It's like taking a trip back in time!
LAGUNA BEACH This little artist village has it all....beautiful beaches, breathtaking sunsets and adorable shops and cafes. And it's only 14 miles west of Irvine. An Orange County gem.
IRVINE RANCH NATURAL LANDMARK Thanks to the 40,000 acres of preserved, natural Open Space, a great hike or bike adventure is only minutes from your front door.
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DAY TRIPS IN ORANGE COUNTY
OLD TOWNE ORANGE Orange is one of the OC's happiest surprises.. a cute little 19th century town that has been the location of Hollywood movies. Students from Chapman University keep this place current with coffee shops, vintage stores and gastropubs.
FULLERTON Hometown of Leo Fender and birthplace of the solid body electric guitar. .. Visit the Fender exhibit at the Fullerton Museum and have brunch at the Slidebar Rock and Roll Kitchen.. A great town for music lovers.
ANAHEIM PACKING DISTRICT Past and present come together deliciously..this restored Sunkist packing house is now home to one of Orange County's most popular food halls. There's also a secret speakeasy inside...shhh!
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Irvine Ranked 6th Best Place to Live Nationally -CNN/Money.com 2012 Irvine Consistently Ranks as one of the Safest Cities in America with populations over 100,000 Irvine listed as third happiest place to live in the U.S. -WalletHub 2017 Irvine listed as the best-run city in the U.S. -24/7 Wall Street 2014 Irvine named 10th Best City in the U.S. -Niche.com June 2017
More Local Links City of Irvine Irvine Unified School District Destination Irvine Visit OC Orange Coast Magazine OC Weekly Social Security Office California Department of Motor Vehicles
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IRVINE YESTERDAY
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FOOD NOTES | SEPTEMBER 2020
THE IRVINE RANCH Irvine was once a 100,000 acre farm owned and operated by the Irvine Family. The Irvine Ranch extended from the Santa Ana Foothills all the way to the Pacific Coastine. Originally purchased in 1864 for the purpose of grazing sheep, the Irvine Ranch became one of the most successful agricultural operations on the West Coast. The main crops were lima beans, walnuts, and citrus, as well as a booming cattle operation A MASTER PLAN FOR SUCCESS After the postwar population boom of the 1950’s, the Irvine Company realized that residential development was inevitable. Instead of selling off pieces of their land to surrounding towns, the company decided to create its own city.
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The New Town bordered the new University of California at Irvine campus, forever linking the city with quality education.
They hired young, forwardthinking urban planners to design a place that was built for “optimal residential living.” It was an experiment on a grand scale, with every detail of the new city intentionally designed. IT TAKES A VILLAGE The early planners wanted residents to feel a sense of small town familiarity within the large city. So they developed the concept of Villages: small sub designations within the larger city. Each village has its own identity, its own shopping, parks and schools. It also has its own name: like Woodbridge, Quail Hill, Westpark, or Turtle Rock. In this way, Irvine residents have the best of both worlds, the benefits of a large city and the familiarity of a small town.
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FOOD NOTES | SEPTEMBER 2020
IRVINE TODAY
THE CITY OF IRVINE Today, Irvine is an independent, incorporated city of more than 250,000 residents. The Master Plan has been flexible enough to allow for unprecedented growth. The result is a dynamic, diverse metropolis that’s changing all the time. Even though modern-day Irvine looks very different than it did a mere 50 years ago, the Master Plan ideals of the city’s early planners are still very much alive. It’s still a city that values quality education, cultural diversity, and a real sense of community.
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Irvine enjoys the natural beauty of 40,000 acres of preserved Open Space and the convenience of having an international airport right in its own backyard. LOCATION...LOCATION...LOCATION In Orange County, you are never more than a twenty-mile drive from the beach, the foothills, the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano or even Disneyland. And Irvine is conveniently located at the center of it all.