17th Annual Best of San Clemente People's Choice Ole Awards

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EATERIES, WATERING HOLES AND MORE Best…

Welcome Welcome Welcome

TO THE 17TH EDITION OF THE BEST OF SAN CLEMENTE PEOPLE’S CHOICE OLE AWARDS

The San Clemente Times is back with another edition of our annual Best of San Clemente People’s Choice Ole Awards. This year—with the help of our loyal readers, of course—we recognize the dozens of businesses, individuals and groups that have been voted “Best” in town for 2022.

For the past 17 years, we’ve had the privilege and honor of celebrating the local business community and some of their hard-working staffers who help make our little slice of South Orange County special, unique and charming by awarding Gold and Silver Ole medals.

We certainly couldn’t have done it, though, without the participation of our readers who made their voices heard by casting their votes across nearly 100 categories that we’re featuring this year.

For this year’s issue, we have made some changes to the format and layout. Gone are the brief descriptions of the Gold and Silver winners. Instead of finding a few words to say about every finalist, we’re focusing on just a handful of the overall winners, letting them tell their interesting and unique stories.

In turn, this allows us to provide our readers with a more comprehensive and intriguing view of the businesses, people and organizations that have earned the title of “Best” in San Clemente.

We’ve put an emphasis on featuring more art and photos, while telling stories more visually through video packages on our social media channels. And we also started to keep track of how many medals each finalist has won over the years, so we can better recognize dynasties and legacy businesses that win year after year.

We recognize that this change may take some getting used to.

Just know that this decision to revamp the “Best Ofs” wasn’t simply made overnight. It took a considerable amount of internal discussion and consideration, and when it came down to it, the time was right to take these annual publications in a fresh, new direction.

One where we could tell better, more informed stories that we believe readers can be appreciate.

Without further delay, please enjoy our latest Best of San Clemente issue and help us toast to all of this year’s winners.

PICKET FENCE MEDIA

PUBLISHER : Norb Garrett

EDITORIAL & PHOTOGRAPHY: Shawn Raymundo, C. Jayden Smith, Breeana Greenberg, Collin Breaux, Zach Cavanagh, Jake Howard, Randy Youngman, Alan Gibby/Zone57.com

ART/DESIGN: Jasmine Smith, Marc Hostetter, Chelsie Rex

ADVERTISING: Lauralyn Loynes, Debra Wells

OPERATIONS: Alyssa Garrett, Inna Cazares

COVER PHOTGRAPHY: Alan Gibby/Zone57.com

SERVICES ON THE TO-DO LIST

Number of medals next to each business name represents medals in category all-time.

Welcome FROM THE PUBLISHER

Bigger and Better “Best of” Awards

By Norb Garrett

Like the swallows of Capistrano, waves at T-Street and sunsets over Dana Point Harbor, you can count on the annual return of our People’s Choice “Best Of” awards for San Clemente Times, Dana Point Times and The Capistrano Dispatch.

This year’s special issues feature several entirely new categories as we strive to include even more of your favorite local businesses, service providers and destination locations:

They’re baaack! Best... Best... Best...

Chef Chinese Food Financial Planning Service Home Improvement Service

This year, voters cast a total of 18,855 votes across 97 different categories for their favorites in San Clemente.

In an effort to “freshen up” our special “Best Of” issues, our editors have created a fun, new editorial approach to help highlight some of the trends, unique businesses and interesting people who make our communities so special.

I’m excited about the changes and, hopefully, you will be, too.

We’re always listening to your feedback, so you’ll notice we expanded our “International Eats” category by creating stand-alone food categories for Chinese, Thai, Mexican and even poke. You also asked about creating a special category for “Best Chef,” so we added that as well.

Clearly, we all like food, and the area’s culinary offerings continue to improve year after year! Each of the new categories is a result of feedback we get from you, the readers, so if there are other categories you’d like us to consider, please email me at ngarrett@picketfencemedia.com.

As for selecting which business to profile, that came down to attempting to highlight some of the more interesting storylines—businesses that earned the most total votes, historical trends behind some of your favorite businesses, people or locations, and spotlighting newcomers to the party.

We did our best to pick a variety of storylines that made 2022 special and unique.

Please enjoy this year’s “Best Of” issues, and if you’d like to check out the other “Best Of” issues from the other communities, simply go online and click on “Special Publications” on our navigation bars on each website.

Thank you for voting and playing a part in this special way of celebrating our communities!

Bicycle Shop

Norb Garrett

Mexican Food Poke Record Store Thai Food Record Store

Intentional Food and Culture Earns Riviera ‘Best New Restaurant’

By C. Jayden Smith

Operating a new restaurant can be difficult even for seasoned industry professionals, and doubly so for those who are endeavoring to do so for the first time in their lives.

It helps to take on the task with a trusty partner, which is exactly what Brent Daub and Marisa McBride did when they opened Riviera inside the San Clemente Inn in the spring of 2022.

Daub and McBride, Riviera’s chief financial officer and owner, have known each other for eight years as they work together at San Clemente law firm Gilson Daub. They’ve also previously collaborated on numerous separate projects. When the restaurant’s previous owner put the space up for sale during the pandemic, the two wondered what it would be like to run a restaurant and pursued the opportunity.

Having no clue about operating within the industry, McBride simply wanted to bring a high-quality eatery to San Clemente’s southern end, where she grew up.

“For me, there’s never been a lot down here,” she says. “The space definitely needed a makeover, so we were excited to see what we could have come out of it and bring something special to this side of town.”

It’s safe to say that pursuit has been a success, as nearly a year later, San Clemente Times readers voted Riviera as the Best New Restaurant in town, earning its first People’s Choice Golden Ole.

Coming in at second place with a Silver Ole is the popular new bar hangout Los Molinos Beer. The openair brewery and kitchen specializes in fun sandwich options, Mexican-inspired brunch, and Taco Tuesdays.

McBride remembers that the initial days and weeks were hectic in terms of learning the ins and outs and determining the décor for Riviera. Delays in receiving items because of the COVID-19 pandemic posed another challenge.

Her innate desire to be hands-on and do what needs to be done led her to take part in varying aspects of the restaurant, such as ordering food supply or jumping in to wash dishes.

“Along the way, I’ve been able to learn a lot more about running a restaurant, because I have a financial background, and that (doesn’t have) anything to do with the food industry,” McBride says with a laugh.

She credits her team for persevering and helping the restaurant get off to as good of a start as it’s had.

One of those team members is general manager Pedro Robles, who joined the Riviera staff a few months after the restaurant opened.

Robles told SC Times that after roughly 20 years of experience, one lesson he’s brought to his new position is the intent to treat all people like family.

“We create these concepts, and we want to make money out of it, but at the same time, we want to make sure that whenever you come through that door, you feel like you’re invited to a home,” he says, adding, “That’s the most important thing I’ve learned.”

He adds that when working with staff to help them provide the best service possible, it’s essential to get the right people in the building. Robles also likened his role to being a coach on a team, in that he tries to identify people’s skills and then put them in the best spots to succeed.

McBride and Daub’s vision was to give the residents of south San Clemente a dining option just as good, if not better, than what people can find downtown. Given the lack of true sit-down spots in an area still home to thousands, she said her goal is to see locals in the community come to the restaurant.

“Our goal was to provide a higher level of food and service than anywhere, basically, in town,” says McBride. “We really focused on organics and farm-to-

table (food).”

The restaurant gets most of its produce from The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano, which requires staff to be adaptable when products may not be available from day to day or vary in quantity.

McBride says her favorite menu items are the “phenomenal” desserts that even she enjoys as someone who’s not always into sweets.

“One of those desserts (from a prior seasonal menu), the blueberry cobbler, has stuck around,” says McBride. “It is a fantastic dish, so that’s probably one of my favorites.”

She noted that while customers might see a setup akin to fine dining when they first walk in, Riviera welcomes everyone, whether coming from a golf course or the beach.

Restaurant staff, McBride says, are “thrilled” to be nominated among the best in San Clemente.

“We’ve worked really, really hard to get here,” McBride says. “For me, it’s become a real passion project, because, like I said, I was born and raised in San Clemente. So, it’s become my baby, basically.”

Their first year in business started slowly, she acknowledged, before picking up in the summer season and returning to a lull during the winter.

She emphasizes that they’re trying to spread the Riviera name in the community, but being tucked into a hotel in the city’s southern end has posed as a deterrent to bringing people inside.

Heading into year No. 2, the team will continue to create and tweak menu items, as well as take to heart the reviews they receive from customers regarding both their food and service.

McBride references a time earlier in the year when Riviera received noise complaints and she responded by completing additional soundproofing.

It’s all a part of creating an environment in which people want to spend their time, she says.

Robles adds that from a service aspect, it can be amusing to try to focus on high-quality service while avoiding being snobby. The most important thing they do is pay attention to small details, such as ensuring utensils are polished or lined up correctly, which can be easily identified within a smaller restaurant.

“It’s fun, but it’s a very small operation to run,” he says. “It gives us a little liberty to showcase what we offer, but also makes the details a little more important.”

Riviera’s farm-to-table approach into creating and tweaking its coastal dishes has helped it receive the “Best New Restaurant” title in San Clemente. Photos: C. Jayden Smith

Best Cup of Coffee or Tea

Gold

Bear Coast Coffee 7 MEDALS 618½ Avenida Victoria, 949.482.0618, bearcoastcoffee.com

Zebra House Coffee 11 MEDALS 1001 S. El Camino Real, 949.218.6976, zebrahousecoffee.com

Best Overall Restaurant

Silver Gold

Nick’s San Clemente 11 MEDALS 213 Avenida Del Mar, 949.482.2200, nicksrestaurants.com/nicks-san-clemente

Vine Restaurant & Bar 5 MEDALS 211 N. El Camino Real, 949.361.2079, vinesanclemente.com

Best Chinese Food New Category!

Gold Silver

New Mandarin Garden 111 W. Avenida Palizada, 949.492.7432, oldtownsanclemente.com/mandarinmenu

China Bros 979 Avenida Pico, 949.312.2955, chinabrosfooddelivery.com

Best Sandwich

Silver Gold

Board & Brew 13 MEDALS 979 Avenida Pico, 949.498.2739, boardandbrew.com

Billy’s Meats, Seafood & Deli 16 MEDALS 111 Avenida Del Mar, 949.498.5924, billyssanclemente.com

Best International Eats

Silver Gold

Mongkut Thai Restaurant 15 MEDALS 212 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3871, mongkutthaisc.com

Village Mediterranean Rim 5 MEDALS 123 Avenida Del Mar, 949.361.8970, villagemedrim.com

Best Beer Selection

Silver Gold

Silver

Los Molinos Beer 1 MEDAL 151 Calle de los Molinos, losmolinosbeer.com

Lost Winds Brewing Company 3 MEDALS 924 Calle Negocio, Suite C, 949.361.5922, lostwindsbrewing.com

Eateries, Watering Holes and More Eateries, Watering Holes and More Eateries, Watering Holes and More

Bear Coast Coffee

Photo: Alan Gibby/Zone57.com

Winner Spotlight MOST MEDALS

Community Connection, Fresh Food Bring Antoine’s Cafe Most Medals in 2022

By Zach Cavanagh

Every morning for the past 32 years, Antoine’s Café has served and connected with the people of San Clemente, and for the past 17 years, the people of San Clemente have regularly rewarded Antoine’s Café with their votes in the annual Best of San Clemente Golden Ole Awards.

This year, Antoine’s Café has received more support than ever, with its haul of four Golden Oles and two Silvers, giving it the most medals earned of any San Clemente business this year.

“It’s been a journey, for sure,” Antoine’s Café owner Veronique Price says. “But, I mean, I love it. I’m glad I stuck to it. It’s nice. It’s good. It’s sweet. Now that I’m older, what I called ‘my little shrimp,’ all those little kids that used to run over the restaurant 30 years ago, and now they’re getting engaged or getting married, to having babies or bring me their babies. So, I feel like there’s definitely a whole community. It’s a family. It’s just sweet.”

Antoine’s Café won four Golden Ole awards this year, being named the Best of San Clemente for breakfast, lunch, brunch and breakfast burritos. For bagels and healthy choices, Antoine’s earned Silver Oles.

“It’s a mecca of the real San Clemente,” says Antoine Price Jr., Veronique’s son and the operator of Café Mimosa. “It’s all here.”

With that run of awards, it’s clear that San Clemente has chosen to start its days with Antoine’s Café, as the fantastic food and bright, attentive staff have made a connection with the Spanish Village by the Sea.

“My theory is everything goes really fast,” Veronique says. “Everybody is on

their screen. Everything is computers, cellphones, all this stuff. You know what people are going to be missing the most is a personal relationship. They want to feel the connection or love.”

“We’ve got certain items, especially here at Antoine’s, that you don’t normally see on most menus like Croque Madame and our little French twist here and there. But Antoine’s, I think is still your corner coffee shop that you come to all the time. Like, you want a burger? You got a burger.”

Antoine Jr.

Veronique credits that connection to her front-of-house staff, but it doesn’t hurt to have the solid foundations of fresh, quality food underneath. The rule at Antoine’s Café is food is newly prepped each day, sometimes twice a day, and those ingredients never stay in the fridge longer than two days. And while there is a variety of awards for Antoine’s Café, most of those fold back into the restaurant’s main course—breakfast, which quickly became a favorite of Veronique’s when she came to the United States from France.

(Continued)

Antoine’s Café has won six Ole awards this year—four gold and two silver—for breakfast, brunch, lunch, breakfast burritos, bagels and healthy choices. Photos: Zach Cavanagh

Most Medals: Antoine’s Café

Winner Spotlight MOST MEDALS

“See, I love breakfast. In France, you have no breakfast,” Veronique says. “Breakfast in France is like a cup of coffee. Once in a while, you get a croissant.”

While breakfast became a fast favorite of hers, the unfamiliarity with all that came with American breakfasts presented a small challenge when the Prices took over the then-named Halfway House and branded it as Antoine’s Café.

“When I bought the place, since I’m French and you know my English wasn’t the best,” Veronique says. “I’ve worked in a lot of restaurants. I’ve done a lot of stuff before, but I never did breakfast. So, when I bought the place, we used to write everything by hand, right? So we go, bacon and eggs, you know, what kind of toast?”

“At the beginning when I first started, the old owner trained me. We’d put the ticket in the kitchen, and then he would go, ‘Come over.’ I said, ‘What?’ ‘How do they want their eggs?’ And I’m going what, like, I don’t know. Scrambled? And he goes, ‘No, you need to ask them. Ask them, what, over-easy, over-medium, basted.’ I’ve learned a bunch of words, right? I’m thinking, oh, wow, really? So, you know it took me a little bit to figure that one out,” she continued. Safe to say that Veronique and Antoine’s Café have figured out eggs.

The most popular dish at the restaurant is their omelets, along with Benedicts and all the other breakfast classics. Crepes are popular, too, for a small French twist, in addition to the award-winning breakfast burritos and bagels.

As the day stretches into brunch and lunch, there’s plenty of the unique and the familiar to satisfy returning customers over and over again.

“We’ve got certain items, especially here at Antoine’s, that you don’t normally see on most menus like Croque Madame and our little French twist here and there,” Antoine Jr. says. “But Antoine’s, I think is still your corner coffee shop that you come to all the time. Like, you want a burger? You got a burger. You want a Caesar salad? You got a Caesar salad. You want tacos? We got fresh tacos.”

Those satisfied customers are ultimately what pleases Veronique the most when it comes to being this year’s most-awarded business, as the Best of San Clemente Awards are fully the people’s choice.

“It’s a big deal, because it’s the people. Nobody can trick this,” Veronique says. “The people vote. They vote with their feet.”

Those feet have, and they will continue to wander down El Camino Real and into a booth at Antoine’s Café.

Veronique Price and her son, Antoine Price Jr., have enjoyed a family rivalry over the years, as their two popular restaurants, Antoine’s Café and Café Mimosa, compete for the Best Breakfast and Best Brunch spots in San Clemente.

FAMILY FOOD FIGHT: MOTHER AND SON MAKE BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH A FAMILY AFFAIR

By Shawn Raymundo

In the battle for breakfast supremacy in San Clemente, the Price family has had the market cornered.

On one side of San Clemente’s downtown corridor, the family has the widely popular breakfast and corner coffee shop Antoine’s Café, which Veronique and Antoine Price have owned and operated for about the past 32 years.

And down Avenida Del Mar, just before getting to the beach, the Prices have Café Mimosa, a trendy, upscale brunch dining experience that they’ve entrusted to their son, Antoine Price Jr., to operate.

Together, Antoine’s and Mimosa have dominated the local breakfast scene, as evidenced by the overwhelming support from San Clemente Times readers who continually vote for them as the Best Breakfast and Best Brunch spots, respectively.

So, what do you do when your businesses have reigned supreme in the local breakfast and brunch scene? Well, you essentially compete against yourself, or in Veronique and Antoine Jr.’s case, you enjoy a bit of family competition.

“There’s always family competition,” Antoine Jr. says. “That’s definitely always going to be there, will always be there.”

In terms of strictly Best Breakfast, Antoine’s Café has got the category all locked up, winning a total of 17 overall medals—16 of which have been consecutive Golden Oles. S.C. Café has earned nine Silver Oles, including for 2022, while Mimosa has won three.

As for the Best Brunch category, that’s when the family competition heats up a bit.

Since SC Times added Best Brunch spot as an option to vote for in 2019, Café Mimosa has been the business that’s shined, earning three consecutive Golden Oles. This year, however, Antoine’s unseated Mimosa, adding another Golden Ole to Veronique’s record-year collection of six overall medals.

As Antoine Jr. sees it, though, the two popular eateries have their own menu items and serving

style, as well as their own overall aesthetic, ambience and atmosphere.

“I definitely wanted to make a stance of we are two different restaurants,” he notes, before adding that while companies like Starbucks have found success with placing multiple shops near each other, “you can’t put one (restaurant) on one corner and one on the other and expect for both places to actually make money.”

The opportunity to purchase the property where Mimosa sits came up about 17 years ago, Antoine Jr. says. The restaurant, situated across from San Clemente’s public library, was essentially built from the ground up.

“We had to put our touch to it, which is that French Provence look,” he says. “If you blindfold somebody and take them to Mimosa, unblind fold them, they wouldn’t know where they’re at. You got that beautiful park out front. It’s one of those properties that nobody has.”

Antoine Jr. admits that it was quite the transition from opening Mimosa to gaining a following of customers. At the time the restaurant opened, there weren’t many other businesses past BeachFire on Avenida Del Mar.

“That was the last place, so you put Mimosa down the corner of the street even farther, nobody followed us down there; like it was, everybody stopped at BeachFire and turned around and just came back up the street,” Antoine Jr. recalls.

Eventually, other restaurants, including Nick’s— another local favorite—popped up, bringing more exposure to the businesses on that end of Del Mar.

“Bring Nick’s on, bring everybody in town, because guess what, the more people, the more restaurants that we have in town, we all survive,” he says. “We all do better … we got options now. I love it.”

With Mimosa serving as another option in town, Veronique notes that the two restaurants don’t exactly share the same clientele.

“Actually, most people—I say most people, not everybody—but most people, if they like Mimosa and they come here, because they found out we’re related, they don’t like it,” she says. “They’re like, ‘Oh, it’s not upscale enough.’ It’s not what they were looking for. They wanted something different.”

Comparing the two restaurants, Veronique describes Mimosa as a French bistro that’s “trendier” with a mellow feel—as though customers are experiencing a mini vacation while they enjoy a glass of wine or mimosa at brunch.

“Here is more like your friend’s kitchen and you know everybody,” she says of Antoine’s. “It’s loud, it’s fast; boom, boom, you know? It’s different.”

Echoing that thought, Antoine Jr. stresses that “they are two different entities, and we want to keep them completely separate. But at the same time, understand that we are family.”

“This is family-oriented. This has been a staple in town,” Antoine Jr. says of Antoine’s, adding that during his time growing up in the family business, “I’ve even served families that I saw on dates, I saw them getting married, I saw them have babies … it’s a beautiful thing to me.”

Regardless of the differences between the two restaurants, and the underlying competition between mother and son, Antoine Jr. says, “At the end of the day, it’s a family affair.”

Photo: Shawn Raymundo

Best Burger

The Riders Club Café 13 MEDALS

1701 N. El Camino Real, 949.388.3758, ridersclubcafe.com

Biggie’s Great Burgers & Shakes 11 MEDALS

1017 S. El Camino Real, 929.492.9182, biggiesburgers.com

Best Wine Selection

The Cellar 14 MEDALS

156 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3663, thecellarsite.com

Rancho Capistrano Winery San Clemente 1 MEDAL

124 Avenida Del Mar, 949.276.2197, ranchocapwinery.com

Best Sports Bar

Daily’s Sports Grill 3 MEDALS

204 S. El Camino Real, 949.522.9010, dailyssportsgrill.org

OC Tavern 7 MEDALS

2369 S. El Camino Real, 949.542.8877, octavern.com

Best Taco

Sancho’s Tacos 6 MEDALS

1101 S. El Camino Real, 949.218.0488, sanchostacos.com

Avila’s El Ranchito 4 MEDALS

204 Avenida Del Mar, 949.498.5000, avilaselranchito.com/san-clemente

Best Brunch

Antoine’s Café 4 MEDALS

218 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.1763, antoinescafe.com

Café Mimosa 4 MEDALS

243 Avenida Del Mar, 949.481.6780, cafemimosasc.net

Best Happy Hour

The Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar 17 MEDALS

611 Avenida Victoria, 949.498.6390, thefishermansrestaurantsanclemente.com

The Cellar 8 MEDALS

156 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3663, thecellarsite.com

Best Lunch Spot

Antoine’s Café 4 MEDALS

218 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.1763, antoinescafe.com

Nick’s San Clemente (Tie) 2 MEDALS

213 Avenida Del Mar, 949.482.2200, nicksrestaurants.com/nicks-san-clemente

Board & Brew (Tie) 5 MEDALS

979 Avenida Pico, 949.498.2739, boardandbrew.com

Best Chef New Category!

Chris Kartchner at The Cellar

156 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3663, thecellarsite.com

Rayne Frey at MRK Public

1402 S. El Camino Real, 949.441.7621, mrkpublic.com

Best Menu for Healthy Choices

Active Culture Natural Foods Café & Yogurt 9 MEDALS

111 S. El Camino Real, 949.276.4625, activeculturecafe.com

Antoine’s Café 1 MEDAL

218 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.1763, antoinescafe.com

Best Thai Food New Category!

Gold

Mongkut Thai Restaurant

212 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3871, mongkutthaisc.com

Thai Palace

1021 Avenida Pico, San Clemente, 949.369.1819, thaipalacesc.net/

Best Donut

Silver Gold

Surfin’ Donuts Coffee House 16 MEDALS

1822 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.1249

Rose Donuts & Café 6 MEDALS

624 Camino de los Mares, 949.493.9200

Best Brewing Company

Gold

Silver

Los Molinos Beer 1 MEDAL

151 Calle de los Molinos, losmolinosbeer.com

Artifex Brewing Company 5 MEDALS

919 Calle Amanecer, Suite A, 949.429.7805; 98 Avenida Del Mar, 949.218.1452, artifex.beer

Best Mexican Food New Category!

Silver Gold

South of Nick’s

110 N. El Camino Real, 949.481.4545, nicksrestaurants.com/south-of-nicks

Sol Agave

111 Avenida Del Mar, 949.312.2210, solagave.com/san-clemente

Best Spot to Cure a Sweet Tooth

Silver Gold

Lucky Dog Gelato 2 MEDALS

1010 S. El Camino Real, 949.545.7147, luckydoggelato.com

South Swell Hand Dipped Ice Cream 6 MEDALS

137 Avenida Del Mar, 949.388.4984, southswellicecream.com

Best Bartender

Silver Gold

Connor Danaher at Vine Restaurant & Bar 1 MEDAL

211 N. El Camino Real, 949.361.2079, vinesanclemente.com

Jessica Kavanagh at Big Helyn’s Saloon 1 MEDAL

3317 S. El Camino Real, 949.498.6280

Best Salsa

Silver Gold

South of Nick’s 4 MEDALS

110 N. El Camino Real, 949.481.4545, nicksrestaurants.com/south-of-nicks

Avila’s El Ranchito 1 MEDAL

204 Avenida Del Mar, 949.498.5000, avilaselranchito.com/san-clemente

Best Poke New Category!

Silver Gold

Poke Tiki

979 Avenida Pico, Suite F, 949.545.6833, poketiki.com

Nomads Canteen

102 Avenida Cabrillo, 949.481.4153, stayatnomads.com

Best Spot for Take-Out Food

Silver Gold

Silver

Guicho’s Eatery 6 MEDALS

1110 S. El Camino Real, 949.481.1070; 440 Camino De Estrella, 949.248.1910, guichos.com

Pedro’s Tacos 4 MEDALS

550 N. El Camino Real, 949.498.5908; 2313 S. El Camino Real, 949.498.5904, pedrostacos.com

Cold Drinks, Warm Smiles

Connor Danaher fits the vibes as San Clemente’s Best Bartender

By Zach Cavanagh

Line up the early bits of Connor Danaher’s biography and his laid-back demeanor, and it’s easy to see how he was destined to land and thrive in San Clemente

Danaher grew up surfing in a small beach town in Delaware, and after taking up bartending in his early 20s, he escaped the East Coast winters for a season on the Big Island of Hawaii, where he lived with his aunt and uncle and worked at the Kona Inn.

As fate would have it, Kona Inn was owned by the same people who own the Wind & Sea Restaurant in Dana Point Harbor, and Danaher was asked if he wanted to transfer to California.

Thankfully for him, Southern California is also a nice respite from East Coast winters, so he accepted.

After some turns slinging Mai Tais in the harbor, Danaher joined the staff at Vine Restaurant & Bar in San Clemente, where he grew and excelled under Gabe Whorley, himself a several-time Silver Ole winner as one of San Clemente’s best bartenders and beverage director for the group’s restaurants.

Now, Danaher has taken up the reins for nearly five years at Vine, and he’s earned the Golden Ole, as the People’s Choice for Best Bartender in San Clemente.

Jessica Kavanagh of Big Helyn’s Saloon re-

ceived the Silver Ole for bartender.

In addition to mastering Vine’s selection of craft cocktails, wine pairings and the fundamentals behind the bar, Danaher has made connections with his patrons and stable of regulars with warm, welcoming service and a bright smile.

“My mentality is always I try to treat everyone the same. Nobody is more important than the next person,” Danaher says. “Treat everybody great, like you’re welcoming them over to your house for dinner and they want to get up and help with the dishes, but you tell them to sit down and enjoy a glass of wine.”

Danaher says he connects with the “smalltown vibe” of San Clemente from his time growing up on the Delaware coast with friendly and familiar faces every day. In his time working in restaurants on the East Coast, Hawaii and South Orange County, he says there are differences to the environments and expectations in each location.

“I feel like California is a bit further ahead, as far as the food and drink scene goes,” Danaher says. “There’s a lot more competition. Everyone is always trying to one-up each other. We’re spoiled with so much good food. Every restaurant you go to in town is amazing. On the East Coast, the seafood is delicious over there, but as far as the plating and the dishes go, they’re working their way up to what California is.”

While California’s food and drink are slightly elevated, Danaher maintains that the secret to the perfect cocktail is pretty simple—something he learned under the tutelage of Whorley.

“I’ve definitely learned more about craft cocktails, especially working here,” Danaher says. “Obviously, Gabe is also one of the best bartenders in Orange County, so it was cool to learn from him. He taught me how to perfect a cocktail and make it taste good. It doesn’t need to be over-the-top fancy, as long as you get it quick and it tastes good.”

Aside from the list of craft cocktails, Danaher says he’s up for anything patrons want to run by him, whether it’s an exotic cocktail—provided they have all the right ingredients behind the bar—or picking people’s brains to figure out their palette and pair one of Vine’s excellent wine selections to a food item. It’s his favorite part of the job. However, don’t ask for any bartender circus tricks.

“They call that the flair. I’m more functionality over the flair,” Danaher says with a laugh. “I always shake my martinis super cold. It always has the ice chips over it. I tell them straight-up, I will break everything in this bar if I tried that.”

It’s the pleasing of the clientele and the hospitality side of the job that’s most rewarding for Danaher.

“On the really busy nights, when I’m here making the cocktails for the entire restaurant and I’m also serving people up here, I think when it’s just a smooth night . . . everybody is happy, everybody is chatting, everything is just flowing,” Danaher says. “At the end of the night, it was super busy, but we got through it, and we had a good time doing it.”

Walk into Vine, pull up a spot at the bar, and Danaher will be sure to take care of you.

Connor Danaher has fit in seamlessly with the small, beach-town vibes of San Clemente to deliver smiles and perfectly crafted drinks to patrons at Vine Restaurant & Bar for nearly five years.

Photo: Zach Cavanagh

Best Appetizers

Gold

Nick’s San Clemente 12 MEDALS

213 Avenida Del Mar, 949.482.2200, nicksrestaurants.com/nicks-san-clemente

The Cellar 8 MEDALS

156 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3663, thecellarsite.com

Best Pizza

Silver Gold

Pizza Port 10 MEDALS

301 N. El Camino Real, 949.940.0005, pizzaport.com

Cassano’s 2 MEDALS

818 S. El Camino Real, 949.388.7611, cassanos.net

Best Restaurant for Vegan Options

Silver Gold

Active Culture Natural Foods Café & Yogurt 4 MEDALS

111 S. El Camino Real, 949.276.4625, activeculturecafe.com

J’Adore Café 3 MEDALS

165 Avenida Del Mar, 949.212.6517, jadorecalifornia.com

Best Margarita

Silver Gold

South of Nick’s 11 MEDALS

110 N. El Camino Real, 949.481.4545, nicksrestaurants.com/south-of-nicks

Sol Agave 1 MEDAL

111 Avenida Del Mar, 949.312.2210, solagave.com/san-clemente

Best Bar

Silver Gold

Red Fox Lounge 10 MEDALS

220 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.3403, facebook.com/therfl

Jane 1 MEDAL

158 Avenida Del Mar, 949.388.3051, bar-jane.com

Best Breakfast

Silver Gold

Antoine’s Café 17 MEDALS

218 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.1763, antoinescafe.com

S.C. Café 9 MEDALS

1810 S. El Camino Real, 949.366.0626, facebook.com/sanclementecafe

Best Restaurant for Outdoor Dining

Silver Gold

The Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar 9 MEDALS

611 Avenida Victoria, 949.498.6390, thefishermansrestaurantsanclemente.com

Nomads Canteen 7 MEDALS

102 Avenida Cabrillo, 949.481.4153, stayatnomads.com

Best Bagel

Silver Gold

The Bagel Shack 15 MEDALS

777 S. El Camino Real, 949.388.0745, thebagelshack.com

Antoine’s Café 7 MEDALS

218 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.1763, antoinescafe.com

Best Breakfast Burrito

Silver Gold

Silver

Antoine’s Café 1 MEDAL

218 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.1763, antoinescafe.com

Sancho’s Tacos 1 MEDAL

1101 S. El Camino Real, 949.218.0488, sanchostacos.com

Fisherman’s Racks Up Best of Awards, Year After Year

By Collin Breaux

Sometimes, the best thing to do, after lounging on the beach all day or surfing, is to grab food and drinks at Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar on the San Clemente Pier.

San Clemente Times readers certainly think so. Ever since the inception of the Best of San Clemente “People’s Choice Ole Awards,” readers have voted for Fisherman’s in various categories each year, so much so that the iconic seafood spot has won the most overall awards to date—68, to be exact, with four of those earned for 2022.

“It makes me really proud. I’ve been working for Fisherman’s for over 35 years,” says Mark Esparza, director of operations. “It says a lot about how the community feels about our restaurant, and tourists, as well. Not only do we offer great food, but service and great ambience, as well. People keep coming here year after year.”

Seats at Fisherman’s offer a literal beachside view. Sometimes, over lunch, you might be lucky enough to see surfers catching waves. Even if there are no boards out, you can still enjoy the ocean view and sunshine in the warmer

months—and, after eating, feel free to watch some actual fishing happen further down on the pier.

As a testament to the restaurant’s popularity, customers sometimes have to wait before being seated—but the waits are never time-consuming, a sign of Fisherman’s efficient service.

“Because I’ve been here so long, I consistently see people who come in from different parts of the country,” Esparza says. “They visit here, even (from) Canada, as well. They make it a point to say hi to me. A lot of repeat customers.”

The restaurant has been in operation since 1981—though as owner and founder Hal Griffith explains, work on the restaurant dates back to the late 1970s, after the City of San Clemente wanted something else to go in the current pier space besides rowboat storage and a clubhouse.

Fisherman’s made a proposal to the city and was selected to be not just a new restaurant for the pier, but the very first one there.

“There was nothing there at the pier. There was no food or beverage before we got there, besides snacks,” Griffith says. “There was no restaurant.”

Griffith says he is proud of the restaurant, which is a personal endeavor for him. He recalls his wife taking their kids to play on the beach while the restaurant was under construction before opening.

Being a seafood restaurant on the pier, Fisherman’s—naturally—offers a variety of fish with fresh daily specials, which can include salmon, swordfish and scallops. Breakfast offerings include omelets and pancakes; for lunch, soft shell crab sandwiches and calamari steak; and for dinner, fish and chips and a Fisherman’s burger made with angus beef are among the many tasty options.

There’s also an oyster bar across from the restaurant space, which has its own menu. Esparza describes that as casual dining and another option if the restaurant side is busy.

“(Customers) know it’s going to be consistent. It’s going to be the same as it’s been for years,” Esparza says. “It’s family-style dining for two or more people. We have, let’s say, a halibut feast. That starts off with a bucket of clams, then soup, then salad, and then halibut. It gives people a wide variety.”

Griffith says while they do add different items to the menu as time goes on, they stick to the basic concept of fish and seafood. Part of that core focus is cooking fish in a “wholesome, natural way” that doesn’t take away flavor by using excessive sauce or spice, Griffith notes.

“Everything is essentially cooked and served in the most natural way,” Griffith says.

For the happy hour crowd, Esparza touts that part of Fisherman’s if you want to stop in for a drink after work.

“That’s every day of the week, Monday through Friday, between 4 and 7 (p.m.),” Esparza says. “That’s really popular.”

When asked how Fisherman’s has evolved over the years, Griffith says there have been numerous remodels as current demand grew. Some of that has entailed expanding the deck, because the outdoor seating is popular.

Other aspects have largely remained the same, though, including the indoor seating and Fisherman’s relationship with the City of San Clemente.

Griffith says the partnership with the city is one the restaurant has maintained for more than 40 years.

“That’s a good relationship,” Griffith says.

Another aspect that’s stood the test of time is the staff, some of whom have worked at Fisherman’s for many years and—in some cases—since the restaurant opened. Griffith is in and out of town, but he says he relies on the staff to maintain quality, which in turn attracts customers. Esparza backs up that claim by noting some customers return to see veteran employees.

Griffith attributes Fisherman’s success and community standing to the excellence exhibited by his staff, as well as staying up to date with renovations over the years.

“I’m sure that has something to do with why we got the awards,” Griffith says. “We try to maintain (the restaurant) in a quality way.”

Mark Esparza, director of operations for Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar, said they often welcome repeat customers who come in to enjoy the food and ocean views near the pier, as well as to see the longtime staff. Photo: Collin Breaux

A San Clemente Institution

Best New Restaurant

Riviera Restaurant 2600 Avenida Del Presidente, 949.503.2222, rivierasc.com

Los Molinos Beer 151 Calle de los Molinos, losmolinosbeer.com

Best Sushi

9 Style Sushi 14 MEDALS 102 Avenida Victoria, 949.366.3669, ninestylesushi.com

Full Moon Sushi 1 MEDAL 647 Camino de los Mares, 949.489.1360

Best Family Restaurant

Sonny’s Pizza & Pasta 6 MEDALS 429 N. El Camino Real, 949.498.2540, sonnys.com

The Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar 1 MEDAL 611 Avenida Victoria, 949.498.6390, thefishermansrestaurantsanclemente.com

Best Restaurant for a Date/Romantic Evening

Silver Gold Silver Gold Silver Gold Silver

Vine Restaurant & Bar 13 MEDALS 211 N. El Camino Real, 949.361.2079, vinesanclemente.com

Nick’s San Clemente 9 MEDALS 213 Avenida Del Mar, 949.482.2200, nicksrestaurants.com/nicks-san-clemente

At the Shops At the Shops At the Shops

Moldy

Best Record Store New Category!

Gold

Moldy Toes Records 217 S. El Camino Real, 949.444.8275, facebook.com/moldytoesrecords

Power Plant Records 73 Via Pico Plaza, 949.463.1968, powerplantrecords.com

Best Surfboard Shaper

Silver Gold

Bill Stewart, Stewart Surfboards 10 MEDALS 2102 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.1085, stewartsurfboards.com

Matt Biolos, Lost Surfboards 3 MEDALS lostsurfboards.net

Best Clothing

Silver Gold

Em & Tess 7 MEDALS

220 Avenida Del Mar, Suite B, 949.547.0463, emandtess.com

Melrose in the OC 10 MEDALS 144 Avenida Del Mar, 949.366.0561, melroseintheoc.com

Best Kids’ Apparel and Toys

Silver Gold

Petit Bonhomme 16 MEDALS 147 Avenida Del Mar, 949.361.3651

Target 9 MEDALS 990 Avenida Vista Hermosa, 949.456.8668, target.com

Best Home Improvement Store

Silver Gold

DeNault’s ACE Hardware 7 MEDALS 535 N. El Camino Real, 949.492.3801, denaults.com

Lowe’s Home Improvement 7 MEDALS 907 Avenida Pico, 949.369.4644, lowes.com

Best Bicycle Shop New Category!

Silver Gold Silver

Murf Electric Bikes 1226 Puerta Del Sol, 949.218.5920, murfelectricbikes.com

Jax Bicycle Center 1421 N. El Camino Real, 949.492.5911, jaxbicycles.com

Toes Records

Photo: Alan Gibby/Zone57.com

Petit Bonhomme Offers the Best in Children’s Clothing for Generations of Families

Since Petit Bonhomme opened in 1991, owner Karin Michielsen has seen her customers’ children grow up before her eyes. Generations of parents have come through her doors looking for clothes and toys for their children. Photo: Breeana Greenberg

Karin Michielsen grew up in retail, around her family’s shoe business in Belgium. So, when Michielsen’s first child was born, she realized she, too, wanted to open a small business to help support her family.

Michielsen envisioned opening a children’s store, where her kids would feel at home playing in the back of the shop. She launched Petit Bonhomme in the heart of Downtown San Clemente in 1991.

Since then, the store has drawn generations of customers to enjoy the unique pieces of children’s clothes, toys and accessories that the small business offers. And just as she imagined, her children often played in the back of the store as they grew up.

“They were always here in the back,” Michielsen recalls, before noting the store’s previous location in the downtown district. “I used to be on top of the street on El Camino (Real), so there we had a really big play area. But this location is much better.”

“Most people remember that; they say, ‘Oh, I remember that they were playing in the back,’ ” Michielsen continues. “Some people walked by, and I heard somebody say, ‘I think she has like 10 kids.’ That’s probably what it sounded like.”

Michielsen has also seen her customers’ children grow up before her eyes. Her eldest daughter is 33 now, and generations of parents have come through her doors looking for clothes and toys for their own children.

On the wall behind the checkout counter, Michielsen displays photos of the numerous

By Breeana Greenberg

families who have loyally shopped at Petit Bonhomme over the years.

The store quickly became a valued member of the business community, as San Clemente Times readers have voted Petit Bonhomme as the recipient of the Golden Ole for Best Kids’ Apparel and Toys for 2022.

Target, the nationwide retailer that offers a wide variety of clothes, toys, video games, board games, sporting equipment and more, earned the Silver Ole.

“I try to find some real different and unique clothing that you don’t see everywhere. Like if you go to the mall, you probably won’t find anything that I have.”

Karin Michielsen

Except for 2012, the small, family-run store has been a finalist—either Gold or Silver Ole recipient—for the category every year since the Best of San Clemente launched 17 years ago.

“I’ve been here since 1991,” Michielsen says. “People that used to shop then for their kids, they come back for their grandkids, which has been really fun, actually. That’s kind of rewarding, and that keeps you going.”

“For a while, you don’t see those people, because then they’re teenagers, they get married, and now they’re having their babies,” Michielsen says.

Michielsen moved to Southern California in her 20s after backpacking around the world. Following a trip through Australia, New Zealand and then Hawaii, she said San Clemente was a great place to settle down.

Each time she travels back to Belgium, the trip back to San Clemente always feels like coming home, she says.

When Michielsen opened Petit Bonhomme, the first Gulf War had just begun and a big recession hit, she remembers. Initially, the store only carried European items; because of the recession and the push to buy American-made clothing, Michielsen had to switch gears.

The language barrier was also a struggle when Michielsen first opened the store.

“It was a struggle, because I didn’t grow up here, so when people would say terms like, toddlers or infants—I would think, ‘What is that?’ because it’s not my native language,” Michielsen says. “So, I had to learn a lot.”

Petit Bonhomme offers a wide selection of toys, books and unique children’s clothing and accessories.

Since Petit Bonhomme first opened 32 years ago, the uniqueness and quality of the clothing for sale have set the small business apart from its competitors.

“I try to find some real different and unique clothing that you don’t see everywhere,” Michielsen says. “Like if you go to the mall, you probably won’t find anything that I have.”

Michielsen adds that her clothes are of exceptional quality that can be handed down from generation to generation.

Winner Spotlight BEST SURFBOARD SHAPER

pieces so he could fit it on his plane … so I convinced him to get a bigger plane,” Stewart says, laughing.

At one end of the man cave is a music stage, complete with amps, instruments, and everything one needs to rock the house.

The drum kit on the stage belongs to one Russ Kunkel. A longtime friend of Stewart’s, his work can be heard on records from a long list of rock ’n roll hall of famers, including James Taylor, Bob Dylan, David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Jackson Browne (another fellow surfer).

“He keeps his drums here; it’s just easier for when we have band practice,” explains Stewart, who plays harmonica in the outfit.

On the wall behind the stage, Stewart has airbrushed a scene featuring a tropical night sky, complete with swaying palms and lightning bolts streaking across the black background.

At 71 years old, Stewart may be having more fun now than ever before—and his business is thriving because of it. A few years back, he turned over Stewart Surfboards to his daughter, Ashley, and her husband, Erik Leines.

“I was tired of running it, I was done, and I wanted to sell it,” Stewart says. “So, I started going through the process and eventually asked Ashley if she’d be interested in taking over the family business.”

Renowned Innovator, Shaper

Bill Stewart Maintains Creative Spark

By Jake Howard

Bill Stewart very neatly fits the moniker Father of the Modern Longboard. But for as lofty as that title is, it almost does the man a disservice.

There’s so much more to Stewart. He’s a shaper. He’s an innovator. He’s a designer. He’s an artist. He’s a musician. The list goes on.

“I’ve always got something going on,” Stewart explains from the comfort of his sprawling man cave in San Clemente.

For more than 50 years, Stewart has dedicated his life to surfing and surfboards. The walls and ceiling of his man cave are plastered with photos, old boards and memories from a life very well-lived. The board that Colin McPhillips rode to world title glory hangs from the rafters. There’s another oversized board he shaped as a stage prop for Jimmy Buffett.

“One time, Jimmy asked me to make him a board that could break into two

That was before the pandemic. By the time 2020 rolled around, Ashley and Erik had already dialed in their online store and found themselves unexpectedly well-positioned to handle the onslaught that was to come.

With the world shut down and the government handing out stimulus checks, it was nearly impossible to keep boards in stock, but together they shined.

In 2021, Stewart was inducted into the International Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame.

“I’m getting nervous; they’re giving me all these awards they give to people before they die,” he says, again with a laugh.

Founding Stewart Surfboards in 1978, he’s personally shaped more than 40,000 surfboards over the years, with another 120,000 being produced under the Stewart label. He’s most well-known for his implementation of beveled rails with blended single to double concave, and a 2+1 fin setup on his Hydro Hull design—now called the Redline 11.

“I’m really excited to keep experimenting and keep trying new things,” Stewart says. “With Ashley and Erik running the business, I’m in a position to really be creative. There’s always been a special place in my heart for twin-fins; maybe I’ll shape a few of those and see where it goes. Who knows, my best work could still be ahead of me.”

Surfboard shapers are a small, foam-dust-covered fraternity, and while Stewart is perhaps San Clemente’s most renowned shaper of longboards, on the other end of the spectrum is Matt “Mayhem” Biolos and the high-performance shortboards he builds for some of the world’s top professionals.

The fact that Stewart was voted Best Shaper in town by San Clemente Times readers and that Biolos came in second speaks volumes about how much shaping talent there is in San Clemente, as well as how diverse the styles of surfing are.

On any given day, Colin McPhillips can be spotted riding a Stewart-shaped board down at San Onofre. Meanwhile, a mile north, WSL Championship Tour combatants Kolohe Andino and Griffin Colapinto can be found on Biolos-made blades flying above the lip at Lowers.

Biolos and his business partner, Matt Reola, founded Lost Surfboards in San Clemente in 1992. Keen to upset the surfing establishment of the time, they teamed up with a crew of radical, young, progressive surfers and endeavored to make surfing fun again.

Irreverent and indifferent, it was Biolos’ Round Nose Fish design that put Lost on the map—that and a 15-year-old grom named Chris Ward. Biolos recently celebrated the 25-year anniversary of the board with a new film release entitled 5’5” x 19 1/4 … Century

And while their specialties may be different, Stewart and Biolos are cut from the same cloth. Even when they were teenagers, they knew they wanted to build surfboards for a living, and they dedicated themselves to being best in class—Stewart with longboards, Biolos with shortboards.

There are no schools or college degrees for surfboard shaping, and getting a foot in the door can be hugely challenging, but Stewart and Biolos both put in the hard yards to get to where they’re at today. Our surf community is lucky to have them both.

Renowned around the world for his precision longboards and high-def airbrush art, Bill Stewart is a cornerstone in the San Clemente surfboard building community.

Photo: Jake Howard

Best Antiques

Gold

La Casa Verde Granada 8 MEDALS

130 Avenida Granada, 949.498.2560, lacasaverdestore.com

San Clemente Antiques & More 14 MEDALS 214 Avenida Del Mar, Suite B, 949.426.5131

Best Store to Buy the Perfect Gift

Silver Gold

The Abode 2 MEDALS

228 Avenida Del Mar, theabodesc.com

Oliver’s Olive Oil & Balsamic Tasting Gallery 1 MEDAL 211 Avenida Del Mar, Suite C, 949.497.6917, oliversevoo.com

Best Pet Store

Gold Silver

Pets Plus 7 MEDALS

638 Camino de los Mares, #A-140, 949.496.8400; 415 Avenida Pico, Suite O, 949.361.8907, petsplusca.com

Three Dog Bakery 7 MEDALS 174B Avenida Del Mar, 949.218.3364, threedogsc.com

Best Arts and Crafts Supplies

Silver Gold

Michaels 17 MEDALS 937 Avenida Pico, 949.940.0465, michaels.com

Fired Up San Clemente 3 MEDALS 143 Avenida Granada, 949.498.3929, firedupsanclemente.com

Best Place to Buy Flowers

Silver Gold

Kimberly’s Flowers 3 MEDALS

2320 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.3005, kimberlysflowers.co

Flowers & Friends 17 MEDALS

1844 N. El Camino Real, 949.366.9150, flowersandfriendssanclemente.com

Best Secondhand/Thrift Store

Silver Gold

Assistance League of Capistrano Valley Bargain Box 3 MEDALS

526 N. Camino Real, 949.492.2800, assistanceleague.org

La Tienda Thrift Store 4 MEDALS

510 N. El Camino Real, 949.361.3510, latiendathriftstore.com

Best Home Décor and Furnishings

Silver Gold

Tuvalu Home Environment 8 MEDALS 222 N. El Camino Real, 949.542.8242, tuvaluhome.com

HomeGoods 1 MEDAL

550 Camino de Estrella, 949.496.4260, homegoods.com

Best Beauty Supply Store

Silver Gold

Ulta Beauty 6 MEDALS

510 Camino de Estrella, 949.489.1841, ulta.com

Sally Beauty 1 MEDAL 943 Avenida Pico, Suite F, 949.492.6299, sallybeauty.com

Best Tattoo Shop

Silver Gold

Silver

Living Art Gallery Tattoo Lounge 7 MEDALS

3107 S. El Camino Real, 949.292.9669, sclivingartgallery.com

Distinctive Body Art Studio 1 MEDAL 2727 Via Cascadita, Unit L, 949.916.3561, distinctivebodyart.com

Happy Customers, Happy Employees

Shadetree Automotive Aims to Satisfy Motorists in Need

By Collin Breaux

It was 1975 when Paul Huffman began working at Shadetree Automotive. The mechanic shop had opened a few years prior, and he was a high school student entering the job market then.

“I got work experience for free in the afternoon, because I bought a car from him,” Huffman says of shop founder Fred Stier. “It just went on from there.”

Fast-forward to 2022, and Huffman is now the owner of the shop after taking over for Stier in the 1980s. Over the years, Shadetree has continued to earn the respect and admiration of the community as San Clemente Times readers routinely vote it as Best Mechanic Shop in town.

Now in its 17th edition, the Best of San Clemente People’s Choice Ole Awards once again have Shadetree winning the gold medal in the category for 2022. For six consecutive years, Shadetree was the runner-up, taking the Silver

Ole. This is the shop’s first Golden Ole since 2015.

“It’s just consistency. We’ve got customers that are fourth-generation coming through now,” Huffman says, reflecting on why customers keep coming back. “A couple have been here since I was kid. (Trust in the community) is it. We have a commitment to keeping up with technology. Our partnerships, affiliations with AAA imbues trust. They look after us and make sure the customer gets a fair shake.”

Rounding out the mechanic category is Silver Ole medalist Jay’s Car Repair, which performs scheduled maintenance and safety inspections, as well as brake and air conditioning repairs, among other services.

For Shadetree, happy customers, happy employees and making a profit form the business matrix, Huffman says.

“We kind of ignore everything else and stick to those principles,” Huffman says. “It’s the guys.

It’s mainly keeping the same guys here. They’re seeing the same customer’s car, over and over again.”

The technicians at Shadetree mostly grew up in the local area and are pretty much longtime employees. The newest employee has been around for almost seven years, according to Huffman.

The range of services that Shadetree offers covers mostly everything, except for tires and body work.

“We used to just be Volkswagens. That was in the ’70s, when probably every third car was a Volkswagen. It was packed. We were working outside in the old days,” Huffman says. “Basically, (now we do) service work. We do oil changes and what-not. We’re not a quick lube. We service the car when it comes in. General repair and diagnosis.”

What a typical day looks like at Shadetree has changed over the years. People used to drop their cars off, and there would be notes in a basket since everyone had to leave to go to work.

“Now, anywhere from 8 to 10 o’clock, people start milling in, bringing their cars in, dropping it off for service,” Huffman says. “Then we diagnose them and get back to the customer.”

Because of the supply-chain crisis, more time is spent during the day finding parts.

“Hugely,” Huffman responds when asked whether they’ve been affected by supply-chain issues. “We used to call: boom, boom, get the parts, showed up. Now, the local suppliers don’t stock the parts as much anymore, so everything’s a day out—where it used to just be an hour to get here.”

Some cars requiring a quality factory part to run efficiently can mean newfound delays, because suppliers don’t always have fresh equipment right away.

“Then, in the general sense, COVID’s still out there. Our employees are still out there,” Huffman says of other challenges Shadetree has faced in current times. “We deal more with employees being off than we ever have in the past. When they’re off now, they’re off a week, whereas it used to be a day. Everybody’s afraid to come to work sick.”

Even so, Shadetree has still done a good job adapting to these challenges, he adds.

“People don’t have to leave the community to get their car serviced. They have a group of repair shops, because we’re just one shop and don’t do everything. We have a list of other repair shops we send people to when they call us,” Huffman says of what being able to repair cars for locals means for the community.

“People can stay local and not just from the sense of shopping local, but stay local and not have to drive up to Irvine to drop your car off,” he adds. “If you can have it right here and drop the car off and go back to your office and start working again, it’s really convenient.”

Being a part of the community is also important for Shadetree, and Huffman has donated money to local educational causes and is involved in other community endeavors.

“It just makes it more of a small community,” Huffman says.

The team at Shadetree Automotive is ready to help with car repairs. Photo: Collin Breaux

“People can stay local and not just from the sense of shopping local, but stay local and not have to drive up to Irvine to drop your car off, If you can have it right here and drop the car off and go back to your office and start working again, it’s really convenient.”

Paul Huffman

Best Footwear Store

Gold

Sam’s Shoes & Shoe Repair 7 MEDALS

135 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3495

Tootsies San Clemente 7 MEDALS

162 Avenida Del Mar, 949.441.7343, tootsies-shoe-boutique.myshopify.com

Best Surf/SUP Shop

Hobie Surf Shop 16 MEDALS

167 Avenida Del Mar, 949.542.3355, hobiesurfshop.com

Stewart Surfboards 4 MEDALS

2102 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.1085, stewartsurfboards.com

Best Jewelry

Gold Silver Silver

Paradise Jewelers 19 MEDALS

166 Avenida Del Mar, 949.361.6661; 210 Avenida Del Mar, 949.361.6662, paradisejewelers.com

ERBA San Clemente (Tie) 12 MEDALS

114 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.2355, facebook.com/shoperba

RG by the Sea (Tie) 1 MEDAL

132B Avenida Del Mar, rgtheshop.com

Best Local Market

Silver Gold Silver Gold Silver

Trader Joe’s 8 MEDALS

638 Camino de los Mares, 949.240.9996, traderjoes.com

Pronto Italian Deli 1 MEDAL

221 B Avenida Del Mar, 949.503.3049, prontoitaliandeli.com

Winner Spotlight BEST NEW BUSINESS

Best New Business

Kate Lane Salon Creates Community Hub

By Breeana Greenberg

From a young age, San Clemente resident Kristle Jones aspired to work in the beauty industry. After more than two decades doing so, Jones opened her first salon in Aliso Viejo in 2020—a dream come true for the stylist.

The salon is a family-run business named after Jones’ daughters, Macie Kate and Madelyn Lane. From time to time, customers may see the whole family in and out of the salon. On break, her oldest daughter might be working the front desk. Jones and her husband, Ryan Jones, run the back end of the salon.

In January 2022, Jones expanded the business, opening its second location in Downtown San Clemente.

“We love the community here so much,” Kristle Jones says. “It was really important that we had a business here in our community, that we can support and give back to our neighbors and the schools and just the community in general.”

The community, in turn, is recognizing Jones and her salon, as

San Clemente Times readers have voted Kate Lane Salon as the recipient of our Golden Ole for Best New Business in 2022.

“I really wanted to create a community hub within our walls and somewhere where people could come and feel happy and safe and leave feeling amazing about themselves,” Jones says. “I think we really nailed it on the head.”

Los Molinos Beer, a new community-focused microbrewery that opened in the Los Molinos Business District last April, has earned the Silver Ole for Best New Business.

Fourth-generation San Clemente resident Shawn Haven and friend Roman Krecu collaborated to open the brewery. The building has been in Haven’s family since the early ’60s.

“We have a unique location, unique building,” Haven says. “It’s in a different business district than the other breweries.”

The sense of community that Los Molinos Beer has successfully cultivated sets the brewery apart from its competition, Krecu says.

“Our focus, the intention of opening this, was to create that sense of community and bring people together and create the best possible beer that we can, as well as food,” Krecu says.

Echoing his business partner, Haven agrees that “there’s nothing like it in town.”

For Jones and her salon, opening the Downtown San Clemente location allowed her to design the space “from the ground up.”

“I’m really happy and proud of

the space. It’s a really clean, serene environment, modern, but really blends well with that whole kind of Ole Hansen style,” Jones says, adding: “Overall, the environment is very San Clemente. We have a lot of people coming in for lived-in color; they want a lot of low-maintenance blonding. They want to feel like they spent a weekend in the sun, (that) their hair is sun-kissed.”

What sets Kate Lane apart from its competition is the collaborative team environment and talented staff, Jones boasts.

“We’re the newest salon in the area, we’re very modern, we have a lot of talented team members,” Jones says. “What’s really unique is we are a hybrid salon, which means we have a combination of employees and booth-renters.”

Being a hybrid salon “makes it feel like a team environment, rather than everyone working so independently,” Jones says. “You’ll find us collaborating a lot, working together. It’s kind of like an artist collective here.”

Jones explains that most of the stylists go back and forth between the Aliso Viejo and San Clemente locations.

The salon is also a Green Circle Salon, meaning 95% of the beauty waste is recycled and repurposed, according to Jones.

“Everything from hair to oils to excess colors are all recycled and repurposed, which is nice, because our industry has the most waste, like they’re the top three in the world as far as waste goes,” Jones says.

All the brands that Kate Lane Salons use are also committed to clean beauty, she says.

Kate Lane Salon’s mission is to ensure that guests feel heard and leave feeling confident.

“Part of our core values is listening to our guests and finding out what they really need and doing long consultations with them, so they get the best service possible,” Jones says. “And then we create these relationships with our clients that I think are unlike anything that I’ve seen before.”

“They become our friends, our family and part of our little community within these walls,” Jones adds.

Jones says she hopes that each customer leaves their appointment feeling amazing about themselves.

“I want them to feel happy leaving,” Jones says. “I want them to be feeling good inside and out.”

By expanding her Aliso Viejo-based business, Kate Lane Salon, and opening a new location in Downtown San Clemente last year, resident and hair stylist Kristle Jones has worked to create a sense of community and bring people together. Photo: Breeana Greenberg

(From left) Los Molinos Beer co-owners Roman Krecu and Shawn Haven opened the new community-focused microbrewery in April 2022. Photo: Breeana Greenberg

Best Yoga Studio

EPIC Yoga 5 MEDALS 1709 N. El Camino Real, 949.558.5111, epicyogasc.com

YNG Studios 3 MEDALS 102 S. Ola Vista, 949.492.0110, yngstudios.com

Best Acupuncturist

A Point of Health Acupuncture 6 MEDALS 3551 Camino Mira Costa, Suite L, 949.310.4044, apointofhealth.com

Serene Qi Acupuncture 1 MEDAL 3551 Camino Mira Costa, Suite K-1, 949.292.0460, sereneqiacupuncture.com

Best Auto Body Shop

Frank’s Auto Collision 6 MEDALS

2101 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.4801; 1510 Avenida de la Estrella, 949.498.5503, franksautocollision.com

Shadetree Automotive 1 MEDAL 1635 N. El Camino Real, 949.498.6470, shadetreeautorepairsanclemente.com

Best Orthodontist

Bill Redmond Orthodontics 5 MEDALS 171 Avenida Vaquero, Suite A, 949.495.0600, gotobro.com

Brandon Orthodontics (Tie) 1 MEDAL 1171 Puerta Del Sol, Suite B, 949.388.8006, brandonorthodontics.com

John Redmond Orthodontics (Tie) 5 MEDALS 181 Avenida Vaquero, Suite C, 949.492.2141, johnredmondorthodontics.com

Best Dry Cleaner

Bonded Cleaners & Laundry 17 MEDALS 1221 N. El Camino Real, 949.498.1183, bonded-cleaners.com

K & S Cleaners 17 MEDALS 114 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.5424, sanclementedrycleaners.com

Best Specialty Beauty Service

Beauty & Blade 4 MEDALS 100 Avenida San Dimas, 949.412.6114, beautyandblade.com

Bonnie’s Skin Care 1 MEDAL 647 Camino de los Mares, Suite 224, 949.422.1427, bonnieskincare.com

Photo: Alan Gibby/Zone57.com

Best Grooming/Pet Care

Bow Wow Beautiful Pet Spa 5 MEDALS

364 Camino de Estrella, 949.702.3130, bowwowbeautiful.com

VIP Pet Spa 9 MEDALS

810 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.7473, vippetspa.com

Best Pilates Studio

Club Pilates 5 MEDALS

802 Avenida Talega, Suite 104, 949.388.8954, clubpilates.com

MPower Pilates & Fitness 7 MEDALS

302 N. El Camino Real, Suite 106, 949.482.4396, mpowerpilatesfitness.com

Best Home Improvement Service

Triton Air

New Category!

1221 Puerta Del Sol, Suite 300, 949.519.0209, tritonair.com/san-clemente

DeNault’s ACE Hardware

535 N. El Camino Real, 949.492.3801, denaults.com

Best Jeweler

Paradise Jewelers 13 MEDALS

166 Avenida Del Mar, 949.361.6661; 210 Avenida Del Mar, 949.361.6662, paradisejewelers.com

Buckley & Co. Jewelry (Tie) 2 MEDALS

415 E. Avenida Pico, Suite D, 949.218.1184, buckleyjewelry.com

Jewelry Forever (Tie)

7 MEDALS

161 Avenida Del Mar, 949.361.6929, jewelryforever.net

Best Medical Health Care Provider

MEDHERO Advanced Urgent Care and Wellness Center

7 MEDALS

905 Calle Amanecer, No. 115, 949.207.3603, medhero.com

MemorialCare Medical Group 4 MEDALS

675 Camino de los Mares, Suite 200, 877.696.3622, memorialcare.org

Best Banking Institution

Farmers & Merchants Bank 4 MEDALS

621 N. El Camino Real, 949.373.2470, fmb.com

Wells Fargo 4 MEDALS 601 N. El Camino Real, 949.492.1196, wellsfargo.com

Best New Business

Kate Lane Salon

121 Avenida Granada, 949.632.5326, katelanesalon.com

Los Molinos Beer 151 Calle de los Molinos, losmolinosbeer.com

Best Spa for Facials

Bonnie’s Skin Care 3 MEDALS

647 Camino de los Mares, Suite 224, 949.422.1427, bonnieskincare.com

Seaside Skin Care 7 MEDALS 1401 N. El Camino Real, Suite 200, 949.276.2777, seasideskincare.com

Best Mechanic Shop

Shadetree Automotive 17 MEDALS

1635 N. El Camino Real, 949.498.6470, shadetreeautorepairsanclemente.com

Jay’s Car Repair 4 MEDALS

1504 Avenida de la Estrella, 949.492.7990, jayscarrepair.com

Best Surfboard Ding Repair

Terry Senate Surfboards 5 MEDALS

208 Calle de los Molinos, 949.361.1740

Coolbreaze Boardworks 7 MEDALS

1307 Calle Valle, 949.232.6217, coolbreazesurfboards.com

Best Financial Planning Service

New Category!

Securities America—Arlon Enmeier & Corrine LaFollette

241 Avenida Del Mar, 949.276.6333, securitiesamerica.com

Edward Jones

429 Avenida de la Estrella, Suite 102, 949.492.1274; 905 Calle Amanecer, Suite 260, 949.361.6970, edwardjones.com/us-en

Best Chiropractor

Thompson Chiropractic 6 MEDALS

629 Camino de los Mares, Suite 104, 949.240.1334, thompson-chiro.com

Trestles Chiropractic 1 MEDAL

653 Camino de los Mares, Suite 100, 949.284.6620, trestleschiropractic.com

Best Group Workout

Orangetheory Fitness 7 MEDALS

802 Avenida Pico, 949.485.4885, orangetheory.com

Guillobel Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy 4 MEDALS

621 N. El Camino Real, Suite A, 949.366.2107, guillobelbjj.com

Best Martial Arts Studio

Guillobel Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy 10 MEDALS

621 N. El Camino Real, Suite A, 949.366.2107, guillobelbjj.com

Gracie Barra San Clemente 4 MEDALS

225 Calle Pintoresco, 949.361.9411, graciebarra.com/san-clemente-ca/

Best Law Firm

San Clemente Estate Law 2 MEDALS

100 S. Ola Vista, Suite A, 949.420.0025, sanclementeestatelaw.com

The Gibbs Law Firm 2 MEDALS

1221 Puerta Del Sol, Suite 100, 949.492.3350, gibbslaw.com

Best Catering Company

Iva Lee’s Restaurant & Lounge 5 MEDALS

555 N. El Camino Real, Suite E, 949.361.2855, ivalees.com

Guicho’s Eatery 2 MEDALS

1110 S. El Camino Real, 949.481.1070; 440 Camino de Estrella, 949.248.1910, guichos.com

Best Tire Shop

Holley’s Tire Service 12 MEDALS

1225 N. El Camino Real, 949.492.4733, holleystireservice.com

Robbie’s Tire Center 2 MEDALS

2310 S. El Camino Real, 949.481.0991, robbiestirecenter.com

Dedication to Recognizing History Helps San Clemente Inn Win ‘Best Lodging’

By C. Jayden Smith

Lisa Francesconi got her start in the hospitality industry in 1985, and she has put in more than 30 years toward working as a general manager in San Clemente.

Now approaching retirement, the 56-year-old is looking to punctuate what she calls her “life’s work” and passion by championing those under her stewardship to reflect what so many did for her.

“I’m focused now, at this point in my career, (on) paying it forward to people coming in the system underneath me and creating opportunities for people … to be able to (dig) their heels in and build their own careers for themselves,” Francesconi says.

Those three decades of experience have helped her become the stabilizing factor at the San Clemente Inn, selected by San Clemente Times readers as the Best Lodging option in town.

The Beachcomber Inn received the Silver Ole.

Since transitioning from studying criminal justice at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Francesconi followed the advice of a now longtime mentor and bet on herself to take her first job at a hotel in Southern California.

She took it upon herself to honor the property’s history while constantly being open to change and renovations to suit the needs of guests.

As general manager since 1993, she has answered to a five-member board of directors that heads the Inn’s homeowners’ association, and their support has been a significant part of her staying for so long.

“They’ve always allowed me to be able to evolve (the property) and change and try things. … I think if we had gotten to a point where we weren’t changing and looking for what it was we needed to be in the future, then I probably would’ve left a long time ago,” Francesconi says.

The property was built in 1955 by the family who owned the Champlain Oil Company, according to Francesconi, and the Winchester

Repeating Arms Company. It evolved outward over the years to have the four additional buildings containing 97 units, ranging from studio rooms that sleep two people to one-bedrooms sleeping either four or six people.

San Clemente Inn keeps things simple by charging flat rates for the different rooms and not adding fees for parking or a view that’s better than others.

Francesconi says that she has recognized the property’s uniqueness in Southern California, in that it has lengthy outdoor space in addition to the pool, and it backs up to San Clemente State Park, meaning there’s no construction behind the hotel. The park is a “very good neighbor,” she says with a laugh.

“The one thing that I know and I’ve learned about us over the years is that all I have to do is get the person through the door one time, and they’re going to come back. … I always think to myself, ‘I just need an opportunity to quietly impress someone,’ ” Francesconi says.

Outdoors, the Inn has a small miniature golf course, shuffleboarding, cabanas, and equipment for cooking. During the busier times of the year, they also host events to get guests involved.

Another part of recognizing the history tied to the building has in-

cluded redesigning the entire hotel to have a mid-century modern look, a style that was popular in the days the Inn was establishing its identity.

Francesconi began the process four years ago with no design background, but she has found success through trial and error. She took it upon herself to do the whole design and is currently looking to finish the remaining 26 units before Memorial Day.

“I hear (people) walk in, particularly clients that are coming to the restaurant that haven’t stayed here—because if you live in town, you’re not going to stay here, right?” she says. “They’ll come in, and they’ll be like, ‘Oh my God, I never knew this place looked like this.’ And that’s the greatest compliment for me to hear.”

The people who come in and then want to tell their friends about

their experiences, either at the hotel or in the restaurant space now occupied by Riviera, play a large role in growing the Inn’s business over time.

Francesconi says that in 2022, the Inn made $1.9 million from nightly rentals, compared to $35,000 in 1993.

“It was all grassroots and building relationships,” she says. “We’re very much a business of relationships at this property.”

Being “hypersensitive” in noticing what she can change has contributed to making the Inn unique. She gave examples of the hotel staying open during the pandemic and continuing to employ housekeepers on the property to clean seven days each week.

Historically, it can also lay claim to hosting FBI and CIA agents while President Richard Nixon stayed at the Western White House down the road.

All of those elements are things Francesconi has tried to instill in her staff, in terms of respecting the property.

“We’ve been a stronghold within the community since 1955,” she says. “I know that we (have) the Ole Hansen homes and everything, which are so important to our community, but we’re only talking, like 30 years after that, that the San Clemente Inn was built.”

Returning to the long-term impact Francesconi would like to have on the Inn, she notes that most of her staff do have an interest in working in hospitality for their career.

Within her three decades at the Inn, she’s worked with roughly 20 different assistant managers who have had the chance to move forward, and she encourages her staff to take the next steps in their career.

The Inn’s nomination for Best Lodging is a reflection of Francesconi’s view that being the best in town is the standard that staff should strive for every day of the year.

“I want people to know that we are a unique property, and (I want) to continue to maintain that and build off of that,” she says.

General Manager Lisa Francesconi’s efforts in maximizing the space at the San Clemente Inn have helped the hotel earn Best Lodging in San Clemente. Photos: C. Jayden Smith

Best Veterinarian

San Clemente Veterinary Hospital 9 MEDALS

1833 S. El Camino Real, 949.492.5777, sc-vet.com

Pacific Coast Veterinary Hospital 9 MEDALS

1242 Puerta Del Sol, 949.429.1555, pacificcoastveterinary.com

Best Local Nonprofit Organization

Silver Gold

Family Assistance Ministries 9 MEDALS

1030 Calle Negocio, 949.492.8477, family-assistance.org

Pregnancy Resource Center 1 MEDAL

416 Avenida de la Estrella, 949.334.7722, prcmedicalclinic.com

Best Spa for Massages

Barefoot Bliss Massage 7 MEDALS

111 W. Avenida Palizada, Suite 111, 949.208.0200, barefootblissmassage.com

Off the Vine Day Spa 1 MEDAL

647 Camino de los Mares, Suite 224, 866.235.7970, offthevinedayspa.com

Best Gym

Life Time Rancho San Clemente 3 MEDALS

111 Avenida Vista Montana, 949.392.7100, lifetime.life

Orangetheory Fitness 5 MEDALS

802 Avenida Pico, 949.485.4885, orangetheory.com

Best Hair Salon

Southern Roots Hair Studio 3 MEDALS

638 Camino de los Mares, 949.481.3499, facebook.com/southernroots.sanclemente

Salon Bleu 7 MEDALS

207 S. El Camino Real, Unit D, 949.366.2060, scsalonbleu.com

Best Barber Shop

Southern Roots Hair Studio 1 MEDAL

638 Camino de los Mares, 949.481.3499, facebook.com/southernroots.sanclemente

V’s Barbershop 11 MEDALS

802 Avenida Talega, Suite 105, 949.429.7770, vbarbershop.com

Best Dental Health Care Provider

Erini P. Redmond, DDS 8 MEDALS

181 Avenida Vaquero, Suite A, 949.361.1124, sanclementedentist.com

Shoreline Dental Studio 8 MEDALS

122 Avenida Cabrillo, 949.234.6850, shorelinedentalstudio.com

Best Manicure and Pedicure

Ocean View Nails 7 MEDALS

638 Camino de los Mares, Suite C-200, 949.388.7218, oceanviewnails.com

The Perfect Ten 1 MEDAL

139 Avenida Del Mar, 949.492.3736

Best Overall Customer Service

Erini P. Redmond, DDS 2 MEDALS

181 Avenida Vaquero, Suite A, 949.361.1124, sanclementedentist.com

Shoreline Dental Studio 5 MEDALS

122 Avenida Cabrillo, 949.234.6850, shorelinedentalstudio.com

Getting Out Getting Out Getting Out

Best Camp for Kids

Gold

Guillobel Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy 7 MEDALS 621 N. El Camino Real, Suite A, 949.366.2107, guillobelbjj.com

JP’s Surf Camp 3 MEDALS 2818 Via Blanco, 949.547.2088, jpssurfcamp.com

Best Billiards

Silver Gold

Mulligans Sports Bar 9 MEDALS 1401 Calle Valle, 949.492.4400, mulligansbarsanclemente.com

Bloom’s Irish Pub 2 MEDALS 2391 S. El Camino Real, 949.218.0120, bloomsirishpubsc.com

Best Lodging

Silver Gold

San Clemente Inn 10 MEDALS 2600 Avenida Del Presidente, 949.492.6103, sanclementeinn.com

Beachcomber Inn 7 MEDALS 533 Avenida Victoria, 949.492.5457, thebeachcomberinn.com

Best Special Event/Wedding Venue

Silver Gold

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens 9 MEDALS 415 Avenida Granada, 949.498.2139, casaromantica.org

Casino San Clemente 8 MEDALS 140 W. Avenida Pico, 949.369.6600, thecasinosanclemente.com

Best Local Annual Event

Silver Gold

Ocean Festival 7 MEDALS oceanfestival.org

San Clemente Fiesta Music Festival 7 MEDALS scchamber.com/special-events/

Best Beach

Silver Gold

T-Street 17 MEDALS North El Camino Real/Avenida Pico

Riviera Beach 10 MEDALS San Clemente Beach Trail, South of San Clemente Pier

Best Venue for Live Music

Silver Gold

Iva Lee’s Restaurant & Lounge 11 MEDALS 555 N. El Camino Real, Suite E, 949.361.2855, ivalees.com

Beachfire Bar & Grill 8 MEDALS 204 Avenida Del Mar, 949.366.3232, beachfire.com

Best Park

Silver Gold

Silver

Linda Lane Park 16 MEDALS 400 Linda Lane, 949.361.8264, san-clemente.org

Vista Hermosa Sports Park 8 MEDALS 987 Avenida Vista Hermosa, 949.429.8797, san-clemente.org

Winner Spotlight BEST VENUE FOR LIVE MUSIC

As the ‘Best Venue for Live Music,’

Iva Lee’s Gets People Jumping

By C. Jayden Smith

While handling the live music portion of Iva Lee’s Restaurant & Lounge, Eric Wagoner has made it his goal to see people enjoying themselves listening to the music, as well as socializing and drinking and eating.

Wagoner, who runs the local business alongside Lisa, his wife and co-founder, prides himself on the roughly 18 years he’s been involved in the music industry. Using that experience, he’s worked to bring in a range of musical acts that perform blues, classic rock, and modern dance.

“We’ve found that most of the San Clemente public really wants to hear music that they’re familiar with,” Wagoner says. “So, we’ve shifted, and we hire more fun cover bands that get people up and dancing.”

Wagoner’s efforts have certainly paid off throughout the years, as evidenced by the voices of San Clemente Times readers who continue to vote Iva Lee’s as the Best Venue for Live Music in town. For the 11th consecutive year, Iva Lee’s, which specializes in classic Creole cuisine and a down-

home Southern environment, has captured a Golden Ole in this category.

This year’s Silver Ole winner is Beachfire Bar & Grill in Downtown San Clemente. The local eatery, which offers coastal plates and signature cocktails in addition to live entertainment, has captured eight total medals over the lifetime of the awards. This is the first medal BeachFire has earned for this category since 2012.

BeachFire owner Edgar Carbajal told SC Times that music is his passion and that his restaurant enjoys supporting local artists. He said it was “super exciting” to receive the nomination, as they host musicians five days per week and work closely with a music director to select well-vetted performers.

“We have a scratch kitchen and bar that we’re very proud of and take very seriously,” Carbajal says of the efforts BeachFire puts into providing for its audience. “We do the same with our music.”

At Iva Lee’s, Wagoner says, live music plays a significant role, as man-

Eric Wagoner, who runs Iva Lee’s Restaurant & Lounge with his wife, Lisa, focuses on bringing in popular local bands to contribute to a fun and comfortable environment.

Photo: C. Jayden Smith

agement’s focus has turned away from the fine dining aspect. Since the switch, the owners have made cosmetic changes in moving and expanding the stage layout in addition to working to attract bands with a larger audience.

The business has reached a point in which bands across Southern California contact Wagoner to play at Iva Lee’s.

He says he receives about 10 requests weekly, but the groups he typically calls back to repeatedly perform at his restaurant have a bigger following.

“Sometimes, it’s kind of hard to say ‘no’ to a band, because they might be really good,” says Wagoner. “But if they’re from Downtown San Diego, (you have to ask) how many people are going to drive all the way up here to see (them)? So, we tend to hire more local bands.”

He adds that they have about 35 different bands rotate through the Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays that Iva Lee’s hosts live music.

see them or they’re not that great,” Wagoner says.

How bands represent themselves elsewhere is essential to determining whether to hire them for a performance, he says.

Additionally, the bands that perform at Iva Lee’s sometimes refer Wagoner to other groups he might be interested in researching.

“Usually, musicians won’t refer another band if they’re not good, so I really respect the musicians’ input on bands,” he says.

Since beginning the revamp of the stage area in late 2022, which features a new mural resembling a Louisiana swamp and wood accents, Wagoner teases that more changes are coming. They moved the stage from an awkward, out-of-sight position to the back wall facing the rest of the bar and restaurant.

The future tweaks include adjusting the lighting setup and staining some of the wood to provide a rustic feel.

The comforting feeling people have at the restaurant makes it a good setting for music, Wagoner says, in addition to the quality food and drink offered at reasonable prices.

Staff members at Iva Lee’s want guests to feel safe and easily enjoy the environment, which is bolstered by the lack of a raucous crowd. Wagoner says they never have issues with obnoxious customers or fights that they have to handle.

In terms of his experiences landing and working with musicians, a lot of research is involved, according to Wagoner. He likens the process to doing a background check whenever he hires a cook or server.

It helps that he has connections with other local venues that host music that can speak to artists’ character.

“If they’re a band that doesn’t have a website or a Facebook page or Instagram, it’s hard for me to roll the dice on a Friday or Saturday night, and then they come in and they don’t have anyone to come

So far, feedback from both bands and customers has been positive.

“Before, our stage was against that (front) window, so when you walked in the front door, people would be like, ‘Oh, I thought you had music here,’” Wagoner recalls. “Now, you walk in, and the stage is right there.”

After about 20 years of operating Iva Lee’s, the managing staff has finally found a good combination of the live music setup and the restaurant’s food and drink offerings. Wagoner says it was an honor to learn Iva Lee’s placed among the best in town.

Another good practice they’ve landed on includes setting up music earlier in the best interests of their customers.

“On Saturday nights, we do music from 7:30 to 11, and I think people like that around here,” says Wagoner. “A lot of places don’t even start music until 9:30 or 10, and a lot of our clientele is in bed by then.”

He adds that he was excited by the nomination.

“We love San Clemente,” he says, “and love all of our customers here.”

“On Saturday nights, we do music from 7:30 to 11, and I think people like that around here. A lot of places don’t even start music until 9:30 or 10, and a lot of our clientele is in bed by then.”

Eric Wagoner

Best Golf Course

Gold

San Clemente Municipal Golf Course 17 MEDALS

150 E. Avenida Magdalena, 949.361.8384, san-clemente.org

Bella Collina San Clemente 5 MEDALS

200 Avenida La Pata, 949.498.0517, bellacollinasanclemente.com

Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners

Silver Gold

San Clemente Pier 17 MEDALS

Avenida Victoria/Pacific Ocean

The Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar 17 MEDALS

611 Avenida Victoria, 949.498.6390, thefishermansrestaurantsanclemente.com

Best Surf Break

Silver Gold

Trestles 17 MEDALS

San Onofre State Beach, Old Highway 101, 949.492.4872, parks.ca.gov

San Onofre State Beach 4 MEDALS

San Onofre State Beach, Old Highway 101, 949.492.4872, parks.ca.gov

Best Surf School

Silver Gold

Silver

JP’s Surf Camp 7 MEDALS 2818 Via Blanco, 949.547.2088, jpssurfcamp.com

Epic Summer Surf and Beach Camp 1 MEDALS 1235 Puerta Del Sol, Suite 200, 949.245.7962, tandmsurf.com

Nominess Nominees Nominees

The nominees were submitted by our community of voters. Please note that we have done our best to review this list and to make edits such as misspellings and elimination of nonexistent businesses. Please be advised that there may be errors. Individuals’ names are listed in alphabetical order by first name. If you have a correction to submit for next year’s Best of San Clemente issue, please email us with your suggestion at info@picketfencemedia.com.

Only polite suggestions will be reviewed and considered for publishing in future issues. Thank you for your understanding and participation!

*Business Has Closed

1LAW San Clemente

24 Carrots

24 Hour Fitness

3 Line Studios SC

4th of July Fireworks

4th of July Office Chair

Race

9 Style Ramen

9 Style Sushi

99 Cents Only Stores

A

A Clear View Window

Cleaning

A Cut Above Barbershop

A Point of Health

Acupuncture

Access to Freedom

Accurate Pest and Termite

Active Culture

San Clemente

Adolfo’s Mexican Food

Adriano Piazza, Pronto

Italian Deli

Age Well Senior Services

Aha Sushi*

Albertsons

Album Surf

Alicia’s Barber and Hair

Styling Salon

Dr. Allison Habekost, Camino Veterinary Hospital

Allie Agraz

Alohana Acai Bowls & Coffee

Aloha Beach Camp

Alyx Wells

Ambitious Edge

Barbershop

American Beach

Volleyball Club

Dr. Amy Choi, DC

ANETIK

Anderson Law

Dr. Andrea Roberson, MD, DO

Angie Mayhew

Antoine’s Café

Anytime Fitness

April Hey

Apure Natural Healing

Arlon Enmeier

Art of Inner Peace

Artifex Brewing Company

Artistic Dentistry

Asada Cantina + Kitchen

Ashlee Bennett

Ashley Golden

Ashley Rosecrans

Asia America Acupuncture

Asics

Assistance League of Capistrano Valley Bargain

Box

Assistance League of Capistrano Valley

Auto Medic

Auto Repair of San

Clemente

Avenida Animal Hospital

Avenida Del Mar

Avila’s El Ranchito B

B&M Auto Body Shop

B U Threading

Bagels & Brew

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill

Ballet Academy & Movement

BallPark Pizza

San Clemente

Bank of America

Bank of the West

Banzai Bowls

Barefoot Bliss Massage

Bargain Box Thrift Store

Barkate Orthodontics

Barks & Brews

Barnoa Wine Company

Barrist Tax Group CPAs

barre 3

BASANTI San Clemente

Bashams Factory and Surfshop

Baskin-Robbins*

Beach Cities Barbershop

Beach City Florist

Beach Concerts

Beachcomber Inn

BeachFire Bar & Grill

Beach Town Books

Bear Coast Coffee

Beauty & Blade

Beauty Break

Beauty Nails & Spa

BeBe Nail Spa

Dr. Benjamin T. Stevens

DDS

Bella Collina

San Clemente

Bellagio Nails & Spa

Best Nails

Big D’s Barbershop

Big Helyn’s Saloon

Big O Tires

Biggie’s Burgers

Bikram Yoga

San Clemente

Dr. Bill Redmond

Orthodontics

Bill Stewart,

Stewart Surfboards

Billabong

Billy’s Meats, Seafood & Deli

Black Sheep Tattoo

Black Sparrow Tattoo

Blaze Pizza

Bloom’s Irish Pub

Blue Wave Smiles

Board & Brew

Bob’s Auto Repair

Bob’s Fine Wines

Body Therapy by Joann

Bodyrok San Clemente

Bonded Cleaners & Laundry

Bonita Canyon Park

Bonnie’s Skin Care

Borkowski Law

Bow Wow Beautiful

Pet Spa

Bowhead Salon

Bowlology

Boys & Girls Club of the South Coast Area

Braeutigam Construction

Brandon Orthodontics

Brawner Boards

Breno Basilio

Brian Friestman, Edward Jones

Brian Schnell

Brick

Bridget’s Chair

Brittany Sicon

Brooks Business Support

Brophy Art Studio

Brush and Blade

Brussels Bistro

Bryan Balazar, Riviera

Buckley & Co. Jewelry

Bungalow J Burger Junkies

Bikram Yoga San Clemente

C

C’Siren Day Spa

Cabrillo Playhouse

Caesar Calderon

Cafe Calypso

Cafe Del Sol

Cafe Hermosa

Cafe Mimosa

Cafe Rae

Cafe Rio Mexican Grill

Calafia State Beach

Cale Foreman, Shorecliffs Grill

California Bank & Trust

Caliber Collision

Callan Warthman

Camino Health Center

Camino Veterinary Hospital

Camp Bow Wow

Dr. Candice Basich

Captain Mauri’s Counterculture

Carbon Health Urgent Care

Carl’s Jr.

Carrie Lenihan Hair at The Lounge Luxury Hair

Casablanca Inn

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens

Casa Tropicana

Casino San Clemente

Casita de Kathy Thrift Store

Cassano’s Catalyst

Catch Surf

Caterina’s Gelato Bar

Cecilia’s Interiors

Cedar and Cove Salon

Celebrity Cleaners

Chanel Juzaitis

Chase Bank

Chaupain Bakery

Dr. Cheryl McDonough, DDS

Chelas Mexican Kitchen

Chick-fil-A

Chico’s Off the Rack

China Bros.

China Well*

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chris Dolkas, State Farm

Insurance

Chris Kartchner, The Cellar

Christina Carbonara

Christy Stark

Chronic Tacos

Clarks Bostonian Outlet

Clear Solutions, Inc.

Club Pilates

Coast Wealth

Management

Cody Newmark

Cole Hahn Outlet

Cole Fernquist, Rockwell’s Bakery, Café & Bar

Cole Simler, Cole Surfboards

Colin Smit, Edward Jones

Collective Energy Yoga

Community Outreach Alliance (COA)

Concept Design, Inc.

Connor Brannon, Vine Restaurant & Bar and Landers Liquor Bar

Connor Naasz

Converse

Coolbreaze Boardworks

Conservatory of Performing Arts (COPA)

Coral Thrift Shop

Corky Carroll’s Surf School

Corinne EnmeierLaFollette

Cortni Chantry

Cosentino’s Pizza

Costa Lifestyle Medicine

Costa Verde Landscape

Cottage Bliss

Cotton’s Point

COVE

Critters Mobile Pet

Grooming

Crossfit San Clemente

Crumbl Cookies

Crunch Fitness

Crystal Mobile Pet

Grooming

CVS

Dad’s Liquor

Daily’s Sports Grill

Daisy Shoppe

Darin Reagan, San Clemente Dental Group and Orthodontics

Dr. Dana Ghorab, DDS

Dand Chiropractic

Dr. David Alapag, Mizokami ACSL

Massage Therapy

Dr. David Buchan, DDS

David Henninger, Antoine’s Cafe

Dr. David Hinrich, DDS

David Pratt, Brick

Dr. David Steenblock

Del Sol

Del Taco

Delahunt Brewing Co.

DeNault’s ACE Hardware

Dennis Stenson

Denny’s

Designer’s Magic Carpet & Flooring

Designs By Nature

Dewey’s TV & Home Appliances

Dewey Weber

Dr. Diana Craft, DDS Ding Doctor*

Distinctive Body Art Studio

Divinely Restored

Marketplace

Doheny Clothing Exchange

Domino’s Pizza

Donut House

Downhill Johnny’s Bicycle*

Downtown Children’s Boutique

Drift Distillery

Dunn-Edwards Paints

Dying Breed Tattoo Shop

E

eBodyboarding.com

Edward Jones

El Camino Automotive & Tire Center

El Jefe Café

El Pollo Loco

El Portal Beach

Elevate Fitness

Elks Lodge

Ella Bost